Shades of Grey

I woke up to muffled crying. Being a light sleeper, it was enough to rattle me awake.
It came from my side and looking over my shoulder with sleep crossed eyes, the huddled beauty wept in whimpers.
My compassion muddled with my dreaming state, I reached out and stroked her arm.
I didn’t expect her to whip away, her blue eyes searing at me from under her thick black hair.
I looked around cautiously, hoping neither Ried nor Will were around.
“Have you slept at all today?” I whispered worriedly to her. The bags under her eyes were blatant against the porcelain skin.
She continued glaring and I gave a tired sigh, looking around the seats again. “So you didn’t want to come either?”
I gulped when she crawled closer to me, the ice in her glare making my throat sore.
“We are all here against our will.” Her voice came in a hushed seethe and I had to make out what she said.
I set aside my intimidation and looked at her. “But, why? Couldn’t this have been voluntary?”
She gave me a disgusted once over, moving back to her spot and becoming another silhouette in the darkness of the bus.
A voice came from the seat in front, shushing me.
“Do you even know why we’re here?”
The moonlight cast in contours of a woman’s face. She leaned on the head rest with large weary eyes and thin lips.
I shook my head meekly.
She licked her lips to begin what would seem a monologue if it weren’t for the woman across the aisle from me, interrupting.
“We’re pigs being fattened to eat.”
My frown came down at the horror of her words and the sudden snicker from the girl in front of me made me look back in hopes of being told it was a joke.
“Name’s Jessica.” She held out her hand and I shook it with warnings flaring in my head.
“Alerik.”
“And I’m Twin.”
“Twin?” Jessica and I turned to look at her again.
Twin shrugged. “I’m Vietnamese.”
“Wait…” I began.
“We’re not going to be eaten. No need to cry, doll face.” Jessica smirked and I forced my eyes to keep from rolling.
“What did she mean then?”
“My aunt was drafted into this program when she was twenty. She’s still in there I think, I mean we haven’t heard from her since.” Twin said bitterly and I felt the color draining from my face.
“My dad’s the mayor, he looked this place up, cost him some serious cash too. This Ash program is nothing more than a convent where we’ll be sold to rich men.”
I said nothing.
Thought of nothing.
“Don’t be stupid.” Twin reprimanded in a low voice. “We won’t be sold. We’ll have a choice in who we end up with and whether we do or not. That’s why they chose us.”
“Why did they choose us?” I asked.
Twin and Jessica were silent.
“They don’t know, no one knows.” The seething voice floated from my side again and I inadvertently shivered.
“Shut up, all of you!” Snapped Will from the darkness.
As he said it, our sudden silence was filtered by loud creaking metallic sounds. I looked out the window where the beauty huddled in anger and Jessica crawled back into her seat, hidden from view. The wind rustled large orchards and the iron wrought intricacies of a gate opened as men in collared uniforms pulled at them.
Three lights from the bus’ ceiling lit up, making us all squint at them before looking back outside. A spacious lot, littered with trees and a large mansion posed in the back. Tall, intimidating curtained windows and a wrap around balcony in every of the eight floors left me breathless.
The bus jumped over speed bumps, the shrieking gates closing behind.
“We’re here.” Whimpered Jessica.
When the bus came to a halt, the side door slammed open with silhouettes framing the doorway.
“Everyone form a single file line. Alphabetical order. No talking.” A coarse voice called out and stepped to a side. The two massive bodies of Will and Ried passed between the aisles and hopped off.
I followed the standing women slowly and unsteadily came out under the moonlight. I followed, asking those who were already lined up what their names were to find my place amongst them.
The rest was almost a dream, I was so tired. I recall arched gothic corridors and tapestries. I remember excruciating stairways and small four poster beds with drapes filling large rooms.
My sheets smelled of Jasmines. I blinked slowly, trying to make sense of the surroundings but already shutting down without notice.
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I was nudged awake by Twin. Her hair brushed against my face and tickled my nose.
“Come on, wake up. We’re gonna be late.”
I shifted, pulling the covers over my face.
“The Orientation is going to start soon! Everyone else is already out!” She ripped the covers from my grasp and I sat up with slitted eyes. “Alright…what…do I wear?”
“There’s a trunk. What size are you?”
I swayed from side to side in sleep. “12.”
She kneeled by the bed and pulled a trunk from under the bed, dark brown worn leather with thick buckles. She propped it open and rummaged inside. “Ok. Got it. Here, put this on.” She held a dark mass of cloth to me and I grasped it with curiosity.
“Hurry up; I’ll meet with you outside.” She stood and trotted to the door of the room.
I rubbed my eyes and fumbled with the clothing to look for a zipper.
I found small metal buttons running along the neck.
Wait.
I stretched it out before me and groaned. A frock. Awesome. A black frock.
I took off yesterdays clothing and pulled on the frock, grimacing and wishing for deodorant.
Twin waited for me impatiently with a sour face. She was wearing the same frock and with a whine, I adjust the hips of mine, the chest tightened by my bosom. I didn’t pay attention to the alabaster hall till midway through the trip of what Twin had called Orientation. It was a red curtained auditorium overflowing with women in black frocks, speaking low and seated comfortably. On the narrow stage stood a woman with thin grey curls and dark blue eyes behind a podium practically her size.
“Attention.” Her voice cracked into the mike as Twin and I twisted our way in-between the last aisle of seats to find empty chairs.
I accidentally stepped on someone and rushed a sorry while moving faster.
“I am Guidance Major Prudence. You can all refer to me as Major and I am here to welcome you to The Ash Program! You have been chosen by a raffle of names and are the proud women who will lead the country.”
There was a sudden murmur picking up like a wave and with a quick hush she continued.
“I see a skeptical lot of you here. Each of you shall have your turn…eventually. Now off to the subject of living which I know has become a steady subject amongst the new arrivals. You have a week from today to look around, enquire surroundings and get lost. After that, it is your responsibility to follow rules, appear when called and so forth. A warning, though, some questions will not be answered and some you’ll regret asking. Down the hall to the left, the archway leads to a great hall where breakfast is being served. You are all dismissed, have a pleasant day.” The moment her mouth snapped shut in silence; she retreated to the stage curtains and brushed them aside, disappearing behind them in moments.
I turned to look at Twin. She was checking her silver bracelet watch and it occurred to me that she came from a wealthy family.
“Well, let’s go, I wanna see if there’s anything edible.” I nodded blankly and scrambled out of the chair after her striding figure.
The great hall was nothing like I’d imagine it would be. I had the picture perfect Harry Potter scene but if the place could be dingier, it would be under construction. The white washed walls and wooden benches water stained with a curved ceiling. Two large web like chandeliers hung low and lit poorly. The hungry lined before a bench separated from the rest that had the seating removed. A row of pale people in white outfits stained with breakfast and past meals served from large containers and pans.
At the end of the line, Twin and I picked up plastic trays still wet from the wash. The first person was a woman named Kelly, late into her fifties with awkward amount of missing teeth. She grinned while offering a ladle of porridge. I managed not to frown but simply shake my head as politely as possible. The next one was a girl about my age with extreme frizz ruling her hair. Hanna, She was about as happy as I was to be here.
“Biscuit?” Her monotone voice brought me back from my thoughts and I shook my head again.
I slid with Twin to the next server; her plate was empty as well.
I looked at the server’s nametag. Elvis.
Alrighty then.
The man had a curling mustache and severe acne scars. Where did they recruit these people? “What do you want?” He asked in a thick brogue. I looked down at his tray.
“Uh, buttered toast please.” He used a pair of tongs to dump two leaking slices on a dish and onto my tray.
The next was a woman named Tabby. Short for Tabitha, I presumed, and I figured that by the way she was glowering at everyone; she had been bestowed upon with kitchen duty.
“Frosted Flakes, please.” She dropped the single serving box in a small ceramic bowl and nodded at me. “Skim milk.” She pushed a small purple carton at me and grunted to the person to my right. I moved on.
Last in line was a preadolescent boy with dark eyes and matted hair. He stood before a grill, reeking of pig fat and veins of sweat along his face and the inside of his elbows. Tom.
“Good Morning.” I offered with pity and his heavy lidded eyes adjusted on me.
“G’mornin.”
I noticed Twin got Canadian bacon and sunny side up eggs.
“Can I have some sausage and scrambled eggs?” He gave a quick affirmative and shuffled some ready made eggs and put a couple of warm sausages to sizzle. I wondered how he got here and looked away when his eyes almost met mine. I have other things to worry about.
We found the first empty seats available and as I began to nibble the drenched toast, Twin smirked at me.
“It’s going to be like this everyday from now on.”
I lowered my eyes. “At least we get a choice.”
Twin choked on eggs and gave me a sour look. Again.
I’m not all that sure Twin likes me all that much aside from familiar company.
I went back to my toast.
After breakfast, Twin took hold of my hand and led me through all the curiosities she held about the building.
By lunch, settling back into the routine of the food line, I understood four things about our surroundings.
One, we had a library the size of two floors with mile long ladders.
Two, The window’s glasses were four inches thick, sealed with iron bars.
Three, our entire wardrobe for our entire stay were the black frocks and soft laced leather shoes we’d receive by supper.
And fourth, there were three layers of doors and gates keeping the entrance door locked.
I assumed there would be fire escapes somewhere….but with how well they were hidden; most of us might turn into KFC before the first one would be open.