The young girl laid wide awake in her bed. It must've been morning now. She held her bear as she wheezed up a cough. There's been a sickness spreading around the orphanage. Fever would kill off the small ones, but Willow never got a fever. Her body was always warmer then a normal girls. A volunteer stepped into the room.
"Chin up, missus. I brought chicken noodle suit. Boiling hot, the way you like it."
Willow sat up in her bed. This mistress was perhaps the kindest one here. She understood willows need for all things hot. The worker set down a tray, then the soup, then the spoon. She ruffled Willow hair before leaving.
That night, Willow didn't sleep very well. She awoke in the middle of the night to something looming over her bed. An odd shadow creature, something she couldn't comprehend. It lunged at her and the girl shreked, falling out of bed. She raced for the door, trying to get it unlocked. As the monster approached, the girl held up her bear in an attempt to scare it away. Fortunately, it worked! Two of the workers busted into the room, holding their lanterns as they angrily glared at willow.
The two tired workers threw Willow into a cold closet. At least she didn't get a caning this time. She sat, curled up as the thing crept under the door. The girl backed away as it approached.
"Stay back!" The child screamed, grabbed a can of lighter fluid, cloth and a match. She dumped the lighter fluid onto the cloth and struck the match.
As beautiful flames danced around the dry wood of the building, Willow grabbed her teddy bear, Bernie. She began to walk down the stairs of the burning building as chaos unfolded around her. She slowly opened the front door and met the cold, damp air.
And Willow Left the orphanage, never to be seen again.
