AN: Found this on the hardrive. I was trying to capture the boarding school
air. I wrote this around six months ago, so it might not be completely
accurate.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Jondy stayed away from the other bedrooms after the perfume incident – but Lily Turner took an instant dislike to her from that day on.
For some reason, Angus became her new best friend – the cat spent every living minute beside Jondy. Secretly, Louise believed it was because of the feline DNA, but never mentioned that to Jondy.
Jondy and Angus's favourite past time was to play Tag – Angus would charge down the main hallway and Jondy would try and find him. When she did, he tried to find her. Jondy could get away with hiding in classes or in the Chapel. Angus hid under beds or in the kitchen, where Jondy never ventured because of Jude.
It was that day when Dr Lee returned to the convent, bringing along two children. Cold and bedraggled, Syl and Krit had been living on the streets since they escaped and looked awful. Syl was about half of Jondy's size and she was a year older – Krit was tall and skinny and would barely pass for ten, let alone the twelve he was.
"Sister Louise, this is Syl and this is Krit. Two more of the X5's," Dr Lee said sadly. Over the four and a half months he had left Jondy here, he had been searching for the other children. Manticore hit men were on his tail and had already murdered three other doctors and Dr Lee's family.
All of a sudden, a ginger coloured streak flew down the hall, making even Syl and Krit blink. Shortly after, Jondy came running in, wearing red overalls and red sneakers; two stubby pigtails tied with red ribbon.
"That's not fair!" Jondy yelled at the cat, not even pausing at the sight of visitors. Ignoring everything except revenge on the sly feline named Angus, Jondy dove towards the laundry in hopes of trapping Angus.
"Thank you, Sir," Louise said.
"They can remain here until the New Year, then they must move on. I shall try and fetch them, but Manticore have a hit team after me," Dr Lee nodded. "I've found the trail of a girl named Tinga and one named Brin. I shall replace Syl and Krit with that pair if they settle down long enough to find them."
Syl looked at the large paintings that hung in the hall of the school. There were award winning paintings by students. Photos of children smiling. And that girl was her sister? She didn't seem like the Jondy back at Manticore.
"Krit, Syl, come with me," Sister Louise said, as Dr Lee walked out. "You'll be sleeping in your sister's room. I'm sure you'll fit into some of Jondy's clothes, Syl and we have some clothes for you Krit."
Sister Louise made both children take a bath and both got dressed – Syl was in jeans and a woollen jumper and Krit was in a pair of jeans and a t shirt.
"As you both know, this is a girl's school. You don't take any classes and you eat your meals either in your room or in the kitchen, as not to upset any of the girls. You have a couple of chores around the school, but mainly you can do what you want. Come down to the kitchen with me and we can all have lunch together."
Jondy sat at a huge wooden table, waiting for Sister Louise and her siblings.
"Syl! Krit!" she leapt up and gave them a hug. "Are you all right?"
"Yup," Krit nodded, taking a seat next to Jondy. "What are we having?"
"Cause it's so cold, Jude made soup and toasted sandwiches," Jondy said. "One of the patrons supplied the school with all this fresh food. We've got to wait until all the student's have been served before we get ours."
"What if they run out?" Syl wondered aloud, sitting opposite them.
"It has never happened," Jondy grinned. "Like the time, before the Pulse, that Lia made cherry tarts and lasagne. There was so much left that I have third helpings and I was allowed five tarts!"
"We weren't allowed second helpings at Manticore," Krit grinned.
"Those energy bats and museli stuff is hardly food," Jondy said. "Jude makes the best waffles on Sunday!"
"Waffles?" Syl asked, as Louise bustled in.
"You can serve these three, Jude," she called, sitting down.
It was creamy pumpkin soup with sour cream and chives – both Krit and Syl almost spat it out when they first tried it.
"It tastes weird especially after those energy bars," Jondy said, nodding. "Have some bread with it. Or a toasted sandwich and you'll get used to it."
Soon, all three bowls were empty and the plate of toasted sandwiches was being attacked.
"I like the cheese and salami ones!" Syl grinned, as she took a bite.
"The ones with cheese and pineapple," Krit said, as he got himself a drink of water.
"Don't eat too much cause Jude might give us some dessert," Jondy whispered.
"Louise thought you two kids might not have had cake before, so we thought you could have extra dessert," Jude placed a huge wedge of cake between them – layers and layers of chocolate and cream. "You're allowed to come and have midnight snacks, but only on the stuff I labelled. If you get hungry ask little Elli or Jondy or whatever her name is and she'll find you something."
They went and played soccer outside for the rest of the afternoon. Soon, Syl's lips were blue with the cold and Jondy claimed she couldn't feel her feet.
"C'mon, there's still an hour till dinner – we can make cocoa."
Having never tried half of the gourmet treats that Jondy had come accustomed to, Syl and Krit followed her into the extremely quiet school.
"Everyone goes to the chapel and prays until dinner," Jondy explained, reaching for the tin of chocolate powder. "Jude'll come and start dinner soon – probably a casserole or some lasagne. Maybe pie. But we don't have to come down till 7:15. Krit, six of those jam tarts in the fridge and we'll take this to the library with us."
Krit and Syl were exceptionally dazed at this lifestyle – eating whenever you were hungry and you could have second and third helpings (and fourth, as Krit discovered.) To be allowed to sit around just talking. Both Syl and Krit were taken with the tarts, so Jondy gave both of hers to them.
"I can not wait till Lia makes her pumpkin scones," Jondy said, as she taught them how to play Scrabble. "And maybe Louise will give us money to go to the lolly shop – since the pulse, it's pretty expensive, but sometimes she lets me. And Meg – a nun you haven't met yet – she set up a television in my room so I can watc it if I cannot sleep. Maybe some of the girls will lend us some videos. Sarah Miller lent me 'Winnie the Pooh' once and that was cool. Lily's got the best collection in the school but she doesn't like me much."
After Syl won scrabble, they went down for dinner. Which was lasagne and bread – eating seemed to be the best part of the day to Krit – since they escaped, Syl had been stealing bits and pieces of food. Nothing very nice.
"Sister Louise, can I take Syl and Krit to the lolly shop tomorrow?" Jondy asked, pouring herself a glass of lemon cordial.
"I'll give you a dollar share between you – you know the school isn't made of money, Jondy," Louise admonished. All the Nun's had realised that 'Eleanor's' real name was Jondy by now and rarely referred to her as 'Elli' any more.
After they washed up their plates and had showers, they went to Jondy's room – where two more beds had been added.
"Wow," Syl murmured, looking around the room. "This is like those old fashioned books Lydecker used to read us."
Jondy nodded. "It is. Sometimes I wish I was back there, but its safe here and we get good food."
Krit nodded. "Yeah. Syl and I haven't liked the Outside."
All three children climbed into one bed.
"We've missed you, Jondy."
"I missed you too."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Jondy stayed away from the other bedrooms after the perfume incident – but Lily Turner took an instant dislike to her from that day on.
For some reason, Angus became her new best friend – the cat spent every living minute beside Jondy. Secretly, Louise believed it was because of the feline DNA, but never mentioned that to Jondy.
Jondy and Angus's favourite past time was to play Tag – Angus would charge down the main hallway and Jondy would try and find him. When she did, he tried to find her. Jondy could get away with hiding in classes or in the Chapel. Angus hid under beds or in the kitchen, where Jondy never ventured because of Jude.
It was that day when Dr Lee returned to the convent, bringing along two children. Cold and bedraggled, Syl and Krit had been living on the streets since they escaped and looked awful. Syl was about half of Jondy's size and she was a year older – Krit was tall and skinny and would barely pass for ten, let alone the twelve he was.
"Sister Louise, this is Syl and this is Krit. Two more of the X5's," Dr Lee said sadly. Over the four and a half months he had left Jondy here, he had been searching for the other children. Manticore hit men were on his tail and had already murdered three other doctors and Dr Lee's family.
All of a sudden, a ginger coloured streak flew down the hall, making even Syl and Krit blink. Shortly after, Jondy came running in, wearing red overalls and red sneakers; two stubby pigtails tied with red ribbon.
"That's not fair!" Jondy yelled at the cat, not even pausing at the sight of visitors. Ignoring everything except revenge on the sly feline named Angus, Jondy dove towards the laundry in hopes of trapping Angus.
"Thank you, Sir," Louise said.
"They can remain here until the New Year, then they must move on. I shall try and fetch them, but Manticore have a hit team after me," Dr Lee nodded. "I've found the trail of a girl named Tinga and one named Brin. I shall replace Syl and Krit with that pair if they settle down long enough to find them."
Syl looked at the large paintings that hung in the hall of the school. There were award winning paintings by students. Photos of children smiling. And that girl was her sister? She didn't seem like the Jondy back at Manticore.
"Krit, Syl, come with me," Sister Louise said, as Dr Lee walked out. "You'll be sleeping in your sister's room. I'm sure you'll fit into some of Jondy's clothes, Syl and we have some clothes for you Krit."
Sister Louise made both children take a bath and both got dressed – Syl was in jeans and a woollen jumper and Krit was in a pair of jeans and a t shirt.
"As you both know, this is a girl's school. You don't take any classes and you eat your meals either in your room or in the kitchen, as not to upset any of the girls. You have a couple of chores around the school, but mainly you can do what you want. Come down to the kitchen with me and we can all have lunch together."
Jondy sat at a huge wooden table, waiting for Sister Louise and her siblings.
"Syl! Krit!" she leapt up and gave them a hug. "Are you all right?"
"Yup," Krit nodded, taking a seat next to Jondy. "What are we having?"
"Cause it's so cold, Jude made soup and toasted sandwiches," Jondy said. "One of the patrons supplied the school with all this fresh food. We've got to wait until all the student's have been served before we get ours."
"What if they run out?" Syl wondered aloud, sitting opposite them.
"It has never happened," Jondy grinned. "Like the time, before the Pulse, that Lia made cherry tarts and lasagne. There was so much left that I have third helpings and I was allowed five tarts!"
"We weren't allowed second helpings at Manticore," Krit grinned.
"Those energy bats and museli stuff is hardly food," Jondy said. "Jude makes the best waffles on Sunday!"
"Waffles?" Syl asked, as Louise bustled in.
"You can serve these three, Jude," she called, sitting down.
It was creamy pumpkin soup with sour cream and chives – both Krit and Syl almost spat it out when they first tried it.
"It tastes weird especially after those energy bars," Jondy said, nodding. "Have some bread with it. Or a toasted sandwich and you'll get used to it."
Soon, all three bowls were empty and the plate of toasted sandwiches was being attacked.
"I like the cheese and salami ones!" Syl grinned, as she took a bite.
"The ones with cheese and pineapple," Krit said, as he got himself a drink of water.
"Don't eat too much cause Jude might give us some dessert," Jondy whispered.
"Louise thought you two kids might not have had cake before, so we thought you could have extra dessert," Jude placed a huge wedge of cake between them – layers and layers of chocolate and cream. "You're allowed to come and have midnight snacks, but only on the stuff I labelled. If you get hungry ask little Elli or Jondy or whatever her name is and she'll find you something."
They went and played soccer outside for the rest of the afternoon. Soon, Syl's lips were blue with the cold and Jondy claimed she couldn't feel her feet.
"C'mon, there's still an hour till dinner – we can make cocoa."
Having never tried half of the gourmet treats that Jondy had come accustomed to, Syl and Krit followed her into the extremely quiet school.
"Everyone goes to the chapel and prays until dinner," Jondy explained, reaching for the tin of chocolate powder. "Jude'll come and start dinner soon – probably a casserole or some lasagne. Maybe pie. But we don't have to come down till 7:15. Krit, six of those jam tarts in the fridge and we'll take this to the library with us."
Krit and Syl were exceptionally dazed at this lifestyle – eating whenever you were hungry and you could have second and third helpings (and fourth, as Krit discovered.) To be allowed to sit around just talking. Both Syl and Krit were taken with the tarts, so Jondy gave both of hers to them.
"I can not wait till Lia makes her pumpkin scones," Jondy said, as she taught them how to play Scrabble. "And maybe Louise will give us money to go to the lolly shop – since the pulse, it's pretty expensive, but sometimes she lets me. And Meg – a nun you haven't met yet – she set up a television in my room so I can watc it if I cannot sleep. Maybe some of the girls will lend us some videos. Sarah Miller lent me 'Winnie the Pooh' once and that was cool. Lily's got the best collection in the school but she doesn't like me much."
After Syl won scrabble, they went down for dinner. Which was lasagne and bread – eating seemed to be the best part of the day to Krit – since they escaped, Syl had been stealing bits and pieces of food. Nothing very nice.
"Sister Louise, can I take Syl and Krit to the lolly shop tomorrow?" Jondy asked, pouring herself a glass of lemon cordial.
"I'll give you a dollar share between you – you know the school isn't made of money, Jondy," Louise admonished. All the Nun's had realised that 'Eleanor's' real name was Jondy by now and rarely referred to her as 'Elli' any more.
After they washed up their plates and had showers, they went to Jondy's room – where two more beds had been added.
"Wow," Syl murmured, looking around the room. "This is like those old fashioned books Lydecker used to read us."
Jondy nodded. "It is. Sometimes I wish I was back there, but its safe here and we get good food."
Krit nodded. "Yeah. Syl and I haven't liked the Outside."
All three children climbed into one bed.
"We've missed you, Jondy."
"I missed you too."