{ Edited - 7th July, 2020 }
{ Edited - 11th April, 2024 }
**Many Years Later**
It's incredible how life can surprise us. I used to fear the unknown, but now I'm living the life I've always yearned for. This new chapter of my life felt like a dream come true with a fresh beginning.
I've gone as far as altering my identity and how I look. Now, I go by Anita Wilde instead of Kira Peregrine. I decided to chop my hair to shoulder length instead of leaving it long.
I recently started working at a place called 'Smart Aid' because I had no other choice and the place I was currently living at, forced me to.
I feel really lucky because I have a place to call home and a school to go to, all in one. It's a special kind of institution that combines a boarding school with an orphanage.... Yes, an orphanage, where all the parentless children go... I will be staying there until I turn 18, unless some adult decides to take me in as their own. As much as I hate to say it.... Adoption.
BUT... It's not at all bad here. First of all, there were no ymbrynes to deal with. Instead, you had regular folks as your teachers and supervisors. They don't constantly hover over you because you have some unique ability you can't control, they'll only hover over you when you're doing something that you shouldn't.
Back in Germany where I resided with Miss Crow and Miss Raven, I had never experienced a typical school setting before, as the only educational environment I knew was Miss Crow's lessons, but it was mainly about the stupid peculiar world, which doesn't interest me.
Second of all, it was a blessing that we didn't have to live in a loop. Thank god for that.
And third of all, all individuals with families and their own homes were given the opportunity to attend this school. After school ended, they were eligible to return to the comfort of their homes and reunite with their loved ones. Moreover, everything was fine here. It was calm, staff weren't overcontrolling and annoying.
Now, you may be wondering . . . 'how did I get here', specifically now? Well, after the boat ride ended, the transport officer was already at the docks, ready to inspect everyone's tickets. As soon as they laid eyes on me, they noticed my bruises and injuries, which were causing me immense pain.
They assumed I had just gotten away from a kidnapper or escaped from family domestic abuse, so as a precaution, they decided to take me to the hospital nearby rather than send me back. Thank god for that.
When I was at the hospital, the police asked me questions, but I remained silent and didn't respond with words or gestures to their questions. I was deemed a mute. I was a fascinating case they had chosen to work on, yet they continue to pester me with questions to this day. I am hesitant to respond, fearing I may be sent back to Germany or a mental facility. Let's be real, if I had to define what an Ymbryne is, or the specific kind of peculiar children I resided within a house full of them, I might sound crazy to them.
Normals, including Mr. Baker, can be incredibly complex to comprehend. I genuinely feel sorry for him because sometimes understanding him can be quite a challenge. Once I had completely healed, I was discharged from the hospital and transferred to an orphanage boarding school thing. It was at this school that I truly felt at ease for the first time in a long while, they taught valuable life skills like swimming and driving cars.
The police made sure to inform all the staff members about their ongoing investigation involving me. They emphasized the importance of immediate reporting if I had ever spoken any word with anyone, urging them to report back to the police and tell them every single word I had spoken.
You wouldn't believe how many teachers have made countless attempts to get me to say something. Sadly, all of their attempts failed miserably. I am currently 16 years old and I was able to drive myself off to work. I was lucky that my boss and coworkers were unaware of any current issues involving me, allowing me to socialize without worry, BUT, as a precaution, I chose not to speak and remain mute.
Nevertheless, my resume painted a distinct picture. In the mandatory medical section, I made a note of my inability to speak, stating that I was mute. From the moment I got hired, I had a strong feeling that my boss spread the word that I couldn't speak, as not a single person bothered to ask me anything. To be honest, I didn't mind that at all.
Sure, they did chat with me from time to time, but the discussion didn't involve any questions that required my response. They'd simply say things like, "Oh that product goes in aisle nine," or "Can you empty the trash out? Thanks!" "Hey Anita, I need help with this," etc.
Every now and then, the welfare police would come by to make sure I was doing fine. They would consistently seek out the manager afterwards, and I wasn't naive enough to question why, the answer was quite simple, 'Have she spoken a word at all, today?' and the obvious answer to that was 'no'.
Things have changed since the arrival of this specific boy who got employed recently, and I suppose I have gone through another change as well. He was always there, lingering nearby, engaging in conversations with me whenever he was around. His presence never failed to bring a smile to my face and always managed to make me giggle.
* * *
"Anitaaaaaaaaaaaaaa," My friend said.
He is a young, tall, pale, skinny boy with tousled dark brown hair and big bright blue eyes that resemble the shining blue moon in the night sky. The boy whom I now call him as my close friend. Jake Portman is his name.
With a goofy stride, Jake made his way towards me, instantly brightening my day with his presence, as he always does. He demonstrated his 'impressive new way of walking', I was busy arranging sauces, dressings, and seasonings on the shelf. After I was done, I happily waved at him, my hand right up in his face - that was my typical gesture whenever I greeted him.
"I didn't know you worked here?" He questioned with a heavy dose of sarcasm in his voice. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him while shaking my head - Boys these days! Their cringy jokes never fail to make me cringe. I can't help but wonder if one day, their jokes will be the death of me.
"Guess what Shelley had just assigned me to? She wants ME to stack adult DIAPERS!" Jake made sure his voice was loud and clear so that everyone in the store could hear him.
"PORTMAN! GOD DAMN IT!" Shelley's voice echoed through the entire store as she yelled at the top of her lungs. Heh, someone is going to get in trouble. With a snap of my fingers, I got Jake's attention and motioned in a random direction, signalling that it was time to move.
"Right . . . I'll catch up with you . . . Whenever I can . . . Cya!" He stated as he started to walk away, but then he glanced back at me and grinned, obviously, being myself, I grinned back.As Jake turned around, he unexpectedly collided with someone's shopping cart, causing him to stumble and fall right into it. I couldn't help but face-palm, trying to suppress my laughter.
Moron
After Jake managed to free himself from the customer's shopping cart, the customer unexpectedly struck him in the face with a bag and stormed off in a fit of anger. With a shocked expression, Jake gripped his face while facing the angry customer. I clapped my hands three times as loud as I could. With a sudden movement, Jake shifted his position to look directly at me, his face now a deep red colour. I gestured towards him and then flashed a thumbs up, checking if he was alright.
Jake nodded and gave me a smile, "Yeah, I'm okay, although, I should get started with stacking the adult's diapers," He said as he directed my attention to an area where there was a substantial amount of the product spilled on the floor.
I observed as he started piling up the diapers to create a tall tower, yet the picture seemed wrong. We got a fresh batch of Stay-Tite diapers in this morning, but Jake was already piling up the NeverLeak ones. Shelley is gonna have his head, and it won't be the first time too.
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JAKE PORTMAN
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