Alice

chapter two

         Sarah looked up, startled. She quickly used her napkin to wipe her face clean, then she stood. "Oh, hi Alice," she said cheerfully, holding out her hand.

         Alice took her hand, and gently shook it. She was very polite for her age, which impressed Mrs. Jackson. "Nice to meet you," Alice said, glancing away occasionally due to her shyness.

        "Welcome to Oak Vale," Sarah said. "The 'happiest' place on earth."

        "Sarah," Mrs. Jackson warned. "no sarcasm in my orphanage."  

        "Sorry ma'am," Sarah said respectfully and promptly.

         Mrs. Jackson bowed her head, then released Alice's hand.  "Well then, I must be off," she said. "You too eat lunch, and afterward, take Alice to her appropriate room with the rest of the fifth-graders."

         "Yes ma'am," Sarah replied.

         Then with that, Mrs. Jackson walked off, leaving Sarah and Alice alone. Well, no completely alone for there were hundreds of children in the lunchroom with them. "So," Sarah started. "You hungry?"

         Alice for some reason lost her appetite a while back. Even the smell of delicious food didn't effect her, so she shook her head in response.

         "Okay," said Sarah. "Now, let me tell you about this place. I have been here for a week, so I know all the schedules. We wake up at 7am, and eat breakfast till 7:30. Then we go to school, have recess at 11:30 then lunch at 12:30, then we continue school 'till about 3:30pm."

         "Ok, thanks," Alice said, gazing around the lunch room. "I'm glad today is the weekend."

         Sarah chuckled, and ate the crumbs from her plate. "Yeah, same," she replied.

         Alice eventually sat beside Sarah, but circumspectly scooted over a little, (once again, because of her shyness). Then suddenly, a tall high school teen with buzzed chestnut hair, followed by two women in immodest outfits strolled up to the table where Alice and Sarah peacefully sat. The boy's name was Charlie, Charlie Morgan. He banged his fist on the table to scare Alice and Sarah. "Well," he sneered. "a new bitch has arrived."

       Alice turned away, feeling hurt. But Sarah bravely stood up for her. "Go away Charlie," she said in a low tone, glaring at him.

       "Whoah, one of the bitches is getting sassy," he teased, pulling on her hair. Charlie's sick buddies laughed in delight.

        Sarah smacked his hand away, and stood up and kicked Charlie in the shin. "Screw off, fag," Sarah spat.

        Children began to cheer. Charlie's face went red with rage. He growled, and clenched his hand around Sarah's jaw, squeezing it tight. Sarah let out a yelp of pain, but that delighted Charlie to make him squeeze harder. "Don't screw  with me bitch," he growled, releasing her jaw then punching her in the face, sending her falling to the floor, weeping with pain.

             "Hey! Leave her alone!" Alice said, pushing Charlie away. "Can't you see that she's in pain?"

         "Of course I can," Charlie spat. "And I'm gonna do something to you far more painful." Charlie suddenly picked up Alice by the scruff of her dress, and through her across the table, crashing into lunch plate and glasses of beverages.

         Alice began to feel rage swell up inside her. She scrambled to her feet, and tackled Charlie, dragging him to the ground. She punched him in the chest, making him cry in pain. But he had an advantage. He was three times stronger and bigger than Alice. He punched her in the face, and threw her on the ground. "To hell with you bitch!" He yelled before repeatedly punching her in the jaw.