The Oceans Legacy

Chapter I

Tallulah's day was going great, until naturally, it wasn't.

~Tallulah's POV~

The air was filled with the sound of a whip cracking as my back exploded with pain. The belt was trashed against my back too many times to count; this was the worst it has ever been. I should probably explain how I got here, shouldn't I?

Hi. My name is Tallulah, I turn nine in two weeks on July seventh. I live at the Brooklyn Home For Orphans. Yes, that's right, I'm an orphan. I lost my mum when I was 2, the people at the orphanage told me she died from a surgery, I don't know much else.

I never knew my dad, he wasn't ever around after I was born and my mum died when I was too young for me to remember anything she said about him. I have curly, raven hair that reaches past my shoulders, sea green eyes and lots and lots of freckles.

I am guessing that I got my hair and eyes from my dad because the only thing that makes me look like my mum is my freckles. I keep a photo of her in my box under my bed, it's the only thing I have to remember her by. I don't really have that many memories from before I came to the Home.

The Home is split into three wings, the centre wing is where we have school, and the wings on either side are for the boys and the girls. Our dorms are split, so we only get to see the boys during school, but like a lot of things you learn to live with it.

Mrs Cromwell is in charge of the Home and likes to keep a strict uniform policy. So we each have a white nightdress with long puffy sleeves for sleep, a plain grey dress that stops about two inches above our knees for our plain clothes (like for doing chores in and after school), our school uniform, and an adoption day outfit.

The school uniform has a few different options, though, so you get to mix it a little bit. We can wear either a grey dress with a flat collar with red piping and a matching red and grey striped tie or a grey skirt and a white collared shirt with the same red and grey tie. There is then a grey woollen sweater, grey blazer with red edging, long white socks and black shoes with either option. All of the uniforms have the Brooklyn Home For Orphans' emblem in red on the left-hand side of the chest.

Our Friday was going about as usual - we did our morning chores before going to school and then did our afternoon chores after school. However, the girl's warden, Miss Hansley, told us that we had an adoption day tomorrow.

Before I could even stop myself, I let out a mumble,
"What's the point? It's not like I'm going to get adopted anyway.".

It is true though, I have been here almost seven years, and I am yet to be adopted. We have an adoption day on the first Saturday of each month, so that's a lot of adoption days for me to go through and still not being wanted by anybody.

I guess nobody wants a kid who can't do anything right.

I knew the moment that Miss Hansley glared me down that this round was going to hurt. Once she finished talking to us, she asked for me to stay behind while the other girls went and got started on their chores.

She grabbed the back of my dress and dragged me through into her office. The door locked behind her, and I braced myself for what was about to come. I heard the chink of metal on metal as she unhooked the belt from the back of the door.

The air was knocked out from my lungs as the strap came down on my back, stinging like all hell. She repeated the movements until my back was numb from pain, and tears stained my face.

And now, I guess, you understand how I ended up here.

She dismisses me and I make my way up the stairs. The halls are extra quiet this evening, probably as a result of the others preparing for adoption day tomorrow.

I feel Ivy's arms wrap around me as I step inside the dorm. Ivy is my best friend. I have known her since we were three and she came to the Home. Ever since we have been inseparable, much to the distaste of Mrs Cromwell and Miss Hansley, but there is not much that they can do about it.

I always manage to get myself in trouble, even when I don't do anything but Ivy has always been there for me. She guides me towards the bathroom on the opposite side of the dorm. I hear the other girls whispering and murmuring, they know that I get it the worst and that I get punished for what they do. There is not much they can do about it but they try their best to help.

"I have gotten help from the girls and we split your chores between all of us so you can rest. Just make sure Miss Hansley doesn't find out.", Ivy has always done stuff like this for me. She is the best friend ever. I nod and give a small smile to the girls as a thank you, knowing I'll properly thank them later.

"I have a cold shower ready for you. Your nightdress and towel are already back there." I thank her for everything and make my way into the shower.

I take off my clothes and wince as the rough fabric grazes against my skin. I examine my back, it was already swollen and there were thick welts from where the belt connected with my skin. I can see it starting to bruise and watch as bright red blood oozes from the wounds.
I make my way into the shower and a strange, contorted gasp, yelp like sound escapes me. I try to breathe as the water hits my back. I know that I deserve what I got. I know full well that if I talk back like that I'm going to get in trouble. I continue to wash the rest of my body and dry myself off. I slip my nightdress on and head back out to the other girls.

Addy, Stella and Leto make their way towards me and Ivy.
A concerned Leto asks me if I am okay. I lie and tell her I am fine,in truth, I really just want my mama back. I want to feel the warmth of her embrace, I don't remember the last time I had an adult comfort me. I hold back my tears as they give me pitiful looks and make their way over to the bathroom to brush their hair and clean their teeth.

Ivy comes behind me and starts running her comb through my matted locks. She does this for me whenever I get beaten, she knows that I won't be able to do it myself. After we have brushed our teeth and all of us have gotten into bed, Miss Hansley barges into the dorm and turns off the lights. She simply tells us "sleep." and with that she turns on her heels and makes her way back out.

I drift off to sleep not daring to get hopeful about tomorrow.

Hello! This is the first chapter complete. Oowoo. Good job me! I would like to say that I will post a new chapter regularly, bUt, my ADHD does not. I will try my best though. Let me know if you like it so far or if there is anything you want to happen as I might be able to add it to the story. This is set after HOO but before TOA( and because I want to I'm including Leo and Calypso) and after Endgame( but Nat and Tony are still alive). I know it's not accurate but I don't care.

Ooh- the word count for this chapter is 1255. Just in case anyone wanted to know (: