Princess of the Dagger

Risky

        The smells of feet and a hint of soap filled the air. No one was smiling. Not here. Babies crying, beds creaking, kids sweeping and scrubbing the floors. The head mistress already put everyone to work. I've been here almost all my life cleaning, scrubbing, feeding the younger ones, and if I ever made a bad choice, or argue and get in fights, I will get yelled at and I wouldn't be allowed to eat for three days because there is a consequence for making the wrong decision. It was like a pre-training camp for the army. Which is why I wanted out. The only ways you could get out of the orphanage was if you actually have parents, or if you have come of age-which you have to be eighteen years old, which for me is four years away-but if you've been here all your life you might want to do what other kids or teenagers tried or want to do-escape. I wanted to do so for some time now but I was to scared even though I had many opportunities but I didn't want to risk it. Ever since my friend, Cadoc tried to escape earlier this year and failed, I've been uneasy. He's a year older than me. I bet he wished he was dead. He got a beating, whipped and he wasn't allowed to eat for three days. Torture I tell you. For us stuck in the orphanage that was the ultimate punishment. Head mistress Clory seemed happy after beating Cadoc up because she sure had a big smile on her face. That sent shivers down my spine and Head mistress Clory didn't give Cadoc treatment either so we treated his wounds, comforted him, and gave him praise for his brave attempt to escape. He was bawling until his eyes didn't seem to have any tears left in them. We all remembered his screams, and cries, and shouts in the room where he got his beating. Ever since that, no one sought to escape except for the small flame of hope down at the bottom of my heart.

        I hung the towels on the rope and pinned them on so they would stay. The wind was soothing and it slightly moved my light brown hair. It was nice out today everything seemed calm and relaxing. I looked at the high gates. They were made of hard metal. I put out my hand trying to imagine myself opening the closed gates. The image picked up with the wind and vanished. The gates stood about nine feet tall. Thick and sturdy. It seemed like they'd never fall down. I heard a scream-it was from the orphanage. I didn't care, it happened everyday. Head Mistress was at the screaming again today. Not me I hope. I was doing what she told me to do-which was hang the towels so they could dry. All of a sudden I felt a pinch. My body turned than made its way closer to the tall gates. My body started to feel numb. I wanted to walk back to hang the rest of the towels. I couldn't. It felt like someone or something was controlling me. My legs backed up. Then they darted forward. Towards the gate. I wanted to scream but my throat felt dry and I couldn't even make the slightest noise. The wind beat on my face. My hair picked up with the fast cool air. I looked over at my right arm. It lifted up and it threw a punch at the gate. I felt pain which made the insides of me jolt. I groaned. Blood was emerging its way through the surface of my knuckles. I backed up again and my body thrust forward for the gate. I squeezed my eyes shut. It wasn't just my fist blowing a punch. It was my whole body.

        I tried to drag my feet but the force was pushing me forward. My body threw itself at the gate and the numbness started to disappear. My body turned with my elbow in the lead to the strong gate. There was a clang then I was down. I groaned in pain. What was that? Was it of my own doing? Tears built up and blurred my vision. I felt pain from where my body bashed against the gate. I stretched and then pain struck in my arm. There was only a bruise on my elbow. I blinked the coming tears away. It wasn't worth crying about. I heard yelling again. I heard a screech. It made me jump. I turned my head. It was Head Mistress Clory. "And what do you think your doing?Trying to break through the gate?" she sneered in a high pitched scratchy voice.

"I-It happened to fast! Something was controlling me-"

"Enough. We'll talk about this inside." She held a wooden stick. She lifted it up and she swung it towards my head. It came close and fast, it was a brown blur. Then everything went black.