Chapter Two
It was only when Sister Mary Eunice passed along the small pile of manila folders she had asked for the younger nun to gather several hours earlier that Sister Jude noticed that something was not quite right. The edge of Mary's sleeve pulled back across her arm as she leaned over to offer the files. Instead of the pallid flesh of her wrist, a padding of white that continued to snake under the dark cotton revealed. Sister Jude took the folders from the offered hands but her eyes, her sceptical gaze, did not waver from the white gauze.
'What on earth happened to your arm?' Jude asked in a tone of attempted disregard as she flicked through the pages but could not quite focus on the printed words. Sister Eunice's eyes met her own but there was something about the lop-sided smile that didn't sit well with the older nun. Was this not the same girl before her who just months prior became but a mewling mess of tears at the very thought of physical pain? Granted Sister Jude herself had reprimanded the child many a time, wished to the lord almighty even for the woman to wise up to the ways of the world and find some strength, if only to accept the goings on around the asylum without shedding a tear or two. But such a swift turn around was unusual, even for her.
'An incident with one of the patients, sister, that's all.' The smile never seemed to subside. 'Things got a little out of hand.' Jude shook her head with apparent disapproval and returned her gaze to the papers at hand as she began to walk towards the corridor.
'I trust they were put swiftly back in hand, sister? We can't have this kind of behaviour becoming a common occurrence.' Jude reinstated over her shoulder as Mary kept up step behind her, the click of their footsteps echoed across the walls, hers always a second behind. 'We are in short supply as it is and this institution simply cannot afford such expense or the loss of any member of staff especially under such circumstances.' She declared as the folder she glanced at shut with a slap and Jude drew to a halt at the end of the corridor. 'But of course that goes without saying.' She added, turned to face Sister Eunice who merely nodded in agreement.
'It does indeed, sister.' Mary pried at her own sleeve, drew the dark cotton over the corner of gauze before she clasped her hands together in front of her; a deceptively innocent stance.
'Well, if that is all, you may return to your duties.' Sister Jude continued and waved her free hand in a vague gesture of direction. Again the girl opposite her nodded and turned on her heel to head back the way they had come. 'But take care with that arm of yours.' Jude called after her, voice echoing along the hall. 'You're one of the few I actually consider useful about this place. I don't want to hear you having lost it next!' There was no response from the retreating figure – was she taller just then? Was that a swing in her step? - besides the click of her heels as she sauntered away.