Tori's Misfits

Chapter Two

The morning bell rings causing me to jerk awake. It feels like I just went to bed. I slowly get up and begin to get dressed, hissing in pain as my blouse touches my back. I look over and see Carli and Jaccia shaking their heads but neither say a word as they make our beds.

I headed to the nursery, joined by my friends and the two older girls on the way. They quickly get the children up and make the beds, allowing me to set out the clothing needed for the day. After the youngest are dressed and ready, we go to stand in line at the top of the stairs. I see the boy from yesterday heading out of the middle room and nod at him. He looks down and joins the line with his head down.

We then head down to the dining area and get seated. As the last person sits, we hear the breakfast bell, and a sigh of relief can be heard. The doors to the kitchen open and the oldest girls bring out a platter of toast and sausages and two large bowls of oatmeal, sitting them on the table.

In unison, we all say, “Thank you for the food. May the gods use it to strengthen our bodies for the work we must do. May we continue to be blessed.”

The carer then says, “you may begin.”

Two carers stand and watch to make sure no one gets more than they are allowed, and all the food is eaten. When the meal is finished, the younger children leave with a carer, while we older girls begin gathering the dishes. The girls that served today will wash and put away the dishes and my friends and I are responsible for cleaning the table and floors of the dining area.

When the clean-up is complete, and we are heading to our rooms, we are startled to hear the bell ringing. Glancing at each other to see if anyone knows what is going on, we rush to the main room and line up on the far wall. The carers bring the younger children in, and they stand in two roles in front of us.

Madam Kim strolls in with an unknown couple explaining to them, we have just finished our morning meal. The man nods his head, and after talking quietly to Madam Kim, the younger children are excused and taken out by a career.

The lady asks, “what are their ages? We want to make sure.”

“Girls, raise your left sleeve and show them your number," Kim tells us.

“Why are the children branded?” asked the woman in a loud voice, staring at the black numbers much like a tattoo on our arms.

“The tattoos are given to the children before they are assigned to a home. It allows the officials to know which children and how many are assigned to each orphanage.”

“Do we know what they are?” the man asks, running his hand over Jaccia’s tattoo.

Jaccia stands looking straight ahead like taught, making no effort to pull away despite the fear in her large brown eyes.

“Not the children with three numbers, they came in with no information and were too young to question. The children with four numbers have basic information. Five numbers mean that we have a complete background and family history on their file.”

She then tells the girls, with three numbers, that they are excused and to go about their day. As we are leaving, I hear the man asking about Jaccia. Madam Kim shuts the door behind us, preventing me from hearing any response she may have made.

Jaccia, Carli, and I head upstairs where the younger children are sitting quietly in their rooms. The carers in their uniforms of white blouses, long black skirts, hair pulled into tight buns, and rigid posture sitting outside each door ensure that no disruptions will reach the guests downstairs.

The older carer at the door to the children's four through ten room informs us we are to take the children out the back way and attend to outdoor duties until called back in. She and Miss Jayla will attend to the infants and toddlers.

We remind them with hands over our mouths to stay silent for now so as not to disturb Madam Kim. We then led the children down the dark stairway through the kitchen and out the back door. We grab the empty baskets and continue in a straight line until after entering the woods.

I then drop my barrier and ask Tia to help listen for dangers, “we can talk when we get to the berry field beside the clearing, and the littles can play.”

We work quickly to fill the baskets with berries as we talk. Thus, ensuring that the required amount of work is completed even as the littles play.

The littles love days like this when they can run and play, trusting us to keep watch. Madam Kim and the carers can never know that we allow this. The punishment for all would be harsh as we are to always be working for the benefit of those above us.

“The war is near, and more people are turning up to ask for help,” I say, then give the girls the details I know.

“The officials are trying to keep order by having those with families placed first, then with others of the same species. Those able are asked to sign up for war parties, they must give their names, species, and any special abilities. The town is filled with extra people and Jace has stated that the confusion will help us to get away.”

“When did Jace say we can go?” asked Jaccia.

“He will leave tonight, and we will leave tomorrow when they send us to pick up the laundry from the boys’ side. Carer Jayla and Mister Toban always go to his room for at least thirty minutes.”

“Tori” I hear from Tia.

I whistled and all the children lined up, we picked up the baskets of berries, and we quickly walk towards the orphanage. After about ten minutes, we see Carer Jayla heading towards us.

“You can all return to your normal duties now”.

“Yes, ma’am”.

That night, after everyone is in bed, I think about all that has happened since being at the orphanage. I fully believe our decision to leave is the only option to keep us safe.

The girls that the couple chose are no longer at the orphanage and any belongings left are destroyed. From experience, we know that nothing will be said about them again, as if they never existed at the orphanage. I am not sure what happens to the older girls when they leave, but it can’t be good.

Some say the boys are luckier as they are moved to the warrior side and trained to fight. Our friend Jace was moved to the training side just over a year ago, and two of the boys are to be moved soon. They will stay until they are old enough to be sent out to defend territories or war parties.

I am not sure if they are luckier than the girls, but at least we know what happens to them. Many runaway when sent out and others are chosen by the leaders to stay in their territories, allowing them normal lives.

Most of us know of no other life, but the stories Jaccia has shared over the years give us reason to dream of a better life. The four of us decided to leave before we were old enough to be sent away from the orphanage grounds.

Jace, being the oldest, promised before he was moved to the warrior side to help us leave when the time was right. Since personal interactions between the older girls and boys are limited, it has been hard to spend time together making our plans. For these reasons, Jace, Carli, Jaccia, and I have gotten good at sneaking off, and he has been teaching us to defend ourselves.

We plan on leaving but staying in a neighboring town where we can find work. Once we are safe and settled we will work on how to get the littles help.