The Fountain Girl

Chapter 5

"...Are there really no records? No backups? Nothing?" I asked for the final time.

"No, sir. Nothing at all."

"So what's gonna happen?" I asked him again, cradling Anna in my arms, who had just woken up, and was getting freaked out by all the noise.

"Um... She can stay here under the temporary guardianship of the police department, or you can be her official guardian."

The officer paused, then continued. "Who in this room was the first to find this girl?" All eyes turned toward me.

"Me."

"Then you will be the official guardian of this girl if you choose so."

Of course my mother would object. "No! No! She's staying right here with the police until they find her a proper home!"

"Mom. Please. We have two kids in the house. A third will hardly make a difference!"

"I will not take care of her."

"Then I will." My mother gasped.

"Fluffy died within two weeks in your room!" She exclaimed, recalling the pet hamster I used to own.

"Was that necessarily my fault? Do you doubt, even for the slightest moment, that I will be the sole responsibility for the death of a young girl through the means of starvation and dehydration? Do you think I would be this forgetful and irresponsible if I were to take care of her? Do you?"

"I am your mother."

"And I am your son." She gasped again.

"Fine. Fine! She's all yours now. Fine!"

In a fit of rage, my mother flung the police department's doors open and stormed towards the top.

My dad commented, "That was a little over the top, young man," and followed.

As I left the police station with my brother tailing me, I turned around and told the police officer to send me the papers.

There was school the next morning and by the time we reached home it was past midnight. Was there a test the next day? Yes. Was there homework due the next day? Yes. Was there Chemistry class with Jess the next day? Yes. I was so screwed.

And then there was Anna to worry about. What would she wear the next day? What about her diapers? And her toiletries? Where was she going to sleep tonight? My head was swimming with worries. I decided to deal with it the next day and sleep for the moment. I put Anna on my bed and covered her with my quilt. It was late Autumn and the weather was starting to get chilly. I kissed her forehead before and went to lie down on the floor, with my schoolbag as my pillow. I blacked out instantly.

The next morning I had woken up with a backache and a sore throat, but that didn't stop me from being late to school. Again. I've been late so many times that it's sort of rude for me not to arrive late. I take pride in my procrastination to come to school on time.

Just as I was about the leave the house, I heard Anna cry. And it wasn't a small substantial cry enough to wake just one person up. The sound probably filled every nook and cranny of the house. I hurried back up the stairs and saw Anna still lying in my bed.

"Why are you crying?"

"Mil..mil..." She said. When I had given her a look of confusion she just clutched her stomach. Oh, she's hungry.

Fifteen minutes later I was out of the house, finally, after giving Anna milk in a baby bottle that I used to use and tucking her back into bed, and explaining to her why I couldn't be around her all the time. "School," I said. And she nodded her head sadly.

I ran down the pavement towards the big building with a sign that said 'Easting Middle School'.