It was a cold December afternoon when Keith was called to meet a new foster group. Two women, a boy, and an older man. He gets out of the bed, scratchy blankets on the floor.
Picking them back up he makes his bed. Going through his daily routine. The orphanage was cold and loud.
"Keith?" A woman peeks her head in the doorway.
Keith grunts in acknowledgment. He looks up from the floor, his eyes sunken in. He looked like a skeleton, pale, bones sticking out from his thin skin.
"There's a family downstairs. The other children are already down there."
He grunts again. Following her out of the joint bedroom. He was nervous, he had never been directly asked to go downstairs.
"Sorry to keep you guys waiting, this is Keith." The nun smiles.
Keith crosses his arms over his chest. This was all stupid. He didn't understand why he had to do this. Couldn't he just stay here instead of moving around?
The blonde woman kneels down in front of Keith with a small smile on her face.
"Hello, I'm Romelle. You're Keith, yes?"
"That's what the nun said, isn't it?" Keith mutters.
"Well I suppose it is." Romelle laughs.
"Why are you even adopting? You got a kid right there."
"That my friend, is my brother. And well- I dont think my girlfriend and I can have any kids." She chuckles.
"Why not?"
"Well women can't really have kids together."
"That's stupid."
"I know. Would you like to meet Bandor?"
Keith stops talking again. Looking at the ground.
"Can I tell you something?" Romelle asks.
Keith grunts, shrugging.
"Its a secret, one between only us. Is that okay?"
Keith nods.
"Do you know about magic?" Romelle whispers.
"Yeah."
"Well, my girlfriend and I practice it. You see Bandor, the little boy?"
"Mhm."
"He can turn into a dog, isnt that cool?" Romelle whispers.
"Really?" Keith's eyebrows raise.
"Yeah, and the guy with the silly hair on his face?"
"Mhm."
"He can turn into a cat."
"How?"
"They're called familiars. They're a witches companion. And both Allura and I are witches, but thats a secret. Can you keep that to yourself?"
"Yeah! So you guys are like- like the one from the wizard of oz?"
"Yes, exactly like that. Except we're real and we aren't mean." Romelle smiles.
"Can I see him turn into a dog?"
"He can't do it in public, although he does do it when he sneezes sometimes. Its very funny. He could get in trouble if he does it around people that dont know though."
"Oh.. Why?"
"Because witchcraft isnt socially accepted. It hasn't been for a number of years. Have you ever heard of the Salem witch trials?"
