Chapter 48 – Haven of Embrace
"Positions!" the loudspeaker's voice boomed through the room.
Startled awake, the boy quickly made his bed. Everything had to be perfect, precisely aligned. He rushed to the sink, splashed water on his face, brushed his teeth at an incredible speed, and wiped his wet mouth on his shirt.
Leaving the room, the boy positioned himself in front of his closed door. Standing still, staring straight ahead without blinking, he kept his arms stiffly at his sides. The boy with black hair focused solely on the door in front of him, waiting for the neighboring door to open.
For a moment, he wondered why the door was taking so long to open. He wanted to check on the person in the room opposite his but didn't want to upset the 'sisters.'
"Lucan!" shouted the voice of the most dangerous and frightening old woman in the place.
"In position!" he responded, still puzzled by the delay in the door across from him opening.
"Good, come. I have someone to introduce to you."
Walking through the corridors, he saw the other children standing straight and erect. All of them stared fixedly at the doors of their rooms, looking straight ahead where other children stood in the same position.
"Madame, may I ask you a question?"
"You just did, and it was a poor one. You'll need to improve your speech if you want to achieve anything."
The boy remained silent and followed her through the corridors. The place was vast, but the sisters had its layout memorized.
As they walked, the home-like appearance gave way to white walls. People in white coats passed by, checking their clipboards, sometimes bumping into Lucan as if he didn't exist.
The sister sighed. "Spit it out. Your silence only makes things worse."
"Thank you, madame!"
"Call me Grand Sister, how many times do I have to tell you? Too many, it seems. You won't achieve anything by trying to please me."
"I wouldn't dream of it, mad-.. I mean, Grand Sister."
"Then stop stalling and ask your question."
"Where did Lucia go?" he asked, apprehensively.
"Oh, you mean study subject 33-5? She can't be called by her name; you know that. Names must be earned through results."
"You're right..."
"Study subject 33-5 was adopted."
"Really?" The boy's face remained expressionless, though hearing those words brought back memories he wanted to forget.
As they walked through the corridors, the Grand Sister opened doors with a touch. At that moment, Lucan realized he wouldn't find his way back even if he tried.
"Yes. She got lucky. Don't get inspired by her. Keep producing results, and you'll have a better chance of being adopted."
They stopped walking, and the Grand Sister left him seated on a bench.
Lucan was nervous. He was used to going to these parts of the home, but he'd never been called alone.
Could it be an adoption visit? Is today the day I'll join those who were adopted? What will happen to me?
While pondering his fate, Lucan remembered that the Grand Sister had mentioned introducing him to someone.
More doctors? No, they barely speak to us... only ask questions during tests.
"Come, Lucan!" screeched the Grand Sister's voice.
The sisters wore maid uniforms and were responsible for taking care of the children and liaising between them and the doctors.
Walking slowly and apprehensively, little Lucan entered the room. There stood the head sister with her stern face, and next to her was another sister who looked like a...
An angel? She... is very beautiful.
"Congratulations, study subject 30-5, or should I call you little Lucan?" The beautiful young woman with brown hair and a maid's outfit curtsied, holding the edge of her dress.
Seeing this, Lucan bowed in return.
"How polite," said the woman, ruffling his hair.
"I don't understand, head sister, why did you call me here?" Lucan asked.
The head sister looked at him and said, "Congratulations, Lucan. You have achieved satisfactory results. To encourage you to continue progressing in the program, the Good Apostle has assigned you a personal sister. From now on, she will assist you full-time. We will also be moving you to new accommodations."
Lucan was confused.
"Be happy, Lucan, this is quite an achievement," the sister reassured him.
"Yes. Sister Susan is someone like you, Lucan. She was also an orphan and walked these corridors. Now she has returned to give back the care she received."
That's a lie...
"I don't know if I deserve this honor from the Good Apostle. It's too much for someone like me," Lucan said, trying to decline.
Sister Susan smiled at him.
"Don't fall for his tricks, Susan. He understands he will be separated from the other study subjects."
"Really?" Sister Susan laughed.
"Yes," the head sister sighed. "Lucan, if you try to sabotage your progress thinking you'll return to the communal area, you're mistaken. We already have all your data. If we see you're deliberately underperforming, you'll only harm your friends with lower scores... after all, we also take the average score of your wing into account."
"I won't do that, head sister."
"Good! Now, Sister Susan, take him."
Sister Susan took his hand, and they walked together through the facility.
Heading to a new wing of the institution, they walked down the corridors. Sister Susan held his hand firmly as they passed the doctors. Sometimes, Lucan could see a child screaming and suffering.
"Don't look, Lucan. Keep your head straight as taught in the program," Sister Susan said, squeezing his hand.
Every time they passed a door, there was a different scream.
Lucan understood well what they were going through; he experienced it himself.
After a while, they arrived at a new section. The environment started to resemble a large normal house. Walking through the corridors, they reached a door. On that floor, there was only this door.
"Go ahead, Lucan, you can place your hand on the panel."
Lucan moved his hand slowly, and as soon as he placed it, a green light flashed. The door opened.
"See? Now you even have authorization like me," she smiled.
Upon entering, Lucan saw that the space was not just a single room. It was an entire apartment.
"I was going to ask someone to bring your things, but your room was different from all the other children's. It was... empty."
"I don't like to spend my points."
"I understand. The other children usually spend their progress points on toys, sweets... but you, the best of them, don't spend. You're too clever... don't tell me you're trying to get an adoption voucher?"
"No," Lucan turned away.
"You're almost old enough to be adopted, just two more years, and with your performance in the program, you won't even need the voucher."
Lucan clenched his hands and looked down.
I have my reasons...
"I wanted to see what would happen if one of us... earned the right to be adopted early. I just thought... of having two chances to find a family."
Sister Susan looked away, hiding her moist eyes as she headed to the kitchen.
"I'll bake a cake for you. Don't worry about it. I have my own points," she laughed.
Leaving him there, she began preparing the cake. She knew that recipe well; it was a hit with any child. She wanted to distract the little boy in that frightening place, that was her wish. As she baked, she sighed now and then, remembering the screams from that long walk.
Sister Susan rummaged through the cupboards, gathering the remaining ingredients and preparing the cake. She noticed that the little boy had stood in the same spot the entire time.
"Lucan, here you are free to go wherever you want. Think of this as your home. You can explore the place; your room is at the back. There's a bathroom down the hall."
"Thank you, Sister Susan."
He nodded but remained standing in the same spot.
"This won't work..." Sister Susan murmured.
"Did I do something wrong, Sister Susan?"
"No, on the contrary. You're standing in the same spot as you were taught... but here, you can go wherever you like. This is your home."
"Home..." the boy murmured.
"Let's do this to get comfortable," Sister Susan approached him with some frosting on her finger and put it in his mouth to surprise him.
"You didn't even flinch, silly. Normal kids would have either run away from the finger or enjoyed the taste," she laughed.
"But the doctors told us not to say anything and to accept whatever was given."
For a moment, Sister Susan's smile froze.
"Right, right," she said, tousling his hair. "We have a lot to change in that little head of yours..."
"I'll do whatever you say, Sister Susan," he bowed.
She sighed.
This is going to be a bit complicated she thought.
"Think of this as training... but not like the training the other sisters give you downstairs. Think of it as training for a family."
"Training for a family?" Lucan was confused.
"Yes. You don't want to be adopted by a family and not know how to behave, right? So, I'll teach you."
"Really?"
"Really. First, let's drop the 'Sister Susan.' At least here, you can't call me that," she laughed.
"Here, I'll just be Susan, and you will be..." she put a finger on her chin, thinking. "You will be Luke."