I got up with the first light of the morning. Ken was still out cold above me, snoring like he was getting paid for it. Had to admit, ever since I got here, I’d been sleeping without pills. No idea why. Maybe the air, maybe the exhaustion, maybe both. Either way, I wasn’t complaining.

I rubbed my eyes, swung both legs off the bed, and stood up. I slipped on my slippers and stepped quietly into the corridor, the door creaking faintly.

A few students were already awake. Some leaned against the walls, half-asleep, others actually looked alive, talking in low voices. The dining area was mostly empty as I passed, save for a small group of friends hunched over a table, scribbling in their notebooks as if their lives depended on it.

"Man... I need a shower."

I followed the signs again. Same route as yesterday. Past the common area, which was already crowded this time, people sitting on couches, chatting, some just staring into space like they were reconsidering their life choices.

I kept walking until I reached the wooden door with the bold carving above it.

SHOWERS.

I grabbed the handle and turned it.

This time, it opened.

"Huh..."

Inside was a smaller room, more like a reception area. A long wooden counter stretched along one side, worn smooth from years of use. Behind it sat a student, leaning back in his chair, reading a book like he had nowhere else to be. On the walls were rows of small square lockers, neatly arranged and numbered from 200 to 250.

"Hey," I said, stepping closer. "I, uh... want to take a shower, but I don’t really know how things work here. I’m new."

He glanced up, closed his book with a soft thud, and studied me for a second. "First-year, huh? Which room?"

"217."

"Upper bunk or lower?"

"Lower."

He pointed lazily toward the left wall. "Check there. 217A is yours. Everything you need should be inside."

"Thanks."

"Normally, I’d assign you a time slot," he added, leaning back again. "But it’s early. Hardly anyone’s in there. Just go."

"Got it."

I walked over to the lockers and found mine without much trouble. 217A. I opened it.

Inside was a neatly folded towel, a wooden-handled toothbrush, and a small glass bottle. I picked up the bottle and tilted it slightly, watching the liquid inside shift.

"Shampoo, probably."

Behind it sat a small oval wooden container sealed with a cork. I pulled it open and took a cautious sniff.

Mint.

"Yeah... toothpaste."

I grabbed everything and turned toward the only door leading further in. Pushing it open, I stepped inside.

The space beyond was much larger than I expected. A wide, open washroom stretched out in front of me. Along the walls, mounted a little above head height, hung large metal reservoirs, wide, circular containers with dull, worn surfaces. Each had a short rope dangling from beneath it.

At first, I couldn’t quite tell how they worked.

Then I saw one of the students step up to a basin. He leaned forward, grabbed the rope, and gave it a firm pull.

With a dull click, a small hatch beneath the metal container snapped open.

Water spilled down in a controlled stream, pouring neatly into the wide wooden bowl below. The student cupped his hands, splashed his face, then released the rope. The flow stopped almost immediately, the hatch sealing itself shut again.

Efficient.

Opposite the basins were shower stalls, each separated by thick fabric curtains hanging from wooden rods. The stone floor beneath was slightly damp but well-kept, with narrow grooves carved into it to guide water toward a drain channel running along the side. The air carried a faint scent of soap and damp cloth, clean but lived-in.

Light filtered in from narrow windows high up near the ceiling, giving the whole place a soft, pale glow.

I stepped over to one of the basins, draped the towel over my shoulder, and started brushing my teeth.

"This toothpaste tastes... weird..."

I grabbed the rope and gave it a quick pull.

With a dull click, a hatch opened somewhere inside. A narrow stream of water spilled down into the basin below, cold enough to jolt me awake. I leaned in, rinsing as I brushed, letting it run just long enough before releasing the rope. The flow cut off almost immediately.

Simple.

By the time I was done, I felt a bit more human.

I stepped back out briefly, stashed the brush and paste in my locker, then returned with just the towel and the bottle.

Picking an empty stall, I pulled the curtain shut behind me. The thick fabric swayed for a moment before settling.

I stripped down and hung my clothes neatly over the rod, placing the towel within easy reach.

The stall itself was bare, smooth stone walls, a slightly sloped floor, and above me, a wide metal dish fixed in place. It wasn’t a true showerhead, more like a shallow basin turned upside down. A thick pipe ran up the corner, feeding into a tank mounted somewhere overhead.

No knobs. No levers.

Just a short chain hanging at arm’s reach.

"Right."

I took hold of it and pulled.

A heartbeat later, water crashed down in a heavy burst.

Warm... damn. I was waiting for it to be freezing cold.

I flinched instinctively, shoulders tensing, then let out a slow breath. "Nice."

The heat spread quickly, rolling over my skin and sinking deep into my muscles.

I grabbed the bottle, poured some into my hand, and worked it through my hair. It lathered easily, the scent faint but clean. When I leaned forward to rinse, the water beat steadily against the back of my neck, running down in warm streams.

The flow began to weaken after a while, thinning to a lesser stream. I reached up and pulled the chain again. Another surge answered, fresh and hot.

A bit inconvenient, but still better than freezing.

For a moment, I just stood there, letting the heat do its work.

Quiet. Simple. Good.

I washed and rinsed, completely losing track of time. I was just enjoying being able to shower again... wow. Never realized my expectations had dropped dramatically.

I reached for the towel and dried myself, the rough fabric dragging slightly against my skin but doing the job well enough.

Once dressed, I let out a long breath as I stepped out of the stall.

"Phew..." I muttered. "That felt good."

I rolled my shoulders once, already feeling lighter.

"Now... something to eat."