"Tomorrow, same time?" Matthew asked quickly before he left.
Christine nodded. Matthew winked and hurried away. The thin lady walked up to her quickly.
"Follow me," the lady ordered.
She walked towards a door and knocked on in.
"Come in," Nina's voice came loudly and confidently amidst the jabbering of the other people in the room.
The lady opened the door, explaining, "You will be sleeping here tonight. When the bell rings, you wake up, no matter what time it rings. The lights go out in five minutes. In the morning, you will be serving breakfast with a few other girls, unless Roger Symmes calls you."
Christine nodded and walked into the room. The thin lady closed the door behind her with a slam. Nina looked at Christine and gestured to a blanket next to her. Christine sat down on the blanket and smiled at Nina. Christine gave her a thumbs up. Nina nodded, smiling. Christine leaned over.
"I am now Matthew's supposed girlfriend," Christine murmured into Nina's ear.
Nina laughed as the lights when out. Everyone lay down on their blankets and fell asleep… The bell clanged loudly as the lights flickered on. Everyone stood quickly.
"What time is it?" Christine asked, frowning.
Nina shrugged, "the bell rings whenever they want a person or people up and awake. It might have been meant for the Population Police to gather together and go out for raid or for us servants to evacuate. Normally it means to serve breakfast. The breakfast is always prepared the day before."
All the servants picked up a bowl of something and lined up behind a counter. Christine followed Nina quickly. As both of them served the breakfast, they kept their ears open for any information. Matthew sauntered up to them. He winked at his friends before taking the bowl Christine handed him.
"Stop acting like an idiot about me," Christine muttered without moving her mouth an inch and making her voice come from Matthew's lips.
Matthew blinked, amazed.
Christine smiled and whispered, making her voice come from the bowl, "I'm a ventriloquist."
Matthew blinked. Christine grinned as Matthew was shoved along the line. Nina smiled at Christine.
"I see what you mean," Nina murmured, trying not to move her mouth.
Christine's cell phone rang quickly. Christine picked it up to hear Matthias order her to his room with his breakfast. Christine obeyed quickly and nodded on Matthias' door a few minutes later. Matthias opened it quickly and brought her in, slamming the door shut after her. Christine placed the tray on his table and stepped back. Matthias drew out his notepad and slipped it into Christine's hand as she handed him his fork and knife. Christine glanced around before looking at Matthias questioningly. Matthias shook his head. Christine breathed a sigh of relief and frowned, confused. Matthias gestured at the notepad. Christine pulled it out.
The commander is sending me to spy near the rebels' hideout tomorrow at noon, alone. He has set up guards around my room. I plan to pretend that the rebels killed me. Let me know if the plan is all right or if you've made changes. Hurry. He'll pick me up from the rebels' hideout at noon the day after with an army. Be warned.
Christine smothered a gasp. She glanced at Matthias, eyes wide.
"You are dismissed. I'll take my tray down when I am finished," Matthias said quickly, biting his lip.
Christine nodded and hurried off. She purposely banged into Nina as Nina carried the laundry basket down the stairs.
"I'm sorry. Here," Christine said as she picked up a shirt and gave it to Nina.
They separated with Nina holding the note.
'Hurry,' Christine mouthed.
Nina nodded and rushed off with the laundry. Christine breathed in slowly to steel herself. Her phone rang. The commander called her into his room. Christine walked in and carefully closed the door before curtsying.
"Rearrange those papers by dates quickly," the commander ordered as he pointed to a stack of papers in the corner of the room.
Christine nodded and went over to the corner. She filed them carefully, quickly scanning the papers to memorize them. In an hour, she had them all filed. She stood quickly and looked at the commander.
"Finished, commander, sir," Christine said softly.
The commander nodded, "I heard you have a boyfriend. Officer James Roberts. What is he like?"
Christine faked a blush, "well, he's very nice. He has a nice sense of humor. He's kind. He says that he can't wait to be one of your best officers, sir."
Christine paused, quickly thinking of what to say.
"Is there something wrong?" Christine asked softly.
"Oh, no. I was just wondering if you would like to be his personal servant. Officer Jason Barstow will soon regain the privilege of having a servant. I was wondering if four charges was too many people to serve," the commander said quietly.
Christine smiled, "I can handle it, sir. Four people are alright with me. Whatever you want, sir."
The commander nodded and held his hand out, "give me your cell phone. I'll program it for you."
Christine quickly handed him her cell phone. The commander pressed a few buttons and the phone beeped. He handed Christine her phone back. She took it with a small 'thank you' nod and a smile.
"Dismissed," the commander announced.
Christine curtsied and left the room. She bumped into Matthew who slipped a note into her pocket before walking off with a wink. Christine opened up the note.
Trey want to meet you in the bathroom immediately.
Christine hurried into the bathroom and knocked on the vent. Trey came out, about to say something, but Christine stopped him.
She took out the note Matthew gave her and wrote on it quickly, The commander did something to my phone. It might be recording everything. Can you fix it to pick up something else?
Trey nodded and took Christine's phone. He went to work quickly. After a few minutes, he laughed.
"It now listens to the hallways and sometimes, the kitchen," Trey said as he handed her back the phone.
Christine nodded, "thanks. Now, I've got Matthew as my other charge. The commander said that he plans that when Jason gets back a few ranks; I'll be his servant again. So, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Trey sighed, "The note-passing thing used to take forever. Now, with me added to help the group, it gets faster. Unfortunately, everything Matthias owns is bugged. Tell him that they'll take him back there at noon when he arrives. When noon of the next day comes, they'll bring him back and he says that it is deserted."
Christine nodded and wrote it down on a notepad. Trey slipped back into the vent as Christine took off. Christine looked at the clock in the hallway she was walking through. It was noon. Twenty-four hours from then, Matthias would be off for his trip. Her phone rang. Matthias called her into his room with his lunch tray. Christine hurried up to his room with the tray. She slipped him the note as she handed him his napkin. Matthias read the note and nodded slowly. She smiled.
First Person View (Maria's View)
I admit, I was frightened for Matthias. If the Population Police caught him, he would be killed. Then again, if anyone of us were caught, we would be killed. My last wish would be to see James again. My brother. He helped me. He was the only one who tried to understand me. But, now, I do not really want any ties to my past.
At home, I had to creep through my own house! My own home! To creep like a spy or a thief through my own home where there is supposed to be security and safety and love and hope and joy, seems to be an abomination.
Oh, how I hate those Light Children and the Population Police when I am in the shadows, in the dark, drowning in my sorrow and woe and hatred. I could have had a life! A life full of happiness, innocence! A carefree life like the Light Children! But I do not. I am a Dark Child. Fated until death to flounder helplessly in the dark, black waters of my hideous life, weeping for the loss of the things I could not change and cannot change.
And now, I cannot like anyone. If I do, their death would hurt my heart. Many die. If I liked those who died, then I would not be whole. I would not be strong and solid. I would be a weak whimpering babe like when I first breathed in the air of the world.
Perhaps, I am just out of my mind. If so, then I hope death will come quickly for I am not what I should be. I know it in my heart. I am a tortured form of what I was meant to be. A mutilated thing, not even worth to be called a being. I want out. I want out, but I can ever get out. I am a monster.
Third Person View
Christine wandered around through the rest of the day. No one called her in. The thin lady ignored her. Christine was buried in her own thoughts. She sat down in an empty hallway, deep in her thoughts. Suddenly, someone tapped her on her shoulder. She looked up. Nina smiled at her.
"Lights are going to go out soon, Christine. Come on," Nina whispered as she helped Christine to her feet.
Nina gently led Christine into the room. They both lay down on their blankets as the lights went out… The bell rang loudly. Everyone stood quickly. All the servants hurried into the kitchen, picked up a bowl of something, and lined up behind a counter. Christine followed Nina quickly. As both of them served the breakfast, they kept their ears open for any information. Matthew strode up, grinning at Christine.