The Promise to Lily

Prologue: Years Earlier...

I sat inside of the old coat closet with the door close crying. Every time I would wipe the tears away more would come streaming down my face. I was also making weird hiccuping type noises. I tired to keep as quiet as possible by cover my hand over my mouth. I didn't want Ms. Even's to find me in here crying.

If she did she'd probably hit me with her beating stick. Just like she beat Princess, the dog I had brought with me on the way back to the orphanage today. The dog was big and had long curly sandy brown hair. It was very friendly and let me pet it's head. Which made me want to keep the dog for myself so, that's why I brought back with me.

When I got back to the orphanage I went straight to Ms. Even's room with Princess. The hall leading to her room was very spooky. The only light came from a single dime light at the end of the hall. I walked down the hall until I reached the room in the middle. Wear the faded gold letters of the word office was. Taking a deep breath I opened the door and Princess rushed in ahead of me.

I step inside of the room and it still smelled like cheese that was left out and had spoiled. The walls were covered with a red and gold printed wall paper, that was peeling off the walls. All the furniture in the room was old and worn out. Bottles of liquor decorated the room all over. 

"What is this nasty disgusting thing doing in here!?!?" Ms. Even yelled at me.

She was currently laying on the faded red couch that was directly in front of me. Princess was also in front of the couch wagging her tail at Ms. Even. Hoping that Ms. Even would pet her. Hate, and anger covered Ms. Even face as she looked at the dog in front of her. She wasn't normally a pretty woman but this expression made her normal face even more unpleasant to look at.

"I wanted to ask if we could keep her Ma'm. I will take very good care of Princess."I said to Ms. Even.

"Aww so sweet you name the flea bag did you. Well let me show you the answer to your question." Ms. Even with a twisted grin on her face.

She got up from her sitting position on the couch and walked across the room to her desk. When she got there she lifted up the wooden stick that laid across the top of her desk. She walked back over to the where Princess was standing in front of the couch and started beating her with the stick.

Princess yelped in pain from being struck by Ms. Even. Then Ms. Even hit her again and again until Princess fell to the ground. I ran over to Ms. Even and tried to grab her hand before she could strike Princess again but, she just hit me. Causing me to fly backwards and fall on the ground.

As I hear Princess still crying out in pain. I yell at Ms. Even to stop hitting her but, she doesn't. I start to stand up to try and force Ms. Even to stop hitting but, she stops on her own. Princess has also stopped yelping. Ms. Even moves away and heads for the door of her office. I look at Princess who is just laying there lifeless and not moving.

"Get one of the boy's to take the body outside. I never want to hear that my stupid singing orphan wants anything again. Understand?" Ms. Even asks me.

"Do you understand me!?!?!" Ms. Even yells at me again when I don't answer her right away.

"Yes, Ma'm I understand." I say in a low whisper.

"Good now hurry up and send one of the boys in here." she says and opens the office door.

I stand up and hurry out of the room and back down the hall. Then up the stairs to the attic were the boys stayed. I look around the room and see Conor sitting on his cot at the very back of the attic. Being careful not to step on anyone's stuff I head back there to him. Once, I reach him he quickly gets a look of worry on his face. He stands up so we are now face to face.

"Lily what happened?" he asked taking on a tone that matches the worry on his face.

"Ms. Even needs you to take care of something in her office outside. She also wants it done now so, please don't take to long." I tell him and give him a smile so he wouldn't worry about me.

He sighs and then says "We will talk about this later." Before heading off to Ms.Even's room.

Once, he was out of sight I could feel the tears prick at the corner of my eyes. So, I ran out of the boy's room and down the stairs. Running to the front entrance of the orphanage. I wanted to run straight through those doors, and down the road. Never looking back at this place just go foward to a new life. One where I could follow my dream and ask for stuff and do things without being beaten.

But I couldn't run away from here. Not with all the other children and Conor here. Leaving them behind to deal with Ms. Even would be like me asking for her to kill one of them. She'd most likely kill Conor cause, she knows we are close. I can't let that happen to him or anyone. So, instead I open the coat closet and go inside and close the door. That way I could cry in peace.     

Suddenly I heared a knock on the closet door. Snapping me out of my thoughts of what had just happened. Freezing in my spot in the closet out fear of what was to follow. The handle of the closet began to turn and be pulled open. I was getting ready to brace myself for the beating that Ms. Even was about to give me.

"Lily, are you in here?" I hear Conor's voice say softly.

I sniff and reply in a shaking voice "Yes."

With that answer he steps into the closet with me. Then closes the door behind him so, no one else can find us. Then he takes a seat on the ground in front of me. We sit there like that neither one of us saying anything to the other. Though I couldn't say anything cause, I was once again crying. Now, from the fact that Conor know what I had done. He saw with his own eyes just how bad of a person I am. 

Then he reached out and pulled me closer to him. So, that now my head was resting on his chest as I cried. He ran his hand over my hair trying to calm me down. The sweetness of his actions only caused, me to cry harder. How could he still be so nice to me after all I had just became a murder.

"It's okay Lily. It wasn't your fault. Ms. Even was the one that hit the dog-" He was saying but I cut him off before he could finished.

"Princess, I named the dog Princess." I said the best I could while crying.

"It wasn't your fault that Princess died. Ms. Even was the one that had beat her. I saw the hits from the stick on the dog." He then pulled me forward and held my face in his hands and begin wiping away my tears.

He gets a very determined look on his face and then speaks again, "I'll get you out of here Lily. Fair away from Ms. Even and this building that is falling apart. You will sing on broadway and let the whole world hear how beautiful your voice is."

The muscles in his face began to relax and he smiled at me. "This is my promise to you, my promise to Lily."