Is That Your Reason or Your Excuse?

"What do we do with her?" The man said as he looked sympathetically at the newly acclaimed orphan girl.

Scars and bruises ran up her arms, legs, and even lower back from the lashes the previous guardian had given her. An old woman that the girl was ashamed to even call her grandma. The woman was cruel and uncanny. All she did to the little girl was gripe and yell if something needed to be done. She never asked the girl to do something in a sweet motherly way, instead she lashed out at her with cruel words and malicious hits that left the girl speechless and in tears. Of course she always did what she was told. But the old woman's intention for hitting her in such a way were unknown.

She never gave the girl any new clothes or toys, either. She still had the same clothes she possessed when she first entered her new home with her grandma. Of course, it wasn't the old woman's fault she didn't have any clothes. It was simply bad income. The old woman was poor, she couldn't afford anything other then house bills and a small amount of food. Still, the girl never understood the woman's ineffectual cruelty.

The girl was happy she was dead, she could never stand the yelling and never the hits. Maybe there could be peace now.

"She has some relatives in California. I hear they have live in a nice mansion," another man said who seemed much older and grey.

"Why wasn't she placed with them in the first place?"

"They're servants," The elder said.

"Oh…"

And in that "Oh" she heard dejection. She didn't know it then but this would be the last time she had any sense of freedom…

"Amy!"

I opened my eyes mechanically and alarmed at the simple sound of my name. I quickly sat up from my bed and looked around, searching for the source of the voice. I realized the plain scenery around my makeshift room was blurry and began rubbing the sleepiness from my eyes. I quickly saw a figure approach me and grab either sides of my shoulder.

"Amy, come on! Quickly!" Aunty Wendy said frantically shaking me gently.

"What's going on Aunty?" I mumbled.

"The boys have left for school and the Mr. and Mrs. Baker want the whole house clean and tidy by the time they get home today. Its young Master Zacky's birthday. We have to work extremely hard today. So I need you to get up now and help out. There's no time to waste!"

"Okay, okay," I grumbled as I got to my feet and began getting dressed.

"When you get done," Aunty began. "I need you to go into all the bathroom and clean them up as best you can. That's your duty for today."

"Got it," I said as I wrapped my raggedy apron on from the hook that was nailed right beside my bed.

I walked over to the extremely small mirror that hung next to the hook and began pulling my hair back into a secure ponytail. I did this less then a second and began to get my supplies around my tiny room.

Well, I wouldn't really even call it a room. It was just a corner in a larger room that was shared with all the other ten servers that lived in this basement. It was mandatory that all servers live in the basement, they were never to come to contact with the people who owned the house unless instructed to do so. It was just how it always was.

I've been here for eleven years since I was five. I've never even made eye contact with the owners of this curious house. I wasn't allowed to. And also, they were barely ever home. They always were at working making the money that allowed them this luscious life in the first place. All I knew about the owners was that they were married and had two boys, around the same age as me. Especially when I was little, I was always curious of those two boys.

Simply by the fact that out of the ten servers in this basement, I'm the only adolescent. I always felt alone and I always wanted to meet those two boys. But the rules prevented me from doing so, by the time they got back from school I was ordered back in the basement. It was torture.

Its not like we could never leave the basement, we just could never leave it when people were in the house and they could easily see us get out. But in all honesty, I've never seen anything outside this basement. The only thing I have linked to the outside world is a radio. A radio that I always listen to when I have free time. I wish I could escape this basement though, it gets scary living down here in California.

I always I have to hold on to my blanket when an earthquake happens, I think it should be illegal to even have basements in California. But its not like anyone cares about us anyways.

"Hurry Amy!" Aunty yelled.

"Coming!" I said as I grabbed the last of my supplies which was a sponge and a few cleaning detergents. I ran up the stairs of the basement and to the kitchen it led to. From there I began making my way throughout the house and to several bathrooms. I always wanted to know: Why so many bathrooms for such a small amount of people? There were six and there were only four living here and they only used three. But Aunty said every room in the house must be cleaned, even if the birthday party was only going to be in the living area and dining room.

I never complained however, it was useless. We had a job and it always had to be done. Otherwise if we didn't do the job where would we be?

"In the streets, that's where! We'd might as well begin to practice how to hold cups up to people's faces!"

At least that’s what Uncle Joe always says. I'd rather live in a dingy basement then in a cardboard box. I was just grateful to be under a roof, even if life wasn't as fortunate as it could be it was still good. I had a loving and caring family. What more could I ask for?

Sure maybe a house of my own, but I could never bear to just leave Aunty and Uncle Joe here alone. They still needed me. And I began enjoying the work I had everyday. Cleaning was one of the things I was really good at. It was basically the only thing I was good at. Other then reading, but I don't think that’s considered a skill. But I guess it doesn't matter since cleaning has always been my thing.

"Are you done here?" Aunty said as I scrubbed the last of the tub from the last bathroom.

I wiped the small glands of sweat from my forehead and got up from my knees. I looked over at her, who stood at the door frame, and nodded at her.

"Yup," I said with the triumphed smile as I looked at my watch.

12:34 PM

"Good, because Gertrude fell and bruised her ankle and since she can't do it I need you to Clean up both young Master Zacky and Matt's room," She said as she walked off.

I groaned. Only two hours to clean both rooms! Impossible! Especially by the size of both of them! But I didn't complain, obviously, and quickly ran up to one of the rooms.

I tried to do things in a hast pace but not sloppily when I entered the first room, which was Matt's. I cleaned his room and even vacuumed. I was even impressed by how quickly I got done with his room, though it wasn't as messy as I predicted.

Next, I went Zacky's Room. When I pushed the door opened I literally gaped. His whole room looked like it was suddenly struck by an earthquake and then a tornado hit it as the aftermath. There was no way I could finish this room in an hour! I quickly took a deep breathe and began cleaning.

I started by making his bed and then working on top of his drawers and then his floor. Picking up strewn clothes from the ground. I was in such a rush and in my one little cleaning world that I didn't even notice how the time flew.

After a few moments I heard the door knob turn. I quickly looked at my watch.

2:35

Crap!

They're suppose to be home by now, and I'm almost positive I'm going to get killed if Zacky catches me in his room! Him and his parents.

Why didn't I check the time sooner?

As the door opened I bit my lip, not hoping for the worst.