Roselynn

The sun began to melt into the ground, sending bursts of colorful light into the sky. I stared in awe at the scene before me. I loved to watch the sun set, it was the most peaceful thing to do in my opinion.

I sighed in content as the beautiful sight disappeared. The once rainbow colored sky was now black and the hidden stars began to show themselves to the world. A cool breeze blew by, causing me to shiver slightly and I knew I should be headed home. Reluctantly I stood from my usual spot, careful to not fall off the edge of the cliff.

I slowly walked back to my prison that was only about a mile or two away. The orphanage sat quietly at the opening of the woods. It looked haunted, with dim lights and an old structure. It's brownish paint was peeling back, revealing the rotting gray wood underneath.

Only six children lived in this dying house. I was the oldest at the age of seventeen. This condemned building has been my home for as long as I can remember.

Mrs. Alexander, our fifty-year old caretaker, had found me in a box on her doorstep. Someone had placed it their and drove off without leaving any information about me. They left a three month old baby girl at a decrepit orphanage without much reason or care. The only identification was a post-it note that read "Roselynn". No last name, nothing else but a tattered red blanket.

The blanket had a patch sewn on. It was an image of a wolf howling at the moon. It was the only memory I had left of my parents.

Carefully I made my way up the decaying stairs. Each time my foot would make contact with one, an eerie creak would fill the silent night. Opening the large door I was greeted by an angry Mrs. Alexander. The slightly oversized woman had her graying hair pulled back in a tight bun. She wore a tacky sweater and an old pair of jeans. Mrs. Alexander angrily glared at me with her dark brown eyes. She hated when I arrived home late.

"You are past your curfew again, Roselynn. Do I need to make it earlier again?" She spoke, her overly red lips pursed as she waited for my response.

"You know I won't obey it." I answered in complete honesty.

"Go to your room." Was all she said before returning to the living room. I smiled knowing I had won again. When it comes to our arguments she normally surrenders.

I ran up the steps toward my room in the middle of the long hall. Before I could enter two tiny arms wrapped around my thighs. A smile stretched across my face as I bent down and picked up the little girl. "Shouldn't you be in bed?" I questioned the five year-old.

She giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck. "I was waiting for you." She beamed.

Lily was the youngest and most recent to join our group. A year ago her parents had perished in a gruesome fire. Since the moment she arrived we've been rather fond of each other.

I set the young girl down and grabbed her hand. Every night she had made me tuck her in. While she crawled into bed, I grabbed the book off the nightstand. It was one of the only things she had left of her mom and dad. As soon as she was curled up in the blankets I began to read.

"There was an old lady who swallowed a fly-" half-way through the book she was out cold. I kissed her forehead and returned the book to its proper place.

Before exciting I whispered, "Goodnight lily, I love you." and made my way back to my room to prepare for bed.

Luckily for me the bathroom was directly across from my room. After washing my face I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My light blue eyes were being partially covered by my bleach blonde hair.

Unlike the others in this town, whose skin was extremely tan, mine could pass for translucent. I've always been as pale as a ghost. I find myself comparing me to one often. I was a ghost that traveled the cruel world alone and lost. Wishing for a place to call my own. I wasn't invisible like a ghost, even though I wished I was. It was the complete opposite. Since the students at my school were aware I was an orphan they would look down on me. Like it was my fault I was family less.

I didn't really care, what they say doesn't matter at all to me. It's when they hit me that I get rather annoyed.

I never fight back though, refusing to stoop to their level. The best part is I know that I'm beautiful. They would always say otherwise to put me down, but I knew none of what they said was true. I was absolutely gorgeous, and they were envious of me.

I grabbed the tiny red blanket from the top shelf of my closet. Sleep came easy to me as I held the fabric close. It's soft surface comforted me, inviting me into a deep much needed sleep.