An Orphan's Story

Chapter 1

It was a troubled night at the 'Godly hope' orphan house, filled with crying and voices. Since the early evening a thunderstorm was raging and it was an art in itself to calm the children down.

Exept for the babies, who couldn't be botherd by the thunder, everyone was awake. The toddlers were screaming and the older kids were helping the nuns and young teachers to calm the rest, who was either crying or running around, down.

„For heaven's sake!", an elderly woman yelled, throwing her hands in the air, „What have whe done to deserve this?"

She was just about to shoo some giggling boys into their dormitory as the entrance of the old house swung open. The cold wind blew through the hallway, together with some lonely raindrops.

„Not now, Gadey!" Sister Mary yelled and didn't even bother to turn her head. She allready knew who was standing there, the pungent smell of cheap booze being enough to recognize the house's caretaker. „Can't you see we already have enough to do ri--" She began but got interrupted by a deep and raucous voice. „It's a baby!" The nun heard the man yell, babbling a bit. „Sister Mary, it's a smal baby!"

„A Baby? What is this suppose to mean?!" The woman yelled back as she finally managed to make the boys go into their room. „You really drink too much, Charles!" She slammed to door and turned around, furious and ready to finally tell this drunkard her opinion on his atrocious behavior.

But all of her fury disappeard as she saw the, obviously drunk, man standing there, soaking wet and with a scared expression on the face, holding the smal bundle of blankets in his arms. „It's a baby!" He yelled again, still standing in the middle oft the hallway.

Immediatly the small woman walked up to the man and looked at the bundel. And, wraped up in the man's arms, there was indeed a baby. The face wet from the rain and the soft skin pale. It wasn't crying, not at all, it was strangely quiet. With a serious expression the nun looked at Gadey. „Where did you find it?" She asked and walked off, showing the man to follow her. „I-In a basket, under a tree...!" He said, walking after Sister Mary as fast as possible.

„And there were only a basket with the child? No letter and no one else but the child and you?"

„If I say so, Mary!" The man reassured. He was tired and wet and cold and stressed and scared and he really didn't want to answer any questions right now.

Mary turned around suddenly, the caretaker nearly bumping into her. „Thank you, Charls, for bringing the baby here" She said and took the smal creature. „You can go now. Close the door and in god's name make sure the rain isn't coming in" With these words she disappeared behind a large hinged door and left the man behind.

„We need a name"

„Right, right, every child needs a name! Is it a boy or a girl?"

„Sister Mary said it is a boy"

More people than usual were in the big room where the babies had there beds. A group of girls were gathered around one oft he cots, looking down at the small newcomer.

The baby, who was found during the thunderstorm last night, turned out to be a boy, not older than a week. Surprisingly he was doing well, he only was a bit cold but healthy.

„A name..." The smaler girls mumbeld and looked down at the child. Hazle hair and still gray eyes.

„How about Tooru?" A girl suggested after sister Mary joined the group.

„Tooru, mhm?" She said and picked the baby up. After a while she began smiling. „Yes, Tooru fits him just right" The elderly lady said and just like he wanted to show how much he liked his new name a smile spread over Tooru's face as well.