Family of One

The Orphan (intro)

I still remember that night. The night everything changed. The night I lost my parents, my home,.... and myself. I remember the screams and the crashing sounds coming from our living room.

I hid in the closet and covered my ears, trying to block out those noises, but they were too loud. I bet even our nieghbors could hear them.

What would they think? Would they still see us as the lovely Newton family? Or would we be the whack-jobs next door?

Oh, you have no idea who I am do you? My name is Miranda Newton, i'm 15 years-old now but when this night happened I was only 8. Our small appartment in the Bronx, New York consisted of a small bathroom, a narrow kitchen, a living room, and two bedrooms. Sure it was cramped but it felt like home, well until IT happened.

I decided I had had enough and left the safety of the closet, little did I know I'd spend the rest of my life regretting that choice. Just before opening the door I heard a scream. There had been screaming and yelling for a while but this scream was different. It was a scream, not of anger, but of pain and agony. It was followed by a male voice spitting out foul language at someone.

I opened the door, another huge mistake. What I saw would haunt me till the day I die. The blood-curdeling scream had been my mother. I saw her dead mangled body lying in a heap on the floor of our living room. Blood was pouring out the side of her head. Standing over her, holding a broken bottle of Hienekin in his hands was my father.

Had HE done THIS? No way he could have. Sure my parents argued alot but he would never go that far, would he? The next idea that popped into my head I acctually listened to: RUN! I bolted toward the door but he was faster. He blocked my way and I saw no chance of escape.

"Where are you going sweetheart?" He asked me. Those eyes, those eyes I had looked at a million times before and only felt safety and comfort, they now made me feel fear.

"Please dad, don't hurt me." I said, cowering and taking a step back. My eyes kept glancing at my mother's body. Her face, usually filled with love and warmth, was now cold and lifeless. Right there, seeing my mother in that state, something inside of me clicked. I changed, and I could feel the change inside of me. I looked back at my dad, standing up straight.

"Oh sweety, I would never hurt you." He said, smilling. Not even his smile seemed the same. We were standing next to the door. To the right of the door, on the wall, was our alarm system. We had just installed it last month. It was one of those alarms that would automatically contact the police.

I lunged out and pressed the button that manually sets off the alarm. A wierd siren sound started echoing through the house. My dad jumped and I used his momentary distraction to push him out of the way. I opened the door and ran down the hall. I knocked on our nieghbors door. They opened up and I told them what had just happened. They rushed me in and locked the door.

A few minutes later I heard the sirens. In minutes the apartment building was swarming with a mixture of police officers and residents who were to nosy for their own good. I told the officers what happened.

In the middle of my story we all heard a gunshot from my apartment. Police broke through and found my father, dead as well, on top of my mother. Before even realised what was happening I was being dragged away my a police officer. He took me to his squad car, threw me in the back seat and next thing I knew I was sitting in a room being interogated, then I was in court, and now I'm here, Carita's House for the Unfortunate. This place is an orphanage and i've been stuck here for 7 years now.

I'm laying on my bed, a small not very comfortable bed. All the beds here are like this, probably because they don't expect people to sleep in them for an extemded period of time but here I am. Seven years, same bed, same "house." Other than me, everyone in here has been adopted already.

I can't exactly blame people for not adopting me. Several have tries, then they meet me and I guess I can be a little hostile and scare them off. Truth is, I don't want another family. I'm perfectly fine with the Newton family of one. I don't need anyone. My door opens and a young boy walks in.

"What do you want Charles?" I sneer at the boy. Charles is a cute ginger about 9 years old that just got here 3 weeks ago after his single mom dies and dad is nowhere to be found, big surprise.

"I came to tell you that... well.... I'm getting adopted by a family in Maine." The ginger says smilling from ear to ear.

"Congrats, have fun."

HE'S WHAT? HE'S ONLY BEEN HERE 3 WEEKS!

"Okay, thanks Miranda, i'll miss you." Charles smiles at me one last time then walks out. Great, another friend out and gone. I'll miss that little red head too.

A long time a go I came to the resignation that i'm stuck here until i'm 18. By this time I have a reputation, people stay clear of me. I always wear a look that says "You don't want we in you house." That sure keeps people away.

My door opens a second time. Mrs. Taxon enters my room. Mrs. Taxon is our supervisor, she's the head ofthis place.

"Get ready, you have an offer." She tells me.

What? An offer? Ugghh, not another. I try to pass on it but I end up having to go anyway. We walk down the large hall of the building toward the Main Office. We step inside and my eyes meet an old man, probably in his late 60's.

"Who ate you?" I ask with as much spite as I could, already trying to scare him off.

Mrs. Taxon answers my question. "Miranda, meet your uncle."