The kitchen was loud and full of steam. Tessa and Althea stood at the work table, heads down. Peeling potatoes like their lives depended on it.
Beatrice went to the sink to scrub the pans. Tessa saw me and waved. I walked over.
"Done with the rooms?" she said.
"Not really," I picked up a potato. "Might go back later to finish up."
"Oh, okay," Tessa said and focused on the potatoes.
Three hours later, the chores were done. We’d eaten, too. Cold Chicken and fried potatoes
Althea checked the clock over the stove. "Downtime," she said. We took our aprons off and headed to our rooms.
We got one break a day. Ninety minutes after morning chores. Then work, until light out. Light out was ten.
I usually spend mine in my room, sleeping mostly. Sometimes in the staff lounge, staring at th
