The Farm

Chapter 1

Thomas Greenclif (17) was a small boy for his age, and always found himself very withdrawn. His parents died in a car crash when he was only small, he was with a baby sitter at home when it happened. He was raised in a orphanage with many other boys and girls, but was the outsider, the one that no one would take notice of.

Thomas was sitting in his bed reading comic books, trying just to pass the time. His birthday was just a week ago, next year he would be able to leave the orphanage and live out on his own.
He couldn't wait to get out, he didn't like living there, he knew even if he was adopted, he would still leave when he turned 18.

His train of thought was interrupted by one of the house matrons knocking on his bedroom door.

"Thomas, someone is here to see you." The matron said.

Thomas was used to being interrogated, he wasn't hopeful anymore, the constant string of let downs and false hope had taken its toll and he now just rode the waves and did the bare minimum.

The boy followed the matron down the hall, down the narrow staircase and into the small office. An older couple sat before him on the worn leather couch, he took his usual seat on the plastic bucket chair along side the head matron.

"Good morning Thomas." The head matron greeted.

"Hi." Thomas said quietly, looking at the chipped floorboards, examining them for any new defects since his last visit.

"Thomas this is Mr and Mrs Able, they're looking for a new friend to live with them, and someone they can care for. I chose you because you are almost exactly what they are looking for. I'm going to leave and let you all get to know one another." The head matron informed Thomas, she exited the room with a quick glance at Thomas with a pleading expression.

"Well Thomas, you can call me Greg, and this here is my wife Lorraine. Do you prefer Tom or Thomas?" The older gentleman started.

"Hi Mr Able, I'm sorry but you probably don't want to adopt me, it's Tom but you don't need to worry about that, I'll let the head..." Tom ranted, wanting to get it all done with.

"Excuse me young man." Lorraine interjected, with a slightly proper tone in her voice. "You may have no faith in this world, but at least give people a chance. Either way you will have to get to know us, wether it be now or in the car on the way home."

It took a moment for Tom to overcome the shock of being interrupted, but then he processed what was said...
"Wait... you mean...." he questioned with disbelief.

"Yes, that's right. You were wrong." Greg teased with a grin. "The matron is packing up your stuff as we speak."

Tom couldn't believe it, it was finally happening.

The three spent the next 15 minutes covering the basics. Tom's dislike for spinach and tomatoes. The Able's house on a farm, away from the city. Tom's eagerness to go fishing. Gregs collection of rods and reels, and the basics about Tom's past.

As the head matron re-entered the office, she witnessed a completely different boy sitting in the chair in front of the couple, his face was glowing with excitement, his posture was attentive and he was sitting on the edge of his seat.

"Thomas, your belongings are in the hall did you want to say goodbye to your friends?" The matron offered.

"Nope, they won't notice, just let me out of here." Tom exclaimed eagerly.

Tom was asked to wait in the hall while the Ables and the matron went through a number of pages of paperwork.

After a drawn out half an hour, the front door of the orphanage was flung open and released Tom into the world.
He followed the Ables over to an old Ford pickup truck, rusted and worn down, Greg already had his bags and threw them into the back.

"Alright kiddo, in you get." Greg said as his wife held open the passenger door. The three all squeezed onto the single bench seat, and they were off.

They drove for about an hour and a half, until Tom noticed that his surroundings had changed dramatically. Instead of tall buildings and cement sidewalks, all he could see were hay bales and a few dirt tracks. He was going to be more rural than what he thought. The old ute slowed down and turned into a dirt road, a mailbox sat at the corner, rusting away. A small bump in the horizon could be seen ahead of them.

"We're almost home Tom." Greg announced. "When we get there, I'll help you to your room while Lorraine starts dinner."

"Ok that's fine, I don't have much stuff to unpack." Tom responded somewhat excited.

After another minute along the bumpy, dusty road, the ute pulled up in front of the farm house. Tom had been expecting something along the lines of a wooden exterior and a tin roof, what he saw in front of him was much more... Brick walls, two storeys , a large green garden and lawn area... He thought to himself that these two must've been rich.

"Here we are, home sweet home." Lorraine declared.

Tom got out of the car, he followed Lorraine up to the door where he saw another child quickly disappear from the doorway. Tom looked up at Lorraine at just the right time to see her throw a glance back towards Greg.
"All right Tom straight down the hall third door on the right, that's your room. The opposite door is the bathroom." Greg directed.
Tom entered the house, admiring  the white tiled floor and crisp white walls, he noticed Lorraine go up a set of stairs to the left and he wondered where she was going. Suddenly the urge to pee hit him, he hastened down the hall and opened the bathroom door. In front of him was an elegant bathroom, a spa in the corner right next to a spacious shower a double basin decorated with select kids items on top, and straight ahead a toilet... Nothing special, Tom sprinted forward and relieved himself.

As he exited the bathroom Greg was just about to step out of what would be his bedroom.
"Tom, there you are. In here lad." He beckoned.

Tom stepped into the room when he suddenly heard series of  muffled thuds, followed by Lorraine's voice, also muffled, coming from upstairs. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but he could tell she wasn't happy. He moved towards the door in hopes of hearing what was being said, but his movement was interrupted by Greg.

"Little boys who don't obey and respect get a sore bum and no meal." Greg warned innocently, as if to imply that those sounds were from someone being punished.

Tom thoughts quickly went to the kid from before, who was seen in the doorway. Accepting the warning in good stead, he returned to the centre of the room where Greg had placed his bag on a bed.
Tom looked around the room, nothing interesting about it, floorboards, a king single bed with a wooden frame. A clean slate.

"What do you think Tom?" Greg asked

"It's great." Tom said, unable to remember the last time he was able to have a room all to himself. He was finally away from the confines of the orphanage.

As he admired the room, he heard someone walking down the stairs, the muffled noises had stopped and he was unsure of what was about to happen.
"Now you unpack and get settled, have a look around. Just don't go upstairs. That's off limits for now." Greg said, as he walked out of door.

As Greg left the room, Tom was left with his thoughts...

Of what was hidden away upstairs.