Sitting outside of what used to be the orphanage, Haley crying, comes up to me and says, "But what abo- about our letters?"
I say nothing. "Alex?" Taylor says, "You okay?"
Nodding, I look at her. "Where are we going to go, Tay? Did people die? Why did they do this to us?" I ask, turning around to face flames. All I remember was a boom. Crying babies waking everyone up. Orphanage workers yelling to evacuate.
I grab Daxton and then other kids, herding them outside. Standing in front of compound building three watching compound building one in flames, all I felt was terror.
More workers frantically shouted at us to get on the road and that it was not safe for us to be there any more. When my compound got into the dirt streets I named off every kid.
"Gavin." Check.
"Mason." Check.
"Ashley." Check.
"Bradley." Check.
"Hannah." Check.
"Damian." Check.
"Maddie." Check.
"Presley." Check.
"Daxton." Check.
"Karson." Check.
"Bentley." Check.
"Harley." Check.
"And Mikey." Check.
All the nannies were here.
Compound two's doors open and a mop of boys run out on the road. They stay separated, but a few boys come over to see if their younger sibling is okay.
I wonder if anyone in compound one is hurt. Or even worse. Dead.
Apparently another country bombed us because they didn't appreciate how we ran our economy?
All of the sudden there is another loud boom. Compound building two bursts into flames. People scream.
All of the sudden I see a group of figures running out of the burning compound building one. I run over there to help them. I couldn't make out their faces, it was dark and they were covered in black dust. When we reached the road I could see their faces in the dim street lamp.
I reconized only two faces. Haley's little sister, Amanda, and Indiana.
"Indiana!" I hear a familiar voice scream. When I turned to see who it was I was a bit disappointed. Jesse. Wait...why was I disappointed? I couldn't be.
He ran up to her and hugged her. She hugged back. "Jesse!" She said.
"OOOO young love!" A random kid yelled.
A hand grabbed mine and pulled.
"Stop starring!" I recognized the voice. Taylor. "I wasn't. Psh. Why would I?" I said. She shrugged, "I dunno, but you were!"
Really, why was I?
Someone screamed and I looked up. Compound building three now was in flames. Miss Ripe's house door opened. She ran out and ordered us to walk down the streets. She and more workers led us to a big white building. We walked inside. It was a huge square room.
There was a living area in one corner and a kitchen in another. There was an office in one more corner and the last corner had a glass staircase. We all stood there looking at everything. That was until a tall blonde walked down the steps and towards us, her heels clicking the wood.
"Oh my god! I have always wanted kids! Welcome, I am Tiffany, Ms. Tiffany to you!" She said, her blue eyes shining. "Well don't just stand there! Come in!" She said, motioning us to come in. "There are three bedrooms upstairs. Each one has about six twin beds. You guys split up into three groups of six."
We all starred at her.
"Or I will!" She said. She counted three groups of six. That is only eighteen, and there were nineteen of us in compound three. We all agreed we could double up which left nine more beds. Eleven boys doubled up in those beds. The rest scattered around in the living room on pallets.
I ended up sharing a bed with Daxton. To the right of me was Taylor and Presley, a 4 year old in our compound. I wasn't sure who was to the left of me until I heard, "Pst Alex. You up." Revealing Jesse's wisper.
"Yes I'm up" I wispered back. "Do you think this is a little crazy?" He asked. "Yes, a lot actually" I answered, "You?" He breathed in through his nose, and out through his mouth, "Same. I just hope that whatever happens, you and me don't get-" He said in a sleepy voice. "Jesse?" I said, curious about what he was about to say. "What?" He asked/answered. "Finish what you were saying!" I said. "I forgot. Hey I'm going to sleep, night" He said.
That kind of sucked, I was actually enjoying myself. Wonder what he was going to say.
I almost immedeatly fell asleep after that.
"Jesse stop!" I said as I swatted his hand away. I didn't want to try that nasty looking fish he held in his hand.
"Come on Alex, what's the worst that could happen?" He said putting it back up in front of my lips.
I swatted his hand away again and looked at him. He puckered out his bottom lip making a puppy dog face.
Sighing, I opened my mouth and he grinned and stuck the fish in my mouth. I wrinkled my face in disgust, "YUCK"
We both laughed.
He leaned in. What is he doing? Closer...closer...he was inches away from my face.
My eyes shot open. I couldn't breath. There was a hand covering my mouth and nose, suffocating me. An angry looking Indiana stood over me.
All I could do was attempt to scream and kick. I tried smacking her hand away from me. Nothing was working. Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed her body and slammed her down, releasing her hand away from my mouth.
I could breath again. Sitiing up, gasping for air, I looked to see who that was.
Nobody else was in the room except Indiana sitting on the floor rubbing her head. "Who was that?" She yelled.
I ran out of the room, she chased me. Downstairs I saw nobody. There was two double doors so I pushed them and saw a huge room with a bunch of tables. Everyone was sitting there eating.
"Alex! Over here!" I see Taylor sitting at a table in the corner waving her hand. I walked over there and sat down in an empty chair. They all asked me why I was so late and why I looked so scared. After I explained what happened they all looked around for Indiana. She was in line getting food. Then it occured to me that I didn't know who 'saved' me.
The doors opened. Jesse and his friends walked in. They all sat down excpet Jesse who walked over to me. When he was standing beside me I looked up at him. "Hey" I said.
Everyone at my table got quiet. I looked at them which made them talk.
"Carry on" I say, looking back up at Jesse.
"Maybe you should be more careful around the new girl" Was all he said and then he walked off.
What did that mean? That it was him? Maybe it was one of his friends and he just heard from one of them....
Later that day we were gathered around in the living area to discuss where we were going next.
"All the other islands are raising money to build us another orphanage. It won't take long, they started today. Meanwhile, we will be staying here and in the Village, a neighborhood about 3 minutes away. Okay?" Miss Ripe said. Everyone answered and headed to where they were sleeping.
I was walking outside of one of the bathrooms.
BANG. I rammed into someone and before I could open my eyes I was hit with something hard.
Then it was dark.
