The Promise

Chapter 4

It was a chilling morning, doubly so since I had to leave the hovel before the sun was above the buildings. I made it to the Kitchen well before nine or at least Houser said I would be early. I was stamping my feet on the steps and hugging myself when I heard the door begin to open.

"You're going to have to collect better clothes if you want to make this your lifestyle," Sadie said while waving me in. "You're early," she commented.

"Don't have a watch," I responded as I stepped into the warmth. It was the first time I had needed a watch since I threw mine in the river. She locked the door behind me and started walking to the dining area expecting me to follow. I followed like a dog.

"The door to the right," Sadie instructed while pointing to the far wall, "leads to a shower room. There's a wash basin for your clothes and a dryer. Clean up, and we'll get started in about an hour." She turned and headed back toward what I expected was the real kitchen area. She left no room for dissent.

"What if I say no?" I asked. Might as well find out how this all works. I wasn't used to feeling like someone's slave. Sadie turned around and looked at me with a calm glare.

"If you're not clean, you can't touch the food," Sadie stated firmly, "if you can't help, we won't like each other." Her hands found her hips and she stared at me. I almost came back with a smart-ass remark, but couldn't find the courage. She was very imposing for such a petite woman.

"Clean it is," I said cheerfully. I really didn't want Sadie's ire. I had a feeling it would be a costly thing to behold. Sadie just turned and continued on her previous path.

The shower room was large. I guessed the building must have needed it in its prior life. It was set up like one you might find in an old dormitory. A row of sinks, a hall of toilets and a large, open shower room with five showerheads. In the sink portion, there was a utility basin with an old dryer next to it. I followed Sadie's instructions.

I stripped down and threw my clothes in the basin. There was detergent above the faucet that I used to scrub the clothes. The water turned a nasty shade of tan as I washed. I guess five days in the same clothes does that. I rinsed the clothes as best I could and went to toss them in the dryer. The dryer held a towel that I guess was meant for me. I exchanged the towel for my clean, but wet, clothes and put the dryer on a one-hour cycle.

Above one of the regular sinks was a set of hotel toiletries sitting on the metal tray below the mirror. The tray held a cheap plastic-wrapped toothbrush and comb, along with a small bar of soap, a tiny toothpaste tube, and a mini shampoo. I didn't recognize myself in the mirror. My reddish-brown hair, which hadn't been combed in five days, was matted, and it stuck out in strange directions. I was sporting the beginnings of a sparse beard, and I was shocked to see some of it coming in gray. I had never had gray hair before. My face was basically filthy with streaks of oily dirt where I had wiped it with my dirty hands. I had aged ten years in five days. Amber would have been pissed.

Examining the bruise on my back made me cringe. It was past the initial solid dark-black stage and now sported an uneven green halo surrounding ugly purple blotches in various stages of healing. It looked like someone had beaten me with a baseball bat.

I grabbed the soap and shampoo and headed to the shower. I scrubbed myself thoroughly and then repeated the process a couple more times. I closed my eyes with my head under the warm rain and tried to see Amber again. She was there, missing the perfection I could once see. I hated losing that perfection, but it wasn't ripping me apart as before. I knew I wouldn't be jumping off any more bridges. I also knew I wouldn't be returning to my old life. The mirror convinced me Houser didn't have the answers either. I owed him five days, so that's how long I had to figure out things. At least Sadie had my day planned for me. I really didn't want to think anymore.