The tiles in Dr. Barns' bathroom were brilliant white, and the light was almost harsh in the small room. The floors were white and cold beneath the man's bare feet, and the tiled walls shined spotlessly. In the mirror, his face held no expression. It rarely did; his intricate thoughts hidden beneath his steely glaze. The only sound other than his breathing was the rushing of the water in the sink as he washed his hands. Today, he was expecting the arrival of another set of twins. Two boys, by the reports. In the mirror, Dr. Barns' upper lip curled in disgust. Two little teenage boys. They were always the worst. Boys were disobedient, chaotic, loud creatures that ignored rules. But he needed them, just as he needed the others. Dr. Barns rose a hand and ran it through his thinning black hair, making it stand up on end. A small, emotionless smile twitched at the corners of his mouth as he regarded himself in the immaculate mirror, amusing himself with the appearance of his hair on end. He looked younger like this, much younger, and carefree. It was an image so unlike his actual personality it made him appear as an almost entirely different man.
Bored quickly with his appearance, Dr. Barns dropped a few strands of dislodged hair in the bin, and then washed his hands again before drying them on the soft, warm towel by the door. He could feel the day starting, and estimated the time to be around six thirty, and just as he thought it, the ringing of the morning alarm resonated through the still air. Six-thirty exactly. Crossing over to his wardrobe, Dr. Barns selected one of his many crisp white shirts, and walked to the window as he shrugged it on, and then carefully buttoned it up. Outside, the day was dawning darkly. Beyond the fencing of the camp, the forest loomed wickedly on the horizon that was blanketed with a fresh fall of snow. Dr. Barns hated the stuff, and turned his gaze upon a manual laborer who was busy sweeping paths into the knee high drifts. Lights appeared in the Blocks of the children as they were awoken by the staff and the bell, and at this point, Dr. Barns turned aside. He had no desire whatsoever to witness the waking of the children. However, just as he turned away, a light in the distance caught his eye. It flashed orange three times as the gates of the camp slid open, admitting a heavy black car. Dr. Barns nodded to himself. Everything was running to schedule, and the car heralded the arrival of their new camp member.
Having buttoned up his shirt, Dr. Barns selected a moody blue tie from the rack, which he tied tightly around his throat. He added a suit jacket to his ensemble, and then went back into his bathroom where he studied his appearance once more in the mirror. He looked smart, and professional, and after he pulled a comb through his hair so that not a strand was out of place, he looked immaculate, as he did every day. He put the comb back in it's place in the cupboard, and then washed his hands again. He had big plans for today. Overnight, he'd left an experiment ticking over, and he was eager to return to it. He had taken a set of twins, a boy and a girl, and separated them. Each had slept in a different room, and while one was made comfortable and warm, the other was put in a room no bigger than a closet with only a few rats to keep her company. Periodically during the night, she had been taken out by one of his scientists, and an irritant was applied to the back of her right hand. Dr. Barns was looking forward to seeing the state of the two children this morning, and seeing if the male had felt the discomfort of his sister.
A genuine smile formed on his lips as he turned and gathered up his briefcase. First, he would attend Roll Call, to check on the new arrival, and then he would make his way to Block Seventeen as usual. Dr. Barns turned from his room then, and left his Block. He had one to himself, and it was the more comfortable of all the Blocks in the camp. It was placed nearby the large courtyard where all the children congregated each morning in front of a raised platform where one of the senior staff members would call their name.
Outside, he made his way quickly over to that stage. It wasn't a long walk, but the morning was chilly and slightly uncomfortable. Dr. Barns scowled a little, not paying attention to the staff that he passed as they abruptly straightened up and saluted or bowed. It was a sign of respect that he paid no attention to, and yet he demanded it at the same time. As he approached the platform, one of the senior nannies as he liked to call them, was stood waiting for the children to arrive. The harsh looking woman had a long, hooked nose, and eyes of a cruel and icy blue. Her steel grey hair was put up in a bun out of the way, and the style was flawless. She was a woman that Dr. Barns knew well, as she was the one in charge of managing the Twins Accommodation Blocks. As Dr. Barns approached, she turned to look at him and nodded slowly in a gesture that was almost a bow of respect. She knew better than to speak to him though, and Dr. Barns simply nodded in reply before moving to stand at the back in his usual spot to watch his subjects straggle into their places.