"Why wouldn't I?"
"So many people are cruel and unfeeling. It seems that no one in this whole world cares about anyone but themselves."
"Yes," Darcelle responded, slowly. "It does seem that way." Then, she asked the other, "I don't mean to pry, but where are you from?"
"Here in Paris. My father and mother and I lived in a small flat."
"Have you any brothers or sisters?"
"No. My parents died when I was very little, and I stayed with my grandmother until she died. By then, I was old enough to work in various places. I was brought to Monsieur Voclain, then when he died, I was sent here. What about you?"
"I never knew my parents," Darcelle replied. I just know they were not from here. They came to Paris when I was a baby. I had no one else. My father died first, and then I overheard that my mother went mad and killed herself."
"How awful! I am so sorry!"
"I feel nothing much about it. As I said, I didn't know them. Anyway, I was taken from place to place, being forced to work in various homes. I cleaned and cooked, mostly. I ended up living with Monsieur Voclain for two years until he gave me away to this place."
"He seemed to be a very mean man."
"He was. He got drunk a lot and ordered me to clean the apartment to perfection. No matter how hard I tried, it was never good enough. I was never good enough. He also made me steal?"
"Steal?"
"Yes, from houses and stores. He would then sell those things and make money or eat the food, and I got very little."
"Are you glad he's dead?"
Darcelle paused. "Yes," she replied. "He deserved what he got."
"I cannot wait until we are adults! Then, we can leave this place!"
"Will our freedom be guaranteed, though?"
"They do not keep adults here. They make children work so they can get away with not paying them a living wage. Someday, we will be free!"
"Let us go to sleep," Darcelle stated. Michelle agreed, and then they both lied down and drifted off into an uncomfortable slumber.
Early the next morning, the orphanage was quiet. Everyone was already awake when Darcelle awoke. All of the children were waiting for the woman who owned the orphanage to order them to wake up and eat. They all waited. Still, the place was quiet. Finally, one of the girls went downstairs to see where the woman was. After a few moments, they all heard a scream. Some of them rushed downstairs. The ones on the second floor heard the ones downstairs yell, "She's dead! She's dead!" The rest of them ran to the first floor and into the living room. There, on the floor, laid the woman. Her face was pale, and her eyes and mouth were fixed in an expression of horror. Around her neck was a huge, red mark.
"She has been strangled!"
All of the children were shocked, but some of the older ones said, "Now is our chance! No one is here to keep us from running away!"
"Are you insane?" others asked. "The overseers at the factory would wonder where we are and catch us!"
"Would you rather go back to that horrible place?"
"Of course not, but-"
"Then we must move quickly! We need to go in separate directions. Take whatever you can!"
All of the children took silverware, food, clothes, whatever they could find. Some of them smashed things in order to use them as weapons. "It is now or never!" one orphan shouted.
They all rushed out the back door and split up, running as quickly as they could. Darcelle and Michelle were the last to leave. "I can't believe we have this chance!" Michelle exclaimed, excited.
"We must hurry!" Darcelle quickly said.
"Will we stay together?"
"Of course! Come on! It will be better if we use stealth instead of simply running."
The two girls stayed out of sight as Darcelle led the other girl around the city. Later, as they entered an alley, Michelle said, out of breath, "Can we rest? I can barely breathe."
"Yes, but we must be quiet."
They sat down, out of sight. The two suddenly heard voices coming near them. They were loud enough for the girls to hear. "Isn't it just awful? The man who owned the match factory died last night."
Another person gasped.
The first person said, "Yes, it's true! They found him in his home, slumped over his sofa. He had been strangled!"
Darcelle and Michelle looked at each other.
"Do they know who did it?"
"No, not yet. They say that the one who murdered him left no clues."
"How dreadful! I hope they catch that killer! The owner was such a nice man."
The girls sneered. Apparently, the two women didn't know the truth.
Soon, the voices faded, and it was safe to leave the alley.
"Where shall we go?" Michelle asked. We both have no home, and we certainly can't go back to the orphanage."
"We will find a place, my dear friend," Darcelle replied.
"You consider me your...friend?"
"Of course."
"That makes me so happy! Let us not part for a long time!"
"I agree. Now, we must find some food."
"But we have no money!"
"Then I must steal some."
"No, Darcelle, you musn't!" Michelle gasped.
"We have no choice. We don't have money, and I won't let us starve."
"Be careful, then."
"Stay right there."
Darcelle snuck over to a food stand. She picked up a rock and threw it, distracting the owner of the stand. Then, quickly, she took two apples and rushed to the hiding place. She gave her friend one. "Darcelle, you moved so quickly!" Michelle whispered.
"It is not just about speed, but also about stealth."
"I wish I could do that."
Darcelle looked away. "It is not a talent I wish to possess. I have it out of necessity. I'm not good at anything else."
"I'm sure you are. I am good at reading and writing."
"I never learned."
"I'll teach you. Those skills are very useful, as well. Will you teach me your skill?"
"I guess so. But we must get into a safe area before we do any learning."
"Then let's go!"
Darcelle was surprised at her friend's enthusiam and optimism. Despite her harsh life, Michelle was still able to keep a smile on her face. Darcelle somewhat wished she could be the same way, but she also thought that being solemn would keep her feet on the ground, so to speak, to keep her being realistic about life. Right at the moment, they had to focus on finding a place to stay before it became nightfall. They both knew how dangerous it was to be out wandering the streets at night.