“Hannah and Kennedy explained to us humans would want to have privacy. We realize this is something you have been denied for a long time,” Gunth said pointing to two drape covered openings in the rock wall.

Gunth led us to inspect the smaller drapes along the back of the cave. Behind them were individual sleeping areas. A torch was present just inside. A narrow, low bed was in each room. Simple brown sheets and a quilt covered the beds. There was also some shelving carved into the wall itself.

I inspected the shelving and was surprised. There was a towel for drying, a hair brush, and what appeared to be a toothbrush. Several ties were also present, they Looked like the ones Evan used to bind his hair.

“You and Rose may make yourselves another outfit," Gunth explained, “or you may ask one of the tailors to make something you would Like. It is your choice. Your clothing pieces can be folded and stored here when you are not using them."

I stood in the middle of the first bedroom with Rose and I noted how small and Lonely it was. The tears tried to come, but I swallowed them. Now was the time to figure this place out, not break down.

Placing a hand on the cool stone shelving I remembered what Gunth had said. We could have another outfit.

“How would we acquire outfits?" I asked. "We have no... way to pay..."

Gunth smiled gently and motioned us out of the tiny room and into the main area.

“Sit with me," he said, “and I will explain.”

Rose and I sat together on one of the Larger cushions. It felt like it was filled with small seeds and molded around us as we sat. The chair was remarkably comfortable.

Gunth was quite informative. Everything in this camp was shared. The food was grown and distributed equally. Housing was provided by the women, who dug it out for us. Beds were put together by woodworkers. Cloth was made and used by the tailors to make clothing. Weapons were made and distributed by the smiths. When we needed something, we only had to ask.

Greed was not well tolerated here. If we had more clothes than anyone else, our requests for more would be ignored. If we hoarded food and another went hungry, the Administrators would sanction us. Resources were to be respected.

I looked down at my skirt and was too numb to think of any questions. Rose had a more level head than I did. I felt her tense as she spoke to Gunth. It was a big step for her.

“How do we wash? Where is the water?" she asked tentatively.

“How do we clean our clothes?"

I realized she was right. I'd never washed clothes on this planet. Gunth explained there were two ways to wash our clothes.

There was a well located just downstairs, we could get drinking water from that and water to fill the tub. We could ask men to carry it up for us. We could wash our clothing here if we wanted.

Almost everyone used the lake hidden deeper in the mountain to bathe their clothing and bodies, but it was public. It was located over heated stones, so the water was very warm. That was the preferred place.

"Not many other camps have a bathing area like we have," he said proudly. "My Brothers and I find the water very soothing. It is a point of pride for us."

Since humans liked privacy, the tub in our rooms was a special adjustment for us. Some families had one, for one reason or another, but most everyone bathed together. We could be an exception and that was fine, though.

Gunth described the thing we would use to wash our own clothes near the lake. He called it a wash board and said we could get one if we wanted it. Rose noted the description was exactly Like a washboard she had used as a young girl to clean things on Earth. She promised to teach me to use one.

As for waste, the camp had recently installed lacquered pots. There were several public rooms we could use to relieve ourselves. One was on this floor and Gunth would show it to us. Not many other free camps had managed to install the drainage for the Lacquered pots yet. This place was ahead of its time.