Chapter 24

TWENTY-FOUR

I tossedand turned all night, contemplating all the ways I'd escape. I could sneak out of my room, unlock the front door, or climb out of a window. I could pretend to meet Raina and leave. But Bradley's words coursed through my mind, and I wasn't too sure I was willing to risk my life.

I got dressed in my uniform, slid on the ridiculously padded shoes, tied my hair up, and left my room. I started to walk toward the end of the hall until I recalled the turn and luckily, Bradley appeared pushing an all-white cart.

"Good morning, Demi." Bradley paused and waved at the cart.

"Morning." I grabbed the cart handle from him and began to push it behind him.

"Today you'll be cleaning the Ossis floor rooms. There are very strict rules, Demi. You must not speak or make any noise, and you must not make eye contact with anyone you may encounter. Before we go in, you'll need to stop in the dressing room."

"The dressing room? And eye contact with who?"

"Lower your voice, now!" Bradley shushed me with his finger, and I noticed he wore long sleeves and white gloves.

Walking quickly, we eventually ended back up on the Ossis wing, and Bradley swiped his gold card in front of the door.

"Are you helping me clean?"

"No. I have to make sure you don't screw up." He gave me a pointed look. "Now go into the dressing room; Becca's in there with your breakfast. She'll help you, and then come right out so we can get started."

"Hi Demi." Becca bowed slightly, then pointed to the salon style chair. Sinking into it, I looked at my reflection and Becca quickly draped a cloak over me.

My eyes widened as she reached for the scissors, and I jerked back and quickly put my hands on my hair. "Oh, no, I don't need a haircut." I laughed awkwardly.

"Demi, you must. Your hair is too thick and there is no way it'll fit in the wig."

"Wig?" I turned and looked at Becca.

"Oh honey, you can't go to the Ossis floor with all this unruly, black hair." She clicked her tongue and immediately grabbed a handful of my hair.

"I said no." I slapped her hand off me.

"Don't be difficult, Demi," she said with a chill in her voice that had my heart racing. "You either put this on or you let me cut and dye it. But there is no way they'll let you in there with black hair." She lifted a short blonde wig, and I couldn't help but break into laughter.

"You're kidding me, right?" Disbelief was clear in my tone.

"No," Becca replied dryly.

"Well, I'm going to wear the stupid wig, because there is no way I'm going to go blonde. It wouldn't work for me." I rolled my lips together tightly.

"Fine. I'll try to fit it in there, but if it falls or moves at all and the caged girls see you, then that's between you and Dr. Ivory." She tugged at my hair, balling it up and brushing it aggressively.

"This is going to take ten pounds of gel," she muttered as she began plastering the goop in my scalp and didn't even try to brush it lightly. Once in a tight bun, she paused. "Well, I'm a magician." Fastening the blonde wig on top of my head, she tilted her head and studied me carefully. "You kind of look alright as a blonde."

Running my fingers through the soft hair, I didn't disagree. Surprisingly, it didn't clash completely with my olive skin. "Yea, I guess."

"Now, put on your gloves and this white cardigan. You're ready to go." She shoved the items at me and looked at the time. "You have three minutes before you're late."

Peeling the gloves and cardigan on, I stood and walked toward the door. I felt ridiculous in this outfit and wig. What were the cages?

Bradley's eyes widened as soon as I walked through the door. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he let his eyes linger on my new hair.

"I know… it's awful." I dropped my eyes to the floor.

"No, it's not. It's just… not you," he mumbled and started to walk before he stopped and turned to me. "This is cage number one. Remember, Demi, don't talk, don't engage, don't look at her. Just clean the space and leave. Do not make a single sound."

"Okay." I nodded as he waved his card in front of the door.

"Go ahead." I pushed my cart that had these strangely large wheels that were layered in some kind of foam-like material so no sound came from it.

As soon as I walked in, I slammed my eyes shut.

It was blinding.

Bright, white, and frigid. The floors, the walls, everything in the room was a stark white.

My breathing was so fast that I swore I was about to have a full-blown panic attack. The room was one thing, but the woman chained to the bed in the corner had me on the verge of shattering. I felt a hand slap over my mouth and an arm wrap around my waist, pulling me right back out of the room. When the door shut slowly, I opened my eyes and looked up. "You would have ruined it!" Dr. Ivory looked at me with fury searing through his eyes.

"There's a… a girl chained to the bed." My body shook as I looked for Bradley, but he wasn't there. Where was he? I needed to leave. I needed to run, now.

"You foolish girl. I don't know why they had to have you. I really don't. But you better shut your mouth and clean that room or else you'll be chained to the bed. This is my experiment; my medical experiment. I'm helping these girls, and you are going to wreck everything I have worked so hard for." Dr. Ivory dropped his hand to my neck and tightened his grip. "Do you want to be in the cage, Demi?"

"No, please, no," I whimpered as I instinctively reached my hands to his and tried to pry it off, but his hold only grew stronger.

"Then go in the room and clean it. I don't want to see a speck of dust, and if I do, I'll put you in a cage. Understand?"

"Yes," I whimpered as he loosened his grasp.

"Go," he whispered with his eyes squinted. A simple gesture and word that made me shut down completely and do as I was told—a survival mechanism, and one I was completely used to doing.