Swept Away

Washed up

Chapter 1.

The date was the 15th of August 1975 the rain was lashing down in sheets outside The Cypress Orphanage an imposing building built back in 1867 when Sisters from the covenant of The Priory of St. Marie moved to the area when there was a large mining industry in the area and frequent accidents left many children homeless and orphaned. With hearts filled with compassion and empathy, they opened the house and welcomed all children with equal treatment. This practice had continued over 100 years later to the present mulled Sister Ruth knitting by the fireplace watching the children tumbling around each other sighing in content, then came a knock at the door, someone was forcefully slamming the heavy Brass doorknocker "I'm coming I'm coming!" she called out and as she did, so the children's peals of laughter stopped as if on a silent signal. Sister Ruth fumbled for the keys on her massive circular key-chain. As she opened the door Sister Ruth was soaked by the incoming rain egged on by the wind that burst its way through the door with ice cold gales invading the house. She noticed the 2 children sitting on the porch doorstep sheltered by a large briefcase. Almost subconsciously she ushered the two inside immediately lugging the heavy case behind her and then with a short struggle managed to close the door behind her.

In the bright lamplight she got her first look at the newcomers a boy and a girl who both looked Mediterranean in appearance the girl was obviously older around 11-13 was the Sister's best guess with midnight black hair was comforting the boy whom she judged to be her brother with the same hair both were clad in what she would call slightly outdated clothes with the girl wearing a drab ankle-length skirt and a waterproof jacket with the boy also wearing the coat but with trousers the same colour as his hair. "Well what do we have here!" she exclaimed they both looked up at her with deep Brown eyes and Olive complexions confirming her suspicion they were both Mediterranean "Hello?" the girl said with a guarded look moving towards her brother defensively as Ruth moved to help take his jacket off. "Okay... you can do that yourselves hang them on the pegs over there while I get you both something to eat you look positively famished between you".

While she made them both sandwiches she questioned them both about where they came from. They did not answer much only with big questioning eyes or noncommittal yes's or no's, they both spoke fluent English murmuring to each other softly in what she guessed was Italian. What she did get from them was that the girls name was Natalie and the boys was Antonio (Anthony) she also found out that Natalie was thirteen the boy was Anthony, was eight, the girls age made her the same age as most of the other 45 other children in the Orphanage, almost all from the Mud Creek cave-in six years ago which had the highest death toll from a mining accident in 50 years setting a new morbid memory never to forget.

Sister Ruth had sent all of the other children upstairs for the bedtime routine but could now hear two sets of footsteps making their way down the staircase and then Sister Naomi and the Mother Superior entered the room. the Mother stayed remarkably calm just surveyed the scene before she looked at Ruth and simply said in a monotonous voice "explain". So, Sister Ruth ended up explaining the entirety of what had happened in the last 15 minutes while Naomi supervised the rest of the two's meal before showing them both to separate guest rooms but on the girl's insistence let them share a room with twin beds. After leaving the Mother Superior to her thoughts she peeped in the sibling's rooms and saw that the boy had got up and had gone over to his sister's bed where they were now both curled up looking snug and at peace.

Smiling to herself she left the room and made her way to the Main living room in front of the fireplace. As she entered the room she saw that the Mother Superior had gathered the fifteen Sisters who worked at The Orphanage she saw that they had left a seat for her in the armchair closest to the fire "Tonight has been different..." The Mother Superior "I have briefed everyone on what has happened and from what I can glean from Sister's Ruth and Naomi we know their names ages and dates of birth, but we do not know where they came from or who dropped them off". She lifted the Briefcase that the children had arrived with it looked old with frayed postage stamps from Rome, Venice and London. "This is the case that the children arrived with I have saved the opening of this as I would like all of your opinions on this matter" all present dipped their heads in the Mother's direction at that statement. "Let's begin, then shall we?" she unclasped the buckles on the bag and flipped it, so it was facing the Sisters as the contents were revealed those closest let out small gasps of shock as the bag's contents were revealed to them.