Page 35 of Smoke and Blood

The only response she got from Michaela was her roommate’s body shifting and drawing into a tighter ball.

Avalore sighed soft and low as she went to the door.

Not saying anything further, the stout woman stepped back to allow her to leave the room.

Quickly, the door was shut and locked.

Avalore followed the woman to the left as if taking her to the lab.Instead, she went to a side door, punched in a code, and led Avalore through it.Avalore recognized the wide, polished hallway as the entrance they came through when they first arrived.She recalled thinking how lucky she was to work in the providence, such opulence.Even though none of the lavishness went beyond the solid door into the sterile, white clinic area or the cold, barren rooms they slept in.

The woman led her through anotherr door and entered a massive, busy kitchen.The smell and sight of so much delicious, extravagant, foods Ava had never seen, smelled, or even known existed.Her mind had no name for most things on plates, spoons, and small bowls.Over the hustle and bustle of the people in the space, she heard the muffled notes of music coming through the swinging door across the room.

“I have a worker here.”

Bubbles of excitement rose in Avalore’s chest as she thought about carrying the trays out to whatever was happening on the other side of the swinging door, where the servers wore crisp, white clothes.

A tall man with short, blond hair slicked back from his face with some product turned and stared at Avalore for a long moment.He frowned as he saw her cotton gown.

Avalore met his gaze with a slight lift of her chin; it wasn’t like giving them a closet full of clothing.Every day, if they weren’t sick, they were taken to shower and given a fresh gown.

Shaking his head, he moved out of the fray of those prepping food on dishes.

“Follow me.”He led her to a long cabinet on the other side of the room.The man opened it and removed an apron as shockingly white as the other staff's clothing.“Put this on.”He hitched his thumb toward the door next to the cabinet.“You may use the restroom to wash your face and hands.You should find some grooming items in there, too.Use them to....to do something with all that hair.”

He walked away.

Avalore glanced over her shoulder and noticed how all the workers, like the man, wore their hair slick, if it was short or locked in tight buns either at the top, back, or nape of their heads.She moved on slippered feet to the bathroom, seeing what he wanted clearly.

The bathroom was just as blinding white as everything else in the kitchen.Inside was a sink, side cabinet, mirror, toilet, and shower.She stepped closer to the shower and eyed the items lining a shelf.The individual stall was lovely, with bottles of body wash, shampoo, conditioner, something she had never used, and almond oil after-shower moisturizer.She was tempted to get in even though she’d bathed that morning.

None of the other women, like her roommate, had shown up in the eight-spigot, tiled bay.When she questioned the morning handler, she’d told her to mind her concerns.

Turning away from the luxury, Avalore rushed to get what the man had asked her to do.The last thing she needed was for this man to think she was lazy.This could be her chance to gain experience and possibly set herself up for a new job soon.Because the clinicians couldn’t need much else from them, what other samples could they give?

Giving herself one last look in the mirror, she ensured not a single strand was out of place.It hadn’t been easy to wrangle her thick, long waves into a neat bun, even with all the brushes, combs, bands, and pins she found.But she was confident it would hold at the crown of her head.

When she walked back into the kitchen with her apron on and cinched at her waist, she spotted the tall man and headed toward him.

“This way.”

Avalore’s steps faltered at the sound of a person beside her.Apparently, an older woman dressed in a light-gray top, pants, and sensible black shoes had been waiting for her.She nodded and followed the woman when she took her through another door and into an area half the size of the kitchen, still nice but without the elegance.Avalore frowned to herself.

Various two and four-person tables were littered around and moved off the open floor.The older woman led Avalore to another kitchen.All the workers were as uniformed as the other kitchen staff in their white aprons, with their hair styled away from their faces, but they wore tan pants and tops.No one else was in night apparel like her.She also didn’t recognize anyone and seemed to be the only lab volunteer.

“Like the others are doing, get the food in the trays, take them to the buffet stations, then help serve it.”

Even though the food wasn’t as artfully displayed as in the big, white kitchen, it still smelled and looked better than it had for her and others in the Dispatch.

“Okay.”Avalore walked over to the others and got to work.

“After the meal is served and you help the staff clean the kitchen, someone will return you to the laboratory dorms.”

Avalore wasn’t shocked; the older woman and probably everyone else knew she was a clinical volunteer.She couldn’t help but wonder what the Providence inhabitants thought of her and the other women assisting with the clinical trials.Did they see them as honored?Were they grateful because they were doing their part to help the cause, fighting the illness that killed and was still killing so many?

“Thank you.”Avalore stepped away and went to work.

Over two hours later, the hall held a loud hum as on-duty security workers packed the tables, ate, talked, and laughed with their co-workers.Avalore had never heard such joviality among groups in the district.Usually, everyone kept their head down or grumbled over what they didn’t have.

Now, Avalore stared down at the tray of sliced meat she served at the end of the food line.It didn’t take her long to realize that the food brought to them on the clinic side probably came from this kitchen, definitely not the other.

---