"Okay, let's do it." I spoke to myself, half-convinced I was going mad—not that it was possible, of course.
Standing naked under the showerhead, I stared at it. I'd been doing this for the past five minutes. It was intimidating.
Beneath it was a knob and a few flip switches.
It's not like I've never bathed before—I have! In fact, my last bath was just... seventeen days ago. But this setup was different. Alien.
On a shelf in front of me sat a bar of soap, green in color—the only thing I recognized. Beside it was a white bottle with a pump dispenser, a gray container, and a yellow can.
I cautiously picked up the soap and sniffed it. Divine.
Then I grabbed the white bottle and examined it. Near the bottom, I found instructions. It was hair medicine! It claimed to make hair thick and smooth.
I turned the knob on the wall, and a stream of lukewarm water poured down, cascading like rain. Unlike the acid rain back in the slums, this water was pure. I opened my mouth to taste it—normal.
But I had to hurry; who knew how long the water would last? Once my body was soaked, I used the soap, carefully washing off the dirt and mud first. I didn't want the soap to get dirty.
After thoroughly scrubbing myself, I applied the hair medicine, massaging it into my scalp. It felt oddly satisfying, a soothing balm on my tired head.
That was a mistake.
"W-wait! Why's there so much foam?!"
Panic set in. I tried to rinse it off, but in my haste, I accidentally flipped one of the nearby switches. The water stopped.
"Don't tell me it's gone! Not now!"
The foam was relentless, and my left eye was now its primary target. Blind and desperate, I fumbled for the switch.
It burned.
"Agh!" I cried, clutching my eyes. The pain was searing, and in my frantic state, I flipped the wrong switch again.
That's when it happened.
Hot water. Scalding, boiling hot water. It hit my skin like fire.
Another guttural scream escaped me—an embarrassing sound, really. But after the initial shock, it wasn't so bad. The heat washed over me, soothing my sore muscles.
"Bathing is good. Yep, no doubt about it," I murmured.
I rinsed off the foam, cleaned every inch of myself, and stepped out of the shower reluctantly, wrapping a towel around my waist. The room felt colder now.
I glanced at my reflection in the mirror as I dried off. My face was still swollen, but thanks to whatever magic medicine Officer Verna used, the bleeding had stopped hours ago. My missing teeth at the back of my mouth? Manageable. My eyes? Still a bit tender but functional.
I grabbed my rags, ready to put them back on, when there was a knock at the door.
Opening it, I found the same woman who had assigned me this room. In her hands were a few packages.
She handed them to me, her gaze flickering over my towel-clad form. It was awkward, but I caught her whispered compliment as she walked away.
"Quite a looker," she'd said.
Smirking, I closed the door and faced the mirror again.
A lithe guy stared back at me. Thin. Pale. Sickly. But beneath all that... not bad. My shoulder-length raven hair contrasted sharply with my crimson-red irises, my almond-shaped eyes set a little deep in their sockets. My jawline, though sharp, was hidden behind the bruises and swelling.
Standing tall enough for my reflection to fill the mirror, I guessed I wasn't short. No one's ever called me that, at least.
I turned my attention to the packages.
The first held a set of dark blue clothes—top and trousers—with a crimson sun embroidered on the chest. Fancy. I set it aside and opened the second package.
Food.
Flatbread, rolled and stuffed with vegetables and a piece of meat.
I took a bite. Despite nine years of slum living, the taste was unforgettable. My throat tightened, and tears threatened to spill again.
"I'm shedding too many tears in the past twenty-four hours," I muttered, shaking my head.
I ate in silence, savoring every bite. It was bliss.
Once finished, I lay on the bed for a few moments, relishing the softness. But another knock interrupted my peace.
"Let's go. We need to get you prepped for the Awakening," Verna said when I opened the door, eyeing me as she blinked a few times.
Of course, it wouldn't all be sunshine and rainbows. Not with my luck.