Sam was too scared to go to sleep readily, but eventually, his eyes grew too heavy, and he fell into an uneasy sleep. Twice he woke up from nightmares he could not remember. When his eyes opened and focused on an odd shape in front of the dresser, he was instantly awake. His heart racing, he pulled his legs to his chest and pressed into the corner where his bed met the wall. Light from the window began to brighten the room. It was just the washbowl and pitcher. They must have been put back in a weird position when he washed up the night before.

The doors unlocked, as they did every morning. Sam was already dressed and ready, and he noticed that the light under the door didn't change when the click echoed around the room. He opened the door, stepping out into the hall.

The pale cream walls and dark wood floor boards reminded him of home. No adornments, just plain walls and plain wood. The plainly dressed people shuffling past fit right in. Chiro was waiting at his door, so Sam shut his and hurried over.

"I was up when my door unlocked this morning. I don't think there was anyone outside of it! Maybe the place is haunted..."

A weak smile rose to Chiro's lips. "They are electronic locks. I guess you breakers use the little metal bits to get your doors open and closed?"

"Keys? Yes, how can...are they like that thing in your head? The metal thing?" Sam hated feeling so lost all the time. Once he accepted that Chiro wasn't making things up, he began to see little signs all around him. The flames in the dining room sconces never flickered. The ice box made a weird humming noise if he put his ear to it. Cook had looked at him strangely when he caught Sam checking that one.

"No, but I guess yeah, because it is technology that you never saw before, so it probably looks similar. It is closer to the windows. Ordinary house systems. "

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"The windows unlock? But they are just one piece!"

Chiro's smile turned into a chuckle. "Those are screens, breaker. When rich people don't like the area their homes are in, they use them instead of real windows. Like the terraforming didn't take too well, and the trees got all gnarled or something. So they have the screen show a picture of something they like more."

Sam fell quiet as he considered. Who would want to see that eerie image all the time? It was creepy the way the fog was always creeping.

The two boys moved with the flow of the group into the dining room. They sat in their usual seats and watched two new faces standing off to the side. A young woman and a middle-aged man they had never seen before were waiting to see what seats would be open before sitting.

"Where is the laundry man?" Chiro whispered to Sam, but butler walked in and stood against the bare wall of the servant's dining area. His eyes roved across everyone present, but Sam was sure that he lingered on the two boys. The food was served quickly, though, and he chose to eat and not look at the stern man.

During one of butler's leaves, Chiro leaned in closer. "I heard something moving around last night again, but just footsteps. Had a hard time getting back to sleep."

"Think it was the laundry man?" Chiro didn't answer, and Sam finished his oatmeal.

After Chiro went off to his job, scrubbing whatever it was he had to clean that day, Sam began to carry the used dishes into the kitchen. Butler spoke something in the new girl's ear, and she picked up some bowls and followed. That was all the guidance Sam received the first day, as well. Go with the serving girl, cook will tell you your job. Only this time it was Follow the kitchen boy, he reckoned.

Sure enough, cook explained to her that she would be responsible for serving their meals, cleaning up, and taking trays up to set outside the lord's room. Sam's ears perked up. Rarely was any breath given to mentioning the person who the manor belonged to.

When the girl stepped back out to get plates, Sam tried to casually bring up the topic of the lord again.

"Does the lord only eat in his room? What if he has guests?"

Cook looked as though he was considering not answering. Finally, he patted Sam on his shoulder and said, "The Lord doesn't have guests. Now, I want you to scrub those pots a little harder. I found a spot in one yesterday."

Sam nodded and started washing dishes while the new girl finished bringing in the remains of their breakfast.