Chapter 1: Just Another Day
Megary Dalton woke to the usual screeching sounds of London's East End Orphanage. Babies crying, little children screeching and Mrs. Burnside trying to calm everyone down. She the large moth eaten comforter off and swung herself to sit up right on the edge of the bunk bed. Mrs. Burnside was now yelling at little, four yr. old, Simon who was running around with on the kitchen knifes. When finally she caught him by his collar he broke into such a wail that she stuffed a large pillow in his mouth, that set off the rest of the Orphanage's little ones, and Mrs. Burnside had her hands full with screaming kids. Megary wanted to just go back to sleep, but being the oldest, at thirteen, Meg knew it was no use, it was too loud and Mrs. Burnside, sooner or latter would need her help. Sure enough, she came arms full of kids, over the shouting she called for Megary.
"Megary, Megary!"
"Yes, mum?" Megary jumped down from the bed, directly in front of her.
"There you are." The large, red faced Mrs. Burnside padded her shoulder, off Megary's thin and wiry frame.
Sending her hands into her pockets, Mrs. Burnside, pulled out a crumpled bill, a five.
"'Ere, we need som' milk, fer the little ones, and som' bread." Shoving the bill into Megary's hand, she spun and threw herself back into the throng of noises. Megary straitened her large sweatshirt she was wearing, and her blue jeans with had hole from kneecap to patched pocket. Turning to face the mirror on the wall, she took a look at herself, and tried to control her long, overly curly, red hair and rubbed the bags under her ice blue eyes. With a turn of her head, she wriggled herself through the crowded Orphanage and towards the corner store.
Keeping her head down and her eyes on the sidewalk, Megary headed to McMurran's Corner Store. East London wasn't exactly the best spot in town, and Megary had some bruises to show for it. But today wasn't her day either, she cursed her luck, as she saw Flynn and Kif walking towards her, for their daily taunt. She wasn't in the mood, and told herself to calm down, let them be the first to provoke something. Her head pounded with a headache and her hands clenched, living an Orphanage's life in London had taught her one thing, always be ready when the fists fly.
"Have anything for us today, Dalton?"
"How about y-no."
Flynn of them grabbed her arm, "Trying to be smart, huh?"
"Well, what if I was." Megary shrugged him off.
From the corner of her down turned eyes, she saw a Bobbie car.
Flynn padded her shoulder, giving her a scowling look. One that said 'I'll see you later'. Megary just walked on as if nothing had happened. When she got to the store, they only had soy milk and toast. She grabbed them anyway, gave the bill to the clerk. Running out the door she stuffed then change in her pocket. The quicker she got back to the Orphange, the less likely Mrs. Burnside would yell about the time. At a sprint, Megary made it through the door just as Mrs. Burnside was shooing all the kids outside into the large, untidy backyard. She shut the door behind them, and started frantically cleaning. Taking a pile of dirty clothes she piled them into Megary's arms.
"Mrs. Burnside?" Megary started.
"What? Child, did you forget? Mr. and Mrs. Danby are coming...today!" Mrs. Burnside was wiping off chairs and tables, trying to straighten everything up.
"Oh..." Megary had indeed forgotten the Danby's were coming. A couple who wanted to adopt a child, and she was the first on Mrs. Burnside's list. But Megary had very little hope that this couple would be unlike the rest, who just couldn't take her in. They all had nice ways of telling they, "wanted something else", but the message was all the same; no.
Megary went into the kitchen, dumping the clothes into the hamper, Mrs. Burnside following her with the bottle of disinfectant.
"Now, Megary darling, after you finish with your room, would you put on something nice."
It was more of a statement than anything else. Megary tromped into her side of the enormus bedroom she slept in, straightened it up, threw the trash away, and rummaged through her clothes bin for something suitable. But everything she found that was suitable was either torn or dirty. So she grabbed a pair of jeans that didn't have holes in the knees. And a shirt that wasn't extremely dirty. Smoothing her hair with some water, she walked out into the living room/parlor area. It was all sparkling with disinfectant and it looked the cleanest Megary had ever seen it. She could here Mrs. Burnside humming from another room.
Well, she surely wants to get rid of me this time.
The door bell rang, Megary jumped from her seat on the couch, and Mrs. Brunside came bustling out from the kitchen giving Megary a look, "it must be them." MEgary sat and wiated, Mrs. Burnside was talking tersely around the corner. It was her best friend Markus Gramhn.
"Hey, I thought I'd come see you." He looked very pleased with himself.
"What is it, Markus?" She smiled and gesturned for him to sit down across from her. He and Mrs. Burnside didn't exaclty like each other.
"Mrs. Burnside didn't exactly like me showing up, but I don't thnk she could resist my charm."
"What charm?" Megary retorted.
"So what did you get all dressed up fer?"
"The Danby's are coming and Mrs. Burnside thinks she can get rid of me." Megary stated.
"Oh don't worry, some one'll pick you up sometime."
"Like anyone would want me."
"Don't be so pesemistic Meg." He shot at her, his brown eyes sparkling.
The door bell rang again.
"Oh dear, they're here. You better go."
Markus disapeered towards te back door as Mrs. Burnside led the upposed Danby's in. They looked like a nice couple. They sat down across from her. They were introduced. The Danby's were indeed nice, but Megary knew they didn't want her. So Mrs. Burnside led them into the backyard. Megary changed into her clothes from earlier and went to help with the littler children. By the time the Danby's left they had little Simon added to their family tree. Megary again was out of the picture. It didn't surprise her thought, she was getting used to it, after all the years she'd spent here.
"Oh well, it was worth a try."