The Wolf -COMPLETED-

5. Bed Time and Ms Litch

Chapter 5 ~ Bed Time and Ms Litch

Kiara and Brittany visited me two more times that day. The first was at lunch, when they snuck me up a big red juicy apple. The second was before bed, when they told me what they did after they left my room to follow Aaron, Sean, and Thomas .

They said that once they closed the door, they began yelling at them and shoving at them. They made the boys promise to leave me alone forever.

I remember the second I heard that, my whole body seemed to relax, and a small smile formed on my lips. The last time I had smiled was three years ago, when I was five. That was the time Joy helped me catch a butterfly one day out the front of the orphanage.

I let out a small sigh of content at that memory, and began swinging my legs over the side of my bed. My two friends had just left a few minutes ago to go to bed, leaving me with not much to do. They did offer for me to have a sleepover with them, but I prefered the comfort of my own room and bed.

I picked up a doll from the end of my bed and hugged it tight to my chest. It was a doll of a little girl with pointy fuzzy ears and a long fuzzy tail. I got her when I was four, and decided on calling her yukichan, after one of the anime's I saw other children at the orphanage watching on the big t.v.

Back then I had assumed yuki chan was one word, and I had loved the idea of naming my doll by that title.

The bright red numbers of the alarm clock beside my bed flashed 10:26pm.

In four minutes, all the caretakers of the orphanage would come around, slamming their little old fists on the hard bedroom doors, and demanding that we turned off our lights and went to sleep.

I hated sleeping. It was so boring and difficult to achieve. All you did was lie still and stare up at the pasty white ceiling, with hope that morning would come quickly.

I shifted around my bed so I was looking out the large window. The rough red curtains were already parted and blew ever so slightly in the gentle breeze that entered the room. I leant against the metal window frame and stuck my head slightly out the window, flinching as the cold metal touched my bare arms.

The moon was almost full, and sat brightly in the sky. All around it pretty stars shimmered, and I gave them a small smile. I always wondered what it would be like to go to space. I wondered if the moon really tasted like cheese.

I stretched my hand out towards one of the brightest stars in my view and and frowned when I couldn't reach it. I wish I could have a star for myself. I'd keep it in my room, in a box beside my bed. I'd make sure it would have blankets and water, and in return it would shine brightly and make my room glow.

A loud bang startled me out of my thoughts.

"Masara! Bed!" an irritated voice yelled. "Turn your light off now or no food tomorrow!"

My forehead creased and my mouth turned down to form a frown.

That must have been the head orphanage lady, Ms Litch. She was pudgy and cranky and had straw like grey hair. She never said my name right, either pronouncing it as Masara or Miso instead of Mashiro. She always said it was too much effort to learn the name of someone she didn't even like. Ms Litch hardly ever fed me, and when she did it was always scraps from the other kid's meals. She would always threaten me as well, saying I would have no food or would have to sleep outside if I disobeyed her.

Even though lack of food was painful, the idea of having to spend even a night outside sounded terrifying. I've never done that before, but even imagining it made me want to curl up in a ball under my blankets.

Outside and all around the property of the orphanage was a thick, dark, scary forest. The only thing connecting us to the outside world was a little dirt road which led to a small town after a ten minute drive. The only way I knew about this was because I got to visit the town with Joy twice; once when I got my vaccinations when I was five, and the other, last year, when I had to see a doctor about my energy levels being so low. I knew it was because I was being half starved, but joy said had to go anyway.

I got up from the window frame and walked over to the light switch. Flipping it off, I made my way back to bed, with only the red light from the alarm clock and the glowing moon to guide me.

I pulled back my covers and lay down on my bed, resting my head on my comfy feathery pillow.

The moon shone down on me as I closed my eyes. For once in a very long time, I felt at ease.

I let out a deep breath and waited for sleep to take me.

Thanks for reading :P

Till next chapter...

~Amity