Whispers After Dark

Chapter 5

 Emily winced from my tight grasp on her body. I wouldn't let her go. Being bullied like that, my heart still pounded with anger. Deep in thought, I found myself at Mrs. Chamberlain's office. Entry was prohibited, but this was a dire situation. My knocks echoed through the hallways of the orphanage, the intervals between each knock decreasing. She was the only one I could think of coming to for the situation. Ready to give up, I started to turn away, losing hope. The door creaked open, barely revealing Mrs. Chamberlain. Her furrowed eyebrows indicated she was slightly annoyed at my presence. I hadn't prepared what I would say to her.

"Emily..." My voice cracked, unable to tell her what happened. Her eyes moved to examine my sister's wounds, shifting between her knees and elbows.

"Go down to the dining hall, I'll be there." Her door closed, and once again, the hallways were filled with silence. Emily's injuries weren't an emergency, but to see her hurt, it was as if the pain she had succumbed to affected me well.

The tapping of Mrs. Chamberlain's shoes on the wooden floor gave me a sigh of relief. She approached me with steady steps, motioning to sit Emily down on a nearby chair, where I carefully laid her down. She was awake now, in a state of barely knowing where she was, but still thankfully unable to read the situation. Kneeling beside her, she got to work, cleaning and dressing Emily's injuries. Keeping my sister's mind occupied with silly faces, I watched as Mrs. Chamberlain's practiced hands tended to Emily's wounds.

Finishing the first aid, her monotonous expression had not changed. Emily was feeling more cheerful and showed no sign that her injury gave her pain anymore. Mrs. Chamberlain turned around and began to walk to her office.

"Thank you," I shouted. It came out louder than intended and stopped Mrs. Chamberlain in her tracks. Holding Emily's hand she repeated after me.

"Thank youuu," she stretched the phrase. Her voice was loud and raspy, displaying a hint of her weariness from the events during the day.

"Go attend evening classes," she commanded, before returning to her office. I watched her as her body grew smaller and smaller until she turned the corner and she was no longer in sight. Dreading to see Roy and the other children, we made our way to the classroom.

As we entered the classroom, the atmosphere shifted, and a cold tension filled the air. The familiar faces now woe scowls and glares, their eyes filled with animosity.

The events that unfolded outside had left their mark on every child. The whispers spread like wildfire, each passing student sharing their version of the story with the children who didn't have a clear view of the confrontation with the older boys. As I took my seat, I could feel the weight of the eyes of disapproval pressing down on me. It seemed the collective judgment of the children had deemed me guilty. I tried to ignore their hostile stares, focusing on Roy, as he disregarded my interruption. He seemed unaware of the tension that hung in the room.

Roy began the lesson, his voice steady and unwavering like normal, as if nothing had happened. I wondered if he, too, had heard the whispers, the distorted versions of events that had painted me in such an unfavorable light.

As the lesson progressed, I found myself struggling to concentrate. My eyes constantly returned to Emily who couldn't contain the urge to scratch the bandaids resting on her wounds. I prayed the injuries didn't reopen and cause the blood to pour out once again. I couldn't bear seeing Emily in any more pain.

It was clear that my presence in the classroom was unwelcoming, an inconvenience to the order of things. The students had their own groups, and I was the newcomer, the one who challenged their social hierarchy. Their anger fueled their rejection of me, creating an impenetrable barrier to deny any chances of friendship. But it wasn't myself I was worried about. Emily would suffer the consequences as well. The children would reject her as one of their own and this orphanage would become like the last. I didn't like moving, and I could only imagine how Emily felt. I sighed in frustration.

A knock echoed from outside. All heads simultaneously watched the door. Roy, annoyed by the interruption, surrendered from teaching and veered towards the door. He opened the door just enough to peek his head out. His body blocked the view from the curious students to see the intruder. A moment later he shut the door and locked eyes with me.

"Mr. Chamberlain would like to see you, Charlie." His voice showcased his displeasure and annoyance that I wouldn't be attending his lesson.

Being excused from evening lessons was a good thing, but I was afraid the children would try something on Emily. She was too busy pulling on the string threads of the bandaids, unnoticed to the tension that she was involved in.

I blamed myself partially, for putting Emily in danger and getting her hurt. I should have been more attentive to what was going on around her. She was a kind and sweet soul with an aura of innocence accompanying her frequent smiles.

Please keep Emily safe. I didn't know who I was praying to, but whoever was listening, I hoped they had listened to my wish. I was always told to believe in a higher power that controlled its subjects on this Earth, and sometimes I felt this higher power was neglectful of Emily and me.

Walking down the familiar hallways of the orphanage, my mind swirled with a mix of emotions. There were minimal rules to obey, but I had flouted the regulations and let my feelings take control. This was the best orphanage that we had encountered and my little stunt earlier would be enough to kick us out. Starting a fight as a newcomer was not ideal behavior for proof of why we deserved to be at the orphanage. Filled with sadness and disgust from my actions, I approached Mr. Chamberlain's office. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety as I stood in front of the door.