Baskadia

Chapter 6

   "No you don't!" I did my best to keep my voice steady. Despite the fact that I liked his nice sounding voice, I felt lonely.
   "Do you mind coming with me, Tesher?"
   My brain became confused, what should I do? I looked up at him and saw the seriousness in his face, he stood patiently just like a gentleman.
   "Uh... yeah". I stood up and followed him outside, we went through so many passageways, and we finally stopped in front of a door.
   "What's behind the door?" I asked.
   "You'll see", Uri said as he opened it.
   The view of the other side was breathtaking.
   "I guess we've found the exit door", my voice came out in a way I didn't expect. "It's beautiful".
   "Lets go outside", Uri said as he took my arm and dragged me with him.
   "Hey, where are you taking me?"
   There was no response. He kept on dragging me till we reached a fountain.
   "This is where I go anytime I'm missing home", he sat on the rim of the fountain. "Sit down", he patted the space beside him. I sat.
   To be honest, sitting with a guy I just met (whom I admire) made butterflies twirl in my stomach.
   Uri elevated his gaze to the sky and spoke. "When I was in Quantum, I never got the chance to know who my mum and dad was. Mum always said that I will restore dignity to my grandfather's name (Uri), with that, she named me after him", he looked at me, when he saw the confused look on my face, he simplified his words. "That's what Butler tells me".
   I nodded in response. He continued, "Butler never speaks of my dad, he always gives me the same response anytime I ask him: ...your dad was a kind and nice looking man, always smiling... that's all he tells me. At the time Butler and I were sent here, mum had already prepared a message for the family that would be receiving us".
   I grew confused, I hadn't seen anyone around the neighbourhood, and I was saving the question for future asking, until now. "Where are they?"
   In the dim moonlight, I noticed Uri close his eyes. "They're gone", his voice was so calm. The gentleness of his voice reduced the density of the words.
   "I... I am sorry", I wanted to do something, I wanted to hold hid hands or give him mommy's type of comfy hug, but I was afraid he might refuse it.
   "When we were almost in the planet, Elvis detonated Quantum, then he erased human race from here".
   I just stared at him blankly, I followed his gaze and saw what he was looking at.
   "These stars over here", he pointed at three stars which arranged to form a triangle. "I always assume they are mum, dad and me".
   I shivered.
   Uri sighed, "we have to go back now, it's getting cold". He stood up and extended his hand to me. Right in the dim light coming from the moon, I felt my face blush. I had my hands in his as we walked back into the house.
   Butler took me to a room on the last floor, according to him, the room will be mine for now. Uri also gave me an electronic tablet which I can use to view directions to anywhere in the house.
   "I'm really sorry, Miss... for what I said earlier", Butler apologised.
   "It's okay, Butler", I had totally forgotten about what he said.
   He smiled at me, "if you need anything, notify me".
   "Sure... I will".
   "Goodnight, Miss"
   "Night night, Butler", I said as I closed the door behind me.
   Looking at the big comfy bed at the left corner of the room made me drowsy. As much as I wanted to sleep in this strange universe, I still preferred sleeping on my own bed at home with mommy beside me.
   What if sleeping here makes me wake up on Earth? At that thought, I went to take a shower, then I went straight to bed.

   The next morning, I woke up surprisingly late. Things are different in this universe, and time is one of them. How long did I sleep? I only slept for a few hours and now, I am waking g up 10:57 am. How?
   I quickly cleaned up, then I went downstairs with the help of the direction tablet.
   I bumped into Butler on my way to the living room. How did I bump into him? I mistook him for a statue because, this time, he was on white suits and he was replacing a worn out light on a pillar, so I mistakenly leaned against his hips.
   "Good morning, Miss", at the sound of his voice, I almost jumped out of my skin.
   "Butler... oh my goodness! I am so sorry", my voice almost failed me.
   "It's okay, Miss", Butler said as he shifted his position. "I hope you enjoyed your sleep".
   "Yes. I enjoyed it... but I overslept".
   Butler looked down at me, "am I correct by saying Earth uses twenty-four hours in a day?"
   "Yes. That's right".
   "Right here in Quantum 7, it's eighteen hours".
   "That's the reason why I'm waking up by 10:57 am. Did I miss anything?" I was a bit hungry and I couldn't afford missing breakfast.
   "No, were idea to wait till you wake", Butler said with a faint smile.
   "Okay, so where are we?"
   "Breakfast... first".
   "Do you mind if I give you a hand in the house chores from now on?" I didn't want to just sit all day and watch Butler do all the chores, at least, let me make myself a bit useful.
   "Sure, Miss. Let's get on with it", Butler sounded a bit happy, seeing that he had someone working with him.

  Things went on smoothly like that for the next four days. I got used to the time difference, the weather, the quietness of the manor and I even got along well with Butler and Uri. Working with Butler was the strangest thing ever, despite his huge size, he's always straight to the time; he's never late and he always treated with respect.
   Although, Uri didn't seem to get on with the fact that I would be helping Butler while preparing meals, but after he tasted the smores dip I made, he decided that we should be making it every evening for dinner.
   Uri and I also got to know ourselves well, when I told him I was either fourteen or fifteen years (due to the number of days I'd spent in the planet), he said he'd totally forgotten about his age. He had something most girls on Earth would die for; he had a caring nature. Whenever we're together, before he does anything, he'll always ask me if I'm cool with it. He is gentle, calm, nice and always smiling. Most times, I usually wonder if he knew me before I book traveled into this planet.
   On my seventh day in the planet (seventh day, because I actually didn't know what day it was in Quantum 7), I woke up earlier than before. Why?
   It took me a while before I discovered that it was the house that gave a soft vibration.
   I went downstairs without the direction tablet (I had already gotten used to the strange turns and unending paths in the house), when I was halfway down the stairs, I froze. It had changed completely. It no longer had the inner view of a house, it looked more like the control room in submarines.
   I moved slowly down the stairs, into the room. I saw Butler sitting in front of a computer, talking into the mic. I wondered how he could fit into that small chair without any dent on it.
   At the instant he noticed my presence, he stood up surprisingly easily, and came over to me.
   "I'm sorry, Miss, but you have to go back to your room", he said with a hand on my shoulder.
   "Why? What's happening?" I've only watched this kind of scene in movies, I haven't actually been in it before. Experiencing it an another planet where there are only two people whom you know, made me uneasy. At least if it was on Earth, there's police to call, there are also neighbours to run to; but being here, it's only Butler, Uri and I.