When asked about interesting people one afternoon outside of Festus High School a group of students simultaneously exclaimed, "You gotta meet Kian Spatafora, she dresses real crazy and lives in a cave!"

For an average Festus teenager Kian Spatafora, 15, has a curious life being the oldest of three children in a family of five living in a cave. She is interested in many of things expected and not of a creative fifteen year-old -- she spends hours chatting online with friends who've moved away or playing video games in the family den. She reads avidly such titles as 'Twilight' and other such fantasy novels, has a passion for wearing wigs, foxy hats and outrageous outfits.

Yet beyond her cave home and colorful exterior Kian is a remarkable adolescent. Like many her age she's shy to a degree and seeking to define her own identity. Yet for all that appears to be girlish naivete, under the surface she exudes a sense of confidence and certainty about who she is and what kind of person she wants to be. It's clear she's doing it her way. "I just want to be real with myself and be surrounded by real people. I think I can tell when people are being real -- that's so important," she said.

Members of the high school cross-country team run past Kian on Main St. Left with nothing to do and no available friends to hang out with on an off day from school Kian made the 15 minute trip on foot from the cave to Main Street in order to trade in in and purchase video games.