Jondy got used to the students that bustled around the school - all those rich, well off girls who had never wanted for anything in their lives. They paraded the front hall in their clothes and teased her about her very, very short hair. The nuns' spoilt her, buying her dolls and making them clothes. Some students' parents sent her dolls, books and clothes, to make them look good. In the end, Jondy's room looked more like a Pre-Pulse toyshop than a genetically engineered killing machine's bedroom.
Jondy didn't spend much time in class - she had been taught a lot at Manticore, geography, history, reading, writing, mathematics and French.
Sister Jude was a crabby woman, whom Jondy avoided like the plague. Louise had let it slip that Jondy was genetically engineered and some Nuns' believed she was an insult to the church. Jude was one who strongly supported this theory.
Jude was the head cook, with a team of six, including Lia. There was barely fifty students' remaining at the convent school, as after the Pulse only the rich and privileged could afford these shorts of schools.
It was autumn and classes were on all through the school. No older girls to tease her and no young girls to glare at her. The school cat didn't like Jondy much, and Jondy really wasn't in the mood to 'play' with one of her dolls.
Jondy sat on the top step, looking at her red overalls, thinking. 'Angus the cat is kinda getting fat. I'm sure he could stand to lose some pounds. And Lia won't let me run around inside…' Jondy grinned evilly and tumbled off to find Angus, who was residing in a student's room - Lily Turner's room.
Even though Jondy had been told not to go into any of the girls' rooms, she decided that that rule probably didn't count when she was looking for Angus. She wouldn't touch anything.
Lily had left her room in pristine condition - her dressing table was covered with cosmetics and jewellery. Jondy, who knew nothing about cosmetics or jewellery, fingered the lipstick and mascara, and managed to knock a large, crystal bottle of perfume off the dressing table. Jondy watched, half horrified, half-curious, as the crystal bottle crumbled into delicate shards, as the pink scent drenched the white carpet. Jondy eyed the rose pink stain on the carpet and then glanced at the other bottles of perfume - blue, purple, gold and pink.
Jondy should have known better at age 10, than to pour coloured perfume all over white carpet, but at Manticore, she hadn't been taught basic manners or logic.
Just as she poured the purple perfume onto the carpet, a foul smell filled the air - both perfumes were exceptionally strong - especially to a sensitive X5 nose. Wincing at the sharp smell, Jondy turned away to find Angus. Stumbling on the corner of the rug, Jondy cut her cheek and the palms of her hands on the shards of the perfume bottle. Shaking off the injury, Jondy looked under the bed, and found a serious lack of the enormous ginger fur ball. Jondy shrugged and decided to go and find Angus in the library and ask again if she could go outside. Then it hit Jondy what a mess she'd made - the perfume was everywhere and there were smears of blood on the pale blue doona. Jondy winced. So much for not touching anything. Jondy slipped out of Lily's room and back to her own.
Classes stopped at 12:30 for lunch and a short break. Lily was one of the most popular girls at the school and often 'held court' in her room. Jondy winced as she heard Lily enter her room and scream.
At Manticore, when Jondy got scared, Krit, Syl, Tinga, Max, Zane and Zack protected her. Here, there was only the wrath of the nuns and Lily Turner.
Jondy looked at the door. Lydecker had taught her how to forget everything and to lie. Angus made that mess. She was reading a book - had been all morning.
Lily and Sister Louise burst into her room. "Eleanor! The mess in Lily's room! You were forbidden in the girls' rooms!"
Jondy lay down her book and looked at Louise. "I haven't been into Lily's room since I came here," Jondy said, looking suitably puzzled.
Louise frowned, but looked at the child's face. She looked completely innocent.
"I'm sorry, Eleanor, dear. It must have been the cat," Louise hurried out, with a scowling Lily following her. Jondy looked guiltily at the healing cuts on her hands and turned back to her book.
Jondy didn't spend much time in class - she had been taught a lot at Manticore, geography, history, reading, writing, mathematics and French.
Sister Jude was a crabby woman, whom Jondy avoided like the plague. Louise had let it slip that Jondy was genetically engineered and some Nuns' believed she was an insult to the church. Jude was one who strongly supported this theory.
Jude was the head cook, with a team of six, including Lia. There was barely fifty students' remaining at the convent school, as after the Pulse only the rich and privileged could afford these shorts of schools.
It was autumn and classes were on all through the school. No older girls to tease her and no young girls to glare at her. The school cat didn't like Jondy much, and Jondy really wasn't in the mood to 'play' with one of her dolls.
Jondy sat on the top step, looking at her red overalls, thinking. 'Angus the cat is kinda getting fat. I'm sure he could stand to lose some pounds. And Lia won't let me run around inside…' Jondy grinned evilly and tumbled off to find Angus, who was residing in a student's room - Lily Turner's room.
Even though Jondy had been told not to go into any of the girls' rooms, she decided that that rule probably didn't count when she was looking for Angus. She wouldn't touch anything.
Lily had left her room in pristine condition - her dressing table was covered with cosmetics and jewellery. Jondy, who knew nothing about cosmetics or jewellery, fingered the lipstick and mascara, and managed to knock a large, crystal bottle of perfume off the dressing table. Jondy watched, half horrified, half-curious, as the crystal bottle crumbled into delicate shards, as the pink scent drenched the white carpet. Jondy eyed the rose pink stain on the carpet and then glanced at the other bottles of perfume - blue, purple, gold and pink.
Jondy should have known better at age 10, than to pour coloured perfume all over white carpet, but at Manticore, she hadn't been taught basic manners or logic.
Just as she poured the purple perfume onto the carpet, a foul smell filled the air - both perfumes were exceptionally strong - especially to a sensitive X5 nose. Wincing at the sharp smell, Jondy turned away to find Angus. Stumbling on the corner of the rug, Jondy cut her cheek and the palms of her hands on the shards of the perfume bottle. Shaking off the injury, Jondy looked under the bed, and found a serious lack of the enormous ginger fur ball. Jondy shrugged and decided to go and find Angus in the library and ask again if she could go outside. Then it hit Jondy what a mess she'd made - the perfume was everywhere and there were smears of blood on the pale blue doona. Jondy winced. So much for not touching anything. Jondy slipped out of Lily's room and back to her own.
Classes stopped at 12:30 for lunch and a short break. Lily was one of the most popular girls at the school and often 'held court' in her room. Jondy winced as she heard Lily enter her room and scream.
At Manticore, when Jondy got scared, Krit, Syl, Tinga, Max, Zane and Zack protected her. Here, there was only the wrath of the nuns and Lily Turner.
Jondy looked at the door. Lydecker had taught her how to forget everything and to lie. Angus made that mess. She was reading a book - had been all morning.
Lily and Sister Louise burst into her room. "Eleanor! The mess in Lily's room! You were forbidden in the girls' rooms!"
Jondy lay down her book and looked at Louise. "I haven't been into Lily's room since I came here," Jondy said, looking suitably puzzled.
Louise frowned, but looked at the child's face. She looked completely innocent.
"I'm sorry, Eleanor, dear. It must have been the cat," Louise hurried out, with a scowling Lily following her. Jondy looked guiltily at the healing cuts on her hands and turned back to her book.