The recruit

Orphanage

A short, plump lady stands in the doorframe of the orphanage with a smile from ear to ear. Her bloated hand waves at us eagerly, as we haul our small amount of luggage up the stone steps towards her. Francesca wishes us well and trots back to the car waiting out the front of the squat building.

"Hi there! You must be Amelia, Ben and Sarah, it's so lovely to have you join us! My name is Samantha, but you can call me Sam. Please come in and we will get you aqquainted with our newly furnished compound." She exclaims excitedly with a strong american drawl. Ben and I exchange looks and raise our eyebrows, before stepping inside. The room we first step into is cluttered with brightly coloured couches, chairs and beanbags. No kids are in the room, probably because its Thursday, a school day. We are lead to a secluded desk in the corner where a stern looking lady is sorting paperwork. Sam places her hands on the table and clears her throat, drawing the ladies attention. 

"Libby, This is Amelia, Ben and Sarah, the new orphans. Could you tell us their room number so we can get them sorted and ready for lunch?" Sam asks the woman, who grunts and reluctantly drags a fingernail down a list of names. 

"Ben, room two. Amelia and Sarah, room seven" Libby says shortly, returning to her paperwork without the slightest smile or greeting. Ben looks disappointed, but he quickly covers it by a nod and a small smile. Sam then takes us past a few recreational rooms and up a flight of stairs, explaining on the way.

"Here we have the cafeteria. Breakfast goes from 6:00 till 8:00, Lunch on the weekends from 12:00 till 2:00 and dinner is always at 7:00. On school days there are leftovers in the fridge for lunch. Now we are passing the study room, the chill out room and the storage room." She gestures to each room as we pass, giving us a chance to glance in and have a look. We reach the long hallway of rooms and she stops at door number two, Ben's room. 

"So Ben, This is your room where you will be staying with your roommate, Lochie. He will be back from school at 3. Unpack your stuff and sort your school equipment for tomorrow, which will be sitting beside your bed." She explains to a bewildered Ben, before opening the door and leaving him to it. Sam then sidles past a few more doors before opening one near the end of the hallway, room seven. 

"Ok so Amelia, I put Sarah with you because she's only five, but once she gets a bit older she will be moved into a separate room. Same goes for you that I told Ben, and your roommate will be Olivia. Enjoy" She smiles gently before stepping back out into the corridor.

"Wait" I spurt out loudly, placing a hand on the door to stop it from shutting. "When can we go and have lunch?"

"Well it's 12:00 now, so you can grab something from the fridge whenever you want. Afternoon tea is served in the chill out room when the kids come back from school. I'll be downstairs if you need me."

I shut the door behind Sam and survey our room. A bunk bed is pushed up in one corner against a pale blue wall, with the top bunk already set up and personalised. I shrug and throw my bag on the bottom bunk, next to the pile of clean sheets. Another small bed is pushed against the opposite side of the room, which Sarah has already settled into happily. The room also includes a closet, a set of draws and two desks. It's a nice little room, but I don't think I could live here for my whole teenage life. I collapse onto my bed and stare up at the top bunk, heavy hearted. I still couldn't shake the image of our burning house out of my head.

The sound of the door opening woke me up and I yawn loudly, watching Ben through sleepy eyes clamber over Sarah's stuff that had already been strewn over the thin carpet floor. He plonks himself next to me on the bed, checks to see that Sarah was busy with something else and then starts whispering frantically in my ear. 

"Sarah was asleep when we found out about mum and dad. We never told her anything when we were taken here, so how come she hasn't been asking questions?" Ben queries, his hot breath tickling my ear. I raise my eyebrows and pivot to face Sarah, who is making an effort to lift her books and pencil case onto the desk.

"Sarah, do you know where we are?" I ask carefully, struggling with what to say. She gives up with the books and comes to sit on the floor in front of us.

"I think we are in a new home where people can look after us until mummy and daddy can get better" She says calmly, picking at the carpet floor. Ben fidgets beside me and I know its up to me to do the talking. I swallow the lump in my throat and draw Sarah up into my lap. 

"Darling, mummy and daddy won't be coming to get us because they have gone to heaven, to a nice place with the rest of our relatives. When we are much older we can go and join them, but for now, we have to stay here, in the orphanage where we will be looked after with kids just like us." I speak fast, afraid of Sarah's reaction, afraid I might burst into tears myself. She looks from Ben to me, for reassurance, letting out a loud sob when she realises its true. She digs her head under my arms and we hug each other tightly, Ben, Sarah and I; a family.