The Wanted Missing

1

Emrie's long red hair shimmered in the sunlight. She was sitting on the front step of the orphanage in the small town, right on the outskirts of the city. Normally, she'd have been reading, but today she was different. She seemed distanced.

She watched the cars come and go, and even watched the people park the cars and then get out and walk somewhere. She saw a younger couple get out of their car, and start walking towards the orphanage.

Emrie jolted up from the step and bolted inside, hiding behind the staircase, hoping they hadn't seen her. As she hid, she let her hair fall down in her face, and Lunette, one of the caretakers, came out into the foyer from her office, after hearing the bell ring from the door open. When she saw no one, she was confused and was about to go back into her office when the couple walked in. Lunette brushed her pink and teal streak of hair behind her ear, reaching her hand out to them.

"Hi, I'm Lunette. I'll be helping you today. All of the kids are out back." She said, as the couple took turns shaking her hand. They started walking out to the back door, and Emrie snuck past them, catching the man asking a question. "Who are your oldest girls?"

Emrie knew she was one of them, and got out back to sit on the stairs and place her book in her lap, acting calm and collected. She let her hair curtain her face again, and waited for Lunette to call her.

Lunette called two of the other older girls over. Callie and Delihlah. They went over and Emrie watched them all talk for a while. She glanced up and down from her book, continuously getting distracted by catching little things that they were saying.

After some time, Lunette called her and another girl, Ana, over, in her soft, loving voice. Emrie slowly and calmly closed her book, hiding the fact that she was excited as she walked. Well, at least she tried to hide it.

Emrie had lived here at this orphanage since she was only seven months old. She'd been small, unhealthy, and unlikely to live. At the time, Lunette was Emrie's current age, 16, and her and her mother, Marinette, had nursed Emrie back to full health. Marinette had, and still, ran the place. Although this had been her home for all those years, she still wanted to go somewhere beyond the gates of the orphanage. She loved them unconditionally, but still wanted to go.

"Meet Gabby and Torrey." Lunette said to Emrie and Ana, introducing them to the young couple. Emrie's cool burst. She had to bite her tongue to not go crazy.

"Hello!" Ana said in her usual cheery voice.

Gabby and Torrey smiled at the energy. "Hello! And which one are you?"

Ana replied, "Ana," She held out her hand and shook the other two's hands. "I'm 13."

Gabby nodded toward Emrie. "And you?"

"My name is Emrie. I'm 16." She said softly, letting a little excitement show through. She kept her hands wrapped tightly on her book, still a little nervous.

"Well, hello Emrie." Torrey greeted, placing his hand on Emrie's small shoulder. She flinched at the contact, not quite used to it. She hadn't exactly been touched since she was six.

After a few questions and jokes, and Emrie zoning out after getting bored, Lunette shooed Ana and Emrie away. Emrie went and sat back down on the steps and watched the three go back inside.

Sometime later, Delihlah, 15, got called into the office, which only happened when someone was being adopted. Callie broke into tears, knowing what was happening. Callie and Delihlah were best friends since they were twelve.

Delihlah left and Callie was torn. After dinner, no one saw her because she went straight up to her room, without even clearing her spot. Lunette cleaned up and Marinette went up to talk to her. Emrie went up to lie in bed as well, slightly disappointed that she had, once again, not been chosen.