Awake

I wake with a start, my vision blurring out of focus.
It clears and I find myself in a strange room.

"Where am I?"
My voice is but a croak.
The memories of today hit me harshly and I jerk straight up.

The sky out my window is dark navy, showing it's late evening.

"Supper is at 5:30 sharp"

Leaping from the bed, I stumble across the floor, looking for the door.
My searching fingers find the cold metal knob, I wrap them around it and twist.

I cringe back quickly as bright light explodes in my face from the hallway.
The corridor, once dark and glooming, now is lit by many glaring lights hanging from chandeliers.
They are iron, with a very 16th century look to them.

I hurry down the hall, rubbing my eyes.
Once I get to the stairs I begin running, trying not to trip over my own two feet.

I enter the downstairs hallway and realize I have no idea where I'm going.
I hold my breath, listening for any sounds that will point me in the right direction.

Soft clinking hums from behind to large double door.
Going over to them, I place a hand against the wood panelling, pushing on it.

It opens and I slip inside a large room, looking around.

10 tables lines up in a row perfectly.
Teenagers fill up 6 of them, 2 boys sit at the 7th.

They sit there in without speaking, just eating what appears to be some kind of soup in front of them.

My presence does not go unnoticed.
124 eyes snap up and bore holes into me.

Swallowing dryly, I move forward, trying to seem as if they are not staring.

"Your late Miss Porter!"
A voice cracks through the air, I see Mrs. Cherri standing in a doorway, a blood red apron wrapped around her slim form.

"S-Sorry, I fell asleep an- "It doesn't matter now, sit down at your designated seat"

Biting my lip, I glance between her and the tables.
I do not know where my 'designated' seat is.

Seeing my expression, she rolls her murky brown eyes.
"You didn't read your card did you?"

A series of gasps fill the air.
The sound is not unwelcome, it gives life to what seems to be statues.

"No Ma'am, that's what I was trying to tell you, I d- "It's table 7 seat 63c, now sit!"

I scurry over to what I presume is table 7.
On the tabletop in front of every chair is carved numbers, much like on the doors.
I find my appointed spot and sit down.

Next to me is a boy, about 18, with scruffy, sandy brown hair.
He eat soup with many beans from an old, chipped bowl.

I don't have a bowl, or any food.
Craning my neck around I try to find where I can get some.

"Where can I get food?"
I whisper to the boy.
He jumps at my voice, but he does not look up.

"You can't have any"
He murmurs.
"If you come late you aren't allowed to eat anything"

I make a face and turn around, peering at Mrs Cherri.
She only gives me a cold glare, but something underneath that.
A smirk.
She fights it back obviously.

I rotate back.
"But that's so mean"

The boy doesn't reply so I think he hasn't heard me, but then barely audible, he forms two words.

"I know"

*X*

I trudge back to my room with a growling stomach and questions swirling around my head.

The boy along with 5 other teenagers follow behind, going to there respective rooms.
I place my hand on my doorknob, about to go in when fingers grasp my arm.

"Wait"
It's the boy from before.

"Yes?"

He shoves a crinkling pack of something into my palm then hurries into his room, which is to the right of mine.

A pack of broken crackers and a torn piece of paper.

Going into my own room, I lock the door and turn on my lamp, holding the paper up to the dim light.

Sorry the crackers are broken. Asher.

Silently thanking 'Asher', I rip open the pack of crackers and pore the contents into my mouth.

As I lay down, I try to think of all the reasons my parents would send me to such an odd place, but I cannot come up with a thing.