Amber watched the world pass by from her perch in the window, "Do you think Jessie really escaped?" She inquired hopefully. "They probably already killed her." Sarah stated cynically. "She's alive." Kim remarked as she crossed the room to where Penny sat, "Hey, there. How are you doing?" She inquired, "Can I join you?" Glancing at the spot next to Penny. Penny nodded and gave Kim a weak smile, which Kim returned warmly. Penny cocked her head at this, "Why do you smile?" She inquired curiously as the redhead crawled onto the bunk bed. Kim gave the girl a peculiar look, "Why shouldn't I?" She asked as she sat next to Penny. "Because she doesn't understand." Sarah stated coldly as she climbed the ladder to the top bunk and rolled onto the mattress. "Sarah, would you leave her alone." Amber snapped, "Give the girl a break will you?" "Why should she not worry?" Sarah asked crankily. "Just give her one day would you?" Amber requested then glanced out the window again, "She should be allowed at least that." "Sorry..." Sarah said dismally. Penny snuggled into Kim and Kim wrapped her arm around the girl, "Are you going to leave too?" Penny inquired in a weak voice. Kim softly pet the girl's head, "This is my home now." She assured the girl, "I'm staying right here with you." She promised. Penny lifted her head to look Kim in the eyes, "You promise." Kim could not take her eyes off Penny's, eyes filled with such anguish and fear, "I promise." She replied, a strange feeling built up inside of Kim's chest as the urge to kiss Penny arose inside of her. The longer she stared into Penny's eyes the stronger the feeling got until it boiled up inside of her heart. Cautiously she reached out a hand to touch Penny's cheek and Penny pulled back a little, but did not make a move to run away, "I'll not hurt you." Kim assured and to prove it she lightly touched the girl's cheek and caressed it. Penny took Kim's hand and held it to her face. She gazed into Kim's eyes and gave a small smile, "Thank you." She laid down on her back with her head upon Kim's legs and closed her eyes. "Your welcome." Kim ran her hand through Penny's hair as the girl rested in her lap. She fought with the desire to kiss the girl, finding it hard to take her eyes off Penny's lips as she struggled with her feelings. Slowly she was losing the battle and leaned closer, licking her lips and quivering as the thought of a kiss filled her mind. She could almost taste Penny's lips and was only an inch away from the girl when Amber suddenly called out. "Ma'am is back!" Amber exclaimed uneasily, causing Kim to quickly pull back from Penny nearly hitting her head against the wall. Amber jumped off the windowsill and flopped upon the mattress with Kim and Penny and smiled up at Kim, "Just stay quiet and don't talk back and you will be alright." She explained, patting the girl upon the leg, "That's if she is in a good mood..." She fell silent as she listened to the sound of the front door opening and closing again. "Here we go with that music again." Sarah remarked resentfully. Slowly the sound of a waltz began to drift through the house, "I wish she would choose another record." She pleaded in disgust. "Shhh..." Amber hushed the girl. Penny closed her eyes and began to softly hum to the melody, her head slowly swayed to the music and Kim was almost certain that Penny must have been dreaming of a dance, a ballroom dance with elegantly dressed dancers gliding across a large marble floor. She to closed her eyes and could see the ballroom before her, she could feel herself decked over in a red tux with a ruby masquerade mask upon her face, it felt snug on her body and made her feel princely. She could visualize Penny too, dressed in a golden gown that shimmered in the candlelight. She wished that she could be part of that ball and far away from there. She would whisk Penny away like a prince and ride away into the night upon a beautiful black horse. Kim smiled at the thought when someone slapped her leg, startling her out of her daydream. "Get up!!" An angry voice commanded. Kim's eyes snapped open to see the face of a very angry, very wrinkly woman with greying hair pulled up in a bun at the back of her head. She instantly understood why Sarah thought this woman to be a witch and found it hard to take her eyes off the hag when the woman shook Kim's leg again. "I said 'Get up'" She ordered yet again, "Or you will not get any supper." Amber was already to her feet and Penny was rolling out of the bed. Kim quickly scrambled out of the bed and the woman grabbed her by the arm, eyeing the redhead closely, "So you are the new girl. What is your name?" She asked sternly. Kim stared at the woman, unsure of how she was to answer the question. "What is wrong with you?" The woman shouted startling Kim, "Don't you know how to speak?" "Y... yes..." Kim stammered, something about this woman scared Kim. Only one other person ever emitted this kind of feeling in her and that was her father. "Well then, your name?" The woman demanded. "Ki..." Kim was finding it hard to speak. Her voice felt as if it were freezing in place making it nearly impossible to speak more then a single word. Could a person hold such a power? Maybe this woman did hold a bit of witchcraft in her. That would explain the shadowy beasts that caught her earlier and towed her here. The fear of those creatures made Kim force herself to speak, "Kim... Kimberly..." She finally spat out. "Kimberly?" The woman smiled at the girl, "What a sweet name. A very English sounding name." She remarked, "Well Kimberly you can call me Ma'am. Supper is waiting for you down in the dining room. If you don't hurry the others will eat it all before you get there." She ushered the girl out of the room to find Penny waiting in the hall, "What are you still doing here, Penny?" The woman inquired suspiciously. Penny took Kim's hand and hid behind the girl, "I... I was just waiting for Kim." She replied shyly, "I wanted to show her the dinning room." She explained, uncertain that the woman would believe her. "Good girl." The woman grinned in satisfaction, "You keep that up and you won't spend another day in the basement." Penny bowed her head, "T... Thank you, Ma'am." She tugged on Kim's arm and led her down the stairs. Kim leaned close to Penny's ear, "What did you do to be sent down there?" She inquired curiously. Penny shook her head, "I was a bad girl." She simply stated and turned silent. Kim considered asking more but decided against it. Penny led Kim through the house to the dining room, one of its doors badly damaged as if an animal had torn through it. Kim again recalled the creatures and shuddered. She glanced around the room to see that the windows were no longer boarded up and instead there were long dark window coverings hanging over them. Kim could not see any boards on the windows whatsoever and blinked in disbelief at this change, "Wasn't there?" Penny quickly shook her head and pulled Kim around the table. "Kim, Penny, I saved you two a seat." Amber patted the chair to her right. "Thanks." Kim sat down next to Amber with Penny to her other side. Ma'am entered the room through a door in the back of the room. She was carrying a large pot and set it on the table, "Sarah, Caitlin, would you get the plates and silverware?" She inquired of the girl. "Yes, Ma'am." Sarah was to her feet in a flash and took Caitlin by the hand, "Come on." They both rushed through the door the woman had just come through and within moments Sarah returned with a stack of white plates while Caitlin carried a cup full of utensils. Sarah quickly set a plate in front of each girl and one at the head of the table then sat back down. Caitlin however stared at the silverware as if she were confused as to what she should do. "We only need forks today dear." Ma'am stated. As if released of a huge pressure the girl took out some forks and handed them to each of the girls and placed one by the plate at the head of the table. When she was sure everyone had a fork she returned the cup to the kitchen and quickly came back to her seat. "Good girl." The woman patted Caitlin on the head; "We have Kraft Dinner for you all today." The woman explained as she lifted the lid off a steaming pot of cheese covered macaroni noodles. "Yay! KD!" Amber exclaimed excitedly as she kicked her feet. Ma'am frowned at Amber's childish display, "Stop kicking your feet." She demanded, "You are twelve now so set a good example." Amber abruptly stopped moving and bowed her head in disgrace, "I'm sorry, Ma'am." The woman served a heaping spoon full of Kraft Dinner upon each plate then sat down at the head of the table. Kim hungrily grabbed her fork and was about to dig in when she heard the woman clear her throat. She glanced around to see everyone had they hands together in preparation for prayer. Kim dropped her fork and place her hands upon her lap, "I... I'm sorry." Kim apologized feeling ashamed of herself. "Prayer before food, Kim." The woman remarked, "Remember that for tomorrow." "Yes, Ma'am." Kim replied in embarrassment, she felt Penny's hand rub her leg and glanced over at the girl to see her give a small smile, then place her hands together again. Kim smiled back and placed her hands together as well. "Amber, would you say grace?" Ma'am requested. Amber shifted in her chair to get closer to the table and closed her eyes, "Lord, Thank you for this food we are about to eat and for watching over us. Thank you Ma'am for letting us stay at your home and giving us clothes to keep us warm at night and thank you Kraft for creating KD for it is my favourite thing to eat." She opened one eye to peek at Ma'am who gave her a small frown. "It will do." Ma'am stated, "Everyone?" "Amen." They all said in unison. "Okay let's eat." Ma'am stated. As if someone had released the hounds from their leashes the girl's grabbed their forks and hungrily dug into their food. Penny dropped her hand upon Kim's leg and Kim glanced at the girl unsure of how she should respond. Slowly she placed her own hand upon Penny's hand and squeezed it. The two let out a small giggle that caused Ma'am to look their way. "Penny dear?" Ma'am called for the girl's attention, which made Penny to freeze up. Kim gently squeezed her hand again to reassure her, "Since Kim is new and you two seem to be getting along so well. I would like you to share your books during our lesson today." Penny let out her breath, not even aware that she was holding it, "O... okay, Ma'am." She replied trying to catch her breath. "We will start our studies as soon as you finish your chores." Ma'am remarked, "Amber and Sarah I want you to do dishes today. The others can help clean the rest of the kitchen." "Alright." Amber replied. "Kay." Sarah added. "No dilly-dallying." Ma'am glanced at her watch, "It is already one in the afternoon and I want to finish your studies before six. "Yes, Ma'am" The girls said together. They ate as quickly as they dared without causing themselves to throw up, then Sarah started gathering the dishes while Amber headed to the kitchen to fill the sink. Penny took Kim by the hand and led her to the kitchen. Kim was prepared to find teddy bears guts all over the room only to discover not a speck of green anywhere. She blinked in disbelief when Penny handed her a broom and placed a finger to her lips signalling for her to keep quiet. She grabbed another broom and pulled Kim to the front door where she began to sweep the hall. "Penny?" Kim glanced back at the kitchen, "What's going on? Where's that monster?" Penny shook her head, "They show up mostly at night." She remarked as she swept. "But I killed one in the sink... didn't I?" Kim was starting to question her own memories, "How did I get into the basement in the first place?" Penny shrugged, "You should clean or we'll get into trouble." She stated concentrating on her sweeping. "Sorry." Kim helped Penny swept the floor until they gathered enough dirt in the middle. They busily swept one room after another chasing the dust bunnies out from behind doors and from underneath furniture. Before long they were exhausted and Kim was wishing that they could sit down when Ma'am came looking for them. "Good work girls." She said proudly, "Put your brooms away and join us in the living room." "Finally." Kim muttered soft enough that Ma'am would not hear, however Penny did and let out a slight giggle. The two of them hung up their brooms and ran into the living room to find the others already there. April and Amber sat upon the couch on the left while Sarah lay across the one of the right. Ma'am glanced up from her place upon the couch in the middle. She had several book stacked up to either side of her and she smiled at the girls, "You two can sit in the centre." She gestured to the rug in middle of all the couches. Penny grinned as she noticed a fireplace was blazed at the foot of the rug, excitedly she pulled Kim around the couches and laid on her stomach in the middle of the rug, then patted the ground beside her. Kim sat down next to Penny with her legs crossed. Ma'am handed out books to each girl, "Let's begin with math." She remarked, "Alright?" Everyone nodded in agreement as they took their books and opened them. ***** To be Continued . . .
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