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appetite is gone. I throw the cloth back on and storm to my pillar.
    I go to the other side so I won’t be tempted by food. I’ve never been a big eater. Some days I don’t even have time for more than a bagel.
    But my body knows it needs nourishment. Hunger lies heavy on my brain. I shove a fist into my stomach to stop it from making noises and try not to think about eating.
    That works for about a minute. Then I catch another faint whiff of the breakfast waiting for me.
    Just one bite , I tell myself as I get up. I justify it by admitting that food will boost my strength.
    I walk around to the tray and wheel it to the center of the room. I take the cloth off, intending to keep it as a blanket. I throw it over my shoulders. It’s sad, but I feel like the barrier offers some protection.
    I eye the plate of eggs, stacks of waffles, and bowls of fruit before deciding on an apple. It’s still whole, so nothing sinister could have been done to it.
    I grasp the handle and lift… then frown. The lid doesn’t move. At first, I think it might be the pressure difference, even with the holes for air escape—like when you cook a sealed pot of rice. But then I notice the baby blue Post-it note on the drawer underneath.
     
    Open me first .
     
    Clever , I admit. He won’t give me food until I see the contract. I pause in thought. Pretending it doesn’t exist won’t make anything easier. And if I read the contract, at least I’ll know what I’m up against.
    Information is vital.
    I open the drawer and hear a click . The lid over the food springs free. I see the thin metal hinges that held it in place. But, my eye is drawn to the single sheet of paper inside instead of the food.
    I take it out. The lettering is tiny. All of it is written by hand. The rows are perfectly straight, the words arranged like armies of marching ants. I bring it close to my face and start to read:
     
    AGREEMENT OF SURETYSHIP:
    I, Lilly Ryder (there is a blank space that has already been filled with my name) enter into this agreement with the understanding that I:
    Have accumulated substantial student loans in the order of $180,000.00 (one hundred eighty thousand dollars and zero cents), and,
    Am unable in my current or anticipated future financial situation to satisfactorily settle said debt, and,
    Am liable to default on the full debt amount plus collected interest.
     
    Therefore, I grant subrogation of the full debt amount to J.S. (“The Guarantor”), thereby granting The Guarantor all my former creditor’s rights, privileges, priorities, remedies, and judgments.
    This is done with the understanding that:
    All outstanding accounts held in my name will be assumed, and settled, by The Guarantor, who, acting on my behalf, ensures no further financial burden to me, and,
    Settlement of newly-created debt between myself and The Guarantor will be remitted through fulfillment of the employment contract (“THE CONTRACT”) contained herein:
     
    THE CONTRACT (the title is capitalized and takes up two regular lines of space)
    Purpose:
    This agreement outlines the parameters of the professional relationship established on this, the ____ day of __ October __, 2013, between
     
    J.S., (hereinafter referred to as “the Employer”) and,
    Lilly Ryder, (hereinafter referred to as “the Employee”)
     
    WHEREAS the Employer desires to obtain the services of the Employee as remittance for debt(s) owed, and,
    WHEREAS the Employee agrees to render all such services on the terms and conditions set forth in this document (“THE CONTRACT”).
     
    Employment:
    the Employee shall at all times and to the best of her abilities perform all duties required by the Employer.
    The Employee shall comply with all policies and procedures, written and oral, as announced by the Employer and described henceforth.
     
    Compensation and Accommodations
    The Employee agrees to waive her right to monetary compensation. Instead, all services rendered will count against debt owed to