orphan

An orphan

has

no voice

no choice

Words

get blown away

in the bitter

wind

An orphan Read more »

Annie held my hand as the great old house greeted our feet. She was only seven, and me, I was twelve. They told us that there were over a thousand rooms in this house. Stephen had said that he could take us as soon as he turned eighteen, but for now Annie, Stephen, Malcolm, baby Rachel, and I had to live here. Annie as my sister and the others as the children of our next door neighbors. Both our families had been at that high school reunion when it was hit by a plane.

Mr. and Mrs. Richardson were more than happy to show up at our school and pick the biggest group of siblings who needed a place to live. We had told the school that we were all one family, hoping they'd let us stay together. Strength in numbers, right? It wasn't hard to do because our school was vast and all the paperwork was gone with our parents. Read more »

When the rain drops fell on me, I look so ugly. I had a big, ugly frown that seemed to make people rush down the streets of big town. I watched some teens fooling around. They splashed each other, played, and made tons of sound. They looked about 13, just like me. I wanted to hang with them, i'd even plea.
But they were normal teens heading home in their jeans. And I was the ugly orphan with nothing but rags for clothes and bare hands and toes. I hate the rain, it brings my heart pain. Not only because it's so gloomy, but because I have no way to get away from the rain, no home to hide me.

What was I seeing? Definitely not this. Not what my eyes said to be true, and what my brain was rejecting as Hollywood mush. My family can't be here, on the ground, their eyes unseeing, unable to look past my eyes and see the tears that were threatening to push their way past.
Robin Brooks. Orphan. Was that really me now?
There were police officers inside too.
“Honey, I’m sorry, but there was a car crash…” Read more »

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