Eighteen: Shoes

<p>I told them about how I had met the Bosky soldier again just now on the way back from the hospital. Then they wanted to know how and why I had been sent into hospital in the first place when I was meant to be safe in the toilet block of the Compound. When I finished everything, they nodded in understanding.<br/>"Thank you, Miss Wallace," said Dimple Soldier's superior. I didn't know what rank he was. I didn't know how to read the lines and symbols on his epaulettes. He had two silver bars and a diamond shaped thing. "We'll take it from here. We'll find you a spare pair of shoes and send you back to the Compound now. You take care of yourself."<br/>"Thank you, sir," I replied from where I was sitting on a plinth, wiggling the toes of my bandaged feet. The bottoms of my feet felt hot, swollen and they stung all over.<br/>"What size do you wear?" Dimple Soldier asked when his superior had left.<br/>"Size six," I replied. <br/>"Size six," Dimple Soldier showed his dimple. "Small. I can work with that. Wait here."<br/>Not long later, he returned with a pair of pink runners.<br/>"Sorry," he told me. "This has been used before but there was nothing else in your size."<br/>"That will do," I smiled up at him when he helped me to try them on. "It's better than nothing."<br/>"Perfect fit, Cinderella," he grinned, poking my cheek for some reason. My expression at that only made his dimple deeper.<br/>"Thanks," I hobbled about in the pink runners, thanking both him and the nurse.<br/>"I also got word that you've been cleared to return to work if your workplace is still open. You'll be permitted to come and go from the Compound as long as you get back before curfew."<br/>"Awesome. That's great news," I heaved a sigh of relief, checking my watch. <br/>Dimple Soldier checked his watch as well and blinked.<br/>"Speaking of which," he gestured to his partner, "we'd better get her back before curfew. It's getting late."<br/>In the car, Dimple Soldier fiddled in one of his pockets and handed me two protein bars.<br/>"There's no time for you to get any dinner, so take these. I hope they'll tide you over until you can get yourself something to eat tomorrow."<br/>Small kindnesses like this touched my hurt and lonely soul. I couldn't get any words out to thank him. They were choked up in my throat, but I think he understood the look from my watery eyes. When I got out of the car in front of the toilet block, I waved a teary thanks. I tried but no words would come out.<br/>"It's all right," Dimple waved me off, looking uncomfortable. "It's nothing. I understand."<br/>Watching them drive away, I stood there for a long moment trying to figure out what was wrong with me. The dour lady from two doors down was leaning against her door watching. While I stood there, she walked up to me and took one of my protein bars.<br/>"Thanks for dinner," she said without a change of expression and entered her room.<br/>Distracted by the sudden loss of half my dinner, I didn't notice the sour man come up from behind me to pluck the other protein bar from my hand.<br/>"Thanks," he chuckled, opening and eating the bar before I could even think of what to say. "You'd better go inside. It's curfew time."<br/>My mouth opened and closed several times.<br/>A school bell sounded, advising of the imminent locking of our doors. I darted into my room. A moment later, there was a buzz and the sound of the door locking. The lights were on for once. Looking around the room, I realised that my room had been searched. My mattress was slashed open and there were bits of foam everywhere. My bag had been upended on the floor. Clothes were scattered all over the place. Putting everything back together, I found only my mobile phone and charger were missing. I doubted I'd ever get them back again.<br/>Under my underwear, I found a little jar of multivitamins and a salad roll with ham in a paper bag. On the paper bag were the words, 'SORRY I SCARED YOU,' written with a marker pen. My flats that I had kicked off had been glued back together. I'd totally forgotten about the vitamins I had received at the hospital and subsequently lost during my long run. <br/>In fright, I threw both the paper bag and shoes to the other side of the room. I didn't want anything to do with them. Then I eyed my messy clothes.<br/>Pervert! He'd touched my underwear!</p>