“This is a shower?” Teal muttered.
If M'Lady One heard her, she chose not to acknowledge it. “You take a shower every night before going to bed at Dr. Foreman's School.”
We were each handed a bar of coarse soap, a stiff brush, a towel, and a small kit that included our toothbrush, toothpaste, and a supply of tampons.
None of us moved to undress, however.
“Well?” my buddy said, glaring into my face. “Let's get started. We don't have all night.”
“Right out here, like this?” I asked, looking around. It seemed deserted, but it was still getting naked in full view of anyone.
“Always ask before speaking,” she reminded me. “Yes, right out here like this. Do it! You all stink and the stench will keep you awake and bother others.”
Others? I thought. What others?
Robin began to take off her sack, then undo her shoes and lower her socks. I followed, but Teal looked like she was going to be defiant.
“You won't go to sleep until you do this,” her buddy told her.
She started to undress.
The water was a shock. It wasn't just cold; it was freezing. Every time we tried to get out from under, they pushed us back and shouted, “Scrub!”
I did it as fast as I could. Eventually, the other two did the same, but it wasn't good enough for our buddies. They told us to do it again and scrub harder. The bristles of the brush were stiff and painful. Finally, we were told to step out and turn off the water. Even in the darkness, I could see how red and irritated Robin's and Teal's skinwere. We dried off quickly and put the degrading outfits on to keep ourselves warm again, despite that the sacks stank and would defeat the purpose of the shower. I was afraid to point it out, however.
“Let's move it,” M'Lady Three commanded. She still did not lead us toward the house, however. Instead we were taken to an area off to our right where the three of us saw our clothing piled, shoes and all.
A sweet feeling of relief settled in me, as well as the other two.
“Finally,” I heard Teal whisper.
“No speaking,” M'Lady Two screamed.
We stood there obediently, waiting for the order to fetch our clothes. To our surprise, M'Lady Three went instead to a large open barrel beside them. She lit a match and dropped it into the barrel. Instantly, a flame shot up. Something very flammable was in the barrel.
“Okay, girls,” M'Lady One said. “Take those clothes and throw them into the barrel.”
“What?” Teal couldn't contain herself. “Burn my clothes? Why?”
Out of the shadows as if she were formed from darkness came Dr. Foreman.
“I know this seems hard to you, girls, but it is a very, very important first step. What we are doing here tonight is burning away the old you and beginning your rebirths. This isn't just symbolic. It has a great deal of psychological importance.”
The fire crackled in the barrel.
“But that's not the old me. That's my clothing, my designer clothing!” Teal exclaimed.
For a long moment, no one spoke. Then Dr. Foreman stepped a little closer.
“We'll stand here all night if we have to,” shewarned. “It is essential to my system, my process, that you all participate in your own rebirths.”
“This is really crazy,” Teal muttered.
“I'm so tired, I don't care about anything anymore,” Robin declared, and went to the clothes.
“Don't throw mine in there,” Teal screamed at her.
Robin picked out her own things and began to toss them into the barrel. I followed after her and did the same. Finally, Teal, standing alone, went to the remaining garments. Then, like someone giving up the most precious jewels, dropped them into the barrel.
“Good,” Dr. Foreman said. “You're all beginning well. I'm proud of you girls, and to show you my appreciation, I'm giving you all plus five points. You're now that much closer to receiving comforts and privileges. M'ladies,” she said, turning to the buddies. “Show them to their sleeping quarters.”
Thank God, I thought. I followed along, my head down, not realizing where we were going until Teal moaned. We were standing at the barn.
M'Lady Two opened the door. We could see it was well lit within.
“Home sweet home, girls,” she said, standing back.
“Home! What are you talking about? This is a barn,” Teal moaned.
“Demerit,” M'Lady Three said. “Even though Dr. Foreman rewarded you with five plus points, you have one demerit from before and now a second. Two demerits in one day qualify you for the Ice Room. Dr. Foreman must be immediately informed. You could go right to the Ice Room.”
I raised my hand.
“Very good, Phoebe. Permission to speak. Speak,” M'Lady One said.
“Can't you be a little bit understanding? We're confused and tired and this looks like a barn.”
“It is a barn and we're not here to be understanding. You were given the rules and you must obey them. It's what we had to do and what we did.” M'Lady One looked at M'Lady Three. “It's up to you,” she told her. “What do you want to do about Teal?”
“I'll let this one slip, but consider it the one and only time I will,” M'Lady Three told Teal.
We were then ordered to enter.
Before us were five wooden cots lined up beside each other. Two had mattresses, pillows, and blankets on them. The other three were just bare.
“Those three are yours,” M'Lady One said, pointing to the bare ones.
Robin raised her hand.
“Permission to speak,” M'Lady Two said.
“There are no mattresses or anything on them.”
“You have to earn that,” her buddy replied.
“But. . . how . . . ?”
“Reality checks, remember? You earn the points and then you are rewarded with comforts. It's how it works. Here we earn everything we have, even every morsel of food we eat. Whoever doesn't do her share, doesn't share. That includes water as well as food.”
We all looked about despondently. The floor literally had straw over it. The place smelled like a real barn.
