Life at the orphanage

Chapter 5 The day the music died

The worst day is something I will never forget we were running through the halls forgetting the world that left us behind smiling I like the utmost skilled individual fell off the balcony 'Splash!" I surface from the water fountain, coughing water only to turn and see Pom and Ari sharing death glares as my hair sops along with them soaked from head to toe before they can do anything Zere rushes down as I reply, "Sorry I thought I'd drop in and see how you're doing"

Pom starts laughing uncontrollably as Ari glares at me before approaching me and helping out of the water fountain "well out now and please grab a new uniform you leaving pulled everywhere!" she rushes me to the showers, and I grab a new uniform after showering Zere and I share a glance and start giggling uncontrollably we smile as Zere looks sad "I'm going to miss this..." I stay silent "I'm turning 18 tomorrow you remember?"

I nod solemnly thinking "Where do you think we go?"

They seemed surprised by my question "Home?"

I nod lost in thought before replying "What if you don't have a home?"

Shocked and a bit worried about the answer she looks down lost in thought "I Don't know...." she looks up "Do you think they let those that don't have a home go back to work here?"

I pause considering my next words carefully "Maybe, maybe the go in the village, or-"I giggle about to state a joke however as if on cue Palias and Ari enter Ari who is typically so friendly looked down as if she was ashamed or...scared? Clearing their throat the intern turns to Zere "If you may follow me" Zere nods eyes darting as she waves at me leaving, I wave back thinking I'll see her soon her red hair going from the two buns to a ponytail over the years always up...

I smiled Hopeful for her however then Ari led me somewhere now an educator she guided me to a new room. Having me take a seat I do so she closes the door, I hear a lock and Panic fills me, a memory I thought long buried came to life and I began to cry in fear Eventually Ari came back in with a plate of food and a glass of something was its milk? I try and ask her what's going on, but she simply murmurs "sorry" and promptly leaves it feels like hours passed, and eventually, I walk over hungry and thirsty I eat the food scared but wanting this to be done with, and drink the milk, from there the worlds swirls, what happened next is well it's blurry at best.I remember the room but not much afterward I think the door opened and there were...voices? The next thing I know I'm being carried followed by a concerned "How much did you use?...""she's burning-..." Suddenly everything darkens. I don't remember a lot I was Asleep or so I thought. From what I was told later on I was Burning up for 3 days, and I ended up sicker than anyone thought. I do remember the dream I had though.

It was dark and raining out I was at the entrance waiting for 6 am, Suddenly I saw Zere she waved at me beckoning me to follow her, "Zere? ZERE!" I remember calling out to her running after her as she led me further and further into the woods. I trip and fall hitting the floor pretty hard. The pain was burning...as I get up, I'm deep within the woods unable to see anything but trees but I hear her voice I try and follow it but I feel myself getting more and more lost, Suddenly I see something truly Terrifying. A ghost seems to be following me its eyes preying as if waiting to pounce, I keep running, then suddenly SNAP! Something broke then I fell, unable to scream cry, or anything I felt the undeniable feeling of cold water. I look at the surface the ghost stares as if speaking but no words come out, I try and resurface but nothing. As my vision Blurs, I felt everything go dark. Accepting my fate, I wait for my final moment however something surrounds me a Light? Next thing I know I'm no longer in the water. I'm on the hill? I seem confused until I see her there. Edan Minaj Staring at her own grave her transparency allowed me to read as well.

Edan Minaj
1911-1989

"She cried... when she buried me." Edan stares at the grave sadly "I wonder if she meant it?"

I pause uncertain how to answer that I sit on the hill lost in thought "She has paintings of you in the halls, and even an Activity to teach about you... I think she cared about you."

she nods mulling my words "Then why did she-" she cuts off as if not finishing that.

"Why did she what?" I ask confused

"You don't know do you?" she asks

"Now During Edan history, they tend to talk more about your achievements than anything, they say no one really knows why the bunker happened..."

She nods Solemnly "Clay Killed me...I knew she was upset about our father but to kill..."

Shocked I stay silent mulling over my words carefully. "Well maybe she didn't-"

she cuts me off "She met me in the halls that night she meant it."

I stay silent Staring at the orphanage I saw as my home a sudden much more sinister feeling emitting from it. "Might seem strange, but Mabey she blamed you?"

"For what?!" she stares waiting for an answer to see if I could make an absurd thing seem reasonable

I pause considering my next words carefully "You were her Older sister founding the orphanage as a sanctuary and Heir to the throne" She winces at my words, but I continue "A responsibility it seems you didn't want, at least taking over the throne. One she did. When you left to help her father rather than allow her to leave the orphanage fell apart. It was stressful for her; she got help but it didn't change much. That partnered with the resentment that you might take everything, the Orphanage the throne.... after she worked hard to keep it well may have just boiled over"

Silence falls on her as she tries to form words but is unable to, I continue "You were her sister she knew you as you did her. You wanted to hide her from the burdens, but she could see the cracks like a window it can still work but it's only so much before it shatters...By hiding her from the pain you indirectly caused her cracks, and she shattered"

Edan nods taking my words into thought before nodding as I continue "She loves the orphanage I can tell she works hard to ensure the maids are taking care of the kids. Meanwhile, many of us run the halls telling tales, she hangs our art proudly reminding us to be proud...placing our books in the library for many to tell the tale. She's trying."

she nods "I have seen the minigames she hosts," she starts laughing tears falling down as she does. "I've watched so many get blasted off a platform or the paddle wars a great way to take out stress. I have seen orphans scared with nowhere to go age out and-" As she goes to finish the dream fades

"NO PLEA-" I cry getting cut off by a healer rushing to me seeing me awake and gasping for air Hotter than a chili pepper

"OH, THANK ELM YOU OKAY" a relived look on the healer's face as she looked at me before clearing her throat "I'm so sorry dear you have been out for 3 years"before she could correct what, she said I grabbed my heart "3 YEARS?! BUT I DON'T FEEL OLDER?!"

The healer flushed and corrected herself "3 days! I'm so sorry I said the wrong thing" she playfully bonked her head "I have just been so worried about you!" she took my temperature realizing it was still high she handed me some water "here take some medicine" I drink up as she calls Ari to grab me food, I ended up reacting in fear instinctively not really remembering why but remembering what happened. My pleas followed by her crushed look said a lot, did she intend what to happen? As if interrupting my train of thought the maid replies "Oh dear I promise we won't feed you that again, it seems you had a really bad allergic reaction one no one expected. I nod still tentative but take a plate of what Ari offered I pick at it nervously at first before eventually placing my fork in a bit violently as I hear the plate crack a little bit and take a bite, what I didn't know was as soon as I lifted my fork the plate shattered. I stare at it and then at the healer who tries not to laugh Ari fetches another plate this time setting it on the table while they clean up the shattered pieces, I eat this one a bit more confidently, and don't shatter the plate this time eventually they move me back to the bed and toss the plate and cup as I lay back down the nurse explains "your still running a temperature so we do want to keep monitoring you for the time being just rest soon we will have you back out on schedule" she smiles but a look of worry on her face.I laid back down, thinking about everything as I drifted off to sleep, I can't help but think about Zere the friend lost. Tears fall knowing I might never see her again. Eventually, I wipe my eyes and fall asleep.