Chapter 10 – The Change Margot’s POV

The hum of the ferry’s engines vibrated through the soles of my shoes, and the metal walls around us creaked and groaned as the ship slowly pulled away from the dock…

Fuck! There’s no getting out of this now then…

I sighed and stood over by the small circular window of our assigned cabin, having now showered and feeling extraordinarily clean for the first time in a while. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the heat of the shower belting down against my skin accompanied by the free coconut scented hair and body wash. It felt like a vacation compared to what I was used to back at the trailer, which consisted of a green garden hose that had been attached to the bathroom taps. I waited patiently for Cara to finish up, moving across the space to look myself over once again in the mirror. It all felt so surreal, like an out-of-body experience almost, as though I had allowed myself to step into autopilot throughout this entire journey.

We had been given clear orders to change into our uniforms, freshen up, and to report to the assembly point for 6pm – a space the scarred man had briefly shown us on the way to our cabin, as I prayed that Cara would remember the way back…

So here I now was, as my eyes scanned over my reflection from head to toe, wearing my pink oversized (surprisingly comfy) tracksuit, with my dark hair still damp – but clean at least. The vessel continued to bobble across the water, heading toward some unknown destination holding what I’d imagine were some of this country’s worst criminals… I swallowed hard at the thought, debating if we had both maybe gone mad? What exactly was this project? Hopefully we find out more information at the meet-up tonight… I glanced up at the small wall clock, seeing that it was now after four, as my eyes shifted towards one of the two little slim single beds in the room. I hummed, debating if I even had time to squeeze in a quick nap before the meeting? I was stunned that I had even managed to stay awake for so long, as my body absolutely ached for a rest by this point.

Deciding it would be the smart choice, I approached it and sank down on the mattress a little harder than what I would have liked – but I was in no position to complain. I breathed out heavily as I lay there, stretching out my limbs as they cracked like a pensioner’s before eventually forcing my eyes to close. I allowed for my mind to race with a thousand questions and possibilities on what would be next in store for us, feeling my chest even itself out in the process. I could hear the steady rush of water from the shower – Cara’s shower. It was a constant reminder that she was still there, even if she wasn’t in sight, finishing up her own cleansing rituals and enjoying the fresh experience as much as I had. For a few moments, I let myself drift into a nap, trying to quiet the relentless hum of the ferry’s engines and the creaks of metal that spoke of our isolation. The sound of water, soothing yet insistent, mingled with my thoughts, pulling me between a desire for rest and a mounting anxiety about what awaited us once we would be forced to leave this cabin. Long minutes seemed to pass in a haze until I felt Cara’s gentle touch shaking my arm. “I hate to ruin your sleep, girl, but it’s almost time for the meeting!” She spoke gently, as I groaned and scrunched up my arms before pulling them up into a stretch. “How long did I get?” I questioned groggily, my eyes burning for me to close them again. “It’s quarter to six, when did you lie down? You were sleeping when I got out of the shower,” Cara commented, as I forced myself to sit up next. “So just under two hours maybe? Great.” I rolled my eyes, as Cara bit back a laugh and shook her head at me. “Well, that is what you get for refusing to take a turn on the bus!” Cara stated, as I nodded, knowing that she was right. It was a decision I very much now regretted. I pushed myself up, grabbing the plain white sneakers they had given us to wear, taking note that they had no laces or straps on them, only stretchy pieces of elastic to help you squash your feet into them.

“These are pretty decent though!” Cara examined her own complete lilac suit in the mirror this time, as I agreed. We had also been given a plain white tee for underneath, along with a stretchy sports bra type of crop top, complete with a white pair of briefs for underwear. It was a serious upgrade for us both, as we stood side by side and refrained from laughing at one another… “Ok let’s do this then?” Cara beamed, her blonde hair having dried down naturally into soft beach waves, whereas my hair was simply hanging dead-ass straight – never seeming to take to a curl in its life. “You remember the way there?” I tested with sheer hope, as she just shrugged. “I think so, if not, I’ll just ask somebody,” Cara deadpanned as though it were obvious, as my eyes widened. “Ask one of the scary armed guards, you mean? You’re on your own there!” I stated, as she unlocked the door and twisted the handle to free us from the room. “Get used to it, sweetie, we’re headed straight for a prison! I bet the guards inside are way worse than the ones on here – this will be like their baby guards!” Cara claimed with a chuckle, sending a violent chill through me at the mere thought of it. She had certainly perked up after her shower, returning back to her regular sassy self, and despite me feeling fresh and slightly rejuvenated, I was still very much shitting my pants in this place… “Look at your face!” She turned and suddenly cackled, as she walked us in the directions that she believed were right. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” I hushed her loudly, my eyes darting around at the surprisingly empty corridors, terrified that one of the scary-looking men would hear. “It wasn’t that before, when you were almost near pissing your pants!” I argued, reminding her that she had previously been just as nervous as I had been. “Yeah, but when I was in the shower I got to thinking, this will be a great life experience for us! What a story it will be to tell our kids we made fifty grand by hanging out in a crazily scary prison!” She shrugged before continuing on: “Think about it, they won’t just throw us to the wolves, will they? We will be protected.” She nodded, as I chewed my lip listening to her. Maybe she’s right? Maybe I’m overthinking this? They can’t just toss us in there without proper training or resources, that would be insane! “It’s up these steps!” Cara pointed, as we noticed the first guard stood at the top of them, holding his large gun facing down toward the ground – a bored look plastered across his face. We still hadn’t seen any of the other girls yet, so were we the only two that had signed up? No, we can’t be! The guy with the scar had said we were the last two, which means there are more around somewhere…