"Anya!"
The orphanage owner is a nasty lady with a bad temper.
"I'm coming!" I shouted down the rickety steps. In truth, I didn't want to leave. But I was 18 and was no longer allowed to live at the orphange. Thank God my friend, Josep, had the same birthday as me and would be leaving with me.
"Who knows." He said as we walked out the front door. "Maybe we'll get lucky on the fishing village."
I laughed. "Yeah. And maybe I'm the Grand Duchess Anastasia."
"Your Imperial Highness." He gasped, mock bowing. I laughed and shoved him playfully.
We came to the fork in the rode not far from the orphanage. One sign pointed to the fishing village, the other to St. Petersburg. I continued down the road to the fishing village without even conciedering the other option, but Josep hung back.
"Anya?"
I turned around to look at him. He was standing in front of the sign, a thoughtful look on his face.
"Maybe we should go to St. Petersburg instead."
I laughed. "You're very funny, Josep."
He just looked at me.
I shook my head. "You can't be seriouse. We can't go to St. Petersburg. They're waiting for us in the Fishing Village."
"Come on, Anya. Don't you wan't to see the world? Don't you want to know who your parents were?"
I sighed in defeat, and Josep grinned in triumph
