Camp Sadness Of Dandelion

Chapter 01

Please help me to support my story by promoting it to your friends on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Thank you!
___________

Sweats were falling down on my neck, I didn't have the seconds to wipe it clean not that I wanted to remain it on my neck but I didn't want to waste my time. It's past twelve noon and I needed to finish my chores as soon as I could. The orphanage has three stories, nasa pangalawang palapag ako ng hallway. Kapag hindi ko malinis ang sahig ay hindi ako papakainin ni Matron. That was our punishment.

Matron clearly said to me before she went out for another visitors coming. "Make sure I see my own reflection than dust on the floor or else, you'll cleaning until midnight."

I didn't want to scrub the floor until midnight... again. Year ago that was my punishment for being sick. No one should get sick inside of this orphanage. Matron wasn't fan of dramas kaya ayaw niya ng nasasakit and why would us be sick if we're only inside of this orphanage, naglilinis lang kami at nag-aaral. Yun lang ang buhay namin dito at naghihintay sa mag-aampon sa amin.

Who wouldn't want to get adopted anyway? I don't want to scrub the floors of the orphanage for the rest of my life, or be a nun or be a teacher or nurse. Yun ang choices para sa mga hindi naaampon. Kapag naampon ka, may chance kang magkaroon ng kalayaan. Kapag umabot na kami sa eighteen ay may tatlong choice kami, but I that's not my choices. I wanted freedom first. I wanted happiness.

Soon, I would be turning thirteen. Nag-aalala na ako na baka walang umampon sa akin dahil sa edad ko. Pero hindi lang naman ako matanda sa orphanage. There's Melody, Grace, Devon, and Shirley who were year older than me. At ako, si Amber, Antoinette, Mary, at Caya ay nasa parehong edad.

We're not allowed to go outside of the orphanage unless it's your time when you get adopted. Naglalaro naman kami sa labas pero may oras, starting at four in the morning, you're supposed to do your first chores then six a.m we're inside of the prayer room to have rosary. Then after that, breakfast, then our class. Kung anong subjects ng iba bata sa normal schools ay yun din ang mayroon kami, we had tutors from the Catholic schools, yung sponsors ang nagbabayad sa kanila.

Twenty four lahat kaming nandito sa orphanage at walang batang lalaki. This orphanage was an all girls orphanage. This was built in nineteen-fifties by two French sisters and the rest was part of history.

Gusto ko talagang may mag-ampon sa akin para na rin mahanap ang parents ko. I didn't know how to start to find them that the only evidence I had with was only my name. I was just week old when they abandoned me.

My biological parents were unknown. Matron only found me outside of the orphanage's rusty gate with my name written on a birthday card. Lilisa. No middle and definitely no family name.

"Lisa hindi ka pa ba tapos?"

Tumabi sa akin si Amber para tulungan niya ako sa paglilinis. Nasa baba din kanina para linisin ang sahig sa kusina. "Matatapos na ako. Kailangan kong tapusin 'to bago dumating si Matron."

"Mabuti nalang tapos na ako sa kusina at napunta ako dito. Sabay na tayong kumain."

"Ano bang hinanda ni Cook?" Interesado kong malaman kung ano ang hinanda ni Cook para sa amin.

Amber scoffed, it looked like I already know what it was. "Chicken porridge. Kunti lang ang linagay na chicken ni Cook dahil wala ng stock. Naubos na kasi noong may dumating na bisita kaya ayun tuloy."

We didn't have an adequate nutrition because the food supplies that the Matron stocked ay kulang. Nauubos minsan sa mga bisita, mga sponsors kuno pero mga pakitang tao lang naman. Karamihan ay politicians ang sponsors namin o di kaya ay mga foster families na gustong may i-foster. And the result, we're skinny of our ages. Mabuti nalang at hindi ako masyadong pandak. Tatangkad pa ako dahil bata pa naman ako.