Yeah, I said I'd update every weekend...Tuesday is close enough to count as a weekend, right?

Well, anyway, here it is!

Chapter 13- Have a good day

I was awakened by the sound of a bell that was begging to become all too familiar. Surprised by the sudden wake up, my heart raced as I shot up in bed. It took a minute for my eyes to adjust in the dim amount of sun-light coming through the dingy windows as I remembered where I was waking up in.

Oh, slightly depressing.

I sighed and lay back down.

"Nellie," I heard a voice whisper. It scared me a little bit in my half-asleep state. I moaned, not wanting to be awake.

"It's five, you be'er get up," 5 Am? Too early. Before we left for here, I intentionally didn't open up the pie shop as early as everyone else opened up their shops simply for the fact that I enjoyed sleeping in. I didn't move.

The only reason I had gotten any sleep last night is because I hadn't slept in days, or so it seemed. But the rock hard mattress, lack of a pillow, and thin sheets made it so I only got a couple of hours.

"Nellie! Get up! Role is soon," The voice, I believe it was Juliet, whispered.

"You'd think that after wot happened at supper last night she wouldn't be so naïve," said a harsh voice that I didn't recognize.

I thought for a second about finding out who said this and standing up to defend myself. Then again, I suppose she was right.

So I unhappily swung my feet over the edge of the uncomfortable bed and somehow managed to stand up.

Just in time too. The skinny revolting man (who seemed to pinpoint me) came bursting through the door. The sound sent all of the women standing at the edge of their beds. I figured I should too if I didn't want another strike on my still purple cheek.

"ANNE SMITH!" He called out with his ear-shattering voice.

"Present," Someone said.

"ELLE FORD!"

"Present!"

He went down the line calling name after name, past Elizabeth's and Juliet's. I was the last on the list.

"ELEANOR LOVETT" He called.

" 'ere," I called back. He glared at me as a few girls in the room giggled.

"Oh, present," I corrected, placing a huge smile on my face even though it hurt.

I was afraid for a second that the man would come hit me again, but he just slammed the book he was holding shut and growled, "Breakfast is in fifteen minutes," He turned and walked away.

"Nellie, you gotta start behavin' yourself," I heard Elizabeth say behind me. I turned around to see her already sitting back down on her bed.

"It's not like I'm lookin' to be beat," I admitted. I don't think she believed me. "Obeying by someone else's rules just don't suit me, I suppose," I added. Elizabeth looked at me squarely in the eyes like a mother looking at their child.

"You be'er get used to it. And fast."

Juliet yawned and sat besides Elizabeth on her bed.

"Sleep well, love?" Elizabeth asked.

Juliet laughed "Just about as good you can get in such a dreadful place,"

Suddenly, a man, the short fat one that I had met when I first came to the workhouse came rushing into the room. I flinched for a second when I thought he was coming to me.

Great, now every little thing that passes by is out to get you, eh?

But he walked straight past me and walked up to a woman at the back of the room; One of the ones that were always staring at the floor or ceiling or the corner of the room.

"Katie Roberts?" He asked. The small red haired girl looked up with her little eyes.

He continued. "Was your son Brody Roberts? About 12 years, long light brown hair?"

Was?

She nodded, her face completely blank, her eyes glued on the man. He continued, "He was found dead this morning. Probably scarlet fever. Can you or someone you know afford a burial for him?" The small women's eyes grew big and looked down, still not saying anything.

"Mrs. Roberts?" The fat man asked, getting impatient. She slowly shook her head back and forth as if she didn't know what she was doing. "Well, have a good day then," The man said before turning and leaving.

The whole room had fallen silent, and everyone was watching Katie. She just sat in her bed, her eyes big and unmoving; she looked like she had died herself. Finally she moved. She sat against the back of her bed and hugged her legs to her chest. She buried her blank staring eyes into her knees. And just sat there.

The room was deathy silent, which isn't something I'd really expect after a moment like that.

"Poor thing," Elizabeth whispered after a few minutes and the room had started talking again.

I just sort of sat there, still looking at Katie. "Her son?" I said, in disbelief. "He died and that's all the master does is tell to have a good day and leave?" I finally turned to Elizabeth and Juliet. Juliet nodded.

"Katie's been her longer then I have," Elizabeth said. "She probably hasn't seen her boy in two or more years,"

For a second my mind flashed to my situation. Not my situation with Ben, but with Mr. Barker. "Just because you haven't seen someone in a long time and the fact that they might be dead doesn't make the hurt any better!" I protested standing up.

Juliet looked up at me confused. "Might?"

I ignored her, realizing that my choice in words only worked for my situation. Elizabeth shook her head. "Poor thing," She said again. "Well, let's let her be and get on with our lives." She added.

I shook my head back. "No! She needs a li'le more comfort then 'have a good day'!" I walked over to Katie, who was still curled up on her bed.

I stopped suddenly when I got next to her and noticed that most of the room was staring. Suddenly feeling incredibly anxious, I paused and looked down. The women laying in front of me looked frail and fragile. Granted, she had looked delicate before but the news that she was just given probably just plain broke her. And here she was, now in front of me, in pieces, and I was trying to what…? Comfort her?

The room behind me was suddenly thrown into silence again, and I knew it was because of me. I didn't fully understand why I was so interesting, but the eyes burning through my back kept me from thinking why.

I heard Katie quietly sniff.

"Ms. Roberts?" I asked hoping that she might respond. No such luck, but I continued. "I… I just wanted to say…"

You know what? You need to start thinking before you act! I told myself, regret washing over me. Briefly, I was reminded of a time long ago when my father had asked me to go all by myself and buy him some flowers for my mum. Of course, that was a long time ago and I was young. Scared out of my mind to have to actually talk to someone myself in order to get the flowers, I returned home that night without them. That seemed so long ago, it was, so aren't I old enough to be past that by now?

But still standing in front of the dead boys mum, all I could think to do was struggle to swallow the lump that had developed in my throat.

"Well.. I have a li'le boy in the children's ward too… and…" I paused, the lump seeming to block the words that I was trying to get out. I didn't understand why I was so nervous, it's just another person. If I was in this situation, I would want comfort too, right? I held my head high and found words to finish my sentence. "I… just can't imagine losing him… and I just wanted to say… I'm sorry." I took a deep breath and held it in, more worried then I should be now that I had gotten it all out. Katie still did nothing, so I scurried back to my bed, not letting go of my breath until I sat back down.

People started to talk again as soon as I sat down, presumably about me. Elizabeth shook her head again, this time at me.

"I don' regret it," I said firmly and truthfully.

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