Chapter One
The Arrival
The dark grey clouds have over taken the sky as the rusted van makes its way down the road. Lynn's face is pressed up against the car window as the scenery rapidly changes. Her big, brown, almond shaped eyes become watery as she tries to fight her tears. She glances over at her sister sitting next to her as the tight squeeze of their joining hands become tighter.
She tries to swallow what feels like a tennis ball stuck in her throat as rain begins to fall from the sky. The heavy rain pounds the roof of the old black van and ruins Lynn's observation of the world outside. Her sister starts to hum a song their mother sang to them not to long ago.
Visions of a better time in her life played over and over in her head, as her sister's humming set the tone of her once story book childhood. Anger set in over questions she has that no one will answer; or maybe they are questions in which she won't accept the answers. Whatever way Lynn looked at the circumstances the reality was all too clear. This will be the beginning of her new life, whether she wanted to accept it or not.
She bites down on her bottom lip hoping the pain will get her mind off what is about to become. Lynn wants to scream, but she can't! Her younger sisters are along for the ride as well. She can't just think about herself, what about them? Lynn knows she must keep her fears inside for the sake of her two younger sisters. She knows just like her, that they also lost the only safety net they had in their lives.
Her mother used to always tell her how important family was….A few weeks ago those words went in one ear and out the other. But now the words are way to true…they even hurt.
"You brats are on your best behavior when we arrive," Mrs. Conner spoke from the front passenger seat. How can I be on my best behavior Lynn thought? I lost everything I had, everything I knew…. my life is over after 12 years. Stop it Lynn she thought to herself, remember put on a strong face for your sisters. Stop feeling sorry for yourself because the rest of the world could care less about you.
"This is the only place that I can get the three of you in," continued Mrs. Conner. The driver of the van reaches for the radio and music consumes the van.
"This is my jam, you feel me?" explained the driver.
"Miguel would you turn that trash off?" shouted Mrs. Conner.
"Come on Mrs. Conner lighten up, I've been driving for hours without music."
"Miguel you can either cut the music off, or I can rip the stereo out and chuck it out the window."
Miguel quickly turns off the radio as Mrs. Conner watches in appreciation. Lynn wonders how they can argue over something as little as music playing when she and her sister are in the van. Do they not understand that their life just changed; or is it that they just don't care?
"How much longer until we get there you idiot?" asked Mrs. Conner.
"Any minute now it's just up the road," answered Miguel
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm making incredible time."
Miguel fumbles with a stick of gum with one hand, as his other hand tries to hold on to the steering wheel. The stick of gum drops in between his legs as he tries to catch it. Suddenly the van curves off into the dirt shoulder of the road as Miguel goes for the stick of gum.
"Miguel what the hell are you doing?" asked Mrs. Conner as Miguel regains control of the van. He drives the rusted van back onto the road and looks over at Mrs. Conner.
"Miguel you are such an idiot!"
"I'm sorry—"
"Don't apologize just keep your eyes on the road!"
"I'm sorry I dropped my gum—"
"Just shut up and drive!"
Miguel pulls another piece of gum out of his coat pocket and once again tries to open it with one hand. Mrs. Conner looks at Miguel in disbelief as she shakes her head. Successful with his second attempt at his one handed gum unwrap mission, he tosses it into his mouth. The sound of him chewing reminds Lynn of the time her parents took them to the zoo.
Mrs. Conner tilts her body and looks in the rear upon the back seats, as her eyes quickly meet Lynn Hart's flooded eyes.
"Are you crying Lynn?" Mrs. Conner asked.
"No Mrs. Conner, I'm not crying." Lynn responded, "I just have something in my eye."
Lynn's sister Nicole leans forward to view Lynn's sobbing face. Nicole places her hand on Lynn's shoulder and begins to speak. "It's okay Lynn, Mom and Dad will be back soon—"
"Yea right, I have a better chance at winning the lottery!" said Mrs. Conner.
Nicole takes a deep breath, "Our chances are better than yours of finding a husband!" Miguel starts to laugh as Mrs. Conner stretches her body to come face to face with Nicole.
"My you are so witty Nicole," said Mrs. Conner sarcastically.
"My you are so old Mrs. Conner," Nicole responded.
Lynn hastily places her hands over Nicole's mouth and speaks. "I'm sorry Mrs. Conner, Nicole really doesn't mean that." Lynn's eyes fasten onto Nicole's. "She is just a little scared, that's all."
Nicole grabs Lynn's hand away from her mouth as she starts to rebut, "I'm not afraid of anything," she admitted. "I'm ten years old, I'm almost an adult!"
The van starts to slow down on a secluded street that's only occupied by a large brown building. Lynn looks out of her window as Nicole leans over to access Lynn's view. The rusted, black van stops directly in front of the hefty brown building. The rain starts to let up giving Lynn and Nicole a clearer observation, as Mrs. Conner opens and exits the passenger door. Miguel promptly turns the radio back on and begins to tap his fingers on the dash board.
"Come along children!" Mrs. Conner shouts out. Lynn slowly opens her door and gets out followed by Nicole. Lynn pauses in front of the stairs leading up to the door of the building. Her eyes wonder over to the sign hanging over to the left side of the door which reads, "West Time Orphanage." Lynn's pigtails carry in the wind as she puts her hands inside her favorite purple jacket. Mrs. Conner reaches the top of the stairs and rings the bell, "Come along children," she says again as she begins to knock on the door. "Miguel, you can let her out now!"
Miguel nervously gets out of the van, tripping over his own right foot as he slams the van door. Mrs. Conner shakes her head as she watches Miguel in disgust. "Any time you idiot!" she screams. Miguel picks himself up and dusts off his severely tight black and white suit. He walks towards the back of the van to the luggage door and opens it. The van starts to shake as the driver struggles to get something out of the back.
"She is doing it again Mrs. Conner!" shouts Miguel nervously.
"Don't be such a baby, Miguel!" replied Mrs. Conner as she descends the stairs and walks over to Miguel. Together they pull a large dog carrier out of the van.
Inside of it sits the youngest of the Hart sisters, Hope Hart. Her hands tightly wrapped around the cage door of the carrier. In her mouth is one of the legs of her stuffed toy frog the rest of its body dangles below. "Free boom!" Hope mumbles as Miguel and Mrs. Conner struggle with the dog carrier.
"Its freedom you little brat, now keep it down before I toss you into the river," said Mrs. Conner. Mrs. Conner and Miguel drag the carrier over to Lynn and Nicole.
"I don't want to be here!" exclaims Nicole.
"You have no choice, nobody wants you!" replied Mrs. Conner.
Nicole stands on her tip toes and leans forward, tilting her head from side to side. "So it looks like me and you are in the same situation." Nicole taunts.
"Nicole you're going to get us in trouble. I'm sorry Mrs. Conner, she doesn't think before she speaks," Lynn explains.
"Very well, come along children; let's get this done with Miguel," whispers Mrs. Conner. Mrs. Conner and Miguel drag the dog carrier up the brownstone stairs of the building, bumping the stairs with the carrier on each step.
"Ouch!" cries Hope.
"Quickly now children," said Mrs. Conner. Mrs. Conner and Miguel reach the top of the stairs and again ring the bell. Lynn and Nicole look at the door in horror as it slowly begins to open. As light enters through the door the tall shadowed figure behind it starts to take form.
"Yes may I help you?" speaks the tall female figure that starts to become clearer. She stands about six foot one, her hair as dark as the blackest night. Her aging pale skin is overshadowed by the gigantic thick glasses that rest on her long skeletal nose.
"Yes I'm Mrs. Conner, we spoke earlier," explains Mrs. Conner. "I'm here to drop off the Hart girls."
"Oh yes," said the woman as she looks over at the girls. A sinister smile consumes her elderly face as she introduces herself. "I'm Ms. Dillenbeck, please do come in."
The group enters the lengthy and gloomy brown hallway of the orphanage. A large multicolored stained glass window hovers at the end of the hall. On the left and right just before it are stairs going in two different directions. Each of them leads to a balcony on the second floor.
The silence of the orphanage is only interrupted by the sound of their footsteps as they make their way down the hall. Lynn looks around to immerse the badly lit orphanage atmosphere. She could see eyes staring down on her from above the balcony on the upper floor. Her sister Nicole walks closely next to her as Miguel drags the dog carrier behind them.
Ms. Dillenbeck stares at Miguel as the red vivid color sets in on her pale cheeks. "My you are a strong one," giggles Ms. Dillenbeck.
"Yes, I work out," Miguel boasts as he prances around the dog carrier.
"I think I'm going to be sick," whispered Nicole to Lynn.
Hope starts to shake the dog carrier as she tries to set herself free."My Lord, is that a pet?" asked Ms. Dillenbeck as she gleams down at Hope inside the dog carrier.
"No, this is the youngest of the bunch," Mrs. Conner explains. "She has a habit of biting and running away, it took Miguel two hours to find her this morning."
"We certainly can't have that now can we?" said Ms. Dillenbeck.
"Well we should be off," speaks Mrs. Conner as she makes her way back to the door. "I take it you can handle it from here?"
"Yes, good day to you both," Ms. Dillenbeck replies as she walks over to Miguel. "Especially you," she told Miguel as she slowly strokes his chest with her finger tips.
"Come on Miguel!" shouts Mrs. Conner as she exits the orphanage door.
Miguel trips over the dog carrier as he starts to leave. Ms. Dillenbeck walks over and puts out her hands to help Miguel up.
"My, are you okay?" she asks.
"Yes, thank you," responds Miguel as he gets up and walks over to the exit. "Bye," said Miguel as he closes the door behind him.
Ms. Dillenbeck circles the girls gradually as she takes off her glasses.
"What are we, on display?" said Nicole.
"Nicole, be quiet!" Lynn said.
"There will be no talking in my presents, unless I demand it!" shouts Ms. Dillenbeck.
Lynn looks at Nicole and says "Yes Ms —
"Did I say you could speak?" asked Ms. Dillenbeck.
"No Ms. — says Lynn.
"But yet again you continue to speak," replies Ms. Dillenbeck as she walks over to Lynn. "Tell me, do you enjoy stressing me out? Would you love to see my beautiful hair turn grey?" Nicole looks down at her sneakers and giggles.
"Pretty?" Nicole asked as she almost falls over from laughter. Ms. Dillenbeck walks over to the large pane window at the end of the hall. As she looks out rain starts to fall, a crack of thunder is heard as she turns her head back to the girls.
"Such disrespect—" said Ms. Dillenbeck.
"I'm sorry about—" Lynn replies.
"Silence!" shouts Ms. Dillenbeck.
Hope starts too cry as her sisters quickly approach the dog carrier.
"Can she get out now?" asks Nicole.
"Excuse me, the comedian is now the drama queen," said Ms. Dillenbeck as she walks over to Nicole. "Well of course she can get out,"
Lynn starts to unlock the door to the dog carrier.
"Oh my, please do wait a second," whispered Ms. Dillenbeck. Lynn did not hear Ms. Dillenbeck and continues to unlock the cage door.
"I said wait!" shouts Ms. Dillenbeck.
Lynn nervously stops trying to unlock the cage door.
"I would want nothing more for you than to let your sister out," explains Ms. Dillenbeck as she starts to loop the girls again. "I'll do a favor for you... in return you do one for me."
"Yes, Ms. Dillenbeck," says Lynn.
"Tell me I'm beautiful," sings Ms. Dillenbeck as she dances around the girls.
"You are beautiful," says Lynn.
"Not you, my little butt kisser!" explains Ms. Dillenbeck. "I want her, Miss Prissy to say it." She continues as she points at Nicole. Ms. Dillenbeck bends down to come face to face with Nicole. Lightning flashes outside the window which briefly lightens the room.
"Oh Nicole, please share your wisdom with this fallen goddess," begs Ms. Dillenbeck. Nicole turns her head and closes her eyes.
"You are beautiful."
"You see was the truth so hard to speak?"
"I'm going to be sick," whispers Nicole to Lynn.
"You may let her out now," says Ms Dillenbeck.
Lynn opens the cage and lifts up Hope to her hips as Ms. Dillenbeck walks over to the stairways on the left side of the window.
"Kim!" Ms. Dillenbeck calls out as she looks up the stairs. A girl starts to make her way down the stairs. Her curly dark brown hair bounces around on each step she takes. Her smile brightens the dark atmosphere of the room.
"We have some new comers my dear, please show them to their rooms and go over the rules with them," said Ms. Dillenbeck as she makes her way up the right side of the stairs.
Kim walks over to the sisters, her light green eyes widen with excitement. "Hi, I'm Kim," she says as she reaches out her hand.
"Hey, I'm Lynn and these are my sisters Nicole and Hope," Lynn says as she greets and shakes Kim's hand.
"Welcome to the West Time Orphanage!" said Kim.
More little girls begin to peak over the top of the balcony to view the Hart sisters. They start to quietly talk to each other pointing down at the sisters. Lynn looks up and waves to the girls on top of the stairs.
"Oh great," Nicole says as she walks over to the stairway. "Now what, we break into song and dance?"