"Wake up you rotten kids!"

A large hand roughly jabbed royal in the side, causing her to recoil her eyelids still shut. She opened her eyes, squinting through the sunlight that cascaded over her face from a tiny window near the right wall. A greasy man stood over her, his hand ready to hit her again.

"I'm up" she muttered to the man resignedly, hauling her self out of the bed covers and folding them neatly back into place.

Royal glanced around her bunkroom. There were over 15 bunks in the petite room, each surrounded by personal objects such as combs and books.

Skittery smiled jadedly at her from his bunk in the corner. He was sitting on his bed, his elbows resting on his knees and his back hunched over.

Suddenly royal heard a commotion over in the corner.

All the girls in the bunkroom paused momentarily, glancing over into the corner where the sound was coming from though quickly regained motion once more upon seeing the distraction.

In the corner the man towered over the bottom bunk from which royal could make out a girl and a boys face.

"What have we here?" the man asked, his voice as slimy as his appearance.

Royal picked up her clothes on the end of her bed, her eyes remaining on the man and the girl and the boy.

"No… it's not what you think… Mr.…" the boys stuttered, sitting up rigidly in bed.

The man wasted no time for explanations.

"C'mon off to Mrs. Muller's with ya, I'd hate ta bother her this early in da morning but… she'll know what ta do wit you."

The man grabbed the collar of the boys night uniform and tugged the girl by the arm, dragging them out of bed and out into the hall way.

Royal could hear the boy still protesting down the hall. She glanced over at Skittery, who caught her gaze and shrugged, picking up his uniform and once again balancing it on his shoulder.

He had neglected the orphanage's night uniform and was only wearing his pink long johns.

She silently pitied him and wondered how red his cheeks would flush once the guys in the washroom began to laugh at the color of his long johns.

Royal entered the ladies washroom, which was already packed with girls waiting to change.

A few of the older, less timid girls had taken to changing out side the stalls and royal decided to do the same.

She undressed hastily, pulling on her day clothes and ignoring the stares she got from the slightly younger children.

She took possession of a free washbasin, getting there only moments before another girl who gave her a hateful look before going off in search of another free sink.

She splashed her face, rubbing her skin raw with out even realizing the force of her actions.

Royal left the washroom, tying her hair into the illicit half ponytail as she did so.

Back in the bunkroom she folded her clothes, neatly putting them in a small pull out drawer beneath her bunk. Skittery walked over to her, his hands in his pockets.

"What was that all about?" he asked cooling, nodding his head towards the corner.

Royal picked up her school bag. "Oh Rotten and strum? They must 'ave slept together last night."

Skittery nodded his head, also picking up his bag. "What's goin ta happen ta dem?"

Royal shrugged, "they'll probably get dish duty or a couple of meals taken away… well not a couple more like two days and maybe a week of dish duty but still… you could do worse…" her voice trailed off.

Skittery stared out the doorway, ignoring the children coming in and out.

"C'mon lets get some break'y"

He nodded his head once more, still staring out into the hall as if he could still see the detained children.