Essays on Professional Writing

Life In the Orphanage of Doom

                                              By Miss Johanna A.

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Afloorboard creaks noisily as I make my way along the dark hallway. Startled, I pause, hoping and praying that the sound won't wake Madam. If she were to discover me out of bed, I'd get the cane again for sure. Madam, is our Matron, but she makes us call her Madam, out of respect.

There is no sound of stirring coming from her bedroom so I continue my tiptoeing down the hall... The floor changes from wooden to cold marble floor as I enter the store-room where the back door is. I'm running away... and I'm never coming back. I slump my back pack on my shoulder and head out the back door of the orphanage where i have been living for the last one and a half years.

Goodbye prison... hello freedom....

The crisp night air smells of smoke, probably from one of the gypsies' camp fires in the nearby woods. I inhale this air slowly, and it feels as if I am taking my first sip of freedom. I grin despite myself. This is the start of a new life.

A sudden noise makes me jump. I crouch down low on the dew-covered grass of the orphanage's garden and peer over the small rose bush. A familiar silhouette is walking slowly up the path that leads to the orphanage. Madam.

I hold my breath. What is Madam doing outside at this late hour? I watch her toddle up the path. She stops, at the fountain where the paths separates into two. One goes to the back door where I escaped earlier and the other to the main door.

Madam takes the back door one. I feel a pang of surprise and my curiosity grows bigger as she enters the gardener's shed. She goes in and I hear a man's voice, a jolly one ringing out clearly in the silent night. I also hear laughter. I smile again. Madam's got a beau.

I decide to leave my hiding place. The thorns of the rose bush are pricking me and my knees ache from crouching down. I stand up and quietly walk down the garden to the gate. I reach the gate and open it carefully so that it won't squeak.

On our visits to town, me and the other orphan girls would dare each other to make it creak the loudest, just to provoke Madam's annoyance. I was always the one who was the best in this game. I had courage the others admired, the courage to continue my miserable life when my parents died, the courage to endure Madam's painful canings... I stare at the gate again and I manage to open it silently. I step outside of the garden, heart pounding. This is it. I've done it. i've left the orphanage forever. I turn back and gaze at the grey-brick orphanage. I'll never see it again. As I stand there, gazing at it, a hand falls on my shoulder. I turn around and gasp. It is the headmistress of the orphanage. 

The headmistress looks down at me with angry eyes and drags be back towards the building by the ear. It hurt! Seriously, adults are so mean. They are meaner than the bullies. I don't understand why they always are around to catch me when  try and run away. This is my 3rd attempt and i've failed yet again. The adults in this prison hate me anyway, so why do they always drag me back. I'd think they would be glad to see me go. I'll never understand grown ups. 

We were in the orphanage again now and the headmistress finally spoke. 

"Now young lady, you'll go back to bed and tomorrow come down to my office before breakfast and you'll get a good talking to. Now march!"

I ran off to my room still with my bag over my shoulder. I may have got caught this time but next time i won't. I'll make sure of that. Maybe i'll also take Maggie, my best friend with me. I don't know why i didn't before. Maggie is my age and she is more like a sister than a friend, she's my closest and loyal friend. Next time i try run away i'm taking my dear Maggie with me.