My name is Katie McFee but people call me Kate.
I came to this horrible place they call an orphanage 7 years ago when my parents decided that couldn't afford to feed me any more. The day that they dropped me off here was a sad one for all of us. My mom and dad bent down to me and said "Kate honey we are going away for a while to find work for your dad. Since we don't know where we will be living we think that it's best if you stay here until your dad is able to find work." Then my dad ring the doorbell and out stepped the scariest woman I had ever seen. She turned to my parents and asked them what they wanted. My dad looked at her and said "Miss I am sorry to bother you but my wife and I have fallen on bad times and can't afford to keep feeding our little darling here so I am wondering if you have room for her here at your establishment. She don't eat much." The scary looking lady turned to my dad and and said "Sure I have room for her. What's her name? My dad answered "her name is Katie McFee but we call her Kate. And she is 4 years old. By the way." The scary looking lady told my parents to hurry up and say goodbye to me because she was in the middle of a radio soap opera that I can't remember the name of. My mom said "Kate honey we'll be back as soon as we can." Then they turned to leave and the scary looking lady took me inside. When we got inside she yelled "Annie come here and show Kate around tell her the rules." "Yes Miss Hannigan." Annie replied as she took me by the hand and started to show me around. As Annie was showing me around I heard a smacking sound and asked Annie what it was she said "That's Pepper getting paddled again. She was caught messing with 's radio." After the smacking stopped I asked Annie where the other girls were she said that they were at school. When we came to a closet Annie took out some old ragged sheets and and a grey army blanket with patches on it and handed them to me and said "Kate these are for your bed." As we were going up stairs she said "Kate has a few rules that we must follow. Number one is to always say "I love you " when we are asked. Number Two is never touch her radio. And number three is to call her and nothing else." We then got upstairs she showed me to an empty cot in one of the dormitories and Said "Kate this is your bed." Do you need me to show you how to make your bed?" "Yes "I said sadly. After she showed me how to make the bed she said "Kate I will let you get settled" After Annie left I started to cry. A while later after the other girls came back from school blew her whistle and told us to line up for dinner. After we had lined up she started to dish up something that was grey and lumpy into bowls and hand them to us. We then took the our bowl to a long table and sat down. When I got my bowl and sat down I looked at Annie and whispered "what is this?" Annie whispered back "it's mush." Right after Annie said this came over to us and said "Annie you know the rule no talking at the table. The next time I catch you talking you're taking a trip to the cellar to visit the ghosts." "Yes ." Annie replied