The Free (Unedited)

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Amber's POV

It's not so bad, I thought to myself as I lay in the box. Yeah, the box was a punishment only I got. It was actually made just for me. Many of these punishments are made just for me.

I sighed, defeated for the hundredth time. Sometimes I was angry, sometimes depressed, but never scared. That had left me a long time ago.

I heard footsteps coming closer as my eyes started closing into a fitful sleep. Leader opened the trapdoor to the box.

"You are free," he said. "You should know well by now that speaking out of turn is a bad choice for someone like you."

I bowed my head in shame. The worst punishment of all is Leader's disappointment.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked with my head still bowed.

Leader waited for my question.

"Why me?" I whispered.

"You know why." With that, he left the room, me padding behind him to freshen myself up for breakfast.

***

Lindsay's POV

I laughed at Whisper's remark. "No we do not put yogurt in muffins."

"What about cake?" she joked, pushing a basket filled with an assortment of food and baking goods.

"Maybe." I smiled. I think whisper was one of my favorite people in the house, but I would never tell her that. It would go to her head.

"I'm so excited that we got all this money for just food," Whisper said, making conversation. "Usually we just get regular meat, spices, and a few other things."

"Oh, so that's why there was no fruit in the house." I was a little shocked, to say the least.

"Well, now there will be," Whisper dismissed.

I made sure to get all the things this group has been eating, but also all the extra things I wanted to cook. I wanted to stay at the house as a domestic, making gardens, cleaning, and cooking, like Amber did. It's a big house that smells way too bad, and something needed to be done about it. I was going to talk to Leader about that when we got home.

Since some of the men (and a couple women) had gone out on some business, it was left to me, Amber, Whisper, and a few others to put up all of the foods.

The kitchen was clean, but needed a little updating, especially with all the food we bought, but we only needed a refrigerator. I put it on my imaginary list of things to improve this house, along with better couches and some lively things to make this a real home for a real family, even though we weren't.

I had only been in this house for a few weeks, but I already liked these people. They had some great backgrounds, and I was slowly beginning to learn everything that was going on. I got some new clothes, mostly in the color purple, and some food that I could cook. That was one of the few things I missed about home: cooking for people, but these people actually cared for my cooking. I got some help usually, there were 13 people living here after all, but I did most of it, staying at home, for I almost considered it a home, and working on other domestic chores while doing file work on the side.

At the usual time, around 7pm, they all started coming home from a hard day of work, setting and sitting at the table. I made some sandwiches tonight for a light meal because we have been eating a little heavy for a bit. As soon as Leader stepped in, we all waited for the daily announcements and then dinner.

"Good work today," Leader said, always praising us before the real announcements started, "we have a few people switching houses, so I need either volunteers or I will pick for you."

3 people stood up. They were Pinto, Spice, and Twig.

"Spice, sit down," Leader commanded. "Spider."

Spider stood reluctantly, pouting slightly.

"Pack your things after dinner," Leader said. " You will be moving tomorrow."

"Lindsay." He turned to me. "This will be the last day you will be called that. Tomorrow you will be given your new name, and a tattoo to celebrate."

"I don't like tattoos," I said, still sitting at the table.

"You're here, aren't you?" he said before changing the subject. "You will be heading over to Singer's house after dinner tonight. From there, you will be given your orders for your stay here."

I sighed a little bit, slumping in my chair. I was a little nervous, to say the least.

"Don't worry about it though. It's just a formality really."

I didn't give him an answer, just sat down and ate quietly.

***

Laura's POV

I popped a pepperoni into my mouth, watching Trevor playfully make lunch. Toby had me in his lap, snuggled next to him. I had moved into a spare bedroom in this house, but I don't really sleep in it. I usually sleep on the couch in Trevor's room, no matter how much he says he'll give up his bed for me.

Toby was breathing hard in my ear, a sound I knew very well by now. I quietly sighed, knowing where this was going to end up. And it was just as I knew it to be.

I unwrapped myself from Toby, walking toward Trevor in a pair of sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt, tired and upset. Trevor was standing in the kitchen, waiting for me to with love and advice.

Trevor gave me a small pill and a glass of water, which I gratefully drank. I carefully put it down on the table, looking at him steadily, even through the turmoil in my mind.

"You don't have to do that," Trevor said.

"Do what?" Tears were streaming down my face. I wasn't ready for all of this. There was so much going on. I needed my mom. I needed my sister. They weren't there though.

Trevor sat there patiently while I broke down in front of him, steadying me with his calm eyes. I soon stopped, curling into myself during the process.

"He hurt you," Trevor observed, keeping his eyes as calm as the water before a big storm, cupping my face in his hand.

"He always does," I whispered. A slight hiccup came out of me.

"You can stop," he said quietly. "You can stop anytime."

"I can't. My reputation is on the line."

"With him, you have no reputation,"