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salvation to a flailing society and his Authority was instituted as the new order.

6
    Carrington wasn’t sure how long she used the toilet as a prop, but by the time she finally dragged herself back to bed, the first light of day was peering through the window. She didn’t really fall back to sleep for fear that she would dream again. Instead, she lay on the thin mattress that made her body mourn for her old room and listened to the soft snoring of her new roommate.
    It occurred to her at one point that she didn’t know the girl’s name and didn’t even know what she looked like. The few hours they had interacted the day before were so clouded with disbelief and horror that Carrington couldn’t even recall if her roommate’s skin was white, black, or blue.
    When the automatic alarm programed into the thin screens above each girl’s bed sounded, Carrington’s entire body was too numb to respond. Her limbs had fallen asleep under the weight of exhaustion and tingled as she finally pushed herself up and waited for her roommate to stir. She took a moment to notice that the girl’s skin was dark brown. Now she knew at least one thing about her.
    Although Carrington had noticed two sinks last night during her sojourn in the small suite’s single bathroom, she only remembered one shower stall and toilet. Shesupposed she should try to get a jump on the traffic in the limited facilities.
    She collected herself and crossed the main room to find the bathroom empty. She shut herself in and hurried with a shower and brushing her teeth. She found everything she needed was already in its place: toothpaste, shampoo, soap, floss, brushes, combs, and lotion. Everything felt and looked sterile. Back home Carrington treasured getting ready in the morning with her things   —the fluffy green bathroom rug, the vanilla-scented moisturizer, the beaded grapefruit body wash, her striped towel with matching robe. Nothing here was familiar or warm, each object a simple tool rather than a treasured possession.
    She finished and opened the bathroom door to find her mysterious roommate. The girl’s eyes were warm hazel, but her face was cold. It was apparent she had no desire to make conversation, so Carrington stepped aside and let the girl pass. They would have to get acquainted later.
    Back in her room, she threw her towel over the end of her bed and dressed in one of the simple gray uniforms she’d found there the night before. It fit perfectly, as she knew it would. She stepped in front of the mirror, and agony pulsed through her chest. She looked like a Lint. Plain gray pants paired with a matching T-shirt and zip-up jacket. She yanked at the bottom of the jacket and fidgeted with the short, upturned collar. The material wasn’t terrible, but there was no possibility of being comfortable in it. It could have been made of silk and it still would have felt like sandpaper.
    Carrington wrapped her damp hair into a bun and retrieved the microchip from its processing dock on her dresser and inserted it into her suit.
    The screen on her left sleeve buzzed to life. The Authority symbol blinked into the middle of the screen and then spun out of view, replaced by the morning announcements. Blue lines of text filled the space and Carrington tried to read along before they disappeared.
    Good morning, Authority Worker. Welcome to your orientation. Today you will be assigned a trade and given your training schedule. It is essential that you be at every orientation session promptly. Attendance is mandatory and will be recorded. Harsh penalties apply for truancy or tardiness. The dining hall is now open and the following instructions will guide you there. If you have any questions please seek out an appropriately labeled Authority Worker.
    A black badge with the Authority symbol spun onto the screen, held for a moment, and then evaporated.
    As God set forth the law, so the law must be obeyed.
    The screen went blank and Carrington dropped her arm.