Chapter 11A New Home

Khuna was asking me all kinds of questions. What he looked like, how old was he, how tall, what he sounded like. I couldn't focus.

Seeing him brought me back to all those hours ago, me sitting in a tree in the park without a care in the world except school after the weekend. I mean, I was just a kid, and here I was, no idea where my parents were and a whole new lifestyle to adjust to.

"Amy?" Khuna stopped asking and just looked at me. "Alright, we're going back. But please remember. Please remember everything that just happened. None of us have seen our makers before and considering everything fits into place, it might be the same one."

I nodded. My thoughts still just slouching about in my head. I felt weight on my hands and only remembered what I was holding after a few blinks. I felt more distant then ever. Rudely swept away from the little joy I was having.

Was that on purpose?

We started walking again. Khuna had taken one of my bags and was walking closer to me now. Worried probably. I never really registered how we walked. It was only until much later I realized this. All my senses had been going wild all night, but now they felt dull.

Our alley. I had to climb up but no idea if I could do that now. Khuna took the rest of the bags and let me climb.

It was weird. As soon as I touched the wall my instincts came back to me. Climbing much easier then before I just pulled myself up as if I weighed nothing. Handheld, footrest, pull. It was easy. It appeared my body, even if I wasn't aware of it yet, had a sort of physical memory. Knowing where to go. My spirit was lifted higher again, enough to make me smile.

When I arrived on top of the wall Khuna was standing there with all the bags.

"How?"

Khuna just smiled. "You'll figure it out sooner or later." She winked, gave me all the bags and walked to the heavy door. She opened it and let me in, closing it right after us. I felt a little warmth again as we came back here. It felt a little like home. Safe.

Kai nodded as we went past. Valerie hadn't returned yet it, or at least the sofas were empty. Khuna led me down a set of stairs and showed me to my room. There were five doors that looked heavy enough to withstand an explosion or something. Besides a light fixture on the ceiling there was no decoration anywhere, just concrete.

"Here, this is your room." Khuna pointed to the last door on the right.

"Five rooms?" I asked, wondering if there was someone I hadn't met yet.

"Yeah, the one opposite from you is empty. This is where I sleep, that's Valerie and there is Kai." She first pointed to the door next to mine, then the door next to hers right next to where we were standing. On the left were only two doors and Kai's room was the first one.

Khuna led me to my door. "Here, try and open this."

I wanted to open the door and was surprised by it's heaviness. I had to almost put my shoulder in it to open and noticed that I was a little stronger then before.

Khuna giggled. "You probably don't realize, but a normal human would not be able to push open that door unless he's the world's strongest man or something."

Okay, make that a lot stronger then before.

Saying the room was bare was a bit of an understatement. It had a light-switch, a light on the ceiling, a single bed and a dresser.

That was it.

The solid concrete walls, ceiling and floor made it just a box in the middle of nowhere. No windows or visible ventilation. I wondered if I could suffocate. And if I did if anyone would hear it, or if I would wake up.

"When you sleep you barely move. Your heart doesn't beat, you don't breathe. To anyone except a doctor you'd look dead." Khuna's words answered my unasked questions. "One more thing, you can stay awake during the day, but it will make you weak and sunlight will hurt you about as much as a welding torch."

I nodded, taking the warning.

Khuna smiled. "Don't worry though, you will automatically sleep until sunset unless you force yourself to do anything different. Instinct is a beautiful thing sometimes."

Something was kind of weighing on my mind. "Is your room as empty as this?"

"Oh, I've got some small things. But I don't stay in there often. If I need some time alone there are thousands of places I'd feel much better."

I put the bags I was still holding in the dresser saying to myself I'll put them nicely tomorrow. I sat down on the bed and put my head in my hands. Khuna sat down next to me.

"Give yourself time Amy. It's hard for all of us. And you're lucky, believe me."

I nodded in an attempt of bravery. "Thank you Khuna, you've done so much for me."

We just sat there next to each other and I felt warmer then I had the whole night. I was just happy having Khuna next to me for now. She was like a sister. Uncannily like the sister I've never had. I turned to her and looked her in her blue eyes, again wondering how much we were alike.

Kai stormed in. "Khuna, Amy! You have got to see this!"

He almost dragged us out, up the stairs to one of his screens.

I blinked.

I blinked again.

There was a message in the middle of the screen, a message box with just one line.

Kai was going crazy in the background. "They hacked me! This shouldn't be possible! Have you any idea how many safeguards I have?" Khuna next to him, trying to calm him down. I didn't respond. My eyes were glued to those simple words;

'Amy, we're safe. MT'

I whispered softly, but Khuna and Kai became silent as soon as they heard me speak.

"It's from my mom."