Chapter One
By Melody A. Flores
Credit to Columbia University Library
It was nearly midnight, and I couldn't sleep.
It's not that I wasn't tired, or that I was uncomfortable, I just felt like something was telling me that I shouldn't sleep yet.
This is ridiculous, Josiah, I groaned to myself, turning around in bed for what felt like the millionth time.
Maybe I couldn’t sleep because of the rock-hard orphanage beds. I knew the small orphanage I was in couldn't afford any better ones, but I still couldn't help but feel a little bitter about it. However, I had gotten used to them over the years, and they didn't bother me anymore. So, that ruled that out.
Why on Earth wasn't I asleep then?
My legs felt cramped from laying on the bed for hours, so I decided to get up and stretch them. I’d get some water from the kitchen while I was up, too. I was kind of thirsty.
I sat up in my bed as slowly as I could, so as not to wake up any of the other thirteen-year-olds in the room. After 9:00 PM - Lights Out - you weren't allowed to leave the room without adult supervision.
But hey, why not break rules once in a while to keep life exciting?
I mean, if you were going to get adopted sooner or later, what does what you did at the orphanage matter?
Squeeeak…
I froze.
I had sat up on the bed a bit faster than I had intended, and one of the bed's springs squeaked.
Nobody woke up.
I sighed with relief. Just because I didn't care about the rules didn't mean I liked to get caught breaking them.
I quickly slid past the beds that were crammed in the room and made my way toward the door.
The door didn't make a sound.
I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding in.
I trooped down the stairs, lowering my guard and letting the stairs squeak loudly.
Thud, creak!
Thud, creak!
I felt confident that nobody was awake.
"As I was saying-"
Yikes!
I involuntarily jumped back up a step as I heard a noise below me.
I listened closely. Some people were talking in the kitchen.
I peeked through the stair railing, careful not to draw attention to myself.
Ms. Laurel, the superintendent assistant, was chatting with Mr. Grace, the superintendent.
I relaxed a bit, realizing that I was in a position where I could see them, but they couldn’t see me. Heart still pounding, I plopped myself down on the step to wait them out. It was pretty late, so they would probably be heading to bed soon.
Time passed slowly as the two talked about the most boring and trivial things, such as rent and schooling.
I decided to count the seconds while I waited for them to leave.
One…
Two…
Three…
Four…
Five…
Their conversation just went on and on.
Forty two…
Forty three…
Forty four…
I was starting to think I should just give up my little mission and go back to bed.
Seventy eight…
Seventy nine…
The conversation paused.
"Do you remember those two Matthias boys?" I heard Ms. Laurel say, shuffling some papers.
Wait a moment.
Those ‘Matthias boys’ were me and my little brother, Gabriel. Why would Ms. Laurel talk about us?
“Of course. This orphanage isn’t so big that I don’t know my own orphans. Isn’t the older one about thirteen years old? And the younger one, eight?” Mr. Grace sipped his coffee.
“Yes. I’ve been thinking about them recently,” Ms. Laurel crossed her legs under the table she was sitting at.
I suddenly felt jittery.
“Oh? What about them?”
“Well, as you know, we only keep children until they turn fourteen. Then, we send them over to the Maplegrove House for Children over in Scottsbluff,”
“Yes, as you said, I’m quite aware of this already.” Mr. Grace looked bored.
“Well, the older Matthias boy, Josiah, will turn fourteen in two months. He and his brother are quite close, and I hate to think of sending Josiah to an orphanage over one-hundred miles from his brother. The only way to avoid this would be if someone adopted him and his brother, Gabriel.” Ms. Lauren went on.
I yelped a little in surprise, despite myself. Clapping a hand on my mouth I hoped dearly that Ms. Lauren and Mr. Grace hadn't heard me.
Were me and Gabriel going to get adopted?
Ms. Laurel heard the noise and turned.
"Did you hear that?" She stood up. I got up as well, ready to start running if she came to the staircase to investigate.
"Most likely just some alley cats. You were saying?" Mr. Grace dismissed.
“If you say so. As I was telling you, from the day Josiah and Gabriel’s parents died, Lord rest their souls, nobody has seemed interested in adopting them both,” Ms. Lauren sipped her tea. “So, I poked around, and found a family in this town that would be willing to foster Josiah for a while to see if they would like to adopt him,” she continued.
“And what about Gabriel?” Mr. Garcia seemed to have slight interest now.
“Well, I found another family in town who would like to give him a try too,” Ms. Lauren said.
Gabriel and me, separated?
I almost choked on the cold winter air.
Gabriel was the only thing left that I had! I didn’t care if we were separated just to different families. I couldn’t live without Gabriel! He was the only real family I had left! And besides that, Greenhaven was huge! What if the two families lived on opposite sides of it? I would probably be able to see him only once or twice a year! I was exaggerating things in my head, but at the moment, I didn’t care.
“Do you think it would be fine if I told them on Monday?” Ms. Lauren asked.
“Sure, sure, tell them whenever,” Mr. Grace seemed to have lost interest in the topic again.
My heart pounding, I hurried up the stairs, forgetting to be quiet.
Forget getting water!
Tonight was Saturday night! Gabriel and I only had one whole day left together!
Ms. Lauren’s voice faded below me as I closed the door behind me to the thirteen-year-old’s room.
I slipped past all the beds once again and sunk down on mine. I couldn’t let them separate me and Gabriel! How could I stop them?!
I felt an overwhelming cloud of gloom settle around me as I realized there was no way to stop them. Why would they ever listen to a thirteen-year-old, even if he was going to be fourteen in just a few months?
And even if I did make my demand, they would just punish me for sneaking out and eavesdropping, and I would get fostered anyway.
I just had to think of something. My mind was racing with possibilities, but none of them would work or even made sense.
I took a deep breath to calm down. I took a glance at the round clock on the wall. It was 12:01 AM. I didn’t know what to do.
Before Mom and Dad’s accident - and before the orphanage separated Gabriel and me into different age-coded rooms - Gabriel would always sleep in the same room with me. If I had trouble falling asleep because I was stressing or worrying about something, Gabriel would climb into my bed and tell me, ‘Everything’s alright and you should sleep, because not sleeping will just stress you more!’ in his usual sensible way.
I laid down on my bed and threw the bed covers on top of me. Gabriel was right. As much as I hated to admit it, not sleeping would stress me more, and it wouldn’t lead me to make a good plan for sure. I closed my eyes and hoped that tomorrow I would think of a way - any way! - to keep the orphanage from separating me and my brother.