A book of unfinished beginnings

The orphanage

It was a cold winters night in New Jersey, when the soft snow flakes never seized to pour down and the moon was almost as bright as the sun.

Or maybe that was just the streetlights, I don't know.
I continued to observe the fascinating snow flakes fly down from heaven like little gifts from God that come once a year.

Soon enough before I even noticed I could barely see across the thin street that lay parallel from my bedroom window.

I was deep in thought when everyone heard a huge...

Thump,thump,thump

of foot steps on stairs that could only belong to one person. Im sorry I don't have time to explain I quickly scribble down in the book I was writing in, make sure to secure my book mark and then quickly shoved my journal underneath of my pillow. All 20 other children who shared a room with me hid their faces in their fluffy white pillows. My home is an orphanage.

"What are you dirty moth swallowing children still doing awake?"

Screeched an all too familiar voice.
I guess you could call her Olivia, or maybe even our mother? I've never had one, I wouldn't know.

"Well we all know what Brooklyn was doing still awake"

I cringed at the sound of my name coming from her mouth, Melina's mouth. She loves to tattle on me.

"She was writing in that stupid red journal she stole from the office!"

She also liked to twist and distort stories and words to get her ways.

" Hey,I didn't steal anything the office gave that journal to me and told me to keep it."

I had to stand up for myself since no one else will. But Mme.Olivia doesn't care,

"Brooklyn"
She says in a soft voice, I've learned to hear the trouble in her voice, and see the deviousness burning like forest fires behind her eyes.

I know what comes next

" where you writing in your journal?"
So I do what ever first comes to mind even though I know it could get me in trouble.

"N-n-ne-no Mme.O-o-olivia"
Oh no I'm stuttering.

"Okay Brooklyn, I'm going to give you one last chance to hand it over, I'm going to count to 5 and your going to give me the book."

"One"

I remember what the office told me

"Two"

It's all I have left of the family that could have been mine.

"Three"

I clutch the book in my hand

"Four"

I get ready to hand it to her

"Five"

But I can't.