I circle the wall, trying to keep a good pace, but my legs are really tired by this point. I had no idea the South Gate was so far south. I need to make it all the way back to the northernmost section of the city, so I'm still in for a very long walk. I've satisfied some of my curiosity, only to become more curious about all the new questions raised. And I killed my legs walking while I did it.
Once I make it back to the colorful section of the city, I take a short break near a well. I slowly drink from the water flask I have, eventually emptying it. Then I ask for a little water, and someone nearby immediately refills my flask for me. I'm so glad Marrianne gave me this, it's a lot of help walking in this heat. The fifth bell rings while I'm still making my way north again. It's starting to get even hotter out, and wearing my robe over my clothes is beginning to get suffocating, so I pull it off and attempt to fold it like Marrianne did. I can't manage it very well, but even just carrying it instead of wearing it really helps a lot.
I continue walking as the sixth bell rings. I'm nearly back to the central plaza. My walking pace keeps falling as I go. By lunchtime, my legs are very sore from walking almost the entire length of the city twice. I sit at a well not far from the central plaza, and just rest through the seventh and eighth bells to recover my strength. As I sit, my stomach begins growling. Since I didn't think to ask for money to buy food, I'm going to be very hungry by the time I return for dinner tonight. I just drink more water to hold off the hunger.
After the ninth bell, I've recovered enough to keep going. I walk north again, moving with the afternoon crowds away from the central plaza. Everyone is going different ways, soon not leaving much of a crowd as I approach the far northern reaches of town. Compared to earlier, it's like a completely different world. All of the buildings are the separated three story kinds I'm used to seeing. This is the area of town I'm used to.
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After seeing all the bright colors and paint and grass further south, it's so strange how everything here is gray and brown. The people seem to wear clothing no different than rags. The original clothes seem to be made of such thick thread that the individual threads are visible at a distance. But they have since been patched over and over so many times there's hardly anything left of the originals. As I continue, even the patched sections are worn out, like they ran out of cloth to even patch their clothes. Marrianne can at least get by and repair her clothes.
I wonder why there are such huge differences between the different areas I've seen. The buildings, the people, even the roads I walked on were nothing alike depending on which section of the city I was in at the time. It really strikes me the strongest as I look at these people, dirty and wearing scraps.
Even just walking around in Marrianne's bunched up, tied off clothing, I start to feel out of place as their eyes follow me. I hurry on my way toward the orphanage. I still remember the location from the other time we came. Just a couple blocks to the west of the North Gate. It takes some time searching through the tightly packed streets and alleys of incredibly thin three story buildings, but I find it without too much trouble. Still wood, but so much larger, it really stands out in this otherwise run down section of town. It's three stories, but the ground space it covers is huge compared to the other buildings. And like the big houses in the other sections of town, there are no outside entrances, so all three floors must be for the orphanage.
This is where I'm going to live from now on if this goes alright. I let out a slow breath and calm my nerves. There's no way this should be as stressful as tricking handlers into letting me look at the new rail units under uncertain circumstances, but somehow it feels like it is. Then, I suddenly realize that what I did earlier was completely insane. Did I really do that?! No no, I emphatically shake the thoughts away. I already did it, I have more important things to focus on right now.
I knock on the door. I don't wait long before someone answers. However, it's not the tall man from the other day. It's a child. Still older and taller than me, but clearly not an adult. Like other people in this area, he wears clothing so ragged the holes aren't even fully patched.
"What do you want?" he asks. His aggressive tone just makes me more nervous.
"I-I want to know if I can live here," I stammer.
He looks at me briefly, like he's examining me. Then he snorts, "You, live here? Why would ya do that?"
"Because I don't have parents and need somewhere to stay," I answer. No need to get into any of my complicated circumstances. It would just make things more difficult.
The boy looks doubtful, but eventually sighs. "Come on," he grabs my arm and roughly starts to drag me before I stagger forward to keep pace.
He winds through tight, dimly lit spaces one after another. I'm immediately lost, before we arrive at an incredibly steep staircase. Each step is as high as my waist, so I wind up scrambling up with my free hand and feet while the boy keeps trying to drag me upward. On the second level, we head down a dark hall to arrive at a large wooden door with light peeking out from around the edges.
The boy knocks loudly. "What is it?" a voice comes back. I think that's the voice of the man from the other day. It's kind of hard to tell through the door.
"Mister Fredricson, there's a new girl, she wants to stay here."
"Let her in." As soon as those words are said, the boy opens the door and pushes me inside. The door bangs closed behind me right afterward. I stumble a few steps, eventually coming to stop in the middle of a much brighter room than the rest of the place.
There is a large desk in front of me, taller than I am, with a brightly lit lamp placed on top. Behind the desk sits the old man from the other night. Tall and dressed in clothing that looks a bit colorful around the shoulders. Not like the bright colors I saw earlier, but definitely better than the endless brown cloth most people I've seen wear all the time.
He glares down at me for a few moments without speaking. Like he's sizing me up somehow. "We don't take runaways, get out." Runaways? What is that? My brain spins for an instant. If this is a place that takes care of children without parents, a runaway probably refers to a child who runs away from their parents? Even if I can't comprehend why a child would run away from their parents, that's the best guess I have to go on.
"I'm not a runaway!" I blurt out before he turns away. That earns a powerful glare that makes me back up a step.
"You don't look like an orphan," he snaps, rolling his eyes like it's too obvious. That's right, I don't look right, do I? Just comparing to the boy I saw earlier, Marrianne's clothes are much nicer, and I'm all clean and my hair is pretty since she just washed me yesterday.
"That's because a nice person helped me out. She washed me, and gave me clothing to wear," I explain. He takes a closer look at my clothing for a moment. The way they're all tied up everywhere does make it pretty obvious that they aren't sized for me at all. Then he looks to the side, thinking. Maybe he remembers when we came over the other day.
"Then you already have someone taking care of you," he flicks his hand like he's shooing me away.
I shake my head emphatically. "It was only for a bit. Tonight's the last day I can stay there, so I need a place to live starting tomorrow." His eyes narrow again.
"You can't live there anymore? Why is that?" I freeze under his terrifying glare. He really intends to pick apart any reasoning I give him, doesn't he? I need some plausible reason...
"She helped me because I was really sick. Now that I've recovered, I need to find somewhere else." My excuse is basically just a lie based on a shred of truth. But it huts my heart to even indicate that Marrianne is the one who wants me to leave. The lie seems to do the trick though. He snorts with an annoyed expression.
"How old are you?" he asks suddenly.
"Seven years old." When he glares dangerously again, I hastily add on, "I've been told I look young for my age." He looks... vaguely appeased by that answer.
"Can you relieve yourself on your own?"
"Relieve myself, like use a chamber pot?"
"Yes," he growls. That must have been a stupid question, because he looks even more angry now. I quickly nod over and over until he asks the next question. "Can you do household chores?"
I... don't know what those are. I'm not sure how to answer without knowing more details. "What are household chores?" I ask.
"Get out!"
"Whatever they are, I'll do them!" I cry desperately.
"Can you sew?" His eyes tell me if I say anything wrong from this point on, he'll throw me out in the street.
"Yes." I've only done it once, so I'm not any good, but I'm not about to mention that.
"Can you gather in the forest?"
"Yes." I don't know most of the plants to gather, or how to get any wood besides what's lying on the ground. I'm not going to mention that either.
"Can you wash clothes?"
"Yes." I don't have any of the necessary tools, and have never done it properly myself. Not going to mention that...
"Can you wash yourself?"
"Yes." I'm terrified of the river though. Definitely not mentioning that one.
I'm sweating endlessly under his glaring eyes. After the last question, he clears his throat and sits up a little.
"If you live here, you will be required to provide half of any income you make to the orphanage. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"You will be required to give half of anything you gather in the forest as well."
"Ok."
"You will help with winter preparations."
"Ok." I answer even though I don't really know what we're preparing for. I'll have to ask someone about 'winter' at some point.
"You will go to church every Shanaday."
"Ok." I have no idea what that means though. 'Church' and 'Shanaday'. Two more words to learn later.
"You'll refer to me as Mister Fredricson. You'll be back every day by the twelfth bell. You'll keep your space tidy. You won't bother the neighbors. You will not steal things from the other children or the orphanage. You will follow any instructions I give you. If you get in trouble with the law, you will not receive any help from us." He goes through one requirement after another, and I accept each of them. Even the ones that I don't understand.
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"If you break the rules, or even if you don't, I can kick you out on the street at any time if I feel like it. So: Do. Not. Bother. Me." He says each word individually, his eyes flashing. I nod emphatically. Seemingly finished, he takes a small bell on his desk and rings it. After a short wait, a child walks in. It's a girl a little older than me. "New child. She'll be in room thirty five." Making sure not to hesitate, I turn and follow as the child leaves without a word. That man is so scary, but I can take it if it means I have a place to stay. As long as it's better than going back to the AR program.
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We walk down the dark hall outside. We make a few turns, then go up another steep staircase. At least this time I'm not being dragged up as I hurriedly climb up each tall stair. On the third floor, there are a few more children, who all look younger than ten years old. They watch with interest as we arrive at a door. I look up and see that it has the number 35 high up on the door. It looks like it was carved into the surface. I glance around quickly, trying to memorize the location of this particular door. Then we go through into the small room. There are six wooden boards in here with narrow spaces to walk between them. Five of the six beds have rough, threadbare blankets on them. There are no lights except the window on the far wall, so it's a little hard to see much, but my eyes are getting used to the darkness.
"That's your bed," she says, pointing at the bare bed near the far wall on the right.
I nod, "thanks." She just shrugs and walks away.
I walk through the narrow path in the middle of the room between the beds. I get to mine, taking a closer look at it. It seems like it's made of a couple of pieces of wood attached together. One goes to the wall while the other supports the far end, connecting to the floor. It's about chest height for me. There is a space underneath the bed as well. Glancing around the room, it seems like the children here keep things under their beds. There are clothes and some have other things I don't recognize in the dark. Each one of them has a basket, like a smaller version of the one Marrianne carried when we went gathering in the forest.
I pull myself up onto the bed and lie down briefly. Harder than the straw mattress at Marrianne's house, but softer than the stone floor back at the AR program building. Not too bad overall. I roll off of the bed and make my way back out of the room. I explore the orphanage, trying to get a sense of the layout. It doesn't take too long. It's dark and the halls are narrow, but they're pretty straight and the rooms are in orderly lines. The four halls connect into a sort of square. It's a bit different because two of the halls are a little longer, ending at windows with chamber pots in front of some of them. The other two connect a little further in than the windows. I guess based on the extra lengths of those two halls, the windows would be in line with the windows in the rooms?
In any case, each of the four halls has four or five rooms, all on the outside wall of the house. The stairs aren't that far from my room, in the same hallway. They're on the opposite side, the inside wall. Once I've finished looking around and I think I have a good idea of the area, I start on my way back down to the second floor.
This is where I encounter my first major obstacle. Going up the steep staircase required me to climb up each step. Going down is a different challenge entirely. Since each step is so far down from the last, it's a big drop for me each time. I won't be able to walk down. There's nothing to hold onto for help either. I could jump, but if I lose my balance or trip, I'll fall all the way to the bottom. Falling a distance like that would definitely hurt a lot. So I carefully slide off the edge of each step, slipping one foot down to the next step below. It takes some time, and is difficult to do without getting the robe in my hands all dirty on the dirt covered floor, but I eventually make it safely to the second floor.
I see that it has a similar layout to the third floor. The only light is the one coming from under Mister Fredricson's door at the far end of one hall. I make sure to keep a good distance from it while exploring. There are still a number of kids around, who watch me as I walk slowly around, looking at everything. After some searching, I see that beside Mister Fredricson's room taking up the space that would have had a hall and window, there aren't any doors along the short hall next to his office. I wonder if there's something else there? I didn't get a good look before, maybe he has a room of his own connected to his office?
Once I have explored the second floor, I consider climbing back to the third floor to double check the location of my room so I'll remember where it is. However, if I do that, I'll need to climb up and down the third floor staircase again...
I sigh. Remembering the location of my room is too important. I climb all the way up the stairs, make a left like I remember, and arrive at my room again. The number thirty five on the door means I have it right. Good, I'll be able to remember this. I look around, seeing that there are doors on either side. Just past the left door is the bit of hall leading to the window.
I make my way back to the stairs, carefully climbing all the way down again. This is followed by another treacherous climb down to the first floor. These stairs might be the hardest part of living here. Oddly, all of the stairs go toward the back of the building when you're climbing up. I wonder if that's on purpose? It makes it so I have to walk all the way around to the opposite hall on the second floor since the stairs up and down aren't right next to each other.
Looking around more, the first floor is a lot different than the second and third. There are really just a few large rooms. One resembles the kitchen in Marrianne's house, with some shelves up high rather than cabinets, and a big metal fire pit near one wall. Interestingly, it has a hood-like part above it which seems to go outside the building. I'm not entirely sure what it's for just by looking at it.
There are more rooms as well. Most I don't really know what they are for and there isn't much in them, but I do find a large storeroom. "What are you doing in here?" someone asks shortly after I enter the room.
I turn to find a boy. He's much bigger than me, almost the size of an adult. "I'm looking around," I say.
"Oh, then what's this?" he grabs my robe out of my hands.
"My clothing," I tell him. He seems weirdly... angry? He turns my robe around in his hands a few times, like he doesn't know what he's looking at. Then he snorts and drops it back into my hands. I clumsily attempt to refold the robes like before. While I'm working on it, he asks another question.
"So you new or something?"
"Yes, I'll be living here starting tomorrow." He continues looking at me for a bit. I tilt my head a little. It's like he's trying to figure something out just by looking at me, but I have no idea what.
"You're really a weird one, aren't you?"
"Umm?" I don't have any idea how to answer that, so I just shrug.
"Don't go in the storeroom without a reason from now on," he says, pushing me out of the door.
"Ok." Why would I go in the storeroom if I didn't need to get something from the storeroom? He begins to walk away, but something comes to mind. "Oh, wait!" he turns back with a kind of annoyed look. Maybe I shouldn't bother him? Well, asking couldn't hurt, right? "Mister Fredricson said I had to do things to stay here, but I didn't understand some of them, I was wondering if you could explain?"
"Bother someone else," he waves me off and keeps walking. Ahh, thought so. Well, I'll just have to fill in the blanks later. For now, I keep looking around. The first floor is much larger and more open than the second and third. Some of the rooms are surprisingly big. There's a few big tables with lots of chairs in one of them. As I explore, it seems like a lot more children are appearing everywhere. I hear the bell ring again. Was that the tenth or eleventh bell? I quickly ask a child nearby.
"That was the eleventh bell," they tell me. I must have missed the tenth bell while I was talking to Mister Fredricson. I'm supposed to be back at Marrianne's house before the twelfth bell. It's my last day living there, I really don't want to get back late and make her worry on the one day that I went out on my own.
I start to leave as many more children come flooding into the orphanage. On my way out the door, a girl stops me. "It's almost curfew, you shouldn't leave right now," she says. I take a moment to figure out the meaning of 'curfew' before answering.
"Ah, I'll be fine." I'm not living here until tomorrow. She looks doubtful, but lets me go.
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As soon as I'm back in the street, I start off at a quick walk to get back to Marrianne's house. It's all the way down near the East Gate. From up here near the North Gate, I'll barely make it back in time.
I cut across the northeast district on my way, rather than taking the main roads. It's a little twisty and turny, but it's a much more direct route than going all the way to the central plaza first. This is the area of the city I know best, so I can make my way through it much faster.
Even so, it's a really long way to go. I'm tired from so much walking today, and hungry from not eating. By the time I'm halfway there, I feel about ready to fall over, and my stomach is really growling at me and starting to hurt a lot. I empty my water flask again, but I'm still thirsty. I push on anyway, trying to get there as quick as I can. I can't see the sun behind the tall buildings all around me, so it's hard to tell exactly how close it is to sunset.
I make my way out of the cross streets and back onto the main road leading to the East Gate. Marrianne's house should be right near here. I'm trying to run, but can't manage much more than a jog. I'm panting and so tired, my legs are sore all the way up and down. Getting sidetracked all the way to the southern end of the city might not have been the best idea, with how much walking it added to my day...
In no state to regret it right now, I slowly run my exhausted body the last bit of the way to Marrianne's house. When I get to her block, I see her standing outside the house waiting. She looks worried. Aahh, I didn't want to worry her, but I did anyway! I rush up to her with the last of my energy.
"Wunay, are you alright?" she asks with a voice full of concern.
"I'm fine," I pant out, "sorry I'm so late. Sorry for worrying you."
Marrianne smiles gently. "Oh silly, you're not late. You made it back before the twelfth bell, just like I told you to." She rubs my head lightly. "What a good girl," she compliments me. While I continue panting for breath, she leads me inside and sits me on my bed. She returns a few moments later with a cup of water. I drink it gratefully, all in one go. Even with the water flask, I didn't have enough to drink today since I did all that walking under the hot sun. Suddenly putting water back in my body, I start to feel dizzy. Even a little sick to my stomach, but it passes after I wait a little while. I lie back on the soft mattress to rest while my body starts to recover from the unintended stress I put on it today.
It's not long until the last bell. Judging from the smell, Marrianne is already working on making soup. It smells way better than the first night I came here. Because now I know the smells of the things in the soup, and I know that it is full of love and care. Well, that and I have a working sense of smell now that I'm not delirious with fever. I giggle a little at that last thought. I'm so tired that before I know it, I've fallen asleep sitting across my bed.
Before the nightmares come for me, I'm woken gently by Marrianne. "Dinner is ready dear, come eat." I nod sleepily. It looks like Francis is home.
When I climb up onto my stool at the table, I look down into the bowl of soup. It's just like I remember. Bits of cut up vegetables, herbs, small pieces of chicken. I can recognize these foods now. "Remember to blow, it's still hot," Marrianne warns softly. I nod and pick up my spoon. I'm still somewhat shaky, but I don't have much trouble scooping up a spoonful of soup. I hold it in front of my mouth carefully, blowing on it to cool it down before eating.
The tastes spread through my mouth. Saltiness, savory vegetables. Just a bit of sweetness. Green, fresh flavors from the herbs mixed in. Even sleepy like this, I savor every last bit as I eat the soup. It even feels good against my sore throat. Before I know it, I've eaten the entire bowl.
"Oh my, you're really hungry tonight, aren't you?" I look down, pressing a hand to my own stomach in wonder. I ate the whole bowl, but I'm still pretty hungry.
I smile apologetically and nod, "I guess I am."
"What did you eat today?"
I shake my head. "I didn't really eat."
"Oh, I didn't think to give you money for food," Marrianne puts her hand to her mouth as she realizes. "I'm sorry, Wunay."
"It's fine, it's fine," I shake my head at her apology, "I didn't think to ask, it's my fault." I would feel bad asking her for money in the first place. I think I might be able to use it after watching her at the market, but I'm not totally sure.
"Either way, have another bowl, you'll need the energy." She smiles and refills my bowl with more soup.
"Thank you," I say as she sets the hot bowl of soup down in front of me again. I continue eating. She even makes sure to keep giving me more water since I didn't have enough to drink today.
This is the last nice meal like this I'm going to have. Even though I'm tired and the hot soup is making me really sleepy, I soak in every moment of this enjoyable meal filled with Marrianne's love. I know the food at the orphanage will be worse. But this feeling of warmth is something I may never experience, ever again. I let myself soak it all in as I eat my fill.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Marrianne asks.
"Nothing," I smile. It doesn't matter what happens after this. At this moment, everything is perfect.
"Then why are you crying?" she asks with clear concern.
I touch my face, surprised to find it wet with tears. "I think I cry when I'm happy?" I still don't understand it myself.
"Oh, honey..." She says, wiping away some of my tears. I continue to cry as I eat happily. Once I finish, she changes me into loose bedclothes, has me use the chamber pot, then puts me to bed.
Totally exhausted from my long day, I realize that this is probably the last time I'll have a full belly and a soft place to sleep.The lingering smell of the delicious soup drifting through the house as I settle in. Things are going to be a lot harder from now on. Still, everything feels so good right now, I drift off to sleep immediately. Even as small tears of joy continue to trickle from my eyes.