Duds

5 Our Stories

We told him everything about everyone and answered most of his questions. By the end of that day we were all friends and he trusted us. I couldn't help thinking through that whole time: What would have happened if Rex's people had got to Gerry first? Turned him against us? What would we have done then?

At the end of our tiring conversation and to let Gerry process all this new information about the Boycotts, as we call them here, we went to bed. I told him that we would talk about all that he had been told tomorrow and parted ways for the night. I went to the girls'dormitories and they went the boys' dormitories.

The next morning we met up again at breakfast to talk some more. I was going to ask Gerry what had happened in the world outside while we were in here. He came over and asked if he could sit down.

"Sure Gerry," I replied, "You don't need to be polite to us. Just come and sit."

"Rosemary, I've been thinking-"

"Gerry, it's just Rose or Rosy, please."

"Sorry, I'm used to doing that. Anyway Rose I was wondering how this orphanage started."

"Oh, that's an easy question. No one really knows. There are stories about how they did this to watch all the magical kids, but there are Duds here and just kids of a certain age. Everyone here is either fourteen, fifteen or sixteen. Ash is sixteen, I am fifteen and you're sixteen.There is also this story that when the queen died, she revealed that she had a child and that the child is still living. It is said that the Boycotts are looking for the child which they think is around our age. There are many other stories, but I don't need to tell you them. You get the idea," I finished.

"Ok. I understand, but if we all were captured where did you and Ash come from? I mean what part of the Kingdom did you get snatched from?"

The people around us stiffened. Ash also stiffened. Everyone around us looked at Gerry. I was surprised and angry, mostly at myself. I had forgotten to tell him the most important rule.

"Shoot," I whispered, "Ash relax. It was an honest mistake, remember when I asked you? I forgot to warn him of this."

"Um, Rose, what did I say?"

"It's Ok. Let's go though. It's getting too stuffy in here anyway."

"Where are we going?"

"Anywhere other than here."

We went outside the cafeteria and I pulled them aside to tell Gerry what mistake he made and reprimand him. Everyone should know that that question was rude.

"Your question was what got everyone's attention. It is rude to ask other people about where they came from and we tend to want to forget what happened to us before the Orphanage. They need to either provide the information or not."

"But my question is a legitimate question and still stands. It's not fair that you know that I came from the dump and I don't know where you two came from."

I suppressed a sigh and said, "Even though you need to think about what you say next time. Most people do not want to tell Newbies where they came from."

"Will you answer my question?"

"I will, but I won't speak for Ash."

"I will also," Ash interjected stiffly.

"I'll go first," I said, "I grew up as a fisherman's daughter outside the Wall-"

"Really? Even the dump is not outside the Wall! What was it like?"

"You have to be quiet until I'm finished. That is also rude, interrupting people. Anyway, where was I?"

"You just said that you were a fisherman's daughter and lived outside the Wall."