They reached the Vitch home, and Kim tried the doorknob.

"Dang, it's locked." She said and looked at Kiki, who was already searching the plant pots for the hide-a-key. When she found it, she let herself and Kim into the house and they went to the back bedroom, where Kiki was forced to stay during the night and weekends.

"Ok, Kiki, grab everything you need and can hold, I'll help you lug some stuff up there too." Kiki looked at Kim, confused.

"Where are you taking me?" Kim was already in the room packing Kiki's clothes.

"Kiki, don't talk, just pack. You'll see." Kiki walked over to the closet where Kim was already throwing stuff into a backpack.

About a half an hour they were walking down the street, towards a dark, black part of the neighborhood.

"Erm, Kim?" Kiki stopped in the middle of the road when they reached the big circle at the end of the roadway.

"No one will know you're here but me." Kim then looked down, and then up at the house figure at the top of the hill.

"Kim, doesn't someone live there? Won't they turn me in?" Kiki was so afraid of what might happen that she was willing to turn back.

Kim laughed lightly. "No, no one's going to turn you in Kiki, after all, you only need a place to live-err, stay for a while." Kiki looked at Kim.

"Ohkay, just so long as I'll be able to be alive and unharmed." Kim took hold of Kiki's free hand and they walked inside the gate. They walked down a dark overgrown pathway and came upon a second gate that was locked. Kiki looked at Kim with an unsure and puzzled look on her face. Kim smiled and stepped sideways through a gap between two of the bars. Kiki followed. The two of them passed through a huge often kept up garden. Kiki couldn't help but stand in the middle of it and look around; wondering whom in the world knew enough to turn a regular bush into a deer, or even a human hand. It was beautiful and she loved it.

As she stood there, she felt a tug on the back of her shirt. Kiki turned around and followed Kim into the big house. They were silent, looking around at the half empty place. The only things that Kiki could see that were in there were some big old cobweb covered machines and a staircase. Kiki couldn't help but break the silence.

"Aren't we supposed to knock first? Or does someone live here?" Kim looked at Kiki and then at the staircase.

"Well, it's starting to get dark. If you follow the staircase upward there's a big room that you can sleep in. I will drop by before I go to work tomorrow to see how you are doing. I will bring you stuff to eat when you run out of what you have, and here's ten bucks just in case you need it. If you need more just let me know. I will give your teachers excuses and if Mr. & Mrs. Vitch ask where you are I'll think up some lie, alright? The same for SS." Kiki couldn't believe her ears.

"You'd do all that for me?" Kiki moved closer to Kim. Kim nodded her head.

"Of course I would. I really care about you." Kiki loved Kim; she was like a sister to her and the only other person in the world still living who cared. Kiki hugged Kim and whispered 'thanks' in her ear. Then Kiki turned and headed for the stairs of the big mansion, stopping on the third step, turning to Kim and calling her.

"Hey, Kim?" Kim turned around, hand on the doorhandle.

"Yeah?"

"Someone does live here?" Kiki looked a little frightened, but waited for an answer.

"You'll see." Kim smiled and waved, and then was gone, shutting the door behind her.

Kim stood there, by herself and then turned and continued climbing the stairs.

Heh, watch, someone does live here and they drive me back to the Vitch's.

Kim finally reached the top floor, a big room with a huge hole in the roof. Kim was right. It was dark and Kiki could see the moon through the hole.

I better get some sleep. She thought as she walked over to a corner and laid down on the floor. Instantly she fell asleep.