Don't Move

A Cycle

Due to the amount of work that keeps coming and repeating itself, I never get to read the book or understand the culture of the people around me.

The night comes quickly every day but never stays long enough. I struggle to sleep as I think about the tattoos on the kids and I look at my own branding that shows a child on it, which confirms to me that their branding must give them a job to do, but when do they get their branding?

In the middle of the night, I hear my specialised alarm going off so I rush in my sleeping clothes to the room calling me. I find Alora sitting beside Udeline as she vomits uncontrollably and at first, I think it is normal sickness, but then I notice the blood. My eyes widen.

"Oh Athena," Alora says with tears in her eyes, "call the doctor quickly." I nod as I rush to get the doctor and they come quickly.

After some time I head to bed because even though this is the first day when the kids don't have school, they still need to be up bright and early.

Before I can even get my life in order, I hear another alarm go off and I rush to that room.

"Take care of Edolie for now," she demands and I nod in agreement as I take the little girl with me while I wake up the other little ones and get them ready for the rest of the day. After taking care of them and getting them to breakfast, Edolie shreaks in pain and start vomiting blood too which causes me to rush to get her to the doctor.

I go to check on Udeline later in the day, but once I walk into the room.

"You!" Alora screams at me, "you are the reason why everyone is getting sick." My eyes widen, "Madam...I didn't...I would never." She slaps me so hard that I fall to the floor and tears start to form in my eyes.

James walks into the room to find this scene unfolding, "What is going on?"

"She was with Udeline and Edolie," Alora says seriously, "she is the common factor between them. She even feeds them." My heart starts to pound as James looks at me with accusing eyes.

"What do you have to say Athena?" James says with anger in his eyes. "I don't know what's happening with them sir," I say honestly, "I am sorry if I have been negligent."

The rest of the children are standing there watching the scene unfold as well.

Anax looks to me questioningly like he doesn't believe it.

"Why should we believe that?" Kamali says seriously, "everyone lies to protect themselves. Where is the evidence that she is innocent?" "And where is the evidence that she is guilty?" Anax says seriously which causes him to get a smack from his mother. James smiles at those words, "I will investigate it and whoever has done this rather come forward and confess otherwise the punishment will be brutal. I don't care who they are. They will be punished with the punishment they have imposed on another and banishment for a time."

Camden steps forward, "It was...me. I was angry with her for getting me in trouble." James sighs, "Punishment reduced but valid. Come on Camden let's go. Alora and Kamali, apologise."

They sigh and look towards me, "Sorry."

After the drama is over, it seems James takes the opportunity to spend time with each mother and their children, so I am given the day to do pretty much nothing.

"Basilah," James calls and I see the yellow-eyed lady enter the room with Norah and Emery.

As I walk around the palace-like home, I see Anax having a serious conversation with Ivaan, Kabir, Imogen and Udeline.

I try to listen in.

"You need to love all fourteen siblings," Anax says seriously, "yes, you may be more attached to your mother's children, but you are all siblings." They nod in shame.

"Alora," James calls and her children: Hagan, Udeline and Imogen run off to join her. I smile at her as she runs past me, but Anax catches me staring at their conversation.

"Athena," he calls as I try to walk away. "Yes sir?" I say nervously as he comes closer. "Be careful," he says seriously, "there is a lot of politics going on in this type of home especially because of the different species involved. I nod, "Sorry for prying, Sir." He nods, "Has my father talked to you about who might be choosing you to have their child?" My gaze jolts up to meet his eyes and then I look back down, "N-n-n-no, Sir."

My hands start to get sweaty as he says this and my heart sinks at those words.

"Well it is a part of life for all females," he says seriously, "maybe I might choose you." I look up at him again but he has already started walking away.

My mind starts to race and my heart pounds, so I make my way to my room to find a few girls sitting around.

"Are any of you chosen by Kerogen's to have their child?" I ask them and some of them nod. "It is rare for a human to be able to have their children, so they take that opportunity as quickly as they can otherwise you end up having more slaves for future use," a girl says honestly, "like me." I look at her with confusion, "What do you mean?" "Well," she says quietly, "I am paired with a human man and you don't have sex like that but they implant it in you and once the child is old enough to go to school so 6 years of age then they take the child away which allows you to get visitation only." "So it's better to have a Kerogen's child?" I ask them and they nod, "why?" "You get some form of status and you don't have to work like this anymore," another girl says as she rubs her belly, "unlike me."

I sigh as I look at them and I decide to open the book, but I don't even get past the cover page before I hear shouting.

"Eden," James shouts, so I go outside to find the red-eyed lady walking alongside Anax, Berli and Cayle.

"Athena," I hear Alora shout so I rush up, "please take care of Imogen while I stay by Udeline because she is still sick." I nod as I take Imogen with me outside as she runs about causing the ground to shake around her.

"You know I am so strong because I will be joining the army," she says happily, "all army kids have powers." I smile at her, "That is nice." She rushes to the swing and then asks me to push her so I do just that.

As we walk back inside for lunch, I hear James shouting again.

"Ellerie," he says loudly as a human girl walks with Amoli, Kabir and Ivaan into the room.

I eat with Imogen and any other kids who decide it is time to eat.

"Kamali," I hear James shout and I jump causing the children to laugh as Alisha, Camden and Edolie go into the room.

I start walking past the rooms to make sure some of the kids are napping instead of playing around or being cranky.

I come across Amoli crying, so I knock to make sure she is okay, but she ignores me as I walk into the room.

"Are you okay?" I ask her and she shakes her head. "I sent a letter to my mate in the army as I went for the procedure to have children and it never worked while he was here, but I think it worked now," she says nervously, "I don't want to do this alone." "I know I am not him, but I can help you as much as you need," I say kindly, "if you need help, I am sure your father would be willing to let me prioritise you."

She hugs me tightly even though she shouldn't and at that moment her mother walks in and smiles at me kindly as Amoli excuses herself to go to her father.