Alone

Chapter Three

The policeman woke me up and gave me a small bottle of orange juice and a plate of two strange looking things with white icing drizzled on it.

I took a bite out of it and it tasted amazing. Filled with a pink pasty thing that was kinda like strawberries, but a little off. It was really sweet and I immediately ate half of one in a single bite. "What are these?" I ask in awe, my mouth filled with food.

"Toaster strudels" he stated simply.

Instead of replying I ate the other half the second I swallowed the first.

"Woah eat a little slower. I don't know how long its been since you ate, and I can't have you gettin' sick." He demands, amused.

Sighing, I ate in smaller bites taking a little bit longer to chew it up. It took me everything I had to not stuff it in my face again.

After a minute, I ate my last bite and drank my last sip of orange juice.

"Well then, let's go do this." He states, looking down like he had no hope.

"Do what?" I ask curiously.

"The whole" he waves his hands around absentmindedly, "Foster system thing."

Outside, I was a bright, sunny day. Beautiful fluorescent greens surrounded the area, looking absolutely perfect.

Taking my sweet time, I crawl into the back seat of the police car once again, fearing what it coming next, because this seems to be the calm before the evil storm waiting to end my very existence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We arrive after a long car ride, the first of many. The house was big and beautiful. The policeman knocked on the door, and waited patiently for the owners to answer.

A stick of a woman opened the door. She was wearing a very unflattering dress to emphasize her anorexic figure. Makeup caked her face, various contours to make her bone structure look completely different. Least to say, she appeared as a model who went a little too far.

A fat man appeared next to her in short, heavy strides. He appeared to be wearing clothes a size too small. His smell, was worst of all. I've lived in the woods for years, and this smell is by far the worst I've encountered.

I was forced inside and everything was fancy. Every single thing in sight was a different shade of white, and an occasional pillow or trinkets that were faded color that was nearly white, but had just enough to color left not to be.

After the policeman had a quick conversation, he left me to my own devices with these new people.

The lady stared down at me, disgusted at my clothing choice. A ratty old flannel and jeans worn to the point of near scraps. My shoes, don't get me started. Least to say, torn beyond recognition. I didn't have my other clothes or any belongings, as I dropped my drawstring somewhere before I was caught.

"There's a pretty white dress on your bed. The door upstairs, first on your right. Go wash yourself in the ensuite and get dressed. Go now." She ordered, every word in a 'fancy' accent, short and quaint.

Well she's giving me clothes so why not. I can play nice for a little bit I guess. "Yes ma'am." I say in a light, angelic voice.

"No need to speak, just go." She demanded talking in that same annoying accent.

I huffed and turned on my heel and stormed upstairs to do as she asked of me. Well, asked is putting it nicely.

She yelled after me, "Make sure you put on the entire outfit missy! Can't have you walking around like that and ruining my reputation!" Her impossibly blue eyes glared down at me and platinum hair shone in the mirror behind her head, it all looked fake. Is there anything not annoying about this woman?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I took a shower, took my time in awe, got dressed in the white dress, white dress shoes with a small strap thing at the front, white shoes, a white headband with a white bow, white tights, white gloves, all of which meant for an angel, and finally walked gracefully downstairs just to get yelled at for taking too long.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dinner was just as terrible. I had to use 'proper etiquette to survive this world', I had to take baby bites and a tiny plate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Woke up, ate more discussing food, and I'm not allowed to speak. No one has seen me except the lady and the fat guy I've only seen once.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Needless to say, I lasted three days. Then I was moved, but I got to keep my outfit and pajamas that consisted of a soft gown type thing with sensitive fabric.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next house was super small and couldn't afford to feed me a single thing, even for a day, I was moved again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a month, I've been to twenty different homes. It's strange, I've moved around so much I can't remember anything anymore about who had me last. Maybe someone will keep me one day. Not as if I deserve it anyways.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another month passed and I've been to almost every living space in this town. I hear them talking about me, not having a clue what to to. The same things happens every time, I trip and break something, I either get beat or have to find a way to fix it on my own, sometimes both. I've been called many things, but luckily nothing too bad has happened yet. I'm ready to give up, I stopped hoping a long time ago something good would happen to me.

At least I was happy when I was alone, a bit delusional, yes, but that's what made me happy. Now I'm moving home to home, wondering how so many terrible people could live in one place. I'm ready to go back to the woods, sure things need to be taken care of. My food must be long gone. Is there hope for my drawstring?

They sent me to a town of extremes, I never got to go back to the area I lived in with the woods. They put me in foster homes with the extremely rich and poor. The entire middle class disappeared. I just wanna go back. Why can't they home me where they found me? Or at least let me go back to the woods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Total of three months now, and I kinda miss Carter. He gave me Oreos and was mostly kind to me. His house was feet away from his fields and farm, and on the opposite side the field, a yard or two away from the edge of the field was the edge of the woods. I miss it, the thought of going back gives me hope to keep going. They have sent me to every home in this area, a few twice, why couldn't they get it through their stupid heads?