It was dinnertime in the St. Mary Ann's Orphanage. Children were moaning about the hideous oatmeal that was being served, the pots were sizzling with white goop pouring out of the lids, and the chairs were shaking due to to the orphans' ravenous attitudes. All chairs were shaking except for one: Hope Lisa's.
"Miss Lisa, you haven't even touched your bowl of oatmeal yet! Whatever is the matter?" Sister Ann approached, with a stern, frightening appearance.
"I'm not hungry," meek Hope replied, hanging her head.
"Well it's no use for you to linger around here, is there? Go to your room!" Sister Ann yelled, looking like the Devil himself. Hope scrambled away, holding back the explosion of tears. The white goo tastes like cardboard anyway, she thought.
•♦•
As Hope approached her rickety bed, brushed hair, clean nightgown, and all, she came upon a hurtful sight. The comforter was drenched in sour grape juice and a wrinkled paper was sitting on the wet pillow.
"Roses are red,
violets are blue.
Rotten eggs stink,
so do you!"
Hope read. Her crystal blue eyes welled up with tears as she sat on a wooden chair. The Sisters always scolded have admonished her with painful words while the St. Mary Ann's bullies tortured because of Hope's parents. When she was just a baby, her millionaire parents abandoned her in a dark, forbidding alley, never to be heard from again. Did my parents not love me? Was I a hurtful person in their eyes? Hope thought. And why would they call me Hope in wretched ink?
"Maybe 'cause they hoped they would get rid of you once and for all!" Hope remembered one of the bully's say. Well, I'm determined to find out. Hope fiercely wiped her streaks of tears as she threw on her winter coat and black boots. She tugged on her hat and gloves, and stuffed all of her belongings in a small, red bag. She was a mouse, blending with the dark and terrifying halls as she ran. At last, she made it to two huge grand doors with handles the size of Hope's head. Hope took out a crumpled ball of paper and unfolded it.
Our Dearest Hope Lisa
Ma and Pa
I'm coming for you, Ma and Pa. Hope swung open the doors and took a step into the crunchy, white snow.
ɑ รtɛp tѳwɑʀɗร ɦɛʀ
ɛɳɗʆɛรร ʝѳuʀɳɛy.
