the last of her kind

Chapter 2

Wings beating. Hooves crashing. Baby crying. The agonised screams and the anger filled shouts A hand reaching out. A baby crying!

I jolted awake from my fitful sleep and dreams that made no sense, due to the cries of a baby. Who is that? Where am I? Where is mommy? Did daddy hurt the baby who is crying? Where is my mommy!?

Two voices now filled the atmosphere, accompanied by cries and whimpers. I remember where I am now. I'm in an orphanage and I was left here by daddy, who didn't want me, and he left me with... my baby brother. He's mine now. My baby brother. He was crying, he needs to stop. If he carries on crying that makes me bad big sister.

I leapt up from my new bed. All sorts of thoughts ran through my six-year-old, (twelve?), mind. Did daddy come back and hurt my baby brother? Baby brother is a mouthful I need to give him a name. Forget that, I might not be able to give him a name if daddy hurt him. I reached him and it seemed like I had seen his face for the first time. He may be a baby, but he looked just like mommy. He was beautiful.

He had a small, button nose and small eyes. His mouth was wide open, from the cries coming out of his mouth, and the brightest of pinks. He had tuffs of hair on his head that were brunette just like mommy's long tresses, but his eyes shocked me the most. He had gold eyes. His eyes were gold were like gold filigree in starlight. I read that in a book once, but I can't remember where I got the book from. Daddy didn't let me read books. As much as you think and ponder his eyes were not yellow like flowers but as gold as a ring on your finger and as bright as the sun.

Where did he get those eyes from? Mommy didn't have eyes like those and neither did daddy. At least he doesn't look slightly similar to daddy, if he did, the reminder would have been too great to handle. He's not actually my brother, I just remembered.

"He's hungry. None of you ate anything last night when you came here," a sweet, soft voice entered the air- coming from right next to me. I looked towards her and saw a beautiful woman. She had flaming, fiery red hair and baby blue eyes. She had pale, white skin and the tenderest gaze, which was directed to me; waiting for an answer.

"Do you have any food to spare? It's only for him. You don't have to give it to me. I promise I'll be a good girl if you give him some food," I whispered in a frail, weak voice.

She looked at me sympathetically. I don't need her sympathy! My eyes widened. I don't know where that unexplainable anger came from. It felt a bit like daddy's anger. It scares me.

"It's alright, sweetie. I'm here to help both your brother and you. Now come along with your brother," She's so nice and kind. I don't know where that anger came from. I don't think she knows he's not mine, it's fine. It makes it easier for me to make him my little brother.

I picked up my brother and cradled him in my arms. I think I have an idea for his name. It's my favourite book characters name, well nickname. William, he was a strong king and had flaws, but he was willing to do anything for the prosperity of his country. Not many called him Will because his name was actually Wilhelm- which is German but translate to William in English- but daddy came him the nickname Will.

My mind fuzzed, a fog took over and I don't remember what I was thinking about, apart from the fact that I'm going to name my brother Will. His name is Will, but I don't know why I'm going to name him that.

"Give him here to me and you go sit on the table with the rest of the kids. Your food has already been set down for you to eat. You just woke up a bit later than schedule. I'll tell you how things go in this orphanage."

I went and sat down in the empty, set down just for me. There was a bowl of porridge and a piece of toast. There was too much butter spread onto the slice of bread. I don't think I really want that, but I have to eat it. It may be the only thing they give to me to eat for the day. I need to remain grateful for what I'm given. Just because daddy isn't here that doesn't mean I will get more than this large meal.

How did I know that was porridge? I have never eaten porridge before or seen it before. I'm confused, I need answers, but I can't ask them. They might get angry like daddy.

I picked up the spoon and cautiously put it in the bowl. I don't know if I was doing it wrong or not, it's what everyone else was doing. It was loud, really loud. Not fear and suffering, but happiness and joy. I don't know. I have never been in an atmosphere like this. There were different races, religions and languages, drifting around. One boy said, "¿Quién es la nueva chica?" I understood what that meant. He said, "Who is the new girl?" I don't know how I understood that.

"Right! Everyone settle down. We have two new arrivals to our home. Please welcome them both," a short, stout man with a round face and small beard, said over the noise. Everyone became quiet. I think he has the most authority here. He has a calm and collected aura, he seems confident too.

"Please introduce yourself, grey eyes. Oh, and your brother too," He added the last bit so I would know he was talking to me because I wasn't looking at him.

"My name is Rose, and my brother's name is Will. He is a two-years-old," I gave a brief description of myself because I didn't really know much about myself. I can't remember anything.

"How old are you?"

The one question that I was dreading. "I-i don't know, I don't remember." I mumbled, on the verge of tears.