Bonds Beyond Blood

Anna woke to find the usual pounding in her head. It never really went away. The hateful Ms. Wrath that ran the orphanage despised her. She never understood why. Her mere presence sent the woman off. Avoiding her was impossible. Keeping to herself had never worked. Ms. Wrath always found her when she was in the foulest of her moods. She had been tied down last night because she had dropped her fork on the ground at dinner. Anna was a quiet girl of 17. She was just waiting for the day she could leave. Many years ago, she had hoped to be adopted but gave it up after years of watching kids come and go. None of the parents ever chose her. They wanted younger, prettier, politer... What ever descriptive word Ms. Wrath could find to describe everything Anna wasn't in her mind. Years ago, Anna had found a friend in one of the little girls, but once she was adopted out, Anna lost interest in the idea of finding a friend. Raj came walking in to get the girls up and ready for Ms. Wrath to inspect. It was the same every morning they were in their rooms. Sometimes, they were locked in the basement of the massive building. It could be for days, depending on what they had done. Anna gently stood, trying to keep from falling over. Raj eyed her carefully as she stood. His eyes invaded her space. They pierced hers, and it always made her feel uncomfortable. Raj was 17 as well, but Anna would be shocked if he ever left. He had everything he needed. Ms. Wrath adored him. He was the only boy in the whole group. He got dessert and had better clothes and a room all to himself. His life was perfect for him. "Get moving!" Ms. Wrath's voice screeched. Instantly, all of them went to the trunks at the end of their beds to gather their nice cloths. Today was another visiting day. Another day, parents would come in and find a child to take home with them. They filed downstairs, and before them was a small feast. It was always the same. They were well fed before the parents arrived. The food brought them some color and kept them from looking too sickly. Tonight, they wouldn't be eating. All of the girls were skin and bones. Raj was small, but he had more muscle on him than anything else. He wasn't built large and muscular, but his body was well toned from the labor he did in the garden. They all ate slowly because they didn't want to be sick. Their bodies couldn't hold much food, so they had to be careful of how much they ate and how quickly. Any girl who ate too much too quickly would undoubtedly be sick. Once they finished their meals, they cleaned up and went into the one area of the massive house that was regularly maintained. This area was kept bright with welcoming colors. Here is where the children would meet potential parents. Standing in a line, they stood with their hands placed neatly in front of them. Anna did the same. Causing Ms. Wrath any anger today would earn them days in the basement. None of them wanted to go down there. Standing straight, Anna watched as the doors opened and parents came in to meet them. One couple caught Anna's eye. They were different from all the others. Their eyes looked sad and grey. Their clothes weren't brand new or full of color. They looked around the room at all the children. Raj stood in the corner next to Ms. Wrath. She had on that fake smile of hers. Her large teeth were on display and provided quite an unsettling sight. The parents all moved around and talked to the different children. The couple Anna spotted came straight for her. She felt nausea build up in her throat. Staying calm, she addressed the man and woman that came up to her. "What is your name?" The woman asked. She was dirty blond with her hair pulled back I to a low hanging pony tail. "Anna ma'am." She replied. "That's a beautiful name. I am Greg, and this is my wife, Jill." "Nice to meet you." She kept my eyes towards the ground and stayed in place. "Can you tell us a little about yourself?" Jill asked. "There's not much to know about me. I've lived my life here. I will be 18 in a few months." "Oh, that's exciting." Jill gave me a small smile. "Thank you. I am very excited." Anna tried being polite. "Are you interested in finding a family?" Greg asks. His words cut her. She felt a tear welling up in her eye. Deep down, she desperately wanted a family to call her own. Know what it felt like to have people around you who love you, but she had given up hope. "I would love a family, but I am too old now." Anna pointed out. Greg and Jill looked at each other. The sadness in their eyes deepening. "Would you be willing to consider coming to live with us for a trial period?" Jill asked. Anna felt her heart face in her chest. Was it finally happening? Fear gripped her. There was a long silence that followed before Anna finally gave her answer. "I would be okay with that." Greg and Jill's moods brightened. They quickly got up and walked over to Ms. Wrath. She escorted them into her bright and cheerful office. Anna continued to stand there, her thoughts racing. Her life was going to change, and she didn't know whether to be excited or terrified. Other parents walked about the room and talked with all the children. Laughter filled the room by the prospective parents. The children didn't really know how to laugh. When they had the stories they did, laughter wasn't something that happened often. It was mostly during these events that they got to smile and laugh, but even then, they had to be careful. An hour later, the group emerged from the room. Ms. Wrath came up to Anna. Using a voice she had never heard, she got Anna to go get her things. Anna turned to leave the room when she noticed Raj standing in the corner of the room. He had a look on his face, but Anna couldn't decipher it. Instead of pissing him off, she moved out of the room to go up and get the small bag of items she had in her trunk. Making her way down the stairs, she found Greg and Jill standing in the front room waiting for her. The whole time she was away from them, she kept pinching herself. She was unable to believe this was finally happening. Part of her was terrified when she got back to the room. They would be gone. Believing that they would second guess their decision. As she approached them, Raj came towards them with his own bag. Anna's heart began beating irradically. Fear consuming her. What was he doing here? Looking to Ms. Wrath, she looked furious at Greg and Jill. Her eyes were slits and a foul look was displayed. "We felt like you would need a friend, so we are adopting both you and Raj." He didn't look at her even though she was staring at him in disbelief. Never would anyone have ever guessed that Ms. Wrath would have allowed him to be adopted. "Are you ready to go?" Greg asked. Raj and Anna nodded.