“Guys,” I say, “he says we won’t be leaving this place.”
I look at Eli about the time I see him slide a white handled knife off the table into his pocket. Jake must have seen him do it, because he does the same. I follow suit.
Moments after the knife is out of sight, a hand touches my shoulder. I look back to see a tall thin woman standing behind me. She is heavily guarded.
“Elizabeth, my name is Rebekka Jonni, please come with me.”
“May my people come too?” I ask.
“No, they have already been through The Cleansing, there is no need for them to go again, it would kill them. I will return you to your family pod after you are finished.”
I reach over to hug Jake, hoping he has the same idea I do. He must know exactly what I am thinking, because he reaches into my pocket mid hug, transferring the knife into his own pocket. He then lets go of me, and I follow Rebekkah out of The Mess Hall, into the large common room, and into the Bath House.
When inside, I am instructed to take off my clothing and put it into the fire.
Somehow even the fire looks white. It has little white flames dancing over opaque stones. Reluctantly, I remove my brown tank top and camo cargo pants. I remember putting them on the day we left The Force. I feel as I let them burn in the fire that all parts of The Force are being burned away.
I also remember throwing away my clothes the day I was taken to The Force. Perhaps this is a sign of change for each stage of our lives.
I walk into the next room, following Rebekkah, her guards, and two other women that appear to be working the Bath House. They take me to a room with what looks like a huge bathtub set into the floor. It appears to be a perfect square, large enough for ten people to use.
Without saying anything, one of the women motions for me to enter the pit in the floor. I walk down the steps and enter the pit. My feet hit the ground in the pit, which is full of tiny grates everywhere, making it uncomfortable to stand. It feels like my feet are being cut as I walk.
“Please move to the center,” Rebekkah says.
I do as she says, but as I do, I am wondering why all the specifics. Here I am, completely exposed to everyone around me, standing in a pit with perhaps the sharpest floor I have ever been on.
As quick as a blink of an eye, a metal grate falls around me, crashing down in all directions. Panic rises in me, and I begin to run around, looking for a way out, cutting my feet as I go, but there is no way out. The cage is all around me. I reduce myself to standing still as to not hurt my feet anymore.
“Induce The Cleansing,” another woman says as she hits a button on the wall.
At that very moment, the worst pain I have ever felt hits the entirety of my body as acid-like water pours down on top of me, taking layers of skin with it.
Chapter Thirteen
My body feels like someone has taken sandpaper to it. All my pores feel exposed. As I look at my body, I see blood coming from open places all over the surface of my body.
“What was that?” I croak.
The cage raises, and I try to run towards the women with rage, but I can barely walk, let alone run. Two men dressed in white pants and t-shirts come towards me, carrying a white chair. I cover my chest, hoping to gain some sort of modesty, however I don’t think they see it as a problem. After all, I think they have probably done this many time before. At least they are smart enough to be wearing shoes in this pit of doom.
I am starting to feel dizzy.
The men reach me in just enough time, covering me in a white cloth, soon dyed red, helping me into the chair. Together, the two of them carry me into yet another room. Blood drips down my face, blinding me, and I know I must look disgusting.
One of the men wipes my face with the corner of the cloth, making it easier to see, but causing the cloth to look more grotesque. In this new room there is a box laying in the middle on a table. Again, everything in sight is white, crisp, and clean. The box looks more like a coffin, but square and bright.
Without a word, the men leave the room. I remain sitting in the chair, not sure that I would get anywhere if I were to try to get away.
The two women that were with Rebekkah come into the room.
“Pardon Rebekkah, Miss, she had to go handle a soul search,” one of them says, “she may see you in a bit, but if she should miss you, she wishes you the cleanest of days.”
“Okay… I think,” I say.
“This is the second part to The Cleansing,” she says.
“Let’s do it,” I say, “after what I just went through, how bad can it be?”
“You might be surprised,” the second woman says with a painful smile.
They help me to my feet as one of the women hits a lever lowering the table closer to the ground. Together, the three of us get me into the box. A lid is slid over the top of it, making it as dark as the room I was in at the beginning of the day.
How bad can this be? I think to myself.
A buzzing sound omits
