Caro had been awake for at least an hour, but she'd laid motionless. It was becoming a personal ritual for her, this peace before the first call came. It seemed to pass in a moment, but it was all she had to herself. There was always someone watching, and signaling that you were awake sometimes drew unwanted attention. She'd worked hard to become a Top, and it'd taken almost a year of humiliation, hardship and service.
"DISCIPLINE." The first call came out. Joe, the Director, always took the lead when a new girl came to The Haven. Remembering Katy made her shudder as she sat up in her bunk. Being a Keeper was necessary. It also meant risk. If Katy failed, so did she. If Katy fell, she would drag Caro down with her.
She had worked too hard to lose her place now.
"Discipline." replied the room full of girls. Caro craned her neck now, looking for her charge. She found her immediately, looking around curiously.
"DEDICATION." Joe called out. The fluorescent tubes in the low ceiling were flickering to life, casting a harsh light on the room.
"Dedication." The girls called back as one. Katy hesitated--but only for a second. Then her voice joined the rest, uncertain but obedient.
Caro exhaled. Good girl. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she feared.
This was her first time being Keeper, but she'd seen girls stumble straight back into Bottom in the first day as Keeper and she could not let that happen.
"SERVICE." Joe shouted. Caro wondered if she imagined the darker tone he put on this call. She looked over at Katy again, and quickly shoved down her feelings of sympathy for her. Caro couldn't warn her. Couldn't prepare her. Nothing could. She would learn like the rest of them did, in time.
"Service." The girls replied, and Caro knew she didn't imagine the forlorn tone in it. The sound of 31 girls standing up and making their beds as one filled the room. When she finished hers, she walked over to Katy and started showing her how to do it correctly. Katy greeted her with a tentative "Good morning." Caro ignored it.
"We're going to go out for physical training after this. Then we shower, trade out laundry and start Service." Caro was intentionally brusque. She didn't hate the new girl, but bottoms were only allowed to speak to Tops, and only about the principles of The Haven. She couldn't risk her position just for the comfort of this one person. Katy looked like she was going to ask a question, but Caro ignored it and starting filing out of the room with the other girls.
Training was performed with resistance bands, and consisted of strength training focused on core, butt, thighs, with some time carved out for general fitness as well. Joe lead the workout today, the girls obediently keeping count of the exercises he announced and demonstrated. Joe was very fit, his PT shorts and tshirt showing off his toned thighs, thick arms and chest. Katy was struggling. Her arms shook, her breath came fast and ragged. When she slowed, Caro's fingers dug into the soft skin of her ribs, twisting cruelly. Katy gasped, flinching away. Not loud--but loud enough.
Joe caught Caro's eye. Nodded.
Heat crawled up her neck. She hated the pride she felt, but his approval was everything to keeping her position.
In the showers, Caro couldn't help but watch. Neither could anyone else.
Katy stood under the spray, her movements small, careful. Guarded, but proud. The Bottoms kept their heads down. The Tops didn't.
Leigh was watching, hunger plain in her gaze.
Caro exhaled. This was only the beginning. Leigh anticipated what Caro suspected: a General Service call. General Service is brutal, but every Top here had been subject to it at least a dozen times. Now that they're on Top, many look forward to a helpless Bottom to use. The strict "No Masturbation" policy left an unquelled ache in the body, and the chance to slake it was hard to resist.
After changing into fresh clothes, the girls filed into the dining room. Caro stuck close to Katy through everything, ready to pounce on misbehavior. Joe, two orderlies and seven of the camoflaged crew from the forest were there. All but Joe were lined up next to the service seats along the wall. Joe was placid, calm, as he spoke names of a few girls passing.