Sweets and freaks

The wind went whispering through the leaves and the grass on the ground. They were darker than the sky. It was one of the first warm spring nights this year, when the nine year old Kiana walked with a candle down to the little pond of the orphanage she lived in. She whispered words over and over again.

"Mine is the duty, I am the ghost, the protector of nameless."

Down by the pond older girls were waiting some were already grown up. One woman had come from the city back home. They were waiting for her. In the middle stood the red haired girl Linda Bloom who would be only a few more days live here. She was sixteen and would be transferred to a home for teenagers in the city closer to her first workplace. She wore a white jacket with a big hood and in exception to the others she did not hold a candle.

Kiana arrived and swallowed dry. One last time she repeated the words with her gaze hold firmly on Lindas hooded face.

"Kiana Smith, you finally arrived to your first watch.", said Linda. "But first you have to swear the oath to all of those before you, our sisters. Are you ready?"

"I am.", assured Kiana with a stern voice. Linda nodded and the young girl began to to speak. "Mine is the duty to protect and avenge my sisters from this night though all nights and days to come. Without a face without a noise I shall punish those who wronged and hurt them. I shall not rest or go home until a I find a worthy successor within our lines. I am now Erithea the ghost of Saint Marrys."

Linda smiled and again nodded before she opened the jacket and anded it over to Kiana. The girl extinguished the flame and threw the candle into the pond. She slipped into the jacket, closed it and pulled the hood over her head.

"It is done.", announced Linda and the teenager blew out the flames. Linda smiled and ruffled Kiana hair after she threw back the hood. "You did well."

"Really?", asked Kiana relieved. "I still still think the oath is way too much."

Some girls laughed and the eldest shook her head. "An oath must sound a bit over the top, little one."

"Come on admit it, you stole it from a book.", teased Linda the elder one.

"Why had I ever thought of you being a nice girl, Lin?", sighed the woman and grinned.

Linda shrugged. "Well, we Eritheas share all some common characteristics."

"True that.", the woman looked to Kiana who was a bit puzzled.

"So you were Erithea too?", asked the girl.

"Yes, but only for two years before I called for Linda to follow me.", she explained and her look became sorrowful. "And you really know what it means to be Eri? I mean you will not be adopted."

"I was never adopted and lets face it, who wants a a nine year old? When all paperwork is done, I will be a highly complicated teenager.", explained Kiana and her shoulders dropped a little. "Having a purpose seems better than growing in a bitter girl nobody ever wanted."

Linda nodded as did the woman. Being Erithea was bond to several boundaries like how long you have been in the convent and how well were the chances for you leaving before the age of sixteen. Kiana had spent her whole life here and the ghost had helped her more than once. Erithea was a girl who looked after the younger ones, cheer them up with sweets and little toys. But like urban myths like Santa clause or the Easter bunny there came a time she looked through tricks and had found out the truth.

There were older girls around but they were here not so long and did not understand this role completely. So a month ago when Linda got her news of her leaving she came to Kiana and asked her to become the new Erithea. She would play that role until something would take her away like a family who would still adopt her despite her age or another wonder might happen.

Some girls presented a pizza, some cola and plastic mugs.

"Party time!", announced Linda and gave a present to Kiana. "Here, my last one for you."

Kiana ripped the paper away. It was a T-Shirt with a brown fox or doglike animal printed on it. "Thank you!" She hugged Linda and buried her face on her chest. "But I do not want you to leave."

Linda patted her head. "You will do well, champ. You will do well."

Only two days later Kiana stood on a window and saw how Linda took the bus to leave the town. It was a rainy day, all grey and wet and muddy. Even the thought of leaving for school sent chills down the spine.

She was not in a good mood when she arrived at school this day. Her gaze always wandered out to the rainy street. The boringly easy calculations and anything but exciting topics and her noisy classmates did not help at all. Her grades were always good and sometimes she got exercises from higher classes so the teacher did mostly not mind when she sat there and stared out of the window as long as she was quiet.

Her classmates were less forgiving. A strange silent girl who was poor and got other worksheets? It was not rare for some boys to toss her around or for some girls to pull her hair. All in all the school was no fun place. During recess she sat mostly alone on a bench and after school she joined a karate club a local police man held for the children. That was fun. But also not today. Linda had taken this class too and in fact she had taken Kiana with her so she would learn to defend herself. But to use it was a whole other thing.

On her way to the bus stop she looked for the younger ones so nobody got lost when she noticed something strange. A black mist had lured one of the younger girls into a smaller alley. Kiana was confused. The girl wore the same uniform the orphans all wore for school and church but she could not remember any girl with pale white hair. But non the less she had to get away from the mist or sand or what ever that stuff was.

"Wait here for the bus. I will be back any minute.", said Kiana to the little girls and ran to the alley. The rain got colder and began to drench her shoes. The strange girl had waited for her and now that she came closer she went down the alley. "Hey, wait! What are you doing?", Kiana yelled. "Come back! Don't think that stuff is..." Suddenly the girl was gone and Kiana was alone. Only the mist gathered one corner. "Not creepy at all.", she murmured and made a step back. "Where are you?"

She made another step and bumped into someone with her back. The mist reacted and rushed alongside to he person behind her. Kiana turned around and saw and a very old man with a hunchback. He was creepy and and touched her forehead right between her eyes before he vanished into the mist. His face dissolved and suddenly she was fully alone, alone in an old hall with no doors.