Cara's previous exit had been abrupt, but her return was just as quick.
This time, she had regained her composure, her sharp gaze cool and detached, as if the last few moments had never happened.
Hope kept his mouth firmly shut this time.
No more whispering.
She didn't even sit back down. Instead, she stood by the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, and said in a flat, matter-of-fact tone—
"Someone will arrange proper clothing for you… and a good bath."
Hope nodded obediently, keeping his lips tightly sealed.
Better to not add anything that might offend her nose again.
Cara tilted her head slightly, as if considering something.
Then she added—
"You should probably wash your teeth."
That one stung.
Hope had to force himself not to react.
He just nodded again, his face carefully blank.
After a moment of silence, she turned on her heel and started to leave again—
But Hope had one more question.
"How did I end up here?"
He hadn't meant to ask it out loud.
The words had just slipped out before he could stop them.
Cara paused mid-step.
She didn't turn around immediately.
For a second, she stood completely still, as if she were deciding whether to even answer.
Then—
She sighed.
A short, sharp exhale, like she was already bored of the conversation.
Then, finally, she turned slightly to glance back at him.
"A police patrol team found your body in the outskirts."
Hope stiffened slightly.
He hadn't expected that.
"We guessed your soul had been taken by the Veil."
Her voice was flat, almost disinterested.
"So we kept your body in the lab, just in case you survived."
Hope said nothing.
Cara didn't wait for a reaction.
She just gave him a pointed look and continued—
"So don't think you're special. Every contestant goes through this."
With that, she turned fully and walked out.
Her footsteps echoed up the staircase, each step fading into the distance.
Hope sat there for a long moment.
Then—
He muttered under his breath, half to himself—
"Who said I'm special?"
A small, humorless smirk flickered across his lips.
"Mad people aren't special."
After what seemed like an eternity, the door creaked open again.
Hope barely lifted his head.
He had been sitting in the same rigid position for so long that his limbs had gone numb, and his mind had started drifting into a dull haze.
The person who entered wasn't Cara.
Instead, it was a janitor, dressed in a plain uniform, carrying a basket filled with what looked like clothes.
She didn't say much.
She simply walked over to the metal table, plopped the basket down, and said—
"These are your clothes. And toothbrush."
She pointed at the toothbrush specifically, as if it were the most important item in the entire basket.
Hope blinked slowly.
Then muttered under his breath—
"She must have told her."
He could already picture Cara wrinkling her nose and making sure that the hygiene problem was properly addressed.
The janitor didn't wait for a reply.
She quickly described the location of the washroom, speaking fast, like she didn't want to linger.
And just as quickly as she arrived, she turned on her heel and hurried out, leaving Hope alone again.
He exhaled, rubbing his temples.
"Finally."
Then he stood up, grabbed the basket, and started walking.
The Washroom Problem
Hope followed the janitor's directions carefully, twisting through sterile hallways until he found the washroom.
He stepped inside—
And froze.
It was huge.
The entire space was lined with gleaming metal panels, with several complex-looking devices attached to the walls.
It looked less like a place to bathe and more like a medical sanitization chamber.
Hope's expression darkened.
He had no idea how to operate any of these things.
"What the hell am I supposed to do with all this?" he muttered.
He approached one of the panels, hesitating before tapping a button at random.
Nothing happened.
He frowned, then turned a knob—
WHOOSH.
A sudden blast of scalding hot water sprayed directly at his chest.
"AH—SHIT!"
Hope jumped back violently, his body burning from the sudden heat.
His breath came out in short gasps, his skin red and stinging.
"That was a mistake."
He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay calm.
"If red is hot… then blue should be—"
Before he finished his thought, he slammed the blue button instead.
HISSSSSHHHH—
Ice-cold water suddenly rushed down over him, freezing his muscles on contact.
His body tensed, a violent shiver running down his spine.
But after a few seconds—
His muscles relaxed.
The temperature was shockingly cold, but compared to the scalding burn from earlier, it was a relief.
He let out a deep breath, closing his eyes as the water ran down his body, washing away layers of dirt and grime.
Dark streaks of filth swirled at his feet, years of accumulated dust, sweat, and ash peeling away from his skin.
It felt like he was shedding an old version of himself.
He hadn't felt this clean in—
He couldn't even remember when.
Hope leaned against the metal wall, letting the cold water run over him, and muttered to himself—
"So this is what a real bath feels like…"
He still didn't understand the need for so many gadgets, but—
Maybe this wasn't so bad after all.