Episode 3: After The Darkness

Girls' Hostel - Dining Hall - Day One

A well equipped dining hall is filled with girls eating breakfast. The girls are all dressed alike aside from the color of their uniforms. There are many blue and tan colored uniforms. And there are a smaller number of girls wearing red, mostly older girls. MaiChelle and the seven other girls at her table are dressed in tan. While the other girls munch on biscuits, eggs and sausage, MaiChelle and her table-mates sit silently before empty plates. One of the young girls sitting next to MaiChelle clutches her rumbling stomach and whispers, "I'm starving." The woman sitting at the head of the long rectangular table springs to her feet and shouts at the girl who whispered, "Shut up! There's no talking allowed!"

The little girl begins to whimper. The woman whose long black robe which looks like a nun's costume complete with habit, sweeps the floor as she quickly walks towards the little girl. MaiChelle doesn't dare look in the domineering woman's direction. MaiChelle keeps her eyes on the empty plate that should be filled with food. The woman towers over the girl. She leans downward and gets in the crying girl's face. "And there's no crying either," the woman growls.

A bell rings and all the girls stop eating and quickly rise to their feet. A woman, wearing a white robe and nun's habit stands on top of a raised stage-like platform overlooking the dining hall.

"Sun Mooning!"

"Sun Mooning Madame Sister Rezzie," the girls respond in perfect unison.

"Today Daughter Dawning wants to share with us her first day of service."

A nervous looking girl of around 16 years old dressed in a red uniform tentatively approaches center stage. She peers out at the staring girls. Her lips quiver and her eyes water. She struggles to compose herself.

"It has been an honor to serve the elders of our great city Cal…," she hesitates, her chest rises. She peers over at Madame Sister Rezzie who peers back with fierce eyes. "One day, you too will have the honor of serving our elders. Do good obedience, do good thoughts and remake yourself in the image of our Gods."

The girls applaud.

"Thank you daughter," Madame Sister Rezzie says with relief as she applauds.

Dawning descends from the stage. As she passes MaiChelle, their eyes meet and there is an acknowledgement of some sort; but MaiChelle can't quite put her finger on it. Her eyes follow Dawning as she returns to the table of the red uniforms. The woman at the head of the table notices this and smiles, "Don't worry daughter, you will soon join her."

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