Sealed Shut

Chapter One

The boy threw back his covers as the alarm clock rang. His tanned hand slammed down on the off switch and he yawned. With a few blinks the boy ran a hand through his black hair.

He stood up and scratched at his bare chest. His black sweat pants hung low on his hips as he walked over to the dresser in the bedroom. One other person shared this bedroom with him, a little boy of 10 years old. The other bed was pressed against the opposite wall from his.

The boy who was awake dug in the dresser until he came up with a plain black T-shirt and black skinny jeans. He didn't have many different things of clothes, what he did have he bought with his own money from his part-time job.

The black haired boy walked out of the bedroom and towards the bathroom. He passed three other rooms, all housed little kids that wouldn't need to be up for another hour. But one of the doors was cracked open. A pair of brown eyes looked out.

The boy paused and smiled at the eyes. They belonged to a little girl named Maddie, the youngest of the kids at this orphanage at only five. The black haired boy waved to her. He was, by contrast, the oldest one here at 16.

Maddie smiled at him before closing the door, taking her brown eyes and tufts of brown hair with her.

The boy smiled and continued down the hall. He opened the bathroom door then shut it behind him. He turned on the shower before undressing and hopping in. The water was the only sound in the house. He didn't have to be up yet either, he could have slept another hour, but he never did.

Once he dried off the boy slipped on his clothes he had grabbed. After brushing his teeth and doing other daily routine things he headed down stairs.

The old woman who ran this orphanage wouldn't be up for another 15 minutes. But the boy started getting bowls and cups out, nine in total. After that he filled three bowls with coco pebbles, three with lucky charms, one with cheerios, and the last two with frosted flakes. 

He poured five cups of milk, three of apple juice, and one with coffee that he had made when he came down. It was routine for him, everyday. Mrs. Jill always tried to talk him out of it, but she knew if she just got up earlier to do it, he would just get up even earlier the next day.

He laid the cups and bowls on the table according to who always sat there. He grabbed spoons and put one by everyone's bowl, then grabbed the Jug of milk as he heard the patter of tiny feet coming down the stairs. He poured milk into every bowl as the chairs started to fill up.

Mrs. Jill walked out of her bedroom and sat down in front of the cheerios and coffee. Maddie sat down with the frosted flakes and apple juice. The boy sat in the seat next to Maddie that also was frosted flakes and apple juice.

He ruffled her hair as everyone dug in after saying thank you. Maddie had short brown hair, thanks to her wanting it cut that way. Her face was freckled and she had chipmunk cheeks. Her smile was missing a few teeth but she was adorable. And boy did she know it.

She turned those big brown eyes on the black haired boy beside her. He raised an eyebrow, knowing whatever she wanted it wouldn't be good. "Percy, could you pick me up from school today?" Her sweet voice made Percy squint. "Hey, don't give me that look!" She pouted.

Percy gave her a look of 'spill it'.

"Fine, I want you to pick me up so I can prove to my friends that you're real." Maddie crossed her little arms. For a five year-old she was incredible smart, only talking with a little slur because of the missing teeth. "Oh and my hair is getting long, can you pwease cut it again?"

Percy rolled his eyes before grinning and nodding that he would. Maddie squealed then hugged Percy around his shoulders, she had to stand on her chair to do so.

Percy was the one to cut Maddie's hair, short so that Maddie's natural curls just made it to her ear. He cut most of the kids' hair. He also painted toenails and fingernails, braided hair, did pigtails, made snacks, listened to problems. He was a great listener.

A little blonde boy named Fisher spoke up. "Can you paint my toe nails again? They got chipped." His brown eyes were much lighter than Maddie's. He was one of the boys that loved getting his nails painted. The other boys usual only did it if they got dared or other nonsense.

Percy held up a finger before getting up and heading to the counter. He grabbed his notepad and pencil, both were blue with his name on them. He wrote down "I was planning on repainting toes tomorrow night." He showed Fisher who smiled and nodded.

Percy couldn't talk, they all knew that. They had never heard him speak, because he never did. He used to. But then his mother died.

Once everyone was done they went upstairs to get dressed. Percy got all the book bags together as Mrs. Jill helped the little ones get dressed. Once they all got down stairs Percy handed out the book bags as they ran out the door for the van.

Mrs. Jill took them all to school, well expect Percy. His school was in the opposite direction and he liked to walk. "Percy thank you. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be able to take care of all these kids." Mrs. Jill kissed Percy on the forehead before leaving. Percy smiled and started walking to school.

He had his note pad and pencil in his hoodie pocket as he made his way in the gates of his high school. He got the usual amount of stares and whispers about him, nothing new.

Oh but how that was going to change.