The In-Betweens: A is for Alice

Chapter 6

So...this chapter is supposed to be a little lighter than the previous chapter because I think we need some humor and we needed to find more out about B and Alice.....and Cindy. :D So...I hope that you like this and thank you thank you thank you for reading! Enjoy!

~Hope

Chapter 6

                 When I woke up the next morning, I still couldn’t think straight. The medicine from the previous night hadn’t yet worn off, and I was still a little discombobulated. Draped over the chair in the corner was a new jumpsuit and a clean washcloth. Beside that, on the small metal table, was a plate of food. I was super excited, for I hadn’t eaten in a week and I couldn’t remember the last time that I had changed clothing.

  I got up and went over to the chair. I could wait for the food, but I couldn’t wait for being clean. Slipping off my old, crusty jumpsuit, I walked over to the sink with my wash cloth. I bathed my entire body and was cleaning my hair when I saw a slight movement on the opposite side of the room. I slowly turned around, expecting the worst, but instead, I saw B standing by the window watching me. I had expected to feel embarrassed, but I felt no shame.

I quickly finished up and put on my new jumpsuit. Completely forgetting about my food, I ran over to the window and looked at B. “Hi,” I mouthed to him. He smiled and mouthed back, “Hello.” This was our very first interaction. “I am A,” I slowly mouthed to him. He looked confused, so I made an A with my fingers and held it up to him. He smiled and did the same with his hands, except he made a B.

For the first time, I got to look at him closer. His hair was shaved down to his scalp and a marking on the side of his face read, “Subject B.” I wondered if I also had a similar marking, and I touched the side of my face. It seemed as if B wanted to say something else, but at that moment, Cindy walked into my room, and B’s nurse walked into his room.

I quickly turned away from him and smiled at Cindy. She seemed to be in a better mood today than she was yesterday, and for that, I was grateful. “So, did you enjoy your surprises?” She asked me, already making my cot and sweeping the floor. I had already folded my dirty jumpsuit, so she didn’t need to worry about that, but when she saw that I hadn’t even touched my food, a worried look crossed her face.

“Was there something wrong with the food?” she asked.

“Oh no, it looks great, I just….,” I trailed off and looked towards B’s room.

“Oh, I see. How was your first interaction?” I smiled at Cindy

 “It was okay. I mean, it’s difficult because we can’t talk, and it’s not like I can just hear what he thinks.”

Cindy just smiled and said, “I’m sure you’ll figure something out, now come over here and eat your food. You must be starving.” I wasn’t really starving, but I listened to her and walked over to the table, pulling the chair from the corner with me. I sat primly on the chair and folded my hands in my lap. Cindy finished her daily cleaning and sterilizing, and she walked over to me. “What in the world are you doing?” she asked me, giggling at the way that I was sitting and not digging into my food like I normally would.

 “Can’t you see?” I asked Cindy. “I’m trying to be a lady.” She looked at me like I was insane. I just smiled.

 “Oh,” she said when I snuck a glance towards B’s room. “You’re trying to impress him.” I shook my head.

 “Nuh-uh.”

 “Uh-huh.” We were arguing like two humans. “I see what’s going on. You like him. Just because I’m old does not mean that I’m stupid.”