The Faction Games

Chapter 16

I sit on one of the 2 beds in our tiny room, drinking soup and eating bread. I suppose they serve avoxes food that is easy to swallow, as it can’t be much fun trying to swallow without a tongue. I finish my meal and tug irritably at my ugly uniform; a crimson jacket and trousers with a black vest top.

“Leave it, Tris. You look fine.” Caleb says and puts down his empty tray.

Tobias comes out of the bathroom and throws me a towel.

“Caleb was right, those are cool showers.”He says and rubs a towel over his wet hair.

“Great!” I say and go into the bathroom.

I undress and get into the modern shower, putting my towel down just in arm’s length. There’s so many buttons, I’m not sure which to press. I see a red button and decide to press that one. A stream of burning water streams from the showerhead and I cry out as it burns me.

“Are you OK, Tris?” Tobias calls

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I call back and hit a blue button.

The water cools and I shower. I manage to find a button which pours shampoo and conditioner from the showerhead and another which streams shower gel. The shower is slippy and I stumble. I grab at a ledge for support. The ledge, though, is wet and slick with gel and I fall. I yell in pain as my head hits the hard shower floor.

“Tris?” Tobias calls and when I don’t answer he knocks on the bathroom door.

I grab my towel and wrap it around me quickly as I hear Tobias call to me through the door.

“I’m going to come in, Tris.”

I hear the door creak open and I would call for him to go away but my head’s throbbing, I’m slipping in and out of consciousness and I can see scarlet running down the plughole. Blood.  I put a hand to my head and my hand comes away red. I groan.

Tobias looks at me and ducks under the still running shower. He turns the water off and looks down at the stream of blood running down the plughole, then at my head. I cough weakly and he picks me up. I hug my towel more tightly around me.

“Get dressed, then I’ll come back and see what’s up with your head.” He says and leaves, shutting the door behind him.

I put my throbbing head in my hands and feel the blood on my fingers. I know I’m flushed and I wonder if it’s because of the shower, my head or maybe Tobias. I change into my uniform and come back into the room. Tobias gently touches my head and Caleb gets a cold flannel and washes the blood off.

“You’ll be ok.” Tobias says “Just a bit of a cut. Get some sleep; I’ll sleep on the floor tonight.”

I sigh; lay back on the bed and sleep.