Chapter 12: First Dawn
"Rise and shine, champions," Miguel’s voice cut through the 5:45 AM darkness as he entered the dormitory with Grey. "Time to see what you’re really made of."
Fluorescent lights blazed to life, assaulting the teenage eyes that had barely closed four hours earlier. Seventeen boys groaned in unison, pulling thin blankets over their heads.
"What the hell, Grey," Carlos mumbled from three beds down. "It’s still nighttime."
"Some of us are trying to sleep," Kevin added, his voice thick with irritation.
Javier’s alarm hadn’t even gone off yet. His body felt glued to the narrow mattress, every muscle protesting to the thought of movement. Beside him, Tommy hadn’t stirred at all.
Vicente materialized at the foot of his bed, ghostly form solid in the harsh light. "Get up, kid. This is what you asked for."
"Tommy," Javier whispered, shaking his friend’s shoulder. "We gotta go."
"Five more minutes," Tommy groaned.
"No five minutes," Miguel called out. "Bus leaves in twenty minutes. You miss it, you miss training."
Grey stood by the door, arms crossed, clearly annoyed about being dragged into this arrangement. "Y’all better not make this a habit. I got real work to do."
The cold October air hit them like a slap as they stumbled toward the communal bathroom. No hot water until seven AM - another group home economy that reminded residents they lived on society’s leftovers.
Javier splashed cold water on his face, the shock clearing the mental fog.