Tori's Misfits

Chapter One

Tori’s POV:

There are only a few days left until I am free. I cannot let them stop me now. I am dashing towards the orphanage, hoping for a miracle. Why me? I wonder seeing the Carers sneering at me as I get to the door. I stop and stand with my hands behind my back, keeping my eyes down and waiting for their punishment.

“223 late again,” snaps Carer Jayla. “What’s your excuse this time?”

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, letting my voice shake.

“Sorry doesn’t seem to mean much, since this is the second time this week,” she replies. “No supper tonight and you will do all evening chores by yourself. Then report to Madam Kim’s office.”

“Yes ma’am,” I say.

I run inside and see the others sitting in the dining hall. Wait, two chairs are empty, not just mine. “Who is missing and why?” I wonder. I glance at my two best friends, Carli and Jaccia. They look worried and scared, “For me or the little one missing?” I ask myself. Carli rolls her eyes toward the office even though they do not dare talk. The Carers watch us like hungry vultures, ready to attack at any sign of weakness.

I shiver and hurry to the kitchen, knowing I must wash all the pans by myself. The pans are greasy and heavy. I know I will not finish before more come in from the dining area. Carli and Jaccia will do what they can to help me, but they must be careful not to get caught.

I glance up through the window and notice Jace. He is steadily chopping wood from the communal pile stacked between the warrior and the children’s side. I know he is being punished since he is working through the dinner hour. He pauses and sets the ax down, stretching his arms up and removing his shirt. I stare at the red streaks covering the scars on his back and wince.

“Stop daydreaming and work faster, 223!” one of the Carers shouts, having noticed me looking out of the window. “You don’t want to keep Madam Kim waiting, do you?”

I bite my lip and shake my head. Dread filling me with the reminder of having to face Madam Kim again. I have no choice though, as she is the one who decides our fate here, having control over everything and everyone here.

The girls begin coming in with the dishes and I wash them as quickly as I can, knowing I still must sweep both the kitchen and dining area and wipe down the table. As Carli leaves the kitchen, I catch a glimpse of a letter B written in the leftover sauce on a plate. I quickly scrub it off, so the carer in the corner does not see it. My worry grows as I realize it is one of the older littles missing, and it is bad. I turn from finishing the dish and head to get the broom.

The carer looks at her notes and says, “Madam Kim wants you in her office, you can finish your chores later.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I state, switching directions to head to the office.

I knock on the door and hear a curt “Enter”. I slowly enter hating having to be here. Nothing good ever happens in this office. I make sure to pull the door shut behind me. I cross the open space to the small rug in front of Madam Kim’s desk. I stand on the rug and place my hands to my side, keeping my head bowed down.

“I hear you were late again, 223” she states, tapping her fingers on the desk.

“Yy….yes,” I stutter, making my voice sound low.

“It seems that I have children who don’t know their places” she states, walking around her desk and kicking at something beside it.

I hear a muffled whimper, barely audible over the thumping of my heart. Glancing over, I see one of the littles as he is crouching on the floor with his head on his knees, trying to appear as small as possible. I can tell that he is crying. The thought of him being hurt makes me shake with anger. I make sure to keep my head down, hoping she will think I am just scared.

I feel her nails as she grabs my hair and yanks my head back, asking, “What was your assigned punishment this time?”

“I had no supper and must do all the cleaning up myself, ma’am”.

“How many minutes late today 223?”

“Five, ma’am” I reply, gritting my teeth against the pain.

Letting go of my hair, she grabs the worn black leather riding crop off her desk. She turns to me again with a sinister smile and chuckles.

“I believe it will be doubled since this is the second time. Turn and lower your shirt.”

I slowly turn while unbuttoning my blouse. I let it drop to my waist, keeping my wrists and hands in the sleeves. I hear the hissing of the riding crop before I can brace myself.

“One” I force out and begin the count she demands. I make sure not to jerk or raise my arms as it only makes it worse. I can hear the muffled cries of the little one over the sound of the leather strap hitting my back, making me more determined not to scream.

“Ten,” I say, letting my shoulders sag from the pain.

“Pull your shirt up” she states.

Walking around me, she grabs the boy’s hair, causing him to let out a loud wail as she pulls him to a standing position. Tears are flowing down his face, and he is biting his bottom lip trying not to cry out again.

“Now, 4651” Madam Kim states, shaking him. “I believe you acted out during the lineup for supper. Since you are new and this is a first offense, I think four strikes and going to bed with no supper will suffice.”

I look up and see the boy shaking in fear, “May I please take the strikes, Madam, I will take responsibility for teaching him not to be disruptive.”

Madam Kim stares at me and taps the crop on her leg as if she is thinking. “I believe, if I agree, it will be doubled since you are older, and two more for talking without permission.”

I slowly nod my head, keeping it down. She shoves the boy to the side and motions me to turn. I again lower my blouse and straighten my shoulders, feeling the pain from the first ten strikes, a groan forces its way past my lips. I force myself to take the ten extra strikes but can’t stop the tears from flowing or the pain in my voice as I count.

After she finishes administering my punishment, she returns to sitting at her desk.

“Take the boy to his room, then return to your chores.”

“Yes, Madam.”

It is late when the chores are finished, and I am allowed to go to bed. Jaccia quietly comes over and motions me to lay on my stomach and begins cleaning the dried blood on my back. She wraps a torn cloth around me to keep the wounds clean. Then she returns to her bed. Without pulling on a night shirt, I turn to my side and sleep.