"What's going on in here?" Dora asked, walking into the shower room.
She saw Lara standing with a towel up to her face, crying. Julia was also crying, but still had the shower on her back. Dora turned off the water, and helped Julia stand up.
Julia slowly got up out of the chair as Lara helped her dry off with a towel.
"Angela!" Dora called out.
Lara tried to collect herself, she didn't want to make a scene and end up Dora or someone else forcing her to stay longer than she had to.
Dora reached for a towel and began drying Julia off.
"Yes, Ma'am?" Angela said, walking into the shower room.
"Help this girl to dry off and then see them both to the infirmary." Dora ordered, and walked out of the shower room.
"I'll do that." Lara said, walking back to Julia, asking for the towel.
Angela handed it to Lara and remained standing until the two were finished.
"Are you two really nudists?" Angela asked.
"Yeah. So, what's it to you?" Lara replied.
"I don't know, I guess you just don't see them around here." Angela answered in a higher pitched voice, but with a clearly distinctive North Carolina twang.
Lara kept drying off Julia, even though she was already mostly dried off.
"So were you abused too?" Julia asked Angela.
"Abused?" Angela replied. "Oh, I don't know. I suppose so, it's what everyone tells me. But, it's what I've always known."
Lara sighed, and continued to dry off Julia's legs.
"Do they force you to stay here?" Julia asked.
"No, I can leave anytime I want." Angela answered.
"Do they make everyone wear those uniforms?" Lara asked.
"Oh these? Yeah, it's just the rules. Miss Woodrow won't let you stay here or give you food if you don't."
"So anyone can leave anytime they want?" Lara asked.
"Yeah, anytime!" Angela answered.
Suddenly, Lara felt just a tiny bit better about the situation, but still knew the police would be here soon. She had hoped to get some food first.
"So where do you get food around here? She asked.
"Well, they won't be serving anything until lunch time." Angela replied.
"Is there a kitchen I can just get something from?"
"No, the only people allowed in the kitchen are the staff. Well, except Dora, she can go in there."
"You think Dora can get something for me?"
"No way. She don't listen to anyone but Miss Woodrow."
"Sorry Lara." Julia replied, trying to comfort her.
"Why don't you just put on some clothes and wait until lunch?" Angela asked.
"I can't." Lara answered. "For one, I don't wear clothes, and no one's going to make me. And two, she's probably calling the police. I can't wait any longer."
Angela laughed. "Why don't you wear clothes? It's not going to kill you?"
Lara rolled her eyes.
"And who's calling the police?" Angela continued.
"That Miss Woodrow."
"The police have been looking for us." Julia said.
"Really?" Angela spoke with a hushed tone of interest. "What do they want with you?"
"I don't know really, it's a long story." Lara said. "But, I can't stay any longer. I have to go."
"So, is this girl going too, or is she staying here?" Angela asked.
Lara looked at Julia, and Julia looked troubled. Julia's eyes were beginning to well up again and turn red. Angela waited for an answer, looking at Julia.
"Julia?" Angela asked, wondering what she had planned to do.
"I'm staying here." Julia spoke quietly, looking sad. "I think my ankle's broke."
"Well, listen." Angela spoke more quietly. "I can call my friend Annette. Her boyfriend has a pickup truck and he can drive you. He's really nice too. I know a place where you can hide out."
"I don't know." Lara answered. "I think I can do fine on my own".
Angela chuckled. "No way honey, you won't get away with it around here. All the girls who live here will be telling their friends and family about you two. The whole town is going to be on the lookout for a naked girl running around. And when all the men around here find about that? Forget it."
It seemed to make sense to Lara. She found herself with little choice but to depend on a stranger.
"OK, so what about this guy with the pickup truck?" Lara asked.
"Let me call Annette." Angela replied.
