Raven

Chapter 1

Melinda

I've always lived a lonely life. It can be so tiring, so empty, so hopeless. It started when my mother abandoned me as a baby. I was always told I was an accident. I was picked up by the local orphanage and lived there until I was old enough to live on my own. My life in the orphanage was awful. It was very difficult to make friends and the friends that I did finally make were adopted within weeks.

After I moved out, life didn't get much better. Because of my appearance and the fact that I didn't attend college, it was extremely difficult to find a job. I was a social outcast. I had considered marrying, but quickly dismissed the thought. There was no way I would ever find a husband.

I finally got a job, in a cramped office, with miserable superiors and horrible co-workers. I would cry myself to sleep every night out of misery.

Finally, I'd had enough. I needed love from somewhere in my life. If I was forced, so be it!

I decided to become a parent, because what child could hate its parent? I looked into adoption, but it was too expensive. I asked the people I knew, but nothing turned up.

I was running out of options. Finally, as I cried myself to sleep for the millionth night in a row, a terrifyingly beautiful thought occurred to me. Why not just take a child? Why not kidnap a baby?

Because it is illegal!

But it will get you what you want, finally!

But what if I get caught?

Keyword, if.

Right, let's do it!

So it was decided. I was going to break the law to get what I wanted.

I found a local orphanage that didn't have very good security and planned my break in. A few weeks later, I was ready to strike.

In the dead of night, I scaled the fence, and quietly broke into the three-story building. I looked around as quickly and quietly as possible with my beating heart. I heard crying coming from one cradle. I peeked into it and saw the most beautiful baby girl with tears rolling down her face. The thing that really caught my eye was her silky black hair clinging to her tear-stained face.

I knew that this would be my child. I quickly picked her up, stopped her crying, and exited the way I'd come in.

I got back to my apartment and thought about naming the girl as I began t prepare a space and food for her. I had thought about many names, but now that I had the child one name stuck out me.

Raven. The name means courage, wisdom, leadership, and cunning, basically everything I wish I was, yet could never be.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Sorry this was a short first chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it! This is DAYdreamer61401, and I will be writing for Melinda! My writing partner/ awesome friend selenahelen will be writing for Raven, and every other chapter will be Raven, and every other chapter will be Melinda, so you won't be hearing from me until chapter 3. I'll miss you! Anyway, thanks again so much for reading, please go check out this account (CONJOINEDWRITERS) and selena and my accounts (grammar?): selenahelen and DAYdreamer61401. Until the next chapter!