Short Stories...

Musical Chairs...

At the Jessup Falls Orphanage the children were always excited for their monthly game of musical chairs. It may seem silly but the game's stakes were high. The winner was given one week of specialty treatment including their favorite meals, endless playtime and meetings with several families ending with a guaranteed adoption.

Today's game little Marrisa was determined to win. She had been at the orphanage since she was 4 years old since her grandmother died and she had to one to care for her any longer. Marissa had been at the orphanage for two years and had never won a single game . She had seen many other orphans come and go.  Some only had to remain in the orphanage for a few weeks before winning a game and being able to be adopted. Poor little 6 year old Marissa felt she was long overdue to win a game and today would be her day.  

She made sure she was wearing her best dress and she was on her game. She was going to play dirty if she had to. She was going to trip and shove and do whatever it took to win. 

As the music started Marissa mustered up all of her confidence and got down and dirty with the other kids. She was getting out of this place and that was final.  When it came down to Marissa and one other little boy, she stalked the single chair and when the music stopped, the little boy nearly landed in the seat but Marissa aggressively shoved him out of the way securing the seat for herself while the little boy stared up at her from the floor with a look of disbelief and defeat. Marissa smugly basked in her long awaited victory. 

That week was more wonderful than anything that Marissa could have ever imagined.  She was given her own plush room and plenty of dolls to play with. Every day she was fed big extravagant meals and was exempt from all chores that the orphans had to partake in.

She was able to meet with four different sets of parents who all seemed so perfect for her. it was going to be hard to choose which couple she wanted to go home with. There were the Caldwells, the Sheppards, the Birkleys, and the Hortons.  They all seemed so thrilled to meet Marissa and stated that she was just so perfect and that she was just the child they had been looking for.

It came down to Marissa's last day and she was to find out which parents she would be going home with. One of the caregivers in the orphanage came to Marissa's room to take her to the administration office for outprocessing. She grabbed her bag with her few belongings and followed the caregiver to the office. 

She was ushered into the administration office to find the headmistress and all four couples waiting for her. She looked around confused before she sat down. 

The headmistress was looking through paperwork and began speaking without looking up.   "So Marissa, you are the lucky winner this month." Marissa smiled and nodded her head. " According to you records we found you to be a match for four different families." Marissa didn't understand. " you mean I get to go home with four families?" The headmistress looked up and smiled. " In a way dear."  She looks over to a man in a white coat. " Administer the sedative Dr. Robtree" The man walked over to an even more confused Marissa and pulled out a needle and syringe . Marissa resisted slightly but she knew that a six year old wasn't going to be able to overpower a full grown man.  He quickly stuck the needle in her arm and emptied the contents. He stepped back.

The headmistress addressed the four couples. " Now as you know, we house some of the healthiest specimens on the market. All are fed an organic diet and the best of medical care. As far as who is to receive what, let's review. To the Caldwells , two kidneys. To the Sheppards one heart.  the Birkleys a liver, and the Hortons a pair of eyes."

The four couples all looked extremely pleased that they almost shed tears.  They were overjoyed that after months of waiting and praying that their designated donor's time had finally come up. The  wait usually took a few months but it was definitely better than being on a regular hospital list for two or more years. 

As little Marissa begins to succumb to the sedative she's listening to the headmistress speak to the couples. Her six year old mind couldn't comprehend what was being said to the couples by the headmistress but she was still happy nonetheless . In her mind she figured as she begin to drift off to sleep that she would wake up in her new home. With her new family.