In Pursuit of Greatness
A/N: Here's another chapter. As with my other story, I don't know when the next update will be. I'll be in and out of the hospital for a couple weeks, but I'll try to get it up whenever I'm home. -Anna Dearest
Tragedy in Mid-July
It's terribly cold for the middle of July. A storm is raging blindly outside, and I know it'll be only moments before my best friend will creep in here.
My birthday, July 13, is only four days away. My early birthday present so far is terrible though, as Louise is horribly ill. Just after Red recovered, it seemed that the old woman became bedridden with the flu.
I can hear the door creaking open, but I don't look up. I forget the storm for a moment and forget that it's probably only Red. My back is to the entrance, but I just KNOW that it'll be Rodney Coggins or one of his cronies. Fearing the worst, I shoot up in bed when I feel a weight settle on the lumpy mattress. Surprised, I turn to see lengths of auburn hair and startled blue eyes.
"Hey, Red."
"Hello, Tom. I thought you were asleep."
"No, the storm's a bit too loud," I reply nonchalantly. I'm trying to put on a brave face for her. She's normally optimistic, but when it comes to storms, you'll never meet anyone more frightened.
I scoot over on the bed, as is our custom, and she settles in beside me. I laugh softly in the mostly quite dorm room. It's heard and she turns her blue eyes accusingly on me. "What?"
"I'll never get why you're so scared."
"Yes, you do. And just remember, unless this quits, we have to go out in this mess tomorrow."
"I'm sure it'll quiet down."
"If you say so."
From there, we fall into companionable silence, and then into slumber.
**********
"Tom, wake up!"
Someone's attempting to prod me awake. However, I can see the light beyond my eyelids, and that is definitely too bright. The feminine voice, which the prodding finger obviously belongs to, is sounding very frustrated indeed.
"Thomas Marvolo Riddle! If you don't wake up, I'm going to dump a bucket of rainwater on you! I am NOT going to Great Hangleton to sell newspapers by myself in this storm!"
"We've got newspaper duty again?" I ask thickly, deciding it best not to anger the fireball before me.
"Yes, and it wasn't Louise's choice. That nephew of hers is here, and he's in charge of running the orphanage until she's well." That last sentence is just a whisper, and I can tell that Red is just as upset as I am at the news. To put it politely, Louise's nephew is an ass. As I was putting it politely, there are definitely much worse things that I could truthfully say.
"That..IDIOT?" I hear someone to one of the beds at my right bellow. More sounds of protest are heard as many of the boys in the dormitory remember the formidable man's last visit.
"Oh, for Heaven's sake, just cooperate! Louise is sick, and the last thing she needs is you complaining about her family!" Red scolds.
"Shut your trap, Richards!" Rodney snarls, advancing on Red menacingly. Louise may have brought him up, but he won't hesitate to hit a girl, especially not 'Richards.'
"Don't you even, Rodney Coggins!" Red says shrilly. I don't know who to feel sorry for, as I know perfectly well that Tiaret Richards has a temper. Oh well, if it's aimed at Rodney..
**********
Red and I were returning with the remaining papers and the profit made when we saw the procession making its way towards the Little Hangleton cemetery from Mary Ann's. The two of us dropped our bearings on the stoop in front of the orphanage. We were about to take off to see our 'mother' for the very last time, until it all began.
"Ouch!"
That exclamation from my friend was enough to stop my progress. Standing in the doorway was Edward Vance, or Mr. Vance, as he had us call him. I called him Mr. I-Never-Want-A-Second-Glance. He had small watery eyes and a mustache. Though he was young, his hair was already thinning dramatically, and his skin gave an appearance of leather. This was indeed the young nephew of Louise, but right now, I only cared that his right hand was firmly wrapped around Red's too-thin arm. He quickly dragged her inside like a rag doll, knowing perfectly well that I'd follow them.
Once inside, I was greeted by a very eerie, and completely out of place, silence. It was one such as we'd never heard at the orphanage before. However, my attention was drawn solely towards Mr. Vance, who still had a hold of Red's arm.
"Get into the kitchens, both of you!" he snarled at us. He then roughly shoved her small form in the direction of the door to the kitchens. "I want you both to clean up in there. I also want to see both of you in my office tomorrow!"
"YOUR office?" I retorted, ignoring Red frantically shaking her head in my direction.
"YES, MY OFFICE!" Mr. Vance bellowed. "NOW GET INTO THE KITCHENS!"
A/N: Sounds lovely, eh? I know it is terribly short again, but I'll be sure to get cracking on the next chapter soon. -Anna Dearest
A/N: Here's another chapter. As with my other story, I don't know when the next update will be. I'll be in and out of the hospital for a couple weeks, but I'll try to get it up whenever I'm home. -Anna Dearest
Tragedy in Mid-July
It's terribly cold for the middle of July. A storm is raging blindly outside, and I know it'll be only moments before my best friend will creep in here.
My birthday, July 13, is only four days away. My early birthday present so far is terrible though, as Louise is horribly ill. Just after Red recovered, it seemed that the old woman became bedridden with the flu.
I can hear the door creaking open, but I don't look up. I forget the storm for a moment and forget that it's probably only Red. My back is to the entrance, but I just KNOW that it'll be Rodney Coggins or one of his cronies. Fearing the worst, I shoot up in bed when I feel a weight settle on the lumpy mattress. Surprised, I turn to see lengths of auburn hair and startled blue eyes.
"Hey, Red."
"Hello, Tom. I thought you were asleep."
"No, the storm's a bit too loud," I reply nonchalantly. I'm trying to put on a brave face for her. She's normally optimistic, but when it comes to storms, you'll never meet anyone more frightened.
I scoot over on the bed, as is our custom, and she settles in beside me. I laugh softly in the mostly quite dorm room. It's heard and she turns her blue eyes accusingly on me. "What?"
"I'll never get why you're so scared."
"Yes, you do. And just remember, unless this quits, we have to go out in this mess tomorrow."
"I'm sure it'll quiet down."
"If you say so."
From there, we fall into companionable silence, and then into slumber.
**********
"Tom, wake up!"
Someone's attempting to prod me awake. However, I can see the light beyond my eyelids, and that is definitely too bright. The feminine voice, which the prodding finger obviously belongs to, is sounding very frustrated indeed.
"Thomas Marvolo Riddle! If you don't wake up, I'm going to dump a bucket of rainwater on you! I am NOT going to Great Hangleton to sell newspapers by myself in this storm!"
"We've got newspaper duty again?" I ask thickly, deciding it best not to anger the fireball before me.
"Yes, and it wasn't Louise's choice. That nephew of hers is here, and he's in charge of running the orphanage until she's well." That last sentence is just a whisper, and I can tell that Red is just as upset as I am at the news. To put it politely, Louise's nephew is an ass. As I was putting it politely, there are definitely much worse things that I could truthfully say.
"That..IDIOT?" I hear someone to one of the beds at my right bellow. More sounds of protest are heard as many of the boys in the dormitory remember the formidable man's last visit.
"Oh, for Heaven's sake, just cooperate! Louise is sick, and the last thing she needs is you complaining about her family!" Red scolds.
"Shut your trap, Richards!" Rodney snarls, advancing on Red menacingly. Louise may have brought him up, but he won't hesitate to hit a girl, especially not 'Richards.'
"Don't you even, Rodney Coggins!" Red says shrilly. I don't know who to feel sorry for, as I know perfectly well that Tiaret Richards has a temper. Oh well, if it's aimed at Rodney..
**********
Red and I were returning with the remaining papers and the profit made when we saw the procession making its way towards the Little Hangleton cemetery from Mary Ann's. The two of us dropped our bearings on the stoop in front of the orphanage. We were about to take off to see our 'mother' for the very last time, until it all began.
"Ouch!"
That exclamation from my friend was enough to stop my progress. Standing in the doorway was Edward Vance, or Mr. Vance, as he had us call him. I called him Mr. I-Never-Want-A-Second-Glance. He had small watery eyes and a mustache. Though he was young, his hair was already thinning dramatically, and his skin gave an appearance of leather. This was indeed the young nephew of Louise, but right now, I only cared that his right hand was firmly wrapped around Red's too-thin arm. He quickly dragged her inside like a rag doll, knowing perfectly well that I'd follow them.
Once inside, I was greeted by a very eerie, and completely out of place, silence. It was one such as we'd never heard at the orphanage before. However, my attention was drawn solely towards Mr. Vance, who still had a hold of Red's arm.
"Get into the kitchens, both of you!" he snarled at us. He then roughly shoved her small form in the direction of the door to the kitchens. "I want you both to clean up in there. I also want to see both of you in my office tomorrow!"
"YOUR office?" I retorted, ignoring Red frantically shaking her head in my direction.
"YES, MY OFFICE!" Mr. Vance bellowed. "NOW GET INTO THE KITCHENS!"
A/N: Sounds lovely, eh? I know it is terribly short again, but I'll be sure to get cracking on the next chapter soon. -Anna Dearest
