Having finished putting away his things, David turned and looked to his new roommate.
"So, five minutes in and you've seen the stuff they're not eager to roll out in front of all of the rest of us. What's back there?"
Fritz glanced away from the television screen, unable to admit that whatever the colourful display was, it was both unlike nothing he could recall from the patchy memories of his time through the foster system, or the nearly-gone ones of his infant years with his biologicals, and also - combined with the generalized chaos of the day so far - approaching near-complete sensory overload.
"Cushy office for the big man and a sea-front view from the naughty step." He snarked, unsure what David really wanted to know. "They didn't exactly give me a guided tour of the dungeons." He turned his attention back to the TV, but a voice in the back of his head nagged at him. His roommate was an enigma of a young man; Fritz was certainly aware he himself was no charming, welcoming figure. Throw him a bone, Frederick. Hell, throw yourself a bone. You won't survive here if you isolate.
Fritz sighed.
"Look, it's a nice veneer, and they've got some good PR - but there are cells back there, and kids in them even. Why do you think they bought Alcatraz to build this place? It's still a prison. Just...a nicer one than usual."
Cells. That wasn't news, after all this place took in people in situations like Fritz... and the kid they picked up from the courthouse. But...
"Kids in them..?" He asked.
"Well, someone in them, talking about 'his ideas of punishment'. I'm just saying, they're prepared to lock up whoever they need to. With what some of us are capable of I doubt they practice a 'high-tolerance' approa-"
Fritz was cut off as a loud knocking erupted against the door, three heavy bangs.
"Dinner. Cafeteria." The door opened from the outside.
The pair looked at each other. David wasn't sure if Fritz would be expected to eat separately, but there was his answer. Come one, come all, so it seemed.
This place seemed sincere in its intent to drive rehabilitation, and do what it could to push the idea that this cold facility still saw them as people.
...at least on Day One.
David stood by the door, with his hand on the handle, checking if Fritz was coming. It was almost surprising he was dragging his feet, the guy didn't look like he'd eaten in days. Maybe he was just wary of rushing in such an unknown place.
Probably not the worst idea, really. All things considered.
He stepped through and looked down the hallway and saw the Sasha and the red-headed girl from earlier leaving their room. He turned away and checked to see Fritz waiting for him to move.
"I guess I'm allowed back in gen pop. After you, though. Doubt I made many friends during 'orientation'...I'd prefer to keep you all in front of me."
He walked out in the hallway, and turned the other way, to try and get his bearings on where the rest of the people in this "newest group of co-habitants" were situated relative to himself, and started to follow the flow of traffic to the cafeteria.
At the end of the hallway a— well, the person could only be described as a guard, really, divided the line in two. Boys to the left, girls to the right. Seemed almost redundant since they were already expected to walk in a randomly parsed single file line prior to that point, but David supposed the illusion of control has its own value.
The boys walked around another block and through the cafeteria from a different exit, the girls must have taken a more direct route as they hit their destination first, and were admiring the vast layout, that looked almost empty with how few of them would be eating there now.
It was laid out like a high school cafeteria and looked like it could feed hundreds at once. Right now, they numbered at maybe a few dozen.
Trying to see the front of the line, David could see they were getting given plastic sectioned trays to house their food. Some kind of paper or thin cardboard box housed a bread roll which was thrown on a corner. He couldn’t see the silver food trays yet, so instead scanned for people who had already been given their completed trays and told to find a seat.
It looked like beef bourguignon. Smelled like a good rendition of it too, from what he could tell. It’s just that the appearance was wanting, plated via being slopped into a plastic reservoir.
David tried to look ahead now that he was closer to the front, and it seemed he was right. Main tray was beef bourguignon, they had a second tray which he assumed had a vegetarian option. And beside them both was a singular plated salad, comprised of quinoa, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cooked legumes and spinach. A simple placecard in front reading “High Iron/Fibre Alternative – Lina Ziegler”. She evidently hadn’t made her way to the front of the queue yet.
David shuddered at the thought of someone putting out his full name for everyone to see, so early in this situation. He wondered how someone like Billy Isaacs might use that information, and hoped there was nobody else similar to him amongst them.
As more were collecting their food he found that the other adolescents weren’t really spreading out, mostly. Despite everything that had happened so far, most seemed to gather around two long tables. Most, not all. But it was something.
The otter waddled past him with a plastic tray full of mussels. Must have had his own food plan similar to ‘Lina Ziegler’ and collected his food early. He assumed it was male, it was from the same line he was in, after all.
He wondered whether Fritz would try his luck with one of the two crowded tables, or if he’d feel pushed off by social etiquette. The greeting he’d received he doubted that would be the case. But who’s to say.
“Beef or vegetarian?” Came the flat tone as he hit the front of the line.
“Beef.” The server said down the line, and a pit crew of servers added the bread roll, a ladleful of bourguignon, a scoop of a baked Mac ‘n’ Cheese, some mixed vegetables, and a small slice of some kind of vanilla custard dessert.
David walked to the end of the queue where another flat “Beef” awaited for him, and the full tray was thrust into his hands, along with a small bottle of some kind of soda.
“Spoons are there.” And the server’s attention was gone, back to working on the next tray. The server withdrew the container of spoons, seeing who was following David.
David felt the pressure of the rush behind him and remembered his notes.
“Don’t hold up the lines. Keep things moving smoothly.”
So he made his way to the crowded two tables and considered his options. But he wasn’t ready to see the few new faces who were also mixed in.
‘The Kid’ appeared to be enjoying her opportunity to hold court and explain the goings on to some more ‘fresh meat’. He thought it might be worth sitting somewhere within earshot of her, and that left quite a few places. She certainly revelled in her seniority and ability to practically function as a tour guide.
Besides, when someone else filled silence, it meant he wouldn’t be expected to. Absorb what information he could, and think.
He found a spare seat where he wouldn’t have to ask anyone to move, and decided to let himself blend in to background, as conversation spread to the boy in the infirmary, and what the ‘fresh meat’ would likely be expected to do tomorrow. Their first ‘full day’ in Aegis’ Alcatraz facility.
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