"Well. I. Do. Not. See. Why. We. Could. Not. Go. On. A. Tour." McQueen says and Reena beams with excitement as she claps her hands. A part of me was hoping I was not aloud to go. My hoping was apparently in vain. "Do. You. Have. Every. Thing. You. Will. Need. Miss. Jun.I.Per.?" He cocks his head looking at me.
"Yes, I suppose I do." I say and he nods curtly as we begin walking down the hall. I look around for the first time, not seeing any guards guarding doors. "Is everyone out of their rooms?"
"No," Reena says and pauses for a second. "Well, I'm not sure, no one else is down this way." She gives me a smol guy smile as we make it to the staircase and begin descending it. "Everyone else is on higher floors."
"Really?" I ask and she nods as she gracefully holds her dress taking each step.
"Yes, on our tour we were told nothing of worth was on that floor so we need not pay any kind to it." She says and throws me a rather wicked looking smile. "Of course I figured they were lying, so I kept watchful eyes on it. Then, I saw you walking there after breakfast that first day." She gives herself a smile as if to congratulate herself. Now on the bottom floor, she turns left, the same way I turn to go to my room. "Sir Lealand, I believe we should show the common rooms first." He nods his head as he steps in front of the group and takes the lead.
"Common rooms?" I ask and she nods. "What are those exactly?"
"They are places in which we ladies may come together during our free time and get to know one another." She says as Lealand turns opening a door and ushering us in. The room is large, with huge windows letting in the light. Large, tan couches with floral designs on them are on my left, and various round tables with light blue tablecloths are to my right. Way in the corner is a large silver cart holding various silver objects. "I believe this room is supposed to be for snacks and tea." She says looking around with a sneer. "Also the place where they will gossip the most."
"I'm surprised no one is in here." I say as I look around at the wonderfully bright walls and breath in the cozy atmosphere. "It is such a lovely place."
"It is lovely... for now." She says as she folds her arms and pulling her shoulders back. "Just you wait, after our sessions today, it will be filled will girls trying to one-up each other on what their men did." Her eyes rolls as she turns, ready to walk out of the room. "I would rather spend my time else where than ti sit and listen to them." With that, she marches from the room and I hurry behind her. McQueen shuts the door behind us as Lealand continues to walk down the hall.
"I thought you said it was marriage counseling?" I ask as I furrow my brows. "Now you say a session?"
"Yes well they are the same thing." She says as she shrugs. "I probably should have explained that."
"No, I figured it was but I wanted to make sure." I reply as Lealand turns to another door, opens it, and ushers us inside. "Thank you." I whisper as I pass through, and he gives a slight bow of his head. This room is much larger than the other. Filled with large stick things with white rectangles sitting against them, and a huge black object in the corner. Next to that, a large wooden stringed object. "What are these things?"
"The art room." She replies as she looks walks towards the big black thing, running her fingers across it delicately. "This is a piano, and this stringed object here is a cello. They are instruments." Oh yes, I remember Joe telling me about those.
"They make music."
"Indeed." She says as she has a rather sad look to her face. "The only music we have left." She says and turns to look at me. "I once heard we had bounds and bounds of music, but it was all lost in the war." She rests her hand against the piano as she takes in a deep breath. "I wonder what it sounded like."
"I'm not sure." I mumble and she stares at the slick blackness of the piano. "I think it was really nice though." With that, she turns and give me a small smile. Clearing my throat, I look to the other side of the room. "What is that over there? They do not look like instruments."
"No." She laughs walking over, the previous aura completely dissipated into the thin air. "That is for those who paint and draw." She laughs to herself as she shakes her head. "You will not find me holding a paint brush at all." She snorts out a laugh again and I cannot help but smile. "So, which do you prefer?"
"What do you mean?" I ask and she gestures around us.
"Are you an artist or a musician?" She asks and I shake my head. "You mean to tell me you do not have a hobby? Or a passion?" She asks and I shrug.
"I never had anything like this before." I say and her eyes seem sad again. "So I don't know really."
"Well," we walk out of the room and Lealand, once again, leads us down the hall. "Is there something you do that sends joy in your heart? Something you do that you find yourself smiling the entire time?"
"Joy to the heart... smiling the whole time..." I mutter it to myself and I scratch at my nail as I think. "Cooking perhaps?" I say and she lets out a laugh.
"Cooking?" She asks and I nod. "Why one earth would you cook yourself? You did not have anyone to do it for you?" She asks and I shake my head. "How on earth did you learn?"
"Through recipes!" I explains and her steps falter as she stops. I stop too and turn back to look at her. Her eyes are wide with fear as she begins slowly shaking her head. "Are you alright?" I ask and she shakes her head.
"Recipes?" She whispers harshly and begins stepping towards me. Walking closer her voice lowers as her eyes pierce into mine. "I understand that you did not have anyone to do that for you, but I recommend that you do not mention those things again." She says and the look of confusion on my face must have softened the features of her's. "Remember, all things from the previous war were destroyed." My eyes widen as I quickly glance around and she clears her throat. "No one heard, but be careful what you say and where you say it." She replies, giving me a smile as she steps ahead, whispering something to Lealand. He nods as he begins walking again. "It is getting rather close to lunch, so I won't be able to show you the gardens. We do have time for one last room though!" She gives me a smile as Lealand begins walking once again and I follow.
I watch her back as she walks a few paces ahead of me, my mind wonders as I think about everything.
I had forgotten about the strict rules on items from the past. After the war, the government looked at preserved materials and chose the ones they deemed most important to rebuild society. Most of the items that made it were military related. The other objects chosen were items chosen according to their likeness from the past. Recipes used to be there, but people began sending secrets messages when they would share their recipes. The messages, though I'm not sure if true, we're speculated to have instructions on how to over throw the government. When they found out, they took at the recipes and books and burned them, without a trace. Thankfully, Joe had saved only a few, hiding them and his many other banned materials for, until the world is ready to reminisce on the past. At least that is what Joe says.
She leads up back through the hall, going down a different corridor. Lealand paces in step with her, whispering each time we need to make a turn. Soon, we stand in front of large double doors at the end of a dark hall. Lealand takes the knobs of the door and swings them open. We step into a dark, windowless room, the little light from the hall illuminates a row of chairs. McQueen steps beside me, making a slight cool breeze between us as she steps forward and hits something on the wall. Lights on the wall slowly turn on and I blink to make my eyes adjust.
The room is filled with different rows of chairs, all facing a giant white wall at the front of the room. At the back of the room, there are various large tables. Walking over to a chair, I press my hand into the padding. My hand compresses gently into the chair and I am surprised by how soft and comfortable it feels compared to the ones in my bed room or the chairs I sit in to eat.
"What is this place?" I call to Reena Ashe she runs her hand across one of the longs tables in the back.
"This is the watch room!" She says pushing on her hands and sitting on top of the table.
"Watch room?" I ask and she wrinkles her noise as she looks at her hands. She then claps them together and rubs them on her outfit. "A watch room for what?"
"Well to watch videos together." She says as she points to the white wall. "It's like a huge screen."
"I thought screens were made of glass."
"Well the smaller types are." She laughs slightly as she gestures to the wall once again. "This big wall can have images projected onto it using that thing." She gestures ti the ceiling where a huge box hangs. "I'm not sure how it works, but it's really cool!"
"What types of videos will we watch?" I ask as I stare up at the box, running into a chair. "Ouch."
"Watch out." She laughs as she jumps off the table and dusts herself off. "I'm not sure about what videos, I know that eventually we will watch recap footage of our time here." She states as she walks towards me. "My mom told when she was here they got together new the end of the season and watched the boy's interviews." She stares at the screens when she talks. "It kinda stinks that's really all we get, while the rest of the world watches everything."
"It is rather strange," I look at the screen with her and find myself shrugging my shoulders. "I have never seen anyone on screen so it will be strange to see."
"Wait you've never seen an episode?" She asks startled.
"No, I didn't have anything like this." I state and she crinkles her nose.
"You didn't go watch in the square? Each town holds a big watch party for— wait never mind." She looks away, placing a finger to her chin as she thinks. "So you really have no idea what any of this is like." She whispers it to herself, but I can still her. "You must have been terrified."
"Have?" I say and her eyes meet me, large with something I don't know. I advert my gaze as I kick at the ground. "I still am." It is silent for a small bit, but it is ended with her snapping her fingers.
"I have an idea!" Her face is bright with a smile as she points to the screen. "They have all the episodes saved somewhere. So why don't we watch them together. Maybe it will make you feel better." She stares intently at me and I fidget under her gaze. Perhaps my face showed the uncertainty I felt, because she soon relaxed her body and nodding. "Of course this is only if you want to. Why don't you just give it some thought and let me know?" I nod and Lealand calls from the door.
"It is almost time for lunch." Reena looks to the door, letting out a sigh, she turns giving me her bright cheery smile.
"Well, we can't leave the boys waiting for too long now can we?" She giggles, but when she turns, her face falls into a look of nervousness. Perhaps I am not the only one worried about this experience.
***