CW disturbing horror type stuff

"What do you mean it was about empathy?" Maia says. "We were told not to communicate!"

"It's okay." The woman smiles. "I wouldn't expect monsters like you to understand."

Salina's jaw drops. Monsters? Before anyone can react to that, the woman continues speaking.

"My name is Sharon, and I'm here to teach you the lessons you all need to learn so you can be rehabilitated."

"Sorry, rehabilitated?" Maia stands up. "If you're rehabilitating us, why is Meghan dead?"

"I'm going to need you to calm down." Sharon says, frowning her arms and pouting.

"Calm down? How am I supposed to-"

"Maia." Lulu says. "Just... let her talk."

Maia's jaw tightens, but she sits back down.

"Now, I know you were told not to communicate during that last test. But the thing is, empathy is something you should always use. And, as you saw today, when somebody fails to use empathy, there are serious consequences." She steps slowly closer until she's standing in front of Julian. "Julian, tell me, why did you let Meghan die?"

"He didn't-"

"I'm not talking to you, Casey." Sharon leans closer to Julian. "Why did you let her die?"

"Get away from me." Julian spits.

"I know it's uncomfortable, but you need to face your emotions in order to grow."

"Bullshit."

Sharon purses her lips, stares at him for a second, and then stands up. "Alright. I can see you aren't ready to face your mistake. But that's okay- we'll do an exercise."

"An exercise?" Salina says. "What, like holding hands and singing 'kumbaya'?"

Sharon laughs, but Salina wasn't trying to be funny. "Not quite. Remember the icebreaker you all did?"

"No." Lulu says immediately. "Nuh uh. Not again."

"Need I remind you of the forms you signed?" Sharon says. Her voice remains light, but there's a twinkle of something threatening in her eyes. "Refusal to participate in group activities will result in the termination of your stay here."

Salina remembers signing that. At the time, she'd thought they'd just send her home if she didn't do what they wanted, but after what happened to Meghan, she's not so sure.

"What are you going to do to us, Sharon?" Salina says carefully.

"Oh, nothing yet!" Sharon laughs again. "It's just, I can tell you're not in the mood to listen to my lesson, so I'll find something more hands-on." She turns to leave.

"Uh- wait!" Salina calls after her. "We'll listen. You don't need to do that."

Sharon pauses. "Oh yeah?"

"Julian will answer your questions. Right?" He's looking at her incredulously. She leans in. "Just play along. Do you want to be stabbed and forced to relive your worst memories again?"

"I don't really want to talk about how I'm a terrible person, either." He hisses.

"Pretend, then! Say what she wants to hear. I know you don't like needles."

He crosses his arms, but nods.

"Wonderful!" Sharon claps. She grabs a chair from the kitchen table and pulls it up to sit with them. "Let's begin."

Salina tries not to fall asleep as the green-haired woman drones on and on about how, clearly, since they were raised as monsters no one ever taught them manners or empathy. Julian is fidgeting with his hands, not enjoying being the subject of this lecture. She catches him sending Casey accusatory looks every now and then. Finally, when Salina is sure at least thirty more years have passed in this room, Sharon stands up.

"That was wonderful. I think we're really making progress, don't you?" She beams around at them. Casey nods. "Great. Well, I'll see you all bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Do we have more stuff to talk about? I feel like we covered manners." Salina says, frowning.

"No, you're right, we did. But I want us to go deeper into the lesson, so I'll find us an activity to do together."

"Wait, what?" Maia leans forward. "You said if we listened to your lecture, we didn't have to do that hands-on shit."

Sharon smiles innocently. "I never said that. I said I'd find an activity, and Salina said you'd do the lesson. Those two things were never related."

"Oh, fuck you." Maia says. "You knew what she meant."

"Did I?" The doors swing open, and Sharon steps outside. "Get a good sleep!" They close with a resounding slam. Maia sighs, and sits back down.

"Sorry. I tried."

"She was never going to give in." Casey says.

"I know, but-"

"Let's not think about it." Salina says. "Whatever will be will be, right?" Casey nods, and there's a long, awkward silence before Salina clears her throat. "Look, it's been a long day. How about some food?"

Lulu nods, standing up. "I like food."

"Me too." Salina smiles, grateful to move on. They move to rifle through the cupboards.

"Bet you there's no ingredients for anything." Casey laughs. Salina looks up over the kitchen counter.

"Pay up then- there's so much here."

"You're being sarcastic."

"I'm really not."

"But-" Maia sits up. "We had a look before and all they had was... white apples and cheese."

"Not anymore." Lulu says. Salina winces at the dull note in her voice. "Everything's still white, but there's a lot more stuff. Like, what is this?"

Salina takes it from her, frowning at the shape in her hands, before sticking her fingers in and tearing it open. "A fig. Are they even in season?"

Lulu takes it back. "I wouldn't know. I don't think I've ever even seen one in real life before."

Maia and Casey join them. She reaches into the back of the fridge and pulls out a juice pouch that reads 'blood' in block letters on the side. "Score."

"Is that white too?" Casey asks.

Maia shudders. "Um, I hope not." She pokes holes into it with her teeth, and looks inside. "Nope. Normal red blood. Thank god, I don't want to know what kind of chemicals you'd have to put in blood to make it white." She leans back against the wall, drinking it slowly.

"This is kind of overwhelming now." Salina laughs. "There's so much stuff. I was thinking macaroni, but that feels wrong with all these ingredients."

"Oh-" Casey looks up from the coffee machine he's inspecting. "Get Julian to make something. He's a great cook."

Salina glances at Julian, who is glowering at an oblivious Casey. "You cook?"

"I... guess."

"Alright, you can come help then." He stares at her. "I'm not asking you to dissect a frog. Please?"

"Fine." He stands up and strides into the kitchen. "You said macaroni, right?"

"Don't make mac and cheese." Casey glares at him.

"I'm not." Julian bends down, grabbing a pot. "But pasta's easy. I'll make it fancy if you really want."

"We can help." Salina says as Julian gestures for her to get out of the way. "Just tell us what to do."

"I don't need help. I can cook."

"Come on, Julian." Lulu says. "Don't you wanna boss us around?"

Julian looks down at her for a second, as if he's going to tell her to go sit down, but then he lets out a long-suffering sigh and hands her a chopping board. "Fine."

Salina meets Casey's eyes, and they smirk at each other.

The kitchen suddenly seems smaller as they're all darting around making food, but it works. It feels almost normal. Julian boils the pasta, Salina makes a sauce, Lulu and Casey cut up meat and vegetables. Twenty minutes or so later, Julian pours it all into one pan, 'to simmer' he says. They all sit around the kitchen island, talking like they've known each other for years.

Suddenly, Julian falls silent in the middle of replying to her. Salina frowns. "You okay?" He's looking at Maia, something haunted in his eye. She lowers her blood pouch. Slowly, the other two fall silent as well.

"Uh.. Julian?" Casey clears his throat. "You're scaring us, man."

"They didn't have any blood before, right?" Julian says quietly.

"No, they didn't, I remember. Why?" Lulu asks.

Salina's gaze turns to Maia and she sees a look of horror cross her face.

"They didn't have any before." Julian repeats. Salina sees the same sickness she's feeling reflected on Casey's face, and Maia's. Lulu looks between them.

"So...?" She says, her voice shaking, knowing she won't like what he's about to say. Salina has half a mind to stop him, but her voice won't work. She thinks she might throw up.

Julian's eyes flick to the room where Meghan's name is immortalised on a plaque. "...Where do you think they got it from?"