In desperation, Samantha crawled over to Prudence's bedside. Prudence snored louder than Pryde's dogs, the sound rising from deep within her flabby stomach and roaring out her nostrils. When Samantha shook her, Prudence growled like a wounded bear. "Prudence, wake up. You have to help me."
"What?"
"I need some clothes."
"I'll make you some tomorrow."
"No, please, I need some right now," Samantha pleaded, but Prudence had already gone back to sleep. She didn't stir when Samantha tried to wake her again.
Samantha felt her way along in the dark to the room where she'd first woke up. The bed was still there, a fresh sheet covering the one she'd soiled. Samantha stripped and crawled naked into the bed, pulling the covers over her. As much as she tried, she couldn't sleep.
She shivered beneath the covers as she thought of the nightmare. Could the dream be true? Had someone abducted her from her home? In which case, how did she wind up in Eternity? Minutes became hours, the darkness fading to gray and then orange as the sun rose with her still pondering the dream and dreading the moment when the others found her.
At the sound of the other girls stirring in the dormitory, Samantha pulled the covers over her head and curled into a ball. "Samantha? Where are you?" Prudence called out.
"She probably ran away and got eaten by Mr. Pryde's dogs," Helena said with a touch of joy in her voice. Some of the younger children squealed at this.
"She's in here!" one of the other girls shouted.
She heard them gathering around the bed. "She smells like pee again," Helena said.
"And she's naked!" another girl said.
At this everyone backed away from the bed. "I told you, she's a savage. A smelly savage," Helena said. The other girls took up the cry of, "Smelly savage!"
Samantha curled more tightly into a ball, tears coming to her eyes. The children continued the chant, some laughing and poking her as well. Beneath the covers, Samantha's tears dried up, her sorrow replaced by a hatred that turned her body white-hot as if made of fire.
She threw back the blankets and leapt from the bed, towards an unsuspecting Helena. Samantha's body spun in midair, her left leg whipping around to strike Helena in the jaw. Helena stumbled backwards, putting her hands up to protect herself as Samantha lashed out with her right leg. This time she hit Helena in the back of the knees, sending her crashing to the floor. Helena lay in a sobbing heap, grabbing her left knee in both hands.
Samantha turned to face the other children, who'd pressed themselves back against the wall. The toddlers buried themselves in the skirts of the older girls, who stared at Samantha with wide, frightened eyes. Samantha stood in the center of the room, her body quivering with unspent rage. When someone touched her shoulder, she grabbed the offending hand and twisted it around until she heard a snap.