Childtime Institutions (continued)

Its long silver chain glistened with reflected light. For a moment, Sarena hesitated to pick it up, but then could not resist. Its length draped over her hand as she lifted it. Beneath it dangled the tiny pendant of a small bird in flight.

A sparrow, Sarena thought, although she really did not know for certain.

It spun as it dangled from the chain, turning slowly from left to right. Sarena found herself drawn to it, but she did not know why. She found the clasp, opened it, and placed the chain around her neck. The tiny bird fell just above the curve between her breasts. That seemed perfect, she decided, and closed the clasp, letting the necklace settle into place.

Turning, she admired it in the tall mirror mounted between two of the chests. Standing there, she felt both more and less naked at the same time. Sarena stared at it for several moments, lost in a mindless reverie.

She did not know what broke her out of it, but she suddenly felt very exposed and very alone. She turned quickly to the bed and pulled the long tunic over her head. She chose the scarf and tied it around her waist, discovering that the cut of the outfit accented the curves of her body. Its neckline dropped lower than she was accustomed to, but then, she realized she had never before owned such clothes or not been concerned foremost about keeping warm. The sparrow remained exposed, which she found that she liked, and decided that the tunic must have been designed that way.

Feeling better now that her nudity was at least partially covered, Sarena began to search the drawers for other items. To her surprise, she discovered almost nothing in the way of undergarments. The few of them that she did find seemed impractical for everyday wear, providing very little in the way of comfort or support. The ones made of a dark leather-like material she did not understand at all.

Although it made her uncomfortable to do so, she opted for no underwear at all, hoping that maybe she could request some more suited to her preferences. Going without them made her feel surprisingly naked beneath her clothes, but she decided that she could tolerate it for a little while.

Maybe . . . she wondered, and was interrupted by a sound at the door.

She heard an audible click. Her throat grew tight and she wondered whether if she was finally being locked inside. She turned as the door swung open. Kayla stood in the doorway, silently appraising Sarena with her eyes. Sabena fought back a shiver. There was something in the young woman’s gaze that made her uncomfortable. She had not quite noticed it before, but Sabena noticed it clearly now.

“You need shoes,” Kayla announced and stepped into the room. The door closed behind her. “And . . .” she paused, silent assessing Sabena again. “A lot more,” she finished with a grim smile. “But let’s start with the shoes.”