Daddy [Mommy Sequel]

Chapter 16: A Different Transfer

I gasped.

Transfer?!

Transfer 343–

Right after 342–

Transfer—transfer—the man and the boy, they were the same?—

They arrived right after each other—

My mind went blank. I had completely forgotten to ask the man what the difference between a transfer and a number was. And now that there were two transfers, I knew that it wasn't a staff or a worker thing.

I swallowed uneasily as the desire to know grew in me.

The nurse left after the roll call, shutting the door behind her. Everyone stayed silent, and almost seconds after the door shut and locked, the speaker crackled—the announcer speaking again.

"Roll call is now complete. Proceed to preparation for bed immediately. Children will be examined for their resting times in thirty minutes."

Before I could say anything, the children jumped out of their beds, rushing to another door I didn't notice before on the other side of the room. I ran with them, hoping to catch up and as the questions I needed to ask.

"H-hey, wait—"

"Not now," Oliver interrupted, holding the door open for me as I entered the room along with the others.

"It will be best to wait until after we are ready for bed to ask questions. As you can see, we don't have much time—and Charlotte will get nervous if she thinks we won't be ready fast enough."

I nodded, looking towards the thin girl. She was rubbing her wrists nervously as she looked back to me, as though she was making sure I was still following. She bit her lip.

The room was small and white, with two showers, a floor length mirror, and a metal laundry shoot built into the wall. I watched in shock as the children began stripping themselves, right in front of each other.

I quickly looked away, my face flushing. I swallowed, becoming uncomfortable.

"Oh—wow, okay."

Alayah laughed from behind me, nudging my shoulder. I refused to turn around, worried I would see the bare bodies of seven other children.

"Don't be shy, newbie. We won't judge—and you get used to it after a while. C'mon, or you'll run out of time."

I stuttered as she pulled on the sleeve of my doll dress. My face went red as I tried to get away, only to come to a conclusion. I shivered.

This was obviously a normal—and with a time limit, I had no choice. I squeezed my eyes shut as I began to strip myself of the uncomfortable, itchy clothes.

I noticed the children purposely avoided looking at each other, and I felt a lot better.

I followed their lead as they grabbed their pile of shoes and clothes, throwing it all down the metal laundry shoot. I could hear the clothes fall down—to who knows where.

I held one arm to my chest as I pulled the ribbon out of my hair, throwing it down the shoot as well. My locks of platinum hair fell in front of my face and around my shoulders. The look of it made me shiver.

I covered myself as best as I could as I followed them back into the room, my cheeks hot and steamy. I looked away from the naked children as best as I could.

I watched as they pulled out a metal drawer from under their beds by clicking a small, black button—and I quickly followed their example. It slowly creaked open to reveal silk spaghetti-strap night-dresses, all healthy folded beside each other.