“She’s bleeding a lot. I am putting pressure on her head wound….we really need to get to a hospital!” The tall lady reminds the cab driver.
Pulling the strap on his seatbelt to tighten it and dodge crazed people all around him, he says:
“I know lady. Just hold on and I’ll get us there.”
He continues his dismay of everything that’s happening with a loud "AAAAAAH!" and bangs on the steering wheel device.
“I think we are past the large chaos of buildings fallin….wait....turn here on...WATCH OUT!” the tall lady begins and then exclaims.
“HOLY CRAP!” The cab driver yells as he slams on the brakes coming to a complete stop.
“You. Citizen. You almost hit me. Get out of the car!” A Dakaar expresses his discontent for almost being run over by the cab driver.
Dakaar [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0adcdb2b-2a27-4d02-b707-ec3de1b96f2a/dfbfjr6-fcd1c384-164d-4c89-bf94-d466fb31ef3b.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzBhZGNkYjJiLTJhMjctNGQwMi1iNzA3LWVjM2RlMWI5NmYyYVwvZGZiZmpyNi1mY2QxYzM4NC0xNjRkLTRjODktYmY5NC1kNDY2ZmIzMWVmM2IucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.PUULXviL5mUR4ZH5g1-0F3fo2fhaIHuzt8-LMPFj1rc]
“Dude...do you see what’s going on? Why were you in the roa ghagghhhh” The cab driver is unable to reply.
The Dakaar approached the side of the cab suddenly and swiftly and in a flash had the cab driver pulled out of his cab. The cab driver’s legs are dangling above the paved road as the Dakaar clutches his throat. The cab driver scratches out an exhale:
“Today is not my day...uhhhhh.”
“No day is your day citizen in the eyes of the church.” The dakaar bellows.
The Dakaars are tall creatures with heavy robes cast over their heads all the way to their toes. They reek of a type of burned spice much like incense. They also despise everyone.
I say creatures but technically they are of the same type of being as the cab driver, Hailey, and the tall lady. They should be considered creatures by their omnipotent and cruel actions and view of anyone who is not them, however. The world church believes they are better as religious enforcers if they have an element of intimidation with their height so they do not let anyone become a Dakaar unless they are over 7 ft tall.
If Hailey’s planet had a good repertoire of conspiracy theories, which they don’t because it’s all suppressed by the world government, you could say that the world church or WC is breeding modified beings so that their stature is at least 7.5 ft or above. Again just a conspiracy theory but hey If the shoe fits. This Dakaar happens to be just over 8 ft.
While the cab driver is unable to speak, the tall lady in the back of the cab yells at the Dakaar while fires and people screaming all around break out:
“Sir do you not see we have a wounded person here? We’re in a hurry. Surely the church sees this as a just and kind service to another being?!”
The Dakaar looks at the tall lady in the back of the cab and then glances over at Hailey who is showing signs of breathing but still unconscious and bleeding.
“Yes. The church would see this as a good service to your fellow being.” The Dakaar growls with a smug look on his face as he turns back to the cab driver - still being held in midair. The Dakaar seems well within the comfort of his tall robe and not shaken by the calamity happening all around him.
“Is it your intention to save the being who is wounded?” The Dakaar asks the cab driver.
The cab driver can’t say a word right now but emphatically motions his head up and down while staring at the Dakaar and still in shock. The tall lady and the cab driver periodically cast a glance around them at the still horrible screams and images of people dying all around them.
Dropping the cab driver to the ground, the Dakaar begins:
“Then leave and let this be a lesson to you citizens. That service is the most holy of the church's doings. We are but mere servants unto the church….. and the government.”
Leaning down with his hand on the edge of the driver’s side window and door, now closed from the cab driver rushing to the safety of his cab, and still smiling, the Dakaar continues:
“The church could use a couple more beings for official service at the Sundrun.”
As the cab driver looks out at the Dakaar who is now smiling gleefully in his pious interpretation of the world religion’s text, both the cab driver and the tall lady are fake-smiling ear to ear and shaking their heads up and down in acknowledgement.
“I really hope to see you there.” The Dakaar draws as his smile increases while stepping away from the cab and waving goodbye like a maniac.
The cab driver again floors it looking straight ahead. The Dakaar heads further into the city where the chaos has taken the most lives. To the church, this Dakaar is doing the church’s work by going into the places people are fleeing from. I guess that’s a reflection of their teachings with the Dakaar - they’re fearless. Hailey knows all too well about them and she’s grown a fear for them since she had seen the kind man die.
The Sundrun happens to be the house of local worship for the Dakaars and the other beings in this world. As a lot of people on earth can point out with the multitude of religions, there are some rituals within each religion that are ‘unique’. The world religion on Hailey’s world is no different. However, the religion on this planet is enforceable by world government law and the Dakaars. The Dakaars take the role of religious enforcement more seriously than the regular Enforcers - world government police-like beings that enforce world government laws and religion. More on this a little later since we still have a hurt Hailey to talk about.
Hailey, still stuck in her unconscious mind, drifts off to when she was a child….
She wakes up in a new place with tall ceilings and the smell of a burned spice in the air. She doesn’t find it offensive but she wouldn’t burn it in her apartment either. Kind of like a smell someone puts into their house that they think is great but everyone else thinks it smells like a musty bathroom.
[https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0adcdb2b-2a27-4d02-b707-ec3de1b96f2a/dfbig4q-2efba34f-2d3f-4de9-a1b4-744bcaa77bce.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzBhZGNkYjJiLTJhMjctNGQwMi1iNzA3LWVjM2RlMWI5NmYyYVwvZGZiaWc0cS0yZWZiYTM0Zi0yZDNmLTRkZTktYTFiNC03NDRiY2FhNzdiY2UucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.b8EQj9wdp--KioKOjSaVX7ZZ1XHY2C3Rrnu_qvLUTmI]
The room she is in has beds arranged against the long walls of the room and all are adorned with the same linen. The same linen in white, colorless, hand-me-down fashion. She is unsure where she is but she is also unsure why her head hurts.
“Mom? Dad? Have you seen my parents?!” Young Hailey exclaims to the person a few beds down that looked up momentarily at her outburst.
The kid a few beds down looks terrified. He looks around in the room and at the large opened doors behind him as if he were expecting the boogie man.
“Did you not hear me?! I’m looking for my parents!” Young Hailey says as she begins to cry and scream louder.
The boy shakes from being startled at Hailey’s outburst but this time stands up and walks out of the room with his head down.
Hailey thinks now that the boy left to get her parents - but he didn’t. The boy went down the hallway to the headmaster’s office.
After a few minutes of crying to herself curled up into the corner nearest to the wall of the bed she woke up on, an overweight lady appears at the crest of the doorway.
She has religious garb that is just as dreary as the linen on the beds but is in all black. There are small inscriptions in the lady’s gown and hood but they are barely visible with the lack of color throughout the outfit.
The lady walks down further into the room and eyeing young Hailey at every step.
Hailey sees someone approaching, an adult, but can’t see any details since the thought of her parents not being with her at every moment of her young life, brought her to a waterfall of tears.
The lady comfortably sits next to Hailey but not too close and avoids touching her even though the lady reached out and then suddenly drew back her arm.
[https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0adcdb2b-2a27-4d02-b707-ec3de1b96f2a/dfbig4m-abf9ed3b-8034-438c-8621-4d2159135b60.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzBhZGNkYjJiLTJhMjctNGQwMi1iNzA3LWVjM2RlMWI5NmYyYVwvZGZiaWc0bS1hYmY5ZWQzYi04MDM0LTQzOGMtODYyMS00ZDIxNTkxMzViNjAucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.F4BES7Lle6sMKmZhoBrgo-jYnMlJeCEd-TsPLj7oaMg]
Their local star on this planet, that they like to call Nagh, is up bright and early and casting its orange-like light across this big room. Large drapes hanging from the windows, in the same plain white color as everything else, allow a little of this light through them and onto everything else except Hailey. Hailey has been crying next to a wall as her bed is not near a window.
To Hailey, it all seems very cheap clothing and fabric from what she can tell now clearing her eyes to look at the lady in front of her and on her bed.
“Child?” The lady says warmly with a smile.
[https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0adcdb2b-2a27-4d02-b707-ec3de1b96f2a/dfbfoxn-d36e739d-d313-4dfa-aa6b-8f88b23da45e.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzBhZGNkYjJiLTJhMjctNGQwMi1iNzA3LWVjM2RlMWI5NmYyYVwvZGZiZm94bi1kMzZlNzM5ZC1kMzEzLTRkZmEtYWE2Yi04Zjg4YjIzZGE0NWUucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.A-xeaot2Qrdb1U75wWkZorhF0r3e3lOy_y2-k1eXVHM]
“Let me introduce myself…..I’m Lauden but you can call me Ms. Yuni. I came all the way from down the hall to see you this morning. Just you especially. Isn’t that nice? I’m very excited that you are awake.” Lauden says, laying on a bit of kindness while staying away from Hailey.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Where's my mom and dad?” Hailey starts to cry again and has trouble breathing.
Lauden doesn’t say anything, she just keeps a comforting smile towards Hailey.
With a bit of hesitation and still crying with her lip pressing out, tears roll over her chin and down to her feet. Hailey is still uncomfortable and has her legs up against her chest but manages to look at the lady.
“I’ve been wanting to meet you since you’ve arrived.” Lauden says gleefully.
“But I was at home last night and now I’m here. Where are my parents?” Hailey gets out a little more before sobbing again.
Looking over at the floor and making a snapping sound with her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Lauden replies:
“Uh….before we talk about your parents sweetheart….are you hungry?”
Hailey is still crying but manages to nod a slow yes.
“Delightful. My sisters and I have prepared a large lunch. Won’t you come with me to take a look?” Lauden says with a smile as her hand touches Hailey’s foot in an attempt to console her.
“What….what kind of food do you have?” Hailey says but not sure if she should have said anything. She is hungry but her stomach hurts from being tight and in this bad ‘dream’.
“Ohhhh I can’t remember everything but we always make everything so everyone is happy. Hehe!” The lady says jokingly while throwing her hands up. Looking at the floor and then quickly back at Hailey’s eyes and leaning in to whisper, she continues:
“You do like to be happy, right?”
Again, Hailey nods while wiping the tears from her eyes and face.
Lauden reaches in to gently but compassionately rub Hailey’s knee while looking at her face and smiling. She stops abruptly and continues:
“Come child. Let’s look at all the wonderful food we have!”
Hailey sits there for a few moments, quietly, while Lauden continues to look at Hailey while smiling. Lauden raises her arm in a come here motion to young Hailey who is still buried into her corner of the unfamiliar bed.
Hailey thinks the lady is nice and slowly moves from the bed to put her feet on the floor while sniffling from crying. She doesn’t drop her guard completely however but eventually extends her hand to Lauden’s, who has had her arm extended this entire time.
“Good. Let’s go sweetheart, you look hungry.” Lauden leans down to smile at Hailey once again before leading her down to the entrance of the room and off to the mess hall on the other side of this large building it appears Hailey is stuck in.
“My head hurts a bit.” Hailey says while walking along with Lauden.
“Ohhh we’ll take a look at that as well my child. Please let me know if there is anything wrong with you at any time. I don’t mind helping.” Lauden says, still smiling at Hailey as they approach the mess hall.
[https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0adcdb2b-2a27-4d02-b707-ec3de1b96f2a/dfbig4a-09da16d1-92b8-43c1-b553-0dd773f15155.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzBhZGNkYjJiLTJhMjctNGQwMi1iNzA3LWVjM2RlMWI5NmYyYVwvZGZiaWc0YS0wOWRhMTZkMS05MmI4LTQzYzEtYjU1My0wZGQ3NzNmMTUxNTUucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.ohCjYzCNjgHIPE3mWbiKtYtYWI6hEDpWd0Zdja-WJrs]
The mess hall has basic tables and mismatched chairs around it. Children can be heard nearby playing and singing outside of the building. Hailey looks around to see where the sounds are coming from but can’t see anything because she’s a little too short. Hailey attempts to stretch her feet up while walking to look outside as they walk into the mess hall.
Lauden approaches the mess hall’s food that is on display in a buffet like manner in the interior of the mess hall room, with Hailey still in tow by her hand.
“Come now. We’ll be able to meet everyone after we get something nice to eat. Sound good?” Lauden mentions.
Hailey nods her head though looking slightly down at the floor. Hailey could smell the food from down the hallway before they got there so this intensified her hunger. After grabbing a mediocre tray from the beginning of the mess hall line, Lauden walks beside Hailey to each food item and asks if she would like to try each one. Hailey is still unsure about everything that’s going on but the food looked good.
Lauden put only a little food on her plate which Hailey was not completely used to.
“I’d like a little more….if that’s ok?” Hailey whispers.
“Yes this time we can do that but be aware, just as you heard all those joyous children around, there are others, and they may want some too….ok?” Lauden tries to convey moderation to Hailey. We’ll see why this is more moderation than she’s used to later.
“O...k” Hailey musters up a faint reply. Hailey looks around again as Lauden leans down to ask if she’d like to try something else but something caught Hailey’s attention and she just nods yes to Lauden while she looks on.
“South Larrington School for Children” A sign reads on the wall on the furthest side of the mess hall.
Hailey reads it and doesn’t fully appreciate what the sign means until she sits down with Lauden at one of the tattered tables in the mess hall.
“You know you’re veeeerry special Hailey?” Lauden says as she adjusts her seat and sits down, scooching up to the table to help Hailey with her food.
“How am I...special?.....” Hailey replies.
“Well sweetheart…” Lauden begins.
“....and how do you know my name? I never told you.” Hailey says now with an angry look across her face.
“If you would let me, dear child, I will explain….” Lauden says quietly with a snicker though trying to be calm and nice.
“Why don’t you begin to eat and I’ll talk about how you got here? Sound good?” Lauden continues.
Hailey, still angry, looks at the food before her and hears her stomach rumble. After a few tense moments and Lauden’s smile starts to wither, bouncing back and forth while she forces it, Hailey begins to eat, slowly. Hailey is still angry but looks on at the obese lady in the strange clothes explain to her something she was not prepared for. The entire time, Hailey was trying to soak up her surroundings, feeling like she was in a dream, and was barely listening.
A little while into the explaining, with all the candy coating from Lauden, she lays it on Hailey:
“I’m sorry sweetie but you will be here with us until you’re able to leave on your own.”
Hailey begins to cry again but now with food in her mouth. The food starts to come out and all over the clothes that Hailey had been wearing yesterday. She still remembers waking up yesterday, going to government school, coming home, eating dinner with her mom and dad, and then going to bed.
“What do you mean I’ll be here until I’m able…..? I want my mom and dad!” Hailey begins to let out a little more and gets louder.
“Come now child. I've just explained that. I know your parents love you...I can tell you love them very much, back.” Lauden says looking around the mess hall at the other Sisters who are looking at Lauden and are unsure if she is talking to Hailey, the way they like. The Sisters are behind the display of food as it is just freshly made. With time winding down, the sisters are preparing lunch for kids at South Larington School for Children. Hailey woke up shortly before lunch started while the other kids played in recess after their morning classes.
This goes on for a little while until Hailey begins to have a tantrum and starts to pass out from all the food she ate while listening to Lauden. Lauden carries her to Hailey's unfamiliar bed and wraps the cheap cover sheet over Hailey. With her eyes still wet from crying, she rolls over in the bed and appears to get more comfortable, unconsciously.
Lauden, standing still and perching her lips up, looks at Hailey and says:
“This one is going to be a difficult one but I’m sure our spirits will help us with her. Praise be to them.”
Lauden then quietly steps out of Hailey’s large room where some other children pass Lauden. The kids are making a lot of noises so Lauden lets out:
“If you boys don’t keep quiet, I’m going to paddle your rear!” Obviously, the ‘rear’ is universal. Parents take note.
Both the boys look at each other and giggle then stand at ‘attention’ with Lauden’s next stern outburst:
“We have someone in the sleeping room that is very ill. I will make your lives miserable if you wake her!”
Both the boys look down at the floor with their hands behind their back and whisper:
“Yes Ms. Yuni.”
“Good. Now go back down the hallway and away from here!” Lauden screams with blue in her face as the boys hurry down the hallway away from Lauden Yuni.
As Hailey lays in her ‘new’ bed. She dreams of a time she had not too long ago with her parents:
“Hailey! Come out here sweetie, it’s important!” Hailey’s father says leaning against their home’s staircase and covering the side of his mouth as to project his voice farther upstairs.
“I’m coming down dad!” Young Hailey replies as she turns off her TV-like device in her bedroom and rushes out of her room with glee and excitement across her face. The program she was watching has the same character she’s adored for a long time. A silly yellow mung. A mung is a cross between a giraffe and a rhino. He’s been on government provided networks for over 10 of Hailey’s planet’s years.
Stavio, the mung portrayed as a silly and adventurous giraffe-rhino, with his large body, long neck, and horns atop his head, is telling the kids that it’s time for a commercial break. Hailey was in the middle of turning off the pro-government message that appeared on a kid’s government run network.
‘Once you’re old enough, try doing for others! It’s in your best interest to give as much as you can and if you can learn to give a little now, just think how much you could give the world in your future! Start thinking about Service NOW!’ plays on the TV-like device before Hailey turns it off. She’s not too keen on the messages, however. She typically plays with stuff in her room or goes elsewhere when they’re on.
Once she’s out of her room, she can’t find her mom or her dad, who was just calling for her.
“Hey this isn’t funny. Where are you? Dad?” Hailey says across their living room and dining room still looking for the two.
As she approaches the back of the house and is about to open the back door, she hears an eruption of people at once:
“SURPRISE!!!!” A group of loved ones yell all at the same time at Hailey who is now in her backyard.
Hailey is still young enough to actually be surprised and her yellow colored skin starts to turn blue. This is the same as a young person on earth who is blushing red, of course. The beings that inhabit this planet are not too far off from the bipeds of earth but they do have some things that are uniquely them.
We’ll get to some of those similarities and differences later but I should remind you that even though Hailey looks this way, her being is the same as a human. The Great City was built with this in mind and all of this has been explained to Allijah since, he is no longer in a physical form, but in everyone’s being form.
Back at the party, Hailey enjoys the company of close friends and family who are celebrating her life on this planet. It’s not a birthday per se, that’s an earthly tradition but rather it’s a celebration of this planet passing the same place when she was born (yes I know it’s technically a birthday but they don't think the Earthly way about it). Today, her family and friends will remind Hailey of all the joyous things they shared with her throughout the past year. They do not have any gifts for her, however. Again that’s an earthly thing. Instead, her loved ones bring her food. The reasoning for this is every family is allowed a rationing of food.
The government employs people into service and for their service, they get vouchers for food. You are not allowed to work beyond the hours specified in a contract you have with the government however if you do not work, you do not eat. Growing food on the other hand is completely and inefficiently controlled by the government, and the workers under the World Government service.
Urban gardens spread throughout each city in this district with city workers working on each farm-like spread of a building. Within its walls house edible plants for the masses. Most workers don’t complain when they’re assigned this service because it’s quiet and smells great most of the time.
Many times, Hailey’s father has worked on different services and the government has given them vouchers for food so Hailey knows all too well how this works. She knows that sometimes the government does not give valid vouchers, some that expire, or don’t let them get the foods that they want. On some days, certain foods are restricted because of their need elsewhere on the planet. On some days, her and her family don't eat.
So, on Hailey’s ‘birthday’, her loved ones bring her the food she loves the most - all provided from their rationed food vouchers. Some food has been bought and stored for a while for this very occasion.
The whole group sits down and talks about what Hailey has done and how she has impacted their life. Humans take note. Maybe the human race can take a page from here? Not that the humans need a new system of food gathering but maybe less items and more family during special occasions.
Hailey’s race is also familiar with knowing that the very next day, her father or mother could be put into service and not come home.
Hailey is now at the part of this memory and dream where that realization wakes her up.
Crying in bed in her new home amongst all of these strangers, a very loud and angry thunderstorm-like weather occurrence is happening outside the nearest window as she says:
“I want my mom and dad!.....I want to go home!....I don’t wagh tog beh heeerrreee!” Her tears start to pour and her voice stifles as her chest starts to hurt from the pain knowing she may never see her parents again and their service duties may have taken their life. She rocks back and forth as the thunderstorm rolls in and out. Lightning flashes across the open and barely shaded drapes in her ‘sleeping room’.
[https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0adcdb2b-2a27-4d02-b707-ec3de1b96f2a/dfbfnni-43917250-79b4-4454-8cc2-0debb24cc3c2.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzBhZGNkYjJiLTJhMjctNGQwMi1iNzA3LWVjM2RlMWI5NmYyYVwvZGZiZm5uaS00MzkxNzI1MC03OWI0LTQ0NTQtOGNjMi0wZGViYjI0Y2MzYzIucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.4Y3xaePxfKI6Lkn6E0n1mnoF6ymNUSwLowhFsU3VJz0]
One of the kids awakens to the storm and Hailey’s cries, and begins to stare at her. It’s the same kid she was trying to talk to earlier before Ms. Yuni came to greet Hailey.
The boy, also without any parents of course, looks around the room to see if anyone else is up. He notices a girl on the opposite side who is squinting her closed eyes with every crash of thunder and is trying to go to sleep. Obviously, other children hear Hailey's cries and are trying to ignore them.
It seems all the kids here have had the same kind of night that Hailey is. She must have slept through the whole afternoon and evening.
The boy, who remembers his own time before when he had to go through the same thing, gets up from bed with his feet ever so gradually touching the floor. As he motions to get up, he hears walking down the hallway and abruptly crawls back into bed. Fearing the worst, that someone has caught him up, he closes his eyes forcefully as the pounding of the footsteps come closer.
Ms. Yuni appears at the doorway of the sleeping room with a disgruntled look on her face. She’s not perturbed by the storm or anything else in this entire building for that matter. She’s alarmed by Hailey’s outbursts and starts to walk toward the, still crying and screaming, Hailey.
“You will calm down right now young lady!.....I SAID AT ONCE!!!” Lauden Yuni yells at little Hailey.
Hailey looks up at Ms. Yuni startled because it’s dark, she was thinking of her parents, crying, and the thunderstorm was loud - but not as loud as Ms. Yuni standing right next to her extremely upset.
“Listen, Hailey, right? I know mommy and daddy may not be here but Ms. Yuni will always be your friend…..” Ms. Yuni tries to smile and leans closer to Hailey then continues "If you are to be here with the rest of us…. then the rest of us need sleep! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!?”
Hailey draws back and tries to utter a reply but is still crying. Her lips are covered in tears and the back of her throat hurts from crying.
“Yes...yes... Ms. Yuni.” She finally mums.
“Good. Then that will be all little one. Sleep tiiiight!” Ms. Yuni says now with a high pitch pseudo-emphatic smile and tone as the thunder continues to roll in the background. Her exit even more menacing as the lightning flashes, pause stills of her looking back with the fake smile at Hailey like a large creature who just defeated its opponent and is relishing in the victory.
Hailey stops scream-crying out of fear for a return of the headmaster Ms. Yuni, but continues to cry herself back to sleep.