Page 39 of Beyond The Maples
Wesley pushes his sliding glasses back up on his pointed nose and says, "Well, the free ride is over, cadets. All personnel have to do work duty while they're here. It's how we keep this place going." He seems like he's already defending his position on this.
Apparently, Berkley wasn't the only one to give him grief. I walk up and smile, assuring him I'm not about to bite his head off.
"Treow, you have clerical," he says dismissively, shoving a dark brown rectangular patch at me with my last name sewn onto it. I'm about to ask what it is, when he sighs and points to the dark piece on my upper arm, roughly the same size as the patch, and does a slapping motion to where I see his own name sticking to his shoulder. I stick the patch on the soft fabric, and it clings to the rough plastic on the name tag easily.
This feels oddly... official.
My attention turns back to Wesley as his finger runs up and down the list of names in front of him.
"Wait, what does that entail? Aren't you a clerk? Would I just be taking notes and stuff?" I have about five more questions, but I cut myself off, only needing a few answered immediately.
"Technically, yes. I'm one of the head clerks, though. You'll be assigned to the library at first. Mostly filing, cleaning, organizing. That kind of thing."
I nod, trying not to look too excited.
"Hey while I have you, just wondering, can anyone move to the Centre? How does that work?" I ask hesitantly.
Wesley lets out a breath and pinches the bridge of his nose, like I couldn't exhaust him more.
"The city is over capacity as it is. You can apply to have family members move here though, and they will be put on a waitlist." He dismisses me by motioning for the next person to step forward.
"How long is the list?" I push, my need to know more overriding my need to be polite and let the others waiting behind me now get their assignments.
He shakes his head, "That I don't know. All I know is that some people have been waiting years and years to get their families in."
Disappointment crushes me as I let what he said sink in.
My head snaps back to the group when I hear Leo's complaining.
"Awww man, who did I piss off to get janitorial? Do these beautiful hands look like they should be scrubbing toilets?" Leo pouts, looking every bit his age at thismoment. I turn to Farra, having missed what she got assigned to and also wanting to distance myself from Leo's theatrics.
"What did you get? I didn't hear," I ask, walking away from the arguing boys.
"I got assigned to the cafeteria." Farra states simply.
"Oh, that's not too bad," I say as Farra looks behind us to see Leo still arguing with Wesley about his placement. "Could be much worse."
We both laugh, and head over to the track to do our run before breakfast.
I've only been here for a couple of weeks, and already my body feels stronger, lagging less. The thought that the consistent and far superior food probably also has to do with my body feeling better sends a familiar pang of guilt through me. I think about the waitlist to get into The Centre again. I'll put Linden and Willow on it. But years? They'll be adults by the time I get them in.
I do a couple of stretches when I see Tarius off in the corner. He looks to be finished with his run, but instead of leaving and heading to get food, he's just standing there. I wonder what he's doing.
"What's your take on Tarius?" I ask Farra under my breath.
"Honestly, I do not know. I feel a little like he might peel off and wear my skin sometimes. I feel bad saying that, but he creeps me out a bit." She shrugs with a frown.
I snort. "That is really mean, but... I don’t disagree. We should probably get to know him a bit better. I don't want to be stuck out in the open with someone we don't fully trust, ya know? Especially if he's trying to wear our skin."
Farra's eyes widen. "Ethra's wind.You think he'd actually do something like that?"
I roll my eyes.
"No, I don'tactuallythink he's going to wear our skin, Farra, you doofus. I just don't think we can trust him, or at least, not yet. Berkley is a little easier to read, has simple enough motivations. I just need to know he's not going to screw us over."
Farra nods. "Agreed. We can all make an effort this week."
I raise my eyebrows at her.
