The Bitter Truth

Chapter 17 ~ Penny

Trigger warning. 

⚡️ Flashback ⚡️

 Beneath the weight of the officer's hand on her shoulder, young Saija trembled as they approached the door of the orphanage, which was to be her new home. As the door creaked open, Saija's stomach plummeted like a damaged ship in a raging sea.

The cacophony of rambunctious children hit her like a wave, overwhelming her senses. She was used to only the quiet comfort of her mama's presence. But now she had to confront the reality of her mother's recent passing in that terrifying car accident and her new life in this chaotic place. Said car accident had left her body riddled with scratches and bruises, but somehow, nothing serious.

Her pleading, teary eyes shot up to the officer, but he refused to acknowledge them. He simply passed her, her belongings, and a file off to the woman at the door.

As the door closed, shutting out the sun and sealing her fate, a heave of emotion struck her chest, causing the tears she was holding back to slip down her face.

"Now, now," the woman said, not entirely in a comforting voice.

"I want my Ma! I'm not supposed to be here! I'm supposed to be with her!" Saija wailed, brushing her tears away with the back of her hand.

"Well, according to this," the woman replied coldly while flipping open the file. "She's dead. We can't take back the past. We have to move forward now. Come on, chop chop, quit your squabbling like a chicken, and come with me."

Saija sniffed in a deep breath, swallowing her snot and heartache down her throat. Picking up fairly quickly, this woman was not a kind and gentle soul like her mother. 

 As the woman guided her through the dim, narrow corridors of the building, the cacophony of children's voices reverberated through her mind. Each door they passed revealed a different scene—children engaged in lively play, boisterous roughhousing, tearfully weeping, or sleeping in the narrow beds that lined the walls.

This environment was entirely foreign to her; in fact, she had never before been in such close proximity to another child. In the room she had lived before, she had been the sole child, a stark contrast to the bustling room she now found herself in.

Her eyes widened as she absorbed the overwhelming sensory input. The sharp scent of fresh paint permeated her nostrils as the woman guided her into a room filled with arranged beds and pointed to one in particular.

"This is where you'll sleep," the woman stated.

Saija approached the bed and gingerly sat down. It consisted of nothing more than a thin mattress stuffed with coarse hay, a weathered pillow, and a scratchy blanket.

She expected the woman to hand her bag of belongings over, but to her surprise, the woman took it with her without a word. In an instant, Saija was left alone, the door closing behind the woman's retreating figure.

Saija glanced around. Some kids around her age were in the room with her, playing with dice on the floor. Their eyes momentarily swept her over, then back to their game.

Feeling out of place, Saija decided to explore the building. Despite the unfamiliarity and the cold hallways, she bravely ventured forth. Children were everywhere, workers scattered about, but somehow, she felt all alone.

She turned a corner and stumbled upon a magnificent room adorned with elegant portraits and meticulously crafted pottery. Her eyes swept across the beautiful array of items on display.

It was the sight of the books arranged neatly on the sturdy wooden bookshelf against the wall that truly captured her attention.

Memories flooded her mind as she stood there, taking in the scene before her. She fondly recalled how her mother had a deep love for reading and how they would often lose themselves in the pages of a good book together. The excitement of discovering a new book to explore alongside her mother was akin to stumbling upon a hidden treasure.