Experiment 009

8. the Orphanage (2)

After a while the sky was slowly getting brighter and the dogs seemed to lose hope on us getting down as they left one by one.

"Charlie? You're still awake?" Aiden said half asleep "I didn't feel like sleeping, the dogs left, should we go back now?" I asked.

We both looked at Liam who was sleeping peacefully "that bite..." I said pointing at his leg.

"We should be careful from now and on, I doubt they set these dogs out by mistake" Aiden said looking around.

"You guys are too loud" Liam said said yawning "how's your leg?" I asked "stop making a fuss over nothing guys, the dogs left we should hurry back before they're back" Liam said.

We got something to eat then went to our empire, which was an abandoned building that consisted of 2 floors.

We don't usually stay at the slums since it's dangerous, full of alcoholics and run away criminals, but this place is too far from any civilization so its far from our work place.

And it's easier to scare people away by setting traps around the place so people think it's haunted.

"Guys, guess what I have behind my back!" I said with a jump, Aiden and Liam both looked at each other.

"Candy?" Aiden guessed "nope, not this time" I replied.

"Money?" Liam guessed this time "no something better" I replied with a large smile.

"Charlie did you steal something again? Cause I swear I'll-" "No you dummy, you both gave up already?" I said interrupting Liam.

They both looked at each other then me once more waiting for me to reveal what's in my hand, so I showed them.

"That's... a paper?" Aiden asked as they're excitement suddenly faded.

"Not just a paper it's what's written on it!" I said trying to grab their attention again.

"Remember that orphanage Aiden used to go with his father? The one he keeps talking about none stop? I found a map and a advertisement for it now we can go there!" I said as Aiden took the paper.

"We're here, and this is Aiden's old home'" I said only to be interrupted by Liam.

"But that's another country, thousands of kilometres away and who would protect our place while we're gone?" he said, I knew he would say this, Liam is usually the peaceful one who doesn't like taking risks after all.

"We won't need it again probably, the orphanage is twice as big as this place, there are lots of kids, nice adults and no one beating you to work! Can you imagine this!?" Aiden was the one who spoke this time.

"What if they don't have a place for us?" Liam asked still worried.

"They definitely have, the place is huge and could fit an entire army, they even give struggling families and poor people food and shelter, going there won't be in vain" Aiden answered.

"We already have food and shelter here" Liam protested.

"The last winter the place almost blew down, it won't hold till the next storm, and we don't even get to eat everyday, there they eat more than once everyday" Aiden said, he's right the last winter lots of old houses fell down, winter here is no joke.

At this rate Liam didn't have anything else to say, we're as good as dead if we stay here.

"Fine, but how will we get there?" He asked still desperate as Aiden and I smiled.

"A month, it'll take month or two of saving and rationing money and food, it'll also take maximum two weeks to go there and find Aiden's home and and from there we can find our way to the orphanage" I replied calculating all this in advance.

"Well then what are we waiting for, we have a new safe place we need to go" Liam said with a smile as me and Aiden jumped happily.

Rationing money wasn't easy, so was working, but every time someone would hit or yell at me, I just remembered, it'll all be over soon, I just have to wait and imagine how happy the three of us will be.

After a week I managed to find a bag for us to carry our money and food, it wasn't too worned out so I managed to stitch it.

Each time, one of us would get tired it was Liam who was cheering and pushing us, he would continue telling us about how we can continue learning and even get decent jobs when we grow up.

I also noticed he was getting thinner and weaker, Aiden tried to ask him about it but he would say he's fine.

Until the day I saw him crying at night as he kept saying "please keep them safe, please protect them" I woke him up and demanded an explanation.

He said that he just never really got outside this town ever since he was borned and he never saw what other cities and towns look like, and how there's a big chance we might get lost.

I did my best to cheer him up and to tell him how it isn't scary, and how much we would be happy, until he finally calmed down.

When the day had come we said our last goodbyes to our castle then Aiden took off his necklace removed the picture of his father and stuffed it in his pocket as he took a picture of the three of us and placed it inside the necklace then buried it under the floor, for us to find it again when we grow up.

As we left our castle behind and began our journey.