Something Dark

Chapter 20: The Home, The Celery-Smelling-Elevator, and The Shock

Miss Peterson’s Home For Girls.

How do I describe it?

For starters, it’s less like a home and more like a bunch of apartments, complete with elevators and all. Girls are grouped into fours and share an apartment together.

We wait for more girls to come in and more girls to get adopted and leave. 

If you do something wrong there, you lose your living quarters. You sleep in the basement on the floor. No showers. No food. No school. For a week.

I have only been there once. 

I was four or five. It was winter. I grabbed a blanket from the stock room.

You wouldn't believe me if I told you that there was a chance I was gonna be beaten up (or at least whacked with a wooden spoon) for that.

Am I going back anytime soon?

Not if I can help it.

Everyone gets their portion, no more, no less. You get your meals, your room, and basic necessities. If you want more, you have to pay for it.

Here’s an example-one girl paid 30 dollars for a blanket, a pillow, shampoo, conditioner, a razor and a backpack.

I’ve lived here for 9 years now. Nothing has ever changed. Everything stays the same.

Until now, at least.

Years ago, back when I was nine or so, Kristal moved here. We don’t share an apartment, but we still hang out.

And that is where we landed today. 

We made our way to our apartments. And as soon as I sat down on my bed, a half-asleep teenager comes out of the elevator.

“Hey, tweens. We need a Vissy Dakovsha. Any of y’all heard of her?”

I stood up, and she gestured me to the elevator. After a few uncomfortable minutes of the elevator that smells like celery, we made our way to the place I dreaded most.

Miss Peterson’s office.

There are only two reasons you go in there.

You’re getting adopted. Once in a lifetime.

You’re being put in a basement. Quite possibly the scariest thing that will ever happen to you.

As I neared the office, I found Kristal sitting in there too. God, I hope we aren’t being put in the basement.

I steeled my nerves, being ready. 

Wait-I didn’t do anything wrong. 

What is happening here?

I opened the door to find Miss Peterson with a smile on her face.

Am I being adopted?

“Kristal, Visiniri,  I am happy to say that you are being adopted today!”

Hmm. So I was right.