Elements

The Truth (Bruno's POV)

It's been two years, six months and ten days since it happened.

We were starting bedtime routine. One by one we were taken to the bathroom to brush our teeth. And then one by one off to bed.

An hour, maybe two passed before I started to execute phase one of the plan.
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I snap awake, after what felt like somebody climbing on me. I look down to see Dezzy settling himself, as he rests his head on my chest.

"He hasn't slept very well the past four days."

I look over to find Calum fidgeting with a rubik's cube.

"Who are these other kids? And why are they here?"

He asks.

"Did we not tell you guys?"

"You told us we were going to have new friends join us. You never told us why."

"Somethings may be better left untold."

"WE DESERVE TO KNOW THOUGH!"

Complete silence follows. We both pause to see everyone stopped in their tracks. Each and every one of them gazing at us.

I look down to see Dezzy groggily staring at me.

"I am going to let Dezzy sleep. I will talk to you all about this after supper."
I say.

Calum roles his eyes, and goes right back to his rubik's cube.

After an hour or so, I gently place Dezzy in the hammock and sneak off to make supper.

We work as a team here. While I make the meals, some set the table. Others help wash the dishes afterwards. We try to make as fun as possible by singing and dancing. Just so it doesn't seem like so much of a chore. Sometimes, we'd have even more dishes to wash afterwards because of the mess we'd make from performing our favourite songs. No one seems to mind though. The smiles are more than worth it. Actually, I'd even go as far as to say they're more important. Especially after all these kids have been through.

Here they're free to run, play and train. We're not used as exhibit tools anymore; we're children. They spend one hour a day with Gill sharpening up on their skills. But rest of the day they're free too play tag, cards, colour or help with the chores when needed.

The sad thing out of all this... some of the older ones still feel that they have to be on guard. I mean, I guess they need to be sometimes. But, only sometimes. It breaks my heart to watch all the others play while Calum sits there, and watches everyone. This doesn't happen because he's being excluded. He feels the need to observe so he can protect everyone.

He loves the rest of us, and for the most part that's how he shows it. He'll only hug Dezzy, or I... and for some reason it has to be at exactly nine o'clock every night before bed. When Gill and I need to go on our excursions Dezzy sticks to his side almost the entire time.