Pandora's Box

When he was done eating lunch, he made his way back to the room and continued to read through the journal. What he took notice of was how months seemed to skip and every time a new entry occurred was when his mother was back at the orphanage, but that wasn't why he was so curious. It was how the words his mother had written turned so cynical. It was like he could hear the tone of her voice in his head as he read.

When he turned to the next page the date was November 17, 1994 and instead of a greeting that he kind of became accustomed to, the words were all capitalized and the pencil must have been pressed very hard as his mother wrote because he could see and feel the indentation:

I QUIT! I GIVE THE HECK UP! I am sick of being lied to! "They are good people." She had said. "They will take care of you," she had said. Yea right! Just more lies…

Henry did another quick math in his head and realized his mother would have been eleven…his age:

I told her so, Mary-Alice. I let her have it as soon as the 'family' left. I told her I was sick of her lies…Just proves my point: You can't trust anyone, but yourself in this world. There are no happy endings, they just don't exist.

Henry noticed the slight dry tear drops on the page. Again his heart broke for her:

She didn't deserve what I said…I was just so angry! I'm gonna apologize to her…

He wondered how long she cried before she came to that conclusion. He also wondered what had happened to his mother this time. All the other entries he had read described that each family gave her up after some kind of confrontation. He wondered if this was the same scenario. As he was turning the page, he saw a picture of a woman taped to it with graying hair and dull, but still slightly bright green eyes.

Underneath her picture he saw in his mom's handwriting: Mary-Alice Wilder. His eyes then scanned to the next page, it was a news article cut out and his heart sank once more…the date was written at the top of the page: November 18, 1994.

The title: Mary-Alice Wilder (1929-1994), May we never forget.

Mary-Alice Wilder passed away last night from a heart attack. She was an extraordinary woman who dedicated her life in helping the children of the community. She is survived by her friends, co-workers, and the children of Angel's Paradise. The wake will be held at Wilson's Funeral Home on November 19th at 12 pm and the burial will be held at Randolph Cemetery on the same day at twilight. Mary-Alice you will be missed greatly.

Henry turned the page again to see the date was November 20, 1994.

I tried to run, but they found me. I guess it wasn't smart to hide at the cemetery, but I had to say good-bye and apologize…but I guess that doesn't matter. It was my entire fault that she died. I must have somehow caused her so much pain that her heart could not take it.

"Oh mom," Henry sighed out loud feeling incredibly bad for her. Surly she could not have meant that.

I had gotten into a really bad fight at the school I was going to when I was living with the Jones. The kids were teasing me really badly and I ended giving the one boy a black eye and the other a broken nose. That is why they sent me back…I had told her that if they truly cared they would have at least supported me, but I had to go and verbally abuse her…it is my fault I am a terrible kid and everyone is right: I am meant to be alone.

Henry stopped reading and whipped a few tears that were threatening to come out and he quickly began to skip through the book again. He just wanted to find something happy so he could take his mind off the abuse that his mother had to suffer through. It was then that he came across something interesting; the date was October 23, 1999.

Today is the day! I am free! I have wanted to do this for a very long time, but now I am sixteen and independent! I have no idea where I am going or what I am doing, but I know that this will do me some good! I asked Frank, the guy who replaced Mary-Alice after she passed, to give me my file; which he gladly did. He wished me luck and told me to be safe. In fact if I dare to admit it, I think I might miss this place. Anyway best be on my way, I will write soon.

Henry smiled as he read this, finally it seemed like things were looking up for his mother. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and he quickly stuffed the book underneath his pillow and grabbed his math book and a piece of paper and started to do a random problem as his grandfather entered the room, "How goes the homework?" He asked.

"It goes." Henry responded with a smile.

David smiled back and said, "Well you want to take a break and go to the stables?"

Henry smiled, "Sure." With that he hopped off the bed and followed his grandfather out of the apartment.