Chapter 5 A new world.

I stifle my groan as I follow his lead and stand in front of a digital camera with a white screen behind me.

_ She smiles, _ she says as the flash goes off, catching me off guard, taking in what I'm sure is a horrifying image. _ Okay, here's your orientation packet. Training starts tomorrow morning at 8:00 am in the grand ballroom. _ She reaches behind the desk and hands me a duffel bag. _ Inside you'll find all sorts of useful things, like our employee guidelines handbook, information about the hotel and what our guests expect from the service; a complimentary bottle of bug spray, although the main guest areas are equipped with magnets to deal with them. A pocket flashlight and a can of bear spray. _ She must see the flash of panic on my face because she quickly adds, _ Don't worry; you won't need that inside the main gates. The perimeter is wired with electric fencing. We want our guests to enjoy Alaska's wildlife through guided tours, not find it waiting for them when they walk out the lodge doors. _ I give a nervous laugh.

_Okay. Well_ I know the state has a lot of black and grizzly bears, but I didn't think I'd have to worry about them here.

_And here_ His fingers click furiously on the screen again and then, with a jingle of his keychain, he opens a drawer and hands me an iPad and a pair of headphones. _There's an orientation video loaded in here. It's got everything you missed tonight. You can return the iPad to me here, tomorrow.

_ Thank you.

_ And if you hurry, you can still grab a bite to eat at the staff hostel. Go out through these doors _ his hand gestures to the left _ and follow the signs to the village.

_ Excellent. Is that where I can make calls home? _ I sent a quick text from Homer to let my parents know I landed, but my mom will call the front desk if I don't send her the exact coordinates of where she can find me in case she needs me.

_Yes. The bandwidth isn't enough to stream video, but you'll be able to do basic things like send emails and messages, check Facebook, that sort of thing_ Belinda pulls the freshly printed card out of the printer, and after swiping it through a machine, places it on the counter along with a lanyard and two other cards. _You have to carry your employee card at all times. This card is for the cafeteria_ She taps the blue one. _Food is heavily subsidized for staff, and it's a cashless system, so you can load money onto it or ask for a portion of your wages to be accumulated.

_ Just like the campus.

_ Yes. And this other card takes you to your cabin. You're in cabin seven. The others are already here.

_ How many more are there?

_ Six per cabin.

I let the news sink in. I haven't had a roommate since my first week of freshman year. That was a short-lived disaster. When I called my mom to tell her the girl locked me out so she could smoke weed and have sex with her boyfriend, Mom quickly shelled out another couple grand and I got one of the last private rooms available. We're not poor, but my parents like to live frugally. Either way, neither Mom nor her bank account is going to fix a problem with one shitty roommate here. Or five shitty roommates, potentially. I smile widely, another trick I've learned. The worse the situation, the bigger my smile has to be. My face hurts from all the smiling I've done these past few months.

_ Ok great. Thank you very much.

_ I'm the hotel manager. You'll be reporting to Paige Warhill for the housekeeping department. But, if there's anything I can do to help, please let me know.

That doesn't sound genuine. Slinging my hiking backpack over my shoulders, I remind him, "You'll watch my position, won't you?" He's already typing on the computer, his eyes on the screen.

_ Yes. Definitely.

_ ABRAHAM CAME HOME TODAY .

_ That's great.

No matter how hard I try to push it out of my daily thoughts, heck, every hour, Mom is always good at reminding me. I've probably been expecting his arrival since noon. We can see the Enderbeys' front porch from our kitchen window.

_ Have you talked to him lately?

_ No _ Not for almost two months. For a while there, we kept in regular contact. That's what I wanted, to remain close friends. However, since he started dating her, we've been out of touch.

_ Well, he brought that whore with him. Can you believe it? I don't understand what he sees in her.

"What?" The word comes out like a hiss, the news like a swift kick to the stomach, even in Alaska. I wasn't expecting it so soon. Abraham has officially brought her into our world. To the place of our childhood, where we'd lay in the grass and decide what shape clouds should be, where we nursed an abandoned kitten back to health. We've lived alongside Abraham and his family for as long as I can remember. Abraham and I used to swing on the tire tied to the oak tree and catch toads in the pond between our properties when we were little. But let's not worry too much. Reverend Enderbey thinks a few days with her and his family together will prove to her that she doesn't belong in our lives. Our Lives I squeeze my eyes shut and will this nauseating churning in my stomach to go away. I don't want to talk or think or cry about Abraham anymore.

_ I'm in cabin seven, if there's an emergency. I've already sent you all the other information. Remember, I won't be carrying my cell phone with me. It doesn't work well here, anyway.

"I hate not being able to reach you when I need to, Prudence," she says in her typical stern voice. There is no other tone with her, even when she is happy. Right now, I assume she is sitting at the harvest table in our kitchen, her floral robe stretched over her 370-pound body, enjoying her coffee. The woman drinks coffee late into the night and then complains that she cannot fall asleep.

_I'll be fine_ As long as you stop giving me updates about my ex and his new girlfriend.

_ Are you safe there?

_ Yes. They have security and cameras and, honestly, I don't think anyone is going to pay twelve hundred dollars a night to commit a crime.

_ Rich people become immoral people.

I roll my eyes, but only because she can't see me. She'd hit me if she knew. For someone so lenient with Abraham, she sure does judge everyone else.

_ Do they have plumbing, at least?

I look around the place and burst out laughing. It's a log building with a cafeteria-style dining section on one side and several sectional couches on the other, with a gigantic two-sided stone fireplace situated in the center, the fire burning within giving off considerable heat. Beyond the swinging doors in the back, I can hear plates and silverware clanging, and the occasional laugh. While there are no crystal chandeliers, it's more than just "nice."

_ Yes, they have plumbing.

_ Don't laugh at my concern for you _ scolds mom _ Are they feeding you well?

I push the pan-fried chicken onto my plate. I'm not sure what the sauce is, but it's delicious, as are the mashed potatoes and green beans. Then again, I'm not a picky eater and have a healthy appetite. Thank goodness I also have my father's fast metabolism; otherwise, I'd probably be out of here by August.

_ I'm going to eat better here than I have all year on campus. I have to go now. I haven't even gotten to my cabin yet.

"Are there a lot of people working there?" she asks, ignoring my attempt to dismiss her.

_ Yes. Quite a bit.

The staff lodge looks like it could accommodate a hundred people. According to the video I just watched, Star Cove Hotel, an adults-only getaway, has fifty rooms and three penthouse cabins available, so it's not as big as a typical Star hotel. The one in Los Angeles apparently accommodates 1,500 guests.