“I don’t want Marlowe to think we dug it,” Donna said.
Corliss and Mayfair slipped under.
“Like I said, it had to have been dug a while back, certainly before we arrived. Get real. Marlowe would realize that.”
Donna looked down at it.
“It’s not a grave,” Mayfair said. “Stop fixating on it. Unless it calls to you and fills your mind with wonderful sexual possibilities.”
Corliss laughed.
“Oh, you’re so funny,” Donna said.
“Let’s go, wimps,” Corliss declared. “Don’t look at this as an excuse to abort the jog.” She hurried back to the trail and continued.
“I’m envisioning breakfast,” Mayfair said, and hurried after her.
Donna suddenly became the slowest of the three. It was as if she wasn’t in a rush to get back.
After all, something new had been added to Spindrift: fear of what awaited them on the other side of that hole.
2
Dr. Jessie Marlowe stood in the cafeteria doorway and keenly observed some of her student population getting their breakfast. How they interrelated with one another was always of interest. Her expertise was in child psychology. It was mainly why the board of directors had chosen her to oversee this institution.
The three whom she knew had been tagged the Supremes by the others entered. She was aware that they had gone on a morning run. They looked revitalized. Maybe the other students would see and decide to engage in more physical pursuits. That was always a concern. It was why she insisted that Carl Morton do his lecture on what had become known as the Athens and Sparta syndrome. Besides, she thought it was mentally healthy for them to care about their bodies as well as their minds. She had no expectation of turning any of them into what even they referred to in group therapy with Dr. Lester as “normal, more well-rounded people,” but she wanted them to at least be concerned about physical fitness.
When they finally left Spindrift, they would have to live in the “outside world” and learn how to integrate, have romances, and perhaps marry and have children, although the success rates for that sort of lifestyle were not very high for these unique young people. She was continually looking for ways to improve their social skills. Sports was one pathway to that. However, few had participated in extracurricular activities in their previous schools, and there were no clubs or teams here. They didn’t put on plays or hold dances. Even birthday parties were rare, because the individuals sometimes refused to be so honored.
The Supremes got their food and sat at their own table. Rarely did any of the others join them. But it was also true that none of the other twelve had formed close relationships with anyone else to the extent that they ate together regularly. These three were somewhat different, and they recognized that difference in themselves. In fact, she thought they feathered it. She wondered if that was good. It did keep them from socializing with others, and others seemed to avoid them. There was good reason to observe them more. There was truly something special about them in the midst of very special young people as it was.
She approached them when they sat and began eating breakfast.
“How was your run, girls?”
The three paused and looked at her and then at one another, as if they couldn’t decide which one of them should respond.
Corliss finally did. “Stimulating,” she said.
“Fascinating,” Mayfair added.
Donna remained silent.
“I wish you would spread the word a bit,” Jessie Marlowe said, looking at the other students. “Most are not doing much in th
e way of physical activity. For some, it’s like pulling teeth to jog like you just did or even to do some yoga, and I can count on the fingers of one hand how many have even tried swimming in our beautiful pool.”
“Perhaps it’s wrong for you not to make some so-called ordinary things mandatory,” Mayfair said. “Unless this whole thing about the importance of the physical is just lip service to please the board of directors.”
Jessie Marlowe didn’t even wince. Caustic comments were common for the students she oversaw here. None was shy about expressing their opinions, and for most, hurting someone’s feelings with a statement of fact was not even a consideration for a bad conscience. The ones who didn’t express their opinions weren’t being considerate, either; they were basically saying they didn’t think you were worthy of them. You could almost smell the arrogance in the rooms and hallways.
“I’m toying with that idea,” she replied.
“Just add it to your list of serious violations,” Mayfair continued. “?‘Going two days without any physical activity such as swimming, jogging, or exercising under one of the programs outlined is forbidden.’?” She glanced at Donna, who quickly looked away.
“Why don’t you write it up for me, and I’ll consider it?” Jessie Marlowe said.
“Surely you can write that up for yourself, Dr. Marlowe,” Mayfair replied.