Any Orphan

Chapter 1

I'm not really sure how to word my situation. My story is a sad one. But I'm certainly not feeling sorry for myself. And I definitely don't mind my troubles.

Old Lady runs the orphanage. By her name you can tell she's not the nicest person. My whole life she's never given me a hint about my true background. Usually when I ask she tells me to go away. But once and a while on her "good" days she'll tell me. I know it's a complete lie. 

"Your parents dumped you on the front stoop," she'd utter, "I would too. Now beat it. Get back to chores." 

I know who ever my parents are, they wouldn't do that. You might think they probably had financial problems or they had a drug addiction. But I know the real story. I have a reason behind my thinking too.

When I was five I snuck into Old Lady's office and looked through her files. And yes, I could read. The only reason I could is because the girls in the orphanage started reading when they were four or three.  We were forced to learn "to later become one with society." But when I opened my file, the paper inside was blank! Well... that was until I flipped it over. I found words that would change my life. Right on that page was the real reason I became an orphan. It read "mother murdered" and "father dead". That might be what happened, but I'm suspicious. 

When the paper read my mother was murdered it had plenty of details. Details like the killer is unknown or no evidence leading to a killer was found. But when I read my father died, there was nothing to read after. It only said "Father Dead". No details and no nothing! So maybe he is alive. Maybe he is filthy rich and living in a huge mansion with a million maids and butlers. But probably not. After all, this is no Annie.

Since that day I've been determined to find my father and find who killed my mother.

Before I get too far into my story, let me introduce myself. I'm orphan number eight hundred sixty-one. My name is Amelia. I hate my name. I absolutely hate it. Barely anyone calls me that though. I tell everyone my name is Attie. They all believe it until Old Lady yells at me and calls me by my full name, Amelia Josefina. And I guess my last name would be orphan number eight hundred sixty-one.

By the way, I'm thirteen. So it's been...  eight years since I've found my file. And it's been thirteen years that the portion of my heart and brain has been missing. You know, that portion that could be labeled "Family" in a cartoon.