On my twelfth birthday, Mary-Sue paid me a visit. She was wearing the necklace I made for her when I was three. She told me I was going to be moved to an orphanage down the lane and that all the older children were there as well. I felt a sigh of relief cascade over my trembling body. That explains why the others had disappeared, I thought to myself. Nothing bad had happened to them.

Mary-sue explained that this was a branch of my current orphanage, The Sunshine Group. She told me it was an orphanage just for older children. If we had not been adopted before the age of twelve we would be sent here. It was called The Woodside Group.

She instructed me to get dressed, and said she would drive me over for a visit. I got dressed in a new outfit I had received for my birthday and met her outside. We got in her old station wagon. I liked the station wagon. I always got to ride in it when she took us on trips. Five children rode in her station wagon, while the rest got split up in two other cars that didn’t have a radio or a cassette player. I got to ride in the front because Mary-sue told me I was her favorite. She said I reminded her of herself when she was a girl.

One hour later we arrived at our destination. It was a beautiful building with flower gardens all around. The Sunshine Group didn’t have any of that stuff. It was so rundown it looked like it would cave in at any moment, but it never did. I thought I would love the Woodside Group. Mary-Sue had told me that there was a gigantic library and a huge backyard. She told me that I could even have my very own tree house. I was so excited!

Mary-sue told me we needed to go back and pack up my belongings. I really did not want to leave. Everything was the beautiful. One of the workers came out and offered to show me around a bit. Mary-Sue said she would pack my stuff, which was just clothing. We were not allowed to own toys or books or anything like that. I had a limited variety of clothing. We all wore the same thing day in and day out. I hated wearing the oversized navy blue button down shirts and khaki slacks that had holes and tears in them. I had no choice but to wear them, for if I did not I would be severely punished.

The worker that showed me around was a boy around seventeen or eighteen. He had wavy golden blond hair that fell below his ears. He had a deep tan and was hemp necklaces and bracelets. He did not speak much. The only time he ever said a word to me was when he told me to follow him. I could tell he was a new worker here because we actually got lost when he took me to a path that ran through the woods. We came up to a small cabin. It looked vaguely familiar. Actually it was similar to the cabin that Mary-Sue took us to often. Nevertheless, I knew it was not the same because Mary-Sue’s had a huge tool shed out front.

It took us a couple of hours to return to the orphanage, and Mary-sue was waiting for us on the porch.

“Hello, darling. I have brought your clothing to your new room. Maxwell here can take you up there.”, Mary-Sue said as I walked up the porch steps.

“Oh! Yes! Come this way!” Maxwell said turning to face me. “It’s the last room on the right ain’t it?” he asked Mary-Sue.

“Maxwell, it is. Now you remember your grammar if you are going to work for me.” She scolded him sternly.

“Of course! I am so very sorry for the inconvenience.” he replied. Turning to me he said, “Follow me and do not get lost.”

He kept his head down during the walk to my room. When I entered it I almost fainted. There was only one bed. That meant I got my own room! I always had to share with about five other girls before.

“Yippee!” I nearly shouted. “I’ve got my own room!”

Later on that day I decided to walk through the orphanage to introduce myself to the others. I saw many of them wandering aimlessly through the halls. Not one acknowledged me when I said hello. They looked as if they were living a nightmare. I figured it was the noise that come from the woods, but twelve is pretty old to be scared of nighttime noises. Something else was also off about them, but I could not put my finger on it.

Later on, as I was getting up from tying my sneaker, I bumped into a boy.
“Oh! I am so sorry! I did not see you.” I apologized to him.

He said nothing and scurried off. Before he left I stared into his eyes and almost fainted. They were RED. Not the color of red you sometimes get with a camera but a fiery, burning, flame-like red. He headed to the basement, and I started to follow, but Maxwell caught me by the arm.

“Sally, you must not go down there. It is the career room. Do not worry, you will get to use it when it is time.” he told me.

“Oh, ok! I am sorry! I did not know!” I replied to him.

I quickly learned to avoid the basement. Later on I often heard screaming coming from the basement. I thought it was just the children playing pranks on each other, but it could not have been that. They never talked. I knew sometime weird was going on, but I had no way of finding out because the heavy basement door was always locked. It was one of the few rules hear. The only other rule was to stay away from Mary-Sue at night. I wonder why?