‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
41
“Congratulations.”
Taylor couldn’t even blink.
“You’ve just been reborn. The bullet in the gun represented the old you. The one that no one has a purpose for any longer,” the master explained, “you now open your eyes a brand new being. With a very distinct and very direct purpose.”
Taylor could only stare at the table. He’d be lying if he told himself that he didn’t feel different, but he couldn’t put a handle on exactly how. He was petrified that the man was actually right.
“Well done,” he continued as he stood from the table and placed the gun inside a nearby case that Taylor hadn’t noticed earlier, “it also means you’ve passed today’s evaluation.”
Taylor closed his eyes again as he heard the man walk around him, heading for the door. He opened it and addressed the man on the other side. Taylor took the moment that he was free of attention to put his head in his hands.
“He’s ready,” he heard the master say, “I want him cleaned up and taken to my quarters. I’ll meet you there and debrief him myself.”
Taylor dropped his hands when he heard his escort enter, hoping the master hadn’t noticed his movement. The man pulled him up from the chair and escorted him from the room, heading in the opposite direction from the cells. They came to a stairwell which led up to a set of double doors, and when the door was opened Taylor blanched at the sudden sunlight. He hadn’t seen the sun in about a fortnight and the brightness made his eyes water.
He was led across an open courtyard – passing a few people giving him odd stares – to a glass door on the opposite side. When he was taken inside this door, he paused for a moment to take in his new surroundings. Very different from where he’d just come from, this part of the building seemed to be a fully furnished home. Complete with mahogany furnishings and chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings. Before he could dwell on it too much, he was led toward a staircase and taken up to the next level. Here they stopped at a bathroom. His escort ducked his head inside and turned on the light.
“There’s a change of clothes in there already,” he said in a bored tone, “don’t keep him waiting.”
He unlocked Taylor’s wrists, gave him a shove inside, and closed the door.
Taylor took a moment to gather himself and to look around the bathroom. He couldn’t help but cringe when he saw himself in the mirror for the first time. The first thing he did was to reach for the collar to try and work out how to get it off. He tried to turn it around so that he could see a clasp in the mirror, but he couldn’t even feel where it was supposed to open. He kept at it for a while before focusing on his wrist cuffs. When he had a good look at how they were locked into place, he figured that must have been how the collar was attached as well. They weren’t coming off.
He jumped as there was a knock on the door, urging him to hurry up.
He stepped over to the shower, having a look around inside before turning the water on. Just the sight of running water was something he hadn’t realised he’d missed. Without wasting any more time he quickly stripped off and took a shower, washing out his hair and making sure he got the two weeks’ worth of dirt and sweat off. Mission accomplished he reluctantly turned the water off.
By the time he’d dried himself off and put on the supplied track pants and blue button-down shirt, his escort was demanding his presence outside.
With one last look at himself in the mirror – already glad at the enormous change in appearance – he sighed and opened the door.
Taylor couldn’t even blink.
“You’ve just been reborn. The bullet in the gun represented the old you. The one that no one has a purpose for any longer,” the master explained, “you now open your eyes a brand new being. With a very distinct and very direct purpose.”
Taylor could only stare at the table. He’d be lying if he told himself that he didn’t feel different, but he couldn’t put a handle on exactly how. He was petrified that the man was actually right.
“Well done,” he continued as he stood from the table and placed the gun inside a nearby case that Taylor hadn’t noticed earlier, “it also means you’ve passed today’s evaluation.”
Taylor closed his eyes again as he heard the man walk around him, heading for the door. He opened it and addressed the man on the other side. Taylor took the moment that he was free of attention to put his head in his hands.
“He’s ready,” he heard the master say, “I want him cleaned up and taken to my quarters. I’ll meet you there and debrief him myself.”
Taylor dropped his hands when he heard his escort enter, hoping the master hadn’t noticed his movement. The man pulled him up from the chair and escorted him from the room, heading in the opposite direction from the cells. They came to a stairwell which led up to a set of double doors, and when the door was opened Taylor blanched at the sudden sunlight. He hadn’t seen the sun in about a fortnight and the brightness made his eyes water.
He was led across an open courtyard – passing a few people giving him odd stares – to a glass door on the opposite side. When he was taken inside this door, he paused for a moment to take in his new surroundings. Very different from where he’d just come from, this part of the building seemed to be a fully furnished home. Complete with mahogany furnishings and chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings. Before he could dwell on it too much, he was led toward a staircase and taken up to the next level. Here they stopped at a bathroom. His escort ducked his head inside and turned on the light.
“There’s a change of clothes in there already,” he said in a bored tone, “don’t keep him waiting.”
He unlocked Taylor’s wrists, gave him a shove inside, and closed the door.
Taylor took a moment to gather himself and to look around the bathroom. He couldn’t help but cringe when he saw himself in the mirror for the first time. The first thing he did was to reach for the collar to try and work out how to get it off. He tried to turn it around so that he could see a clasp in the mirror, but he couldn’t even feel where it was supposed to open. He kept at it for a while before focusing on his wrist cuffs. When he had a good look at how they were locked into place, he figured that must have been how the collar was attached as well. They weren’t coming off.
He jumped as there was a knock on the door, urging him to hurry up.
He stepped over to the shower, having a look around inside before turning the water on. Just the sight of running water was something he hadn’t realised he’d missed. Without wasting any more time he quickly stripped off and took a shower, washing out his hair and making sure he got the two weeks’ worth of dirt and sweat off. Mission accomplished he reluctantly turned the water off.
By the time he’d dried himself off and put on the supplied track pants and blue button-down shirt, his escort was demanding his presence outside.
With one last look at himself in the mirror – already glad at the enormous change in appearance – he sighed and opened the door.