chapter five

“We just didn’t expect you back so soon.”  IR. Arla Sandem repeated, shaking her heads.  She’d been saying that for the past fifteen minutes, and I was beginning to lose patience.

“I know, I told you, it was a last minute decision.”  Imogen, however, looked as calm and composed as ever.  It was only her meaningful glares that had kept me from losing it a lot sooner. I sighed, she probably had a person.  Arla may have been one of those people who had to plan everything three months in advance and had a nervous breakdown whenever anything happened that wasn’t part of this plan, but she’d also one of the most fiercely compassionate people I had ever met.  She would do anything for the orphans, and I don’t know where any of them would be without her.    It was thanks to her that we were able to come to the orphanage as often as we did at all.

“I appreciate you coming, but like I said, we didn’t anticipate you coming, and I just don’t know what you would do…”

“We’ll find something.” Imogen asserted, “Please, we really need this, we’ve missed them so much…”

I knew she’d hit the spot with that one.  Arla still looked uncertain, but she smiled warmly and resigned, “Well, I’m sure they’d be happy to see who, and if you sure you’ll be alright.”

“We will,” Imogen assured, her, “Thank you.”  I rolled my eyes while beside me, Katie bounced excitedly.  Okay, so maybe I was pretty excited too.

 

New hope was kind of a second home to us. It was known as the safest city in the entire first territory, crime was practically nonexistent. This apparently made it an obvious choice for the First territories security headquarters. My father would often travel there for various meetings, and he would occasionally bring us along.

I used to get so excited when he’d pull me up on his knee and ask me if I wanted to go with him the next day.   I loved New Hope.   I loved the way the city seemed to open up to the sky, instead of being closed off by hovercrafts like every other major city in the Empire.   I loved the way everybody would smile at you and greet you like you were their closest friend instead of a complete stranger.  I loved that people there were focused on living, not keeping up with the latest media vibe.

New hope was more diverse than New D.C., since that’s the capitol and has all the Primary Government buildings and of course, the Royal estates.  Here there was a wide array of shops for Melina, Museums for everything from art to agriculture, thrill parks, one of the only libraries that actually has books, and the best dining in the upper territories. We went to New Hope to have a blast, but the children’s home was why we came back.

It was just down the street from the Security Office Building, but it wasn’t until our third visit that Immy suggested we take a look.  We’d been coming a couple of times a month ever since. The children there were the sweetest angels I had ever met. Some of them had such heart-wrenching stories, yet they were so full of hope and joy. They always found reasons to laugh or smile.

 Every time we came we would play games, read stories�"Imogen and I were turning them into mini us�", pose for hand-made portraits; everything and anything that they wanted us to do. Melina had stopped coming a few years ago, but me and Imogen, and sometimes Katie; kept coming back. 

I knew every orphan there, and loved every one of them; but there were some, who’d I’d for so long, that they were as much my younger siblings as Katie or the boys.

She led us into a large and extremely noisy room where several kids seemed to be involved in a game of keep away.

“Children,” She announced cheerily, “Look who’s come to visit?”

There was an abrupt pause, and then a lot of excited shrieking as they all gathered around us.

“Darcy!” a high pitched voice squealed as a pair of arms wrapped around my waist.

“Hey Emily!” I chirped, bending down to give her a hug of my own. “Gotten into any trouble recently,” I whispered mischievously in her ear. She giggled, “Not much.”

I chortled a little with her as I straightened up.  Her short, mouse-brown hair was sticking out in every direction, her bright green eyes sparkling.

“Why are you back so soon?” she asked politely. 

“Cuz I missed you,” I answered sweetly, poking her nose. I glanced over at Imogen, who was busy trying to hold five pairs of hands at once and answer the same amount of questions.

Katie had found her new best friend, Lilik, and the two of them were busy hugging each other and jumping up and down.  It was a little while before the last kids had gotten their hugs and high fives and we could actually have a legitimate conversation.

“So, what do you guys want to do,” Imogen asked.  The all answered at once.

“Wind!” A few shouted, which was short for Gone with the Wind, the book and Imogen and I took turns reading to them.

“Tag!” Luke, another one of my long-time orphan buddies, proclaimed loudly.

“Tag!” Emily and Lilik seconded.

“Tag!, Tag!, Tag!” she rest of them chanted.

Imogen smiled broadly. “Tag it is then!”

They cheered.

“But not here,” she continued nonchalantly, though he eyes and smile glimmered.

“No, I was thinking we would head over to the Center.”

I could see their eyes widen at the prospect and they began whispering excitedly.

Outside it was then.