1936, September 21

It was turning out to be a rather dreary Saturday with rain pelting the window on and off for the past three hours. So, as a result I was sat on my bed avoiding the commotion downstairs. Children yelling or laughing or running around being a general nuisance, it was bound to give me a headache. I was contemplating what I could possibly have to give Parnella for her birthday, which was two days from now. I had absolutely nothing that could compare to what she had given me, her friendship. Even if that friendship was temporary seeing as she hasn't witnessed any of my "freakishness" yet. I honestly found myself amazed that I could keep it away from her for so long.

"Tom" I heard her familiar voice, startling me out of my thoughts. "Can I come in?" Her thin frame was peeking through the half open door.

"Of course," I replied solemnly looking back towards the empty wall. She walked in closing the door quietly behind her and I felt the bed dip as she sat herself next to me. A lot had changed about her since last October, when she first came here. Her long chocolate colored hair had lost its luster and now looked more ashen and her skin had lost its sun-kissed glow. She looked like the life was being sucked out of her and in a way I believed it was. But it wasn't only her appearance that had changed. Parnella seemed to become less and less optimistic every day she spent at the orphanage. No doubt, she still tried to comfort me, but even she was starting to lose faith in her words.

I looked back towards her when I heard a sniffle only to find tears running down her pale cheeks. "Ella?" I left the unspoken question in the air. She did not have to share her problems with me.

"I miss them, Tom."

She did not have to say anything else for me to know whom she was speaking of. I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to me, her head lying lightly on my shoulder while she cried. I had no words of comfort for her as I never had anyone to miss. Sure my mother had died when I was born, but I hadn't known her. How can you miss someone you've never met?

1936, September 23

The day was warm and sunny and we were on the grass under the shade of a nearby tree in blissful silence. It was Parnella's birthday and I still hadn't thought of anything I could give her. It put me off in the worst of ways.

"Tom," she said almost mischievously, as if she knew something I didn't. "Stop being such a worry wart."

I looked over at her, shocked. What the bloody hell did that mean?

"Oh, come off it Tom. You and I both know that you're stressing because it's my birthday. Well you can stop worrying, because I already have what I want for my birthday," she smiled.

"You do?" I asked unbelievingly.

"Yes. I have you."

"What?"

"Ugh. Tom, you are like a big brother to me and all I want is to be able to spend the day with my family."

"But I'm not your family."

"Stop being so daft. I love you like a brother, so I've decided that that's what you are to me."

I choose to ignore the fact that she just said she loved me. No one had ever said that to me before and I just couldn't process it. Let alone the fact that I would become more attached to her than I already was therefore making it all the worse for myself when she realizes that it was a mistake to befriend me. "You can't choose your family."

"And why ever not?" she said stubbornly, "Who said that we can't choose our families? Isn't that what this is all about?" she gestured around the playground. "People come in all the time to choose their child, why can I not choose my brother?"

I had no answer for that. She was correct after all. So instead I stared at the grass and upon seeing a dandelion a thought struck me. "Parnella, you say I'm you brother correct?" I paused and she nodded, "So you trust me then?" she nodded once more. "No matter what?"

"Of course, Tom. What's this all about?"

In a moment of bravery I decided to test her, to see if she would run off and to just stop teasing myself. I picked the dandelion and held it in one hand and looked around cautiously before closing my eyes and picture the yellow dandelion transforming into a beautiful pink rose. I heard a quick intake of breath and I knew that it had worked and I steeled myself for the worst. My heart pounding though my chest, I opened my eyes to see Ella's shocked face. I nearly went running to the safe haven of my bedroom but then she spoke.

"It's beautiful," she said with a certain reverence in her voice that had me hoping that I hadn't lost her.

"Just like you are," I replied.

A blush filled her cheeks and I smiled a true smile for the first time in a very long time. I barely registered what I was feeling before she flung her arms around me squeezing me so tightly I couldn't breathe. But I didn't care. I didn't care because she didn't care. She didn't care if I was a freak. She was mine, I decided and nothing was ever going to take her away from me.

1936, November 17

The cold November air seeped through my thin jacket and I shivered as the wind began to pick up. I was sat on the back door step of the orphanage trying to avoid the attention of everyone else when I heard a sudden scream and went running inside.

The sound led me to the sitting room where Mrs. Cole, Will and Parnella stood; coffee table between them and shards of glass lying where a vase once was.

"What in God's name has gotten into you, child?" Mrs. Cole screeched at Ella whom already had tears running down her face.

"I don't know what happened I swear" she sobbed "It just…the glass just broke." Other children had started to gather in the door ways by now; curious to see what was happening.

"It's him" Will accused, pointing his finger at me. "I saw it. It's just like what he does. He's evil and he's put her up to this. I just know it."

"Will, are you…are you saying that she can do wh-what he does?" Mrs. Cole asked rather frightened.

"Yes. It was exactly like what happens when he's around only…he wasn't around."

"I'll not have you tainting all the children here you understand me boy" Mrs. Cole rounded on me. "I'm calling the Church." She quickly left the room dragging Will behind her. The other children instantly broke out into whispers of what could possibly happen.

"What's that mean Tom?" Ella asked still sobbing. "What's the Church got to do with anything? What's happening?" By the time I reached her she was crying hysterically.

"Come on Ella" I whispered soothingly holding my hand for her to take "this is not the place for this conversation."

She took my hand and ignoring all the glares I lead her upstairs to my room, shutting the door behind us.

"I'm so confused, brother."

"Why don't you explain what happened first?" I prompted.

"Well I was just about to head upstairs when Will came in and started taunting me like always. I got real angry and then the glass just broke. By itself, Tom I didn't do it. You believe me right?"

"Shh." I tried to calm her down, rubbing her back soothingly as we sat on my bed. "I know. Listen to me Ella, this is important. I think I know what happened."

"You do?"

"Yes. Parnella, I think that you are…'special' like I am. At the very least, that's what Mrs. Cole thinks." She looked at me as if considering the possibility, tilting her head slightly to the right.

"So, I did break the glass?"

"Essentially yes, but that is not important right now. Ella when Mrs. Cole said she was calling the church she meant she was calling for a priest to come here. She thinks I'm some kind of demon or something."

"That's just ridiculous" she uttered, a small smile on her face as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"No matter, we both know it's not true. Have you ever heard of an exorcism?"

"What?" she laughed.

"You heard me" I smiled at her.

A/N: ...and end chapter 2. Sorry this took so very long, life gets in the way. Thanks for reading! Please review!