THE ORPHAN

Chapter 1- Introduction

Andrew was really bored. He was the adventurous type and being cooped up in a smelly old orphanage didn’t count as an adventure. He’d thought of running away a countless times. But since he was practical, he knew he didn’t have anywhere to run to.

Andrew sat on his window sill looked longingly out into the cold Sea. It was his window sill even though he shared his room with three others, as he was clearly their leader. The sun looked meek and timid, hiding behind thin mist. It looked like it was about to snow again. He decided to have one last match for the day, and went down to the garden.

Andrew Garcia was twelve and, like all children of his age in the orphanage, felt he was ready to go. Everyone knew where to go. They all wanted to leave dreary Kidlington and become sailors or pirates; they were inspired by Andrew’s tales of the Brave Spaniards who ventured out into the vast sea. His father was Spanish and mother English. The family lived happily like any other family, till it was broken. Andy’s mother had cancer and he didn’t know of it, though he knew cancer was a deadly disease. When Andy was seven, his mother died after months of suffering. Andy’s father was a sailor and as he was forced to go out to the Sea (he couldn’t earn a decent living on land), and Andy saw himself being nudged into the orphanage. It wasn’t really like an orphanage for him though. More like as though he was baby-sat by Ms. Evans, a close friend of his mother’s, for years.

Ms. Evans was quite young and very pretty. She wasn’t like the other hags who took care of them. Ms. Evans worked as a part time teacher in a school next to the church in their little village on the Sea coast. She did the dishes and the laundry, and looked into few of the Orphanage's financial aspects and in turn, Mrs. Potter, the owner, let her live there.

Ms. Evans and Mrs. Potter disliked each other heartily. For the children, of course, Ms. Evans was the goddess of everything nice and fun, and hence they supported her in every Evans versus Potter showdown that would happen once a week. On one such occasion,

'What’s this? A delivery?' Mrs. Potter was surprised. They’d never received parcels or anything of that sort before. Her tiny beady eyes took in the label "To Ms. Evans". An ugly look settled on her face as she began to rip the brown paper apart.

'Er.. Excuse me ma’am but that’s for Miss Evans,' said the delivery boy.

Mrs. Potter, short though she was, tilted her head back and glared at the boy down her nose. 'And how do you know I’m not Miss Evans hmm?'

The boy blushed a little and stammered, 'You see, er.. she bought this dress in the shop where I work, and said this had to be delivered, see?'

'No I don’t see,' snapped Mrs. Potter.

Just then, Ms. Evans came lightly down the stairs and took in everything, from the partially opened parcel in Mrs. Potter’s plump little hands to the delivery boy’s plea for help.

'Excuse me, Mrs. Potter, but I do think that you shouldn’t open someone else’s parcels,' She added a little sarcastic smile to show fake politeness.

'This parcel is addressed to the orphanage. This is not your place. Nor do you have an address to address your little dainty things.' Mrs. Potter lashed out.

'Where else was I supposed to address it to then?'

'Maybe you could buy your own place.'

'Maybe you can find someone else to pay your bills.'

Mrs. Potter glowed pink for a while, and then thrust the parcel into the trembling boy’s hands.

It was never clear why they hated each other. Of course it was always pinned on jealousy. But somehow everyone felt it wasn’t the real reason. They sensed something guarded whenever the two used to speak to each other (growl more like).

It was turning dark. And the children continued with the war they were engaged in.

SPLAT!

There were screams and giggles from the girls and shouts of glee and triumph from the boys as they were engaged in a snow-ball fight in the spacious garden. It was the boys versus the girls as usual and the leaders were Andy and Megan. Megan and Andy were fast friends, and usually the cause of mischief.

Andy was using his all-time famous and unbeatable strategy, and Megan had yet another counter attack planned, and it looked like the girls were about to win after a really long time. Just then, the side door opened and Ms. Evans stepped out. The kids halted their game momentarily and badgered Ms. Evans to come play with them. But Ms. Evans’ usually pale cheeks looked flushed, even before the cold could properly affect her.

'Come Andy, Mrs. Potter’s calling.'

'But I haven’t done anything yet!' Andy said indignantly.

'There's someone here to see you Andy,' and to the others, 'Get on with it the rest of you!'

As Ms. Evans impatiently pushed Andy towards the door, he exchanged a significant look with Megan.