Orphan

 Chapter One

It was a wintry, cold night. Untouched snow, four foot deep lay thickly on the uneven ground like a glacial blanket. The air was dense with a frosty fog that seemed to shelter whole villages for miles. There was a burning smell coming from the forests of the east. The sky was filled with stars, some a blazing orange and others a bright white. The orange ones were no doubt deteriorating into nothingness.

Cloudy figures, shrouded in large, black cloaks swept across the sky, crossing over the enormous orb that was the moon. With a huge gust of wind, they had disappeared into the night. Then there was nothing. It was as if one of the cloaks was closed over my face. No air. No sound. No smell. There was nothing to see but an oblivion of darkness. It was Claustrophobic almost. It seemed to press in from all directions, until it was difficult to breathe…

 The horrifying dream concluded with a blood-curdling shriek, apparently my own, which awoke me to more darkness. But this darkness was different to the first. It was the darkness of the children’s home. I sat up swiftly and immediately retched over the side of my bed. My eyes stung and watered as I pulled back into a sitting position.

 I shook my head free of the image of terror that was my nightmare and wiped my mouth hurriedly, I abruptly had the sense of being submerged into an icy lake. Cold. I began to shiver just as, so suddenly that I gasped in shock, the cold was replaced with blistering flames which prised the cold from my body, causing me burn instead. It was like the wildfire from hell was ripping me apart from the inside, trying to kill me or just torture me enough to make me wish I were dead. At that moment I wanted to die just to get away from the torment.

Eventually the heat began to subside so that all that was left was my haggard breathing.

I took in deep breaths to calm myself. I did not succeed so I tried listening to my heart instead, which was no good either as it was thrashing against my chest at such force that I honestly believed that it would escape from my ribcage. I placed my hand against my chest and, as it finally began to slow, I looked to my left and right. Mel and Kerri were still asleep, thank God. Unfortunately, the matron wasn’t. My heart picked up again.

The matron is a terrifying woman who cares for orphans like me. Personally, I wouldn’t use the word cares. “Bullies” is a better description. She gets us to wait on her hand and foot, bringing her tea, chocolate and other luxuries. It is the complete opposite when someone from a higher authority comes to inspect or visit. Although she acts nice in front of them, she  always points a slight sneer in our direction when their backs are turned.

As the towering matron approaches me through the open door, I tuck my auburn hair behind my ears with shaking hands and sit up straight in my bed. She looked like a giant with her silhouette showing her large, broad body. The fact that I couldn’t see all of her face made her seem scarier.   She was right at the foot of my bed, her lip curled with disgust to show her fang-shaped teeth.  She surveyed my pale face with black eyes and I felt, for the first time since I came here, pure, undiluted terror.

I came to the all-girls orphanage when I was a mere baby, defenceless and tiny, due to the fact I was born too early. I can’t even remember what my parents looked like as it has been many years since I’ve seen them, if I ever have. There was only one vague memory of my mother that I can recall of. I’m in a cot screaming and I hear raised voices; my mother comes up the stairs and soothes me until I get to sleep. I never saw my father so I have no idea what he was like, although according to the description of my parents in a newspaper clipping, he would have been able to pass as a prince.

The fat matron gestured the door with one pudgy hand and gripped the foot of my bed with the other.

“Come” she growled and my legs seemed to stand up of their own accord to follow her out of the, now silent, room. The matron led me down the flight of stairs. Her, wobbling and me, walking shakily beside her. But, instead of turning to the left after them to her office, she walked straight forward to a locked door. As she removed a little key from her apron, she gave me a sideward glance, her eyes glittering with malice. For a moment I actually thought she was going to kill me right there and then.