The Younger Cade

21

"Really?!" She asked.

"Yeah and you look so much like him." I said grabbing the picture of him out of my bag. "His hair used to be brown but then well.... him and my brother killed a soc."

"Oh wow, your Johnny Cade's sister?"

"The one and only."

Ponytail and I talked for a few hours then Miss Albert opened the bedroom door and said "lights out in five minutes." So we both got ready for bed.

"Hey Ponytail, do you have anything from your mom and dad?"

"I've got a letter. How 'bout you? What happened to your parents?"

"I've got nothing from mine and I'm happy. They abused Johnny and I our whole lives and yesterday they went to jail for kidnapping a little girl."

"Was the little girl Karen Barton?"

"Yeah."

"She used to be here then she got adopted by this lady named Sara Shoemaker."

"Oh wow it's a real small world. Hey what's your last name?"

"I don't know. My parents didn't put it on the letter and no one ever told Miss Albert. I've been here my whole life."

"Oh wow that sucks."

"Yeah."

Then Miss Albert burst threw the door turned off the lights and said "lights out mouths quiet." She then walked out and closed the door.

I layed my head down on the pillow was out faster then the lights when Miss Albert turned them off.

"Alyssa, wake up. Miss Albert needs you." Ponytail said waking me up the next morning.

"Okay, I'm up." I said sitting up and running my fingers threw my hair.

"She said for you to get dressed then head down their." Ponytail said waking out of the room. I grabbed my blue t-shirt and jeans with holes in the knees.

I quickly changed then ran down the hall.

"You needed me?" I asked stopping right in front of Miss Albert.

"Yes, Sunday is visit day. If you want anyone to come go use the phone now." She said pointing to the phone sitting on a small table in the corner.

I walked over and dialed the Curtis' number.

"Hello?" I heard some one ask

"Hi, this is Alyssa is Darry there?"

"Alyssa?"

"Yeah it's me Steve. Now, put Darry on the phone!"

"Okay! Okay!"

"Alyssa?" I heard Darry ask

"Darry! So Sunday is visit day I was thinking you, Soda, and Pony could come."

"Sounds great! I mean neither Soda or I are working Sunday."

"Awesome! Tell everyone I said hi. "

"Guys, Alyssa says hi." He said

"Hi!" I heard every one shout.

"Okay the address is ________ Tulsa, Oklahoma."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye Darry."

I then hung up the phone and walked back over to Miss Albert. "How many people are coming?" She asked.

"Three."

"Okay." She said dryly. "Everyone has chores on that list." She said pointing to the list on the table. "Get to work."

I looked at the list and saw my name. Alyssa -Dishes, setting and clearing the table before and after meals, must do your own laundry. It read.

"The chores change every week." Ponytail informed me.

"Okay." I replied. I then got started on the huge pile of dishes in the sink. It took twenty minutes to get them done then I went and sat down in the living room with the other girls.

"The only thing she lets us watch is the news." Olivia whispered in my ear. I nodded at what she told me then watched the news myself. It was so weird to see a tv without Mickey mouse on it.

"Okay girls outside time!" Miss Albert screamed. All the other girls stood up and Ponytail motioned for me to follow her.

I followed them out the back door to the fenced back yard.

"We're forced to go outside for an hour a day." Maria told me as she went and sat down under a tree. I saw Ponytail sitting in a tire swing by herself.

I snuck up behind her and pushed the swing into the air. She let out a small squeal then realised it was just me.

"Thanks. No one ever even gives me a chance because of my name."

"Well I like your name." I said joyfully.

"Thanks." She replied smiling.

We kept taking turns pushing each other on the tire swing til Miss Albert shouted from the back door "Alyssa, you need to set the table for lunch!"

I moaned and walked inside. I set the table and she put grilled cheese sandwiches on each plate.

"Lunch girls!" Miss Albert screamed out the door. All the girls walked in and headed straight for the bathroom. When I heard the bathroom sink running I figured they were washing there hands.

I walked in and Maria and Ponytail walked out. I stopped as I saw poor Olivia struggling to reach the sink. "Here let me help you." I said lifting her up.

"Thank you," she said smiling. By that I figured she didn't get much help here.

I washed my hands after Olivia and walked out to the kitchen to eat. We all started to eat and when we were done we were sent back outside until dinner.

After dinner we were sent to our rooms to talk to our roommate or have some free time. I just laid down on my bed and stared at the ceiling.

"This is gonna be a long week," I thought. I then felt drowsy as my eyes closed and I fell asleep.