Unlocking the Secrets

Prologue

January 25th, 1936

3:06 A.M.

In the shadows of the barely furnished bedroom, a figure was seen hunched over in the corner. Blonde hair fell in front of her face, covering her eyes. She shoved something into a hole in the wall, her pale hands shaking, then hastily covered the hole with a piece of floral wallpaper which matched the rest of the room. She stood and turned to a girl who rocked back and forth on a metal-framed bed, which squeaked beneath her.

"Come on, Mary, we have to leave," ushered the girl, pulling her up. Mary stared at her, eyes widened in fear.

"I feel sorry for the girls who have to stay," whispered Mary. "Can't we take the others with us, Florence?"

"No," Florence snapped, and ripped the sheets from the bed. An identical bed sat next to Mary's, except it had no sheets. Florence grabbed the sheets beneath Mary, tying them hastily together to more stolen sheets. She moved to the window, movements swift, and opened the window. She threw the sheets out of it, tying the end to the bed frame.

Mary whimpered. "D-do we have to climb down?" she asked. "Why can't we just go down the stairs?"

Yet even as she said it, they heard footsteps sounding downstairs. The stairs creaked loudly, each becoming a little louder.

"Come on," Florence urged, throwing one of her legs over the oak window seal. Mary rushed beside her, shooting fearful glances at the splintery wooden door. When Florence had reached the ground, Mary climbed out and followed her down. Her hands were sweating as she gripped the sheets and threw her legs out the window.

They landed in a prickly bush and covered their mouths so they wouldn't cry out.

"Mary, we need-"

Mary held a finger to her lips, casting her eyes up at the window they had just escaped from. Two voices could be heard in their room above.

"Where are they?" said a woman. Her voice was like ice biting into the air. Mary hugged herself. It was Miss Cartwright, the woman who owned the orphanage...

"I-I don't know, Miss Cartwright," answered another woman. The girls recognized Miss Dunn, Miss Cartwright's assistant's, voice. "The window is open..."

"THEY ESCAPED!" roared Miss Cartwright.

Florence gasped and Mary bit her bottom lip as silent tears tracked down her cheeks. They shuffled deeper into the bushes, holding each other, hoping they had safe cover.

"YOU HAD ONE JOB!" continued Miss Cartwright. "YOU LET THEM ESCAPE!"

"They won't be fifteen for another two weeks, madam!" Miss Dunn protested.

Smack. Something thunked on the ground. Florence and Mary heard Miss Dunn frantically apologizing.

"Don't you think I'm aware that they aren't fifteen yet, Miss Dunn?" hissed Miss Cartwright. "Or do you think I'm stupid?"

"O-of course not!"

"THEN FIND THEM!" yelled Miss Cartwright. "Get Miss Fields to help you."

They heard scurrying and a door slammed.

"Should we run?" Mary asked.

Florence shook her head. "No. We need to stay here," she said, "in the bushes, I mean. Until they stop looking."

Mary nodded. The shifted into more comfortable positions, clinging to each other, hidden behind the bushes. They heard twigs snapping and a woman burst out angrily: "Oh, Miss Dunn! How can you be so foolish? It shouldn't be hard to keep your eye on two bratty girls!"

"Keep your voice down! They could be out here somewhere," Miss Dunn snapped.

Mary trembled as they moved closer. Florence closed her eyes tightly.

Nearby bushes rustled. They were slowly getting closer to their makeshift hideout. If they keep on in this direction they would for sure be caught. The leaves shook. Florence and Mary cowered back until they hit the brick wall which belonged to the orphanage. Tears spilled from their eyes, and that's how they knew.

Miss Fields and Miss Dunn pulled them both out of the bushes, and brought them back inside. But that was the last time anyone ever saw them.

Even though Mary and Florence were never heard from again. Rumors were spread that they ran away, some say they were murdered while they slept. But no matter the rumors, their memories still lived on at the Crowfield Orphanage...