And She Should Be Dead.

Chapter 4

Lyra was sitting sadly on a recliner slightly outside the orphan matrons office tying to simultaneously draw and eavesdrop on the three adults inside. A crow cawed from outside it's song like a brass instrument, it was so close it seemed almost as if it was inside. How can it be that loud? Lyra wondered to herself before being interrupted.
"What are you drawing?"
Lyra had been so focused on the crow she hadn't noticed the young man walk over and sit beside her. Too nervous to speak she handed him the pad of paper on which was a sloppily drawn almost entirely black and white picture of a crow on a tree, which she had thought up listening to the birds. The only color was the bright red dot coloring the crows eye. Lyra continued her thoughts about where the crow could be before being interrupted again when the crow cawed once more. Where is it? Lyra looked around frantically for the now louder than ever crow, her eyes then fell upon the young man's shoulder. How did he get the crow to stay there? She stared at the crow who stared back until the man looks at Lyra again and hands her the drawing.
"Very nice Lyra, oh and here I'm supposed to give this to you," he stated and handed her the locket.
"Where did you get this?!," she smiled and hugged him, "Thank you!" She opened the locket to reveal pictures of her family before putting it on, "But who are you and how do you know me?"
"I'm Wilson, you'll be seeing me around a lot now you're in the orphanage."
"Do you work here?" She asked curiously; the man seemed weird looking for an orphanage chaperone seeing as his mouth looked like it was sewn shut and he wore old timey clothing.
"No but . . . " Wilson trailed off his mind trying to think of what to say as not to sound like he was stalking her. Thankfully he didn't have to think long because Lyra interrupted him.
"I guess that doesn't matter, you gave me my locket so that means you're gonna be my new friend!" Lyra looked up at the older man smiling brightly, causing Wilson to chuckle and Lyra to follow suit. Not after long Daniela exited the orphan warden's office and stared at Lyra.
"Now what could you possibly be laughing at?" Daniela questioned.
"Wilson, my new buddy," Lyra turned to gesture to her new found friend but frowned as she realized he had suddenly gone, "he was just here . . ."
"Well," Daniela added hesitantly, not wanting to encourage the child's delusions, but also not wanting to throw her back directly after what happened to her parents, "You're all checked in. So why don't we get you to your new room?"
"Ok," Lyra paced silently behind Daniela, and took in all the sights of the old run- down orphanage.
Maybe meeting some new friends will help me feel better.