Several hours later, I heard a small sound downstairs. It sounded like a door opening and closing. The boys are back.

After coming back up to my room, I had decided to read while I waited for them to get back. They'd been gone for hours—at least five, maybe six—and I managed to get through three of the novels on the book shelf, and was in the first quarter of the fourth. They were really good books; I would have to talk to whoever picked them out, and ask them where they found them.

Anyway, I was reading, sitting on the bed—which really was way too big, I mean, couldn't they put me in a room with, like, a twin size bed, instead of a king?—curled up as small as I could be. I don't really like taking up space, so I usually curl up in a tight little ball whenever I'm sitting or lying down. I think it's a comfort thing. So, I'm sitting in the top left corner of the bed, right next to the lamp, as small and unobtrusive as I can get, and I hear a door open and close. Enough to peak anyone's curiosity, no? But I just continued reading like everything was normal. It's my specialty.

It was several minutes before anything else happened. Finally, I heard voices. I couldn't really hear the voices, just enough to tell what they were saying. It sounded like they were by the staircase.

"Well," one voice said, "We should get ready for dinner." I couldn't hear the tone or inflection that went with the voice, but with the way it paused, it seemed pretty sad.

"Yeah," another voice said; it was deeper, though just enough to make the echo harder to understand. "Then we can discuss what to do next." I heard footsteps moving away from me, presumably down the hall on the other side of the stairs. I guessed that that was the main wing, where the owners lived.

I got out of bed, smoothing my dress down. Then, I went over to the closet and brought out a thin pair of slippers. They would mask the sound of my steps. I do so love being quiet. After I put them on, I went out into the hallway, listening carefully for voices coming my way. Hearing none, I ghosted down the stairs, trying to remember exactly where the kitchen was. I somehow managed to find it, but it looked different—probably due to the fact that there were a lot of people in there now, whereas before it had been empty.

I walked carefully into the kitchen, observing. My dad always did say I was like a ninja; if I didn't speak, I could sneak up on someone really easily, and I couldn't be seen if I didn't want to be. I looked around for someone less busy than the others. Finally, I spotted someone who was just organizing spices by the pantry. I creeped over, willing myself to be invisible. I succeeded in making it over to the young girl without causing a fuss. When I reached her, I waited until she put the glass containers down; wouldn't want her to hurt herself. As I waited, I looked her over; she was shorter than me, but only by a little; her hair was super long, down to her waist, and it was a dark blonde color. She had dark green eyes with dark, thin eyebrows above them. She was really pretty.

"Excuse me," I said quietly, but loud enough for her to hear over the din of the busy kitchen. She jumped a little, but only glanced at me for a moment. "Could you point me in the direction of the dining room?" She turned to look at me more closely. Her eyes examined me from head to toe; she took in my carefully arranged dark hair, my pale skin with olive undertone, my snow-white floor length dress, the large novel in my hand (which I hadn't even realized I was still holding until her eyes zeroed in on it). Then, as if jolted with electricity, her whole body seemed to spasm for a moment. Her eyes were so wide I thought they'd pop out of her skull. She started to say something, trying to curtsy in the small space the pantry allowed. I was a little confused by her reaction, but I forced my face to display a knowing smile, putting a finger to my lips and winking, shaking my head. She straightened and nodded, her eyes still wide. "Just show me to the dining room, or wherever the boys are going to eat." She seemed a bit hesitant, like she thought we should at least tell the boys, but I said, "Please?"

She nodded. "Vright zis vay, miss." Her accent was faintly German, though not too much; she must have been away for a long time. She gestured for me to follow her, and she began to walk out of the kitchen. I ghosted after her, walking slowly so as not to draw attention. No one noticed us as we walked out of the kitchen and down the hall, to a set of doors. She cracked one of them, peeking inside before opening it all the way and holding it for me. The room was completely empty, not a soul in sight.

Inside the room was a medium dining table, which easily seated eight people, though there were only seven seats. On the other side of the table was another set of doors, which I assumed was an entry from a different hallway.

Two of the seats at the table had obviously not been used in a while; they were both worn, but the five others had fresh wear marks. One of the unused chairs was on each side of the table; one beside the seat at the foot of the table, the other beside the seat at the head. The unused seat by the foot of the table had a place setting, but the other did not; the place setting of that one was different than that of the five others. It was pristine in its condition, with only a chip in the china, directly in the center—the other place settings had scratch marks and stains and such all over. It was kind of like seeing a child's room when tragedy has struck; it's kept exactly the same as everything falls down in the world around it. It was odd to look at.

The girl pulled out the unused chair with the place setting, gesturing for me to sit down. I did, and she departed quietly, saying, "Dinner is not until six thirty, but yoo are velcome to stay here as yoo vate."

When she left, I turned to see a clock on the wall, then realized it was the first one I had seen all day; there wasn't one in the bedroom, or even in the sitting room from before. This clock said that it was ten to six. Forty minutes, I thought, then shrugged. Good thing I brought that book, after all.

I began to read.

Hey!

Dinner time's next!

I'm still writing the next part, so it probably won't be up until next week.

See y'all then!

Happy reading!

Anya