Disclaimer: I own none of the characters except for Leslie and Miss Erma... But if I did, that would be awesome. :)
Chapter 1 of A Matter of Timing! Please tell me what you think!
Leslie Hornik's life was nothing like she dreamed. Since the age of four, she lived in an orphanage along with thirteen other girls around her age. For the twelve years she's lived in the orphanage, the young girl had grown tough and independent. Her big personality made her less of a pick for the couples arriving at the Manhattan Orphanage for Girls. This caused her to become a bigger target for the orphanage caretaker, Miss Erma.
"LESLIE HORNIK," A loud voice shrilled once the front door closed. Leslie, who leaned lazily on the wall near the front entrance, raised an eyebrow and scoffed. Miss Erma, eyes wild with anger, turned to the girl. Storming over to her, she yelled, "Have you any idea how long it's taken for me to get that couple interested in a sixteen year old girl with wavy brown hair and green eyes? It's 2009 for heaven's sake! Nobody adopts teenagers anymore!"
Leslie shrugged and replied, "A while, I'm guessing by your angry tone."
"YES, A LONG WHILE," Miss Erma exploded. Grabbing Leslie by the hair, she dragged her up the stairs towards the bedrooms. The other girls, used to the behavior, simply walked along and continued their activies. These activies were normally cleaning, cooking or bathing the younger girls. Leslie tripped over the threshold of an unused bedroom and fell onto her side on the dusty floor. Looking up at the plump, infuriated woman above her, Leslie swallowed slightly. Miss Erma explained, "No matter what I do to get you the hell outta here, you have to ruin it with your horrible attitude and behavior!"
Leslie laughed bitterly and replied, "Maybe I like it here with you, Miss Erma!"
"Yeah," Miss Erma scoffed, "Okay. Enough with the mocking thing, too. It's pissin' me off!" Leslie stood and watched as Miss Erma walked back towards the door. "Now, stay in here until you've learned your lesson!"
Leslie exclaimed, "What!? But nobody sleeps in here! It's grosser than the other rooms in this damn building!"
"Shut your mouth, you little demon!" Miss Erma yelled back. "No wonder your own parents left you here when you were four! You were a devil then, too!"
Tears filled her eyes and Leslie cried, "My parents loved me!"
"And, for some reason, they left ya here with me!" Miss Erma laughed. She grabbed the doorknob and sneered, "Don't try anything, Hornik." Leslie jumped as the door slammed and she was left in the dim room, with nothing but the chained window letting in light. Rubbing her head, Leslie fell onto the bed behind her, dust flying into the air. Coughing, Leslie rubbed her eyes from the dust and patted her dirty, ripped-up dress. Pulling her shrug closer to her body, Leslie shook with a mixture of anger and cold. Her eyes scanned the room, suddenly landing on a door opposite her bed, adjacent to the door leading to the hallway. Standing up, curiosty led her towards the creaky, wooden door. She opened it, looking at the darkness inside.
Squinting, she attempted to find a floor or ceiling, but failed with a huff. Stepping forward, she fell into the darkness. Her screams echoed in the darkness surrounding her as she spun and landed on her stomach, hands sprawled out on a hard surface. Opening her eyes, her hair blocked her view. Looking up, she noticed cobblestone underneath her and the click of hooves in the distance.
"Oy!" A voice yelled, "Move over, or I'll run you over!" Leslie raised an eyebrow and turned her head, eyes widening at the horse and carriage nearing her. Gasping, she covered her face. Two hands grabbed her shoulders, dragging her out from street. As she heard the hooves distance themselves, Leslie uncovered her face and looked up at two crystal, blue eyes.
Leslie whispered, "What just happened?"
"Ya almost got run over, dat's what," The boy replied. Leslie picked up on the heavy accent and sat up, looking at the boy's face. He was about her age, maybe a little older, with a cap and raggedy clothes on. He smirked and asked, "Shaken up, is you?"
Leslie asked, "Who are you? And where the hell am I?"
"Uh," the kid looked confused, "Youse is in New York... Manhattan, actually. And I'm Racetrack, a Manhattan Newsie." Leslie raised an eyebrow and stood up, looking around at the 1800-like Manhattan around her. Did she hit her head or something? Laughing, the kid continued, "And if youse wants the year, it's 1903."
Leslie gasped and suddenly, felt the world go fuzzy. Her hands went numb and she felt herself falling and falling into darkness once more.
REVIEW! That's the end of Chapter 1! Tell me what you think! :)