The next morning Clio woke up much calmer. There are no nightmares that come with it. She got up smoothly, as she had always done in the tent barracks the Centurions had built whenever they stopped somewhere. But this time Clio woke up fresher and fitter. There are no sore bones or sore joints from sleeping on an uneven hard ground. Her body felt light. Her mood was as bright as the morning sun shining outside. She could see the beautiful blue sky without gray clouds through the window of her treatment room. It was beautiful for her who rarely saw such good weather out there.
She had heard rumors that the White Wall had its own sophisticated weather system. While the weather outside the White Wall is always gray and difficult to predict because the earth has been very damaged over the last few decades. Sometimes the nights could be so hot it felt like she wanted to take off her clothes and sleep under the plain sky. But sometimes she found snow at night and the temperature was so cold that she and her group almost froze when they couldn't find an underground passage or tunnel to pitch a tent.
Clio slowly lowered her feet from the bed. There was a bracelet that glowed bluish and her name tag was on her right hand. Clio tries to remove the bracelet and her name tag, but she can't. The bracelet seemed to have a very sophisticated system so it couldn't be removed so easily. The more she pulled it off, the tighter it tightened around her wrist until she finally chose to let it hang there.
"Alright, do as you please damn bracelet!" Clio cursed loudly for being ridiculous with her condition of not being able to remove a bracelet from her wrist.
Frustrated, Clio got out of bed and walked to the door. But the corner of her eye saw the pile of clean clothes on the nightstand and a note left by Giselle. The message was written in black ink and in very neat handwriting. Just by looking at the writing, Clio could tell that Giselle was quite an organized and determined person. There was Giselle's elaborate signature under a series of messages telling her to take a shower in the bathroom in her room. At eight o'clock her infirmary door would open automatically and she could go to breakfast with the other women.
It's seven o'clock right now. Clio looked at the digital clock on the wall and sighed in frustration. She wanted to get out of here, but she was already trapped. It would be difficult for her to sneak out. But that doesn't mean it's impossible. There must be a way out of this place that Giselle doesn't know. Or Giselle purposely told her a lie to prevent her from escaping from this place. She had to find a crack in the White Wall that she could use to escape from this place. First of all, she had to go out to get as much information as possible from the people here and who were stupid enough to tell her everything they knew about the White Wall. Then she would determine her next move once she had some information about the White Wall.
Clio did as Giselle ordered. She bathed in a very beautiful and amazing bathroom. First time in years without a proper bathroom to shower in. Clio doesn't feel like getting out of the bathroom and still wants to soak in the bathtub where the water is very warm and the soaps are very fragrant. Clio's skin feels soft and supple after coming out of the bath. She rinsed her body under the shower which had such an amazing water system. The water was warm and splashed against his body at the right nerve points. So that she really feel relaxed after bathing and getting dressed. Her skin is clean and not as dull as yesterday. Clio was even surprised when she looked at her own reflection in the mirror. She looked so different. She looked like an average twenty-two year old girl. Pure white skin, full red lips, flushed cheeks and all the dirt that had made her skin look dull had been washed away from her skin.
"This is great! I became very clean and fresh."
Clio patted her cheek lightly, trying to convince herself once again that this was all real and not an illusion. The corner of her eye caught sight of a drawer under her dresser as she was twirling in front of her mirror to confirm her flawless appearance. She found a comb and a small golden powder that shimmered beautifully. Like gold powder. Clio tried to touch it with the tip of her index finger and she was surprised by the softness of the golden powder. Hesitantly she put it on her face. The golden powder glittered on her milky white skin.
Clio held her breath in amazement at the magic the golden powder had created. So far she has never used cosmetics. Only ever heard from women who also got that information from their late mother or late grandmother who lived many years ago. In the past, women liked to wear make-up. On various occasions, they will not forget to apply makeup. Even some people are vying to create the best makeup trend. But all of them were destroyed after a full-scale war broke out. No more makeup-wearing women. What remains are women without makeup who always live amidst the dust and dirt that is scattered around each of them.
Clio absentmindedly stared at her reflection in the mirror which looked a thousand times better. Usually she just reflects through the broken windows of office buildings or through puddles. Now she could see her reflection clearly through the mirror. Her face was clean and shining, without the slightest bit of dust or dirt sticking to her skin.
After putting the powder back in the drawer, Clio stayed in the bathroom long enough to contemplate. She was confused to determine the next plan. She thought about the Centurions who might be looking for her. But no one seems to be looking for her. She doesn't have too many friends. If one of their group members disappeared, they would keep going and never stop looking for the missing people because they assumed that the people must be dead or the Hyperion army captured them.
So now Clio was sure that no one would look for her outside the White Wall. She only befriended very few women. One of them is Vella. Perhaps the first thing she should do now is find Vella. She will try to confer with her for her next plan.
But suddenly Clio grimaced softly. Vella would probably like to stay here. This place offers magic and comfort. Outside the White Wall their lives are difficult and miserable. Here they get a room, a state-of-the-art bathroom, eat three meals a day, and receive full-fledged medical services. Only fools would think of leaving this place. And she was one of those fools because she wanted to get away from this beautiful place.
With determination growing stronger in her chest, Clio walked out of the bathroom. She was going out now and looking for Vella wherever she was. The clock on the wall showed eight o'clock. Her bedroom door suddenly let out a low beep and the knob swung open slightly. Time to go out and have breakfast.
Clio poked her head in the door. There was no one outside her room and there was only her moving out of the room. The place was very white and smelled of carbolic acid. The floor was so shiny that Clio could see her reflection on the floor. Hesitantly Clio walked out of her room. She walked without knowing where she was going. She just followed her instinct to go straight, and then turned right when she saw a brighter light in the hallway on the right.
She passed through so many doors in the long hallway. Clio was tempted to peek inside the doors. Maybe she'd find Vella inside one of those doors. Her palm hesitantly touched the golden doorknob. She felt a chill run down her palm as she gripped the doorknob and tried to slowly open it. In a little while she would be able to see something hidden behind the door. But suddenly someone tapped her hard on the shoulder and made her jump up in surprise.
"What are you doing here, Clio?"
"Giselle! You surprised me."
Clio leaned against the wall. Her right hand touched the surface of her chest which was beating very hard because of Giselle's actions. Her eyes devoured Giselle's appearance which looked exactly the same as she did yesterday afternoon. Giselle in a white coat and white trousers. Her blouse hid shyly under her coat and was bright yellow. There was a stethoscope stuffed carelessly in her coat pocket. The tip of the stethoscope dangled down and almost slipped out of her pocket.
"You should go to the dining room. Don't open the door carelessly."
"W-why? I'm just curious. It's very quiet here. And I don't know where the dining room is."
"Dining room in another building. You should walk straight and then turn left to go to another building."
"No one told me yesterday." Clio tried to defend herself. "Do you know where Vella's room is? She's the woman who came with me yesterday. It should be."
Giselle frowned for a few seconds, then she nodded slowly.
"I know. She is still in the process of recovering. She hasn't woken up yet because her wounds are worse than yours. Maybe tomorrow you'll be able to meet her."
"Okay, I understand. What are you doing here?"
"Me? Of course I check on my patients. There are twenty women who will give birth today. So I have to check their condition one by one. The room behind you is Sharon's. She just gave birth last night."
"Oh really? Forgive me. I don't know. Then I'm going to the dining room."
"Remember, go straight ahead, then turn left. You will find a very crowded building. That's where the dining room is."
"I understand. Thank you very much, Giselle."
Clio walked away leaving Giselle without even looking back. Her back was itching because she was sure that Giselle was watching her. Giselle looks different this morning. Not like the friendly woman she had found yesterday afternoon in her room. Giselle looked mysterious and seemed to be hiding a lot behind her piercing gaze.