Star

Artem and I talked for a long time last night. I don't even remember when I went to bed. But I have the feeling that Artem carried me to the bed, because I probably fell asleep talking to him. If I tried really hard I could actually feel the way his arms were wrapped around me. But that could have been the memory of how he had carried me earlier in the day. I was just so confused right now that I couldn't figure it out at all.

But still, I decided to just get ready for the day. I was used to my routine now, having been here just over a week now. I showered and freshened up, got dressed, and went down to breakfast.

Some of the best things about being here, about being away from my family, was that I could be clean every day and I got to eat more than five or six times a week at max. I was actually putting on a little bit of weight, which was good. And it was a good thing that Artem had bought multiple sizes of clothes, because the smallest size that he got was starting to get just a little snug on me. But I didn't think that I was getting fat. Actually I was starting to look healthier now.

I smelled the food as I neared the end of the stairs. Artem always made such delicious meals. I was really glad that I was able to be here with him and the others.

When I went into the dining room I was glad that, for once, I was not the last to arrive. Actually it looked like I was the first aside from Artem. I wondered offhandedly, how early must he get up to make everyone's food.

"Hey Star." He called out to me when he saw me come in. "I was just bringing everything in, want to help?"

"Sure." I was happy that I was actually able to do something. I really was stupid when it came to the world, I didn't know how to do anything at all.

"Come on." He sat down a few jugs of juice and milk before he beckoned me into the kitchen.

When I went into the kitchen, a room I had not explored on my previous expedition through the house, I saw that it was way bigger than I had thought. And of course I didn't recognize anything that was in there.

There was a lot of shiny metal, white walls, a tiled floor, and lots of cabinets. There were shiny metal tools, pots, pans, and a bunch of electronic devices that I didn't know what to call. It was all neat and organized and besides all the plates waiting on the trays I wouldn't have thought that someone had just been cooking in here.

"Here, Star, will you take these?" Artem was in a good mood apparently, because he hadn't stopped smiling since I had seen him. What he had handed me was two large platters piled high with bacon and sausage, I knew those were good and I was glad we were having them for breakfast.

I started toward the dining room while Artem grabbed two large serving trays that were topped with pancakes, that rice stuff we had had a few days ago, biscuits, a pile of poached eggs, and various jars of jellies and syrup.

"You went all out today, didn't you?" I smiled at him. "All of these are really good." I was smiling at him as we walked into the other room together.

There were several people at the table when we walked in, waiting for the food. Chay was pouring herself a cup of coffee when we came in and she gave me a smirk when she saw me. For some reason, that look made me feel really embarrassed.

While we ate, I wanted to chat with everyone, find out what their plans were for the day, but everyone seemed to have really halfhearted answers for me.

"So, Artem, I don't really know what to do today, but I don't want to stay cooped up. Do you have any suggestions?" I had asked him first because I really wanted to know what he did all day and he was sitting the closest to me.

"Oh, well, I uh, I have a lot of work to do today." He looked nervous for a moment as he rubbed his head, but then he laughed and broke out into a smile. "I've kind of let it build up until the last minute and now I have to get it done right away."

"Oh." I was a little sad, I don't really know why, but I was. "What about you Chay?" I perked up a little, thinking maybe we could spend the day together.

"Sorry Starry." She frowned at me even after giving me the same nickname that Reed had always used for me. "I have some places I need to go, but I will let you know when I am done."

"Oh, no worries. I understand you're busy." And I did, I really did understand that they had lives and that meant places to go and things to do. The sad thing was, I didn't have a life so I had nowhere to go and nothing to do.

"We've got work too." Kent answered before I could ask him, he had seen me look his way and knew it was coming. "We all work with Artem and our work is piling up as well.

"Is it piling up because of me? Is it because you've had to take time off to help me?" I hoped I wasn't affecting their personal lives.

"Goddess no." Kent answered me immediately. "No, we just left a few things that we should have done sooner but we were stupid and didn't think about it."

"Oh, ok." I was at a loss now. "Well, since Reed and Bailey will be with the kids in the library, maybe I will just read a book." I put on a smile as best as I could.

"You can come with us, you know that." Bailey smiled at me. "You can help us get the kids caught up, and if there is anything you don't know then we can help you there too."

"Really?" I perked up, helping out and learning would definitely give me something to do.

"Yeah, Starry, you know you're welcome to come with us." Reed answered me.

"Maybe we can get you caught up enough that you can take the high school equivalency exam and you can go to college if that is what you would want." Bailey was always so calming and soothing. I was really glad that he was here with me, him and Reed.

"Alright." I smiled as I nodded at him.

It was a little strange that the others were acting so weird but I was just glad to actually have something to do. And helping the boys with their lessons would make me feel like I had an actual purpose in life.

Following breakfast I followed Reed, Bailey, and the very tired looking boys to the library. They all knew where they were supposed to go and went to their tables right away. Reed and Bailey were both school teachers, and by the way they were explaining things to the boys they were good ones.

The boys seemed to understand everything with ease and were flying through their lessons. Worksheets, books, and physical activities. All the boys made it through everything with ease.

Around noon we went down to the dining room to have lunch and then the boys played outside. Lunch was simple, just sandwiches, since Artem was busy with work. Actually it seemed that there was no one else in the house except those of us that had been in the library all day.

After lunch we took the kids outside to play. Reed and Bailey set them in two groups and they were playing some strange game where they ran around the yard chasing red rubber balls.

As I watched them all play I couldn't help but think about the differences in me and those kids. I had been locked away at a much younger age than they had, yet we had all suffered abuse at the hands of our families while locked away. I had saviors of sorts that taught me to read and write, but some of them had actually been to school and had friends. And despite my having been in the dark, locked away longer, I was not as small as them.

I was small, that was for sure. I looked sickly thin when I was rescued by Artem and the others, though I was still strong enough to kick down a door. These kids though, they were all much shorter and frail looking than me. Why was there such a difference between us? Why was I not as malnourished looking as them, or more so even? Why was it that I had been able to learn so much more than them, despite the lack of proper instruction? Why was it that I was stronger than them?

Did these differences have to do with my being a female and they weren't? Could it have been my determination that I would not be subjected to the abuse if I could escape? Could it have been because I was constantly fighting and struggling to get away?

I don't think I will ever find out the reason why. Regardless, I would always look older and probably act older, than the boys, even though one of them was just a little over two years younger than me.

After the kids played they went back to the library for more lessons. I found it all interesting and I did my best to help them.

Dinner was a quiet affair, most of the others were still working, though Artem had come in to cook then left again. I was starting to get a little sad that I wasn't seeing them at all today.