Orphaned

Chapter 10: Karen

"Quick! Behind that building!" Randy pulls me behind a big building. We take a moment to catch our breath.

My stomach growls. It's been a few days since we have eaten. Well, we have, but dumpster food doesn't count.

This is all Penelope's fault. I think angrily. I don't know how she ruined this, but she did somehow. In fact, I'm so mad, I can even hear her voice. Her pesky, obnoxious voice.

Randy pokes my arm. "Did you hear that?" he asks, his voice low.

I nod. Penelope!

We creep over to the edge of the building and peer over. Penelope is skipping happily towards a sleek fancy car. But she isn't alone. She's walking with a lady with dark skin and black hair, amd a small girl who shares that look, and Chloe.

My heart skips a beat.

I yearn to rush out and take Chloe back, back to me and Randy, but she doesn't deserve to live in the streets.

"Kare, that lady, that's Heather McTaylor, the wife of one of my favorite authors." Randy whispers. "This must be the school that his kids go to!"

Hmmmm... I can get Chloe back if I can figure out their address...wait. If this is their school, then their address must be somewhere in the school.

Attempting to fix my hair, a rake a hand through it, and use a stray rubberband on the floor to tie my hair back. I dust off my forest green blouse dust off my jeans the best I can. Then I explain my plan to Randy.

°°°

I enter the school. All is quiet. I search for the main office which is relatively easy, since there is a large sign that says "MAIN OFFICE".

I open the door,and peek in. Nobody is inside. I walk inside and shut the door. Now where would the adress be. I scan the room. My eyes rest on a computer. The address obviously in there.

I sit on the desk chair and wiggle the mouse. The computer awakens from sleep mode. That means whoever's computer this is might be using the restroom or something.

I move the mouse to the computer's file section. Then I search for Student Info.

A file pops up labeled Student Information.

I click it.

It opens, and a list of grades pop up. Pre-school, pre-k, kindergarten, 1st grade.

The McTaylor girl looks to be around Penelope's age, and Penelope isn't old enough for Pre-K yet, so they must be in Pre-school.

I click on Pre-School. A list of names pop up. I scroll down to M.

Finally, I found it. Vivian McTaylor. Four years old. Lives at 667 Pinetree Drive.

Perfect.

I grab a sticky-note and jot down the information. Then I scram out of there.

The only person I see is a janitor, who waved at me as I left.

Look out Penelope. I'm coming back.