It was a familiar scene. A floating island. In the distance, clouds. The telephone in front of her. Mavis looked to her left and saw that girl, the one who looked just like her.

  “Hey!” Mavis called out to her, standing to get her attention. The girl had been straining hard, focusing her attention on the telephone in front of her, with the receiver pressed right up against her ear as if she was struggling to hear it. “Who are you?” Mavis said, her voice projecting out as the girl’s focus finally snapped towards her.

  Again the girl’s face contorted with rage as she hung up her telephone. She stormed towards Mavis, anger seeping from her words that were clear and crisp. “You… how dare you! You are the one who needs to answer for yourself! Who are you!?” she lunged at Mavis, her hands grasping tightly around Mavis’s throat.

  Mavis tried to pry her off. As she was choking she flailed and grasped for anything that might be able to be used as a weapon – and her hand found the receiver of her telephone. She hit the blunt object against the girl’s head, stunning her, and she felt the grip around her throat weaken. She hit again, then rolled over off the chair and onto the ground. Now Mavis was the one on top. Panting as she regained her breath, she began to choke the girl. The girl tried to fight back against her but had already grown too weak. Mavis saw the desperation in her eyes, the fear.

  “I don’t want to fight you.” Mavis said as she released the grip on the girl’s neck. “I just want to talk.”

  The girl coughed as she caught her breath. Her anger was completely gone, replaced only by sadness, as she looked away. She knew she had lost, and it was time to admit it, even if she didn’t want to. Without saying a word to Mavis, the girl picked up the telephone receiver which had been discarded on the ground beside her and brought it up to her ear.

  Then the dream was over.

  ??????

  Mavis awoke in the bed. She felt the soft sheets against her skin. The dream had been so vivid this time.

  She got up lazily and went to the bathroom. It was pristine. There was a light switch – and it worked. She turned the faucet, and there was water. Cold water and warm water too. It was a welcome change from what she had become accustomed to. She washed her face, wiped her eyes and then stared at herself in the mirror. Then, she noticed there was a shower to her left. It was only small, but she stared at it in fascination.

  Mavis got undressed, and stepped inside, naked. She turned a knob and water came out of the shower head. It was cold at first, and she jumped back a bit, but she adjusted the other knob to add hot water, and the mixture became warm. The water washed over her face, through her hair and down her body. This sensation, the ecstasy of it, she had never experienced before. She saw something at the side – soap. It smelled nice as she lathered herself up.

  After Mavis was done in the shower, she came out and retrieved a towel which had been draped behind the door, and dried herself. It had been very refreshing. But why had she been given this room? She felt like she didn’t really deserve it. It wasn’t what she had expected of this place at all. Yes, she was going to help them… but still… after all that she had done…

  With the towel draped over her shoulders, she went over to the cupboard by the bed and opened it. The wardrobe was full of nice clothes – a military uniform complete with khaki pants, along with some other more casual outfits. And there at the edge, were her old clothes – clean and neatly folded. Someone must have come and returned them after they’d been washed, while she was sleeping. She wasn’t going to wear them, though. She was going to wear a new outfit they had given her. The military uniform.

  Once she was dressed, she went over to the door, took a deep breath, then opened it.

  She was about to step out, but was startled to see a military officer who had just been walking by that very moment.

  “Uh, good morning,” he turned to greet her politely.

  Mavis retreated back and closed the door again, not abruptly, just as if she was a thief who wasn’t meant to be there, caught in the act and wanting to undo the situation, as if going in reverse would make that happen. She hadn’t even turned around.

  Outside, the officer scratched his head nervously, puzzled, his heart racing. Had he done something wrong? Was it something he said? He went over to the adjacent room and fumbled for his keys. Finally he got inside and then went to sit down. It was her. He had seen her. Mavis. She was really here – and she was his new neighbour.

  Mavis had tracked him as she sensed him through the wall. She sighed. “What am I doing? Why am I acting like this?” She thought to herself, hanging her head in shame. “I don’t have to skulk around. I have a right to be here. They were the ones who led me here.” It was the indulgence of this room which had made her feel guilty.

  She tried again, opening the door and exiting out into the hallway, she closed it behind her. It was empty now, and she didn’t really know where to go. So she just started walking.

  Mavis kept her head up as someone approached from down the hall. It was another military officer. He stopped to greet her, and she did too, but she couldn’t look him in the eyes.

  “Supreme commander,” he said as he bowed, then he continued on his way.

  “Uh, wait,” she said meekly, turning around far too late because she had been recovering from the surprise of what he had called her. All she had wanted to ask was for directions to the cafeteria, to get some food, but either he hadn’t heard her now, or didn’t want to, out of fear.

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  Mavis continued on down the hall. Eventually, she arrived at the cafeteria.

  Conversations became hushed murmuring as people saw her, as if a collective chill had descended upon the large open room.

  Mavis awkwardly made her way over to the front where she retrieved a tray from where they were stacked in a pile. She walked over to the server, one of the chefs, who then poured her a ladle of gloop. She looked around for cutlery and noticed where it was stored there on the counter, so she went over and retrieved a spoon. Then she turned back to find a place to sit down.

  The large hall had many tables with benches beside them, which were all sparsely occupied. Mavis went over to sit at one of the tables, but as soon as the two people sitting there saw her approach, they stood up with their trays and moved away. Mavis set her tray down on the table, her gaze still focused on them. She thought about calling out to them, confronting them about why they were clearly avoiding her, but decided against it. She had no right to tell people where they could or could not sit, or criticise them about their decision. It was their choice.

  She sat down at the table, alone and forlorn. She had thought things might be different here. The bedroom they had given her… the shower she had experienced for the first time… it had been so wonderful. Why, then, were they still like this? The people here… she saw their faces as they shot scant glances in her direction, realising she had seen them, before looking away terrified in fear. At a fundamental level, they really weren’t very different from the others in the previous bunker. They weren’t very friendly. That’s all Mavis wanted. More than nice food, a warm bed, clean clothes and a shower. All she wanted was a friend.

  “I hope we can be friends”

  Monica’s words echoed in Mavis’s mind. Where was Monica now? Had she really meant that? These were the thoughts which consumed Mavis as she ate her food.

  It wasn’t Monica who soon joined her, but Francis. Mavis hadn’t noticed him come in, - he walked towards her from behind, and she only realised when he was right there next to her. She turned away from her now empty tray and looked up to see who it was.

  “Hey” Francis greeted her.

  “Francis!” her face lit up. She stood to face him.

  “Good morning” he said.

  Murmuring whispers once again began to propagate around the room as others saw the two of them together. Mavis looked behind her in their direction.

  “Do you want to walk with me?” Francis asked.

  “Sure.” Mavis replied.

  They left the room. In the hallway they walked in silence for a few moments, before Mavis spoke up.

  “They all hate me,” she said sombrely.

  “That’s not true.” Francis said defensively, stopping in his tracks, and she also stopped and looked back at him. “Hate is not fear, fear is just a natural human reaction, they can't help it, it's a response to the unknown. Don't hold it against them.” He said, half-pleadingly.

  Mavis didn’t really believe him. He continued walking and she once again followed at his side. She wondered – did he fear her too? She didn’t want him to. Though she couldn’t help but feel like she’d already screwed things up. Like as if everything she’d said had an edge to it that could have been interpreted as a thinly veiled threat. Well, not everything, but a lot of things, like what she had said just now.

  “You know, there is a special dining area for high ranking generals.” Francis said. “That’s where we can go. The people there won’t treat you like that – they won’t fear you.”

  “Ok.” Mavis replied. “And about that… am I… one of them?”

  “What do you mean? One of-”

  “High-ranking” Mavis clarified.

  “Oh” Francis chuckled. “Yes, of course.” He pointed out the stars on the shoulders of her uniform which denoted her rank. “You’re our leader. The supreme commander.”

  Mavis almost blushed when he said that. “I don’t know how good of a leader I’d be…” she said timidly.

  “It isn’t about that. It’s about our commitment, and loyalty, to you. We will follow you no matter what.” Francis stated proudly.

  “So does that mean I can give people orders?” A cheeky smile appeared on Mavis’s face.

  “Yes” Francis replied.

  “Ok. Then I order you to take me to the high-ranking officers’ dining area.”

  “Yessir.” Francis smiled as he saluted her. “We’re on our way there.”

  ??????

  Upon entering the room, a junior officer, performing the duties of a waiter, greeted them.

  "Am I allowed to have a second breakfast?" Mavis looked over at Francis, as if she needed his approval.

  "Sure, yes of course, right this way" the waiter said.

  They were led up some stairs, to the tables in the officer's dining area where they took a seat. It was less crowded and quite empty with only a few others that didn't take notice of them. After some time, the waiter returned and took their order.

  “What would you like to eat?” the guy asked Francis nervously, trying to maintain his composure and prepare himself for who he would have to ask next.

  “Just an omelette would be fine, thanks.” Francis replied.

  Then the waiter turned to look at Mavis, he glanced at her and their eyes met briefly before he looked away. “And for you, miss? What would you like.” He hoped she hadn’t noticed the slight quiver in his voice.

  “Uhh, the same for me as well, please.” Mavis said. She could tell he was uncomfortable and it didn’t make her feel any better.

  The waiter left to go and prepare the food.

  Mavis covered her face with her hands, then ran them back over head, through her long, silky blonde hair. She played with strands of her hair in her fingers. It was so smooth, soft and clean now. She stared across the table at Francis for a while, until he looked at her.

  "Are you afraid of me?" Mavis asked him.

  Francis was unsure of how to answer. The truth was yes but he wasn't sure if he should say that. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat before responding: “Well, maybe a little bit."

  Mavis was slightly upset and annoyed. "Come on now Francis, there's nothing to be afraid of, you know I would never hurt you." She looked away from him.

  He didn’t have anything to say in response to that. He had always hoped she would remember him, and the reason why she’d spared his life. He had assumed it hadn’t been a fluke. The relief of seeing her treating him kindly after their reunion was more than enough closure for him, but he still hadn’t truly known how she had felt. Hearing her say this now made him feel strange, like he didn’t deserve it. He of all people did not deserve special treatment from her after what he had done. His fear remained, for he would not allow himself to be rid of it. Regardless of what she had said, he felt like it was perhaps the only thing keeping him from doing something stupid that would upset her, alienate her or cause her to hate him.

  The food arrived soon after, and they ate. Francis wasn’t very hungry. When Mavis was done with her plate, she began to eye his. “Are you going to finish that?” she said.

  “No, you can have it if you want.” Francis handed her the plate containing the remainder of his omelette.

  She gobbled it up.

  Francis’s radio warbled to life. “Francis – where are you? We’re having a meeting in the briefing room in an hour. I’d like you to be there,” his father’s voice commanded.

  Francis picked up the radio and pressed the button to transmit. “I’m in the dining area with Mavis. We’ll be there.”

  He turned to look at Mavis. “Sorry, I should have asked, do you want to come?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  “That was my dad. He’s one of the commanders here.” Francis explained.

  “Ah,” Mavis rose to her feet, and Francis joined her. She walked over to him and took his hand. “So, we have an hour, do you want to show me around the place?”

  “Absolutely” Francis was a bit startled and uneasy at her sudden closeness to him now, but he soon relaxed. He was the luckiest person in the world.