Genuine Forgery

{5} Umber

May 3

I always thought being adopted was something to be excited about. Of course, I never thought my birth parents were going to be the lucky people to adopt me.

I felt like I had been squashed with news I didn't expect. And being the reasonable one, unlike my sister, I had answered no.

Although she may be older than me, and possibly wiser, which I seriously doubt, I'm mostly the one to make huge decisions like this. Josie usually calls me the level-headed one.

'No' seemed the answer Josie, of all people, didn't expect. She glared at me, but despite her best efforts to shield her true emotions, I could still see confusion and even slight understanding in her eyes.

After a few moments of silence, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. One moment I see brown hair, the next second its gone, and immediately I know it was my only friend in the orphanage, besides my sister.

"Josie, Alicia is outside the door." I inform in a whisper.

Instantly, Josie's expression of anger melts away. She turns to face the doorway, and welcomes Alicia inside.

Alicia is a Cuban-American, at age 13. Despite being three years younger than me, she is still incredibly feisty.

"Hey, Umber, Josephine." She acknowledges the both of us and turns to me.

"Mrs. Malevolence would like to see you." She wore an expression of worry and fear, and I wouldn't blame her. Sharing the same expression, I meet my sister's eyes, and exit the room.

                           ~~~~

Walking down the sullen hallway, which is shaped with walls that have endured so much pain for years, I peer at the pictures of the previous dwellers of this awful place.

Each one captures a different expression or moment of absolute misery. One girl balling, another being whipped, the possibilities are limitless.

I suppose these are all just trophies of Mrs. Malevolence's accomplishments of suffering.

Utterly disturbed by my thoughts, I clear my head and focus on the task at hand.

Making my way up the stairs to Mrs. Malevolence's office, I knock on the door. I hear a murmur in answer to come in and open the door.

My gaze falls gracefully to unmask three figures: Mrs. Malevolence, and my birth parents.

Anger boils inside me, bile rising in my throat. I force it down, unwilling to show any form of weakness.

Mrs. Malevolence begins the conversation by saying, "Hello, Umber. I hope you are doing well after what happened. It's a lot to take in."

As always, when strangers are here, she puts on her best face.

"Oh, I'm doing great." I answer sarcastically.

She gives me a look of true hatred. Wanting to stay on good terms with my birth parents, she dismisses her anger, and ushers me to sit down next to her.

I sit, hesitant and unwilling to be so close to a person who has caused so much agony in a lifetime.

"Your birth parents would like to reclaim their status as you and your sister's guardians." She states flatly, aware that I don't want anything to do with them.

"Yes, I know, but I am perfectly happy where I am." I answer, having no emotion towards my birth parents whatsoever.

Both of them shared expressions of, what was it? Was that expression; disgust? Or disappointment?