Harry thought there was nothing wrong with him and quite frankly, the doctors agreed with him. They couldn't find any trace of Harry being inside the house. He wasn't oxygen deprived. There was no smoke in his lungs. No blurred vision from spot filled eyes. Nothing.

Due to this he had to sit the entire day in a patient bed, with nothing to do and hardly any visitors, minus the nurse doing her checks.

He was sitting patiently, and bored on the edge of the bed, innocently swinging his legs back and forth when Maddy walked in.

xXx

"Come along Harry." Maddy yelled back at him.

Harry's tiny child legs were no match for Maddy's adult ones. Even with high heels, Maddy could easily out walk Harry, leaving him to trail behind, with the distance increasing every second.

He was lugging his bag around with him, even though it was only a backpack that Maddy had brought from her office as his was caught in the fire, its contents weighed him down making Harry struggle to stay upright, let alone keep pace. The heaviness of the bag along with the incline of the hill slowed him until he finally came to a stop. Harry couldn't keep up and could go no further. Only a short break is what he told himself.

He would start walking in a second.

The small rest let him gaze backwards, he was only halfway up the long winding pathway which he and Maddy had started on upon exiting the vehicle. He could even see the sign but not the words, which Maddy said would read Wool's Orphanage, stationed at the top of a gated driveway.

The grass here seemed darker than anywhere else, with each blade cut to the exact size, making it seem painfully orderly.

Rocks coated each level of the path, they emphasized the true vastness of the steep incline. At the top of the winding path, sitting upright on the top of the hill was a massive building.

It was for lack of better word, a mansion, and Harry, after living for years in a cupboard, almost imagined it being a castle.

"Keep up Harry!" Maddy yelled down to him from the top of the hill.

She had seemed frustrated when she entered the hospital to collect him, and her mood had severely worsened. Maddy had thought that after placing Harry with Mrs. White, the job would be done. But after the fire, she had had to reopen his case, and find a new house for him. Thus leading to more work, in the form of dealing with the kid and paperwork. Which seemed to increase the pain of her headache, and making her short with Harry, almost to the point of rude.

He shouldered his bag and ran up the path, reaching Maddy within minutes, all the while out of breath.

Her face was straight, concealing all emotions, but her stance was rigid, exerting the irritation she felt. She glanced down at Harry and her lips pressed together into a grimace, disliking the way he was huffing and puffing.

She pitifully gave him a minute to catch his breath before she continued on. Maddy couldn't quite grasp how every move Harry made, sparked her anger, even though she knew he was just a boy.

Said boy nearly stepped on her heels as she mounted the porch steps made of rock. She angrily sighed as she felt the back of her heels slide downward and nearly fall from her feet. It seemed that Harry would only bring her trouble since she was put on her case.

Upon the small porch, Harry could see from one end of the house to the other, and he thought that it was quite drab. The eerie walls were painted an ash grey, making it feel old and haunted. The grey bricks along with the winding rocky path up a hill, gave Harry the feel of a haunted mansion. It wouldn't be a place for the freighted, but instead could harden the hearts of those within, until they were cruel and stony.

Maddy swung a large knocker heavily against the door and its' echo could be heard from within the house.

Within seconds a dreary man appeared at the door, wearing black trousers with a button up and tie.

He took one look at them both, "How may I help you?" He said monotone.

"This here is Harry, he is your new ward. Here are the forms, I will be in touch." She stated to the man, giving Harry a sudden shove forwards.

A manila envelope exchanged hands, which the man peeked into before nodding.

He grabbed Harry by the arm, not so gently, and rushed him inside.

The inside was much the same outside. The walls were dreary colors with furniture to match. A black framed mirror hung on the wall, a peppered rug underneath his feet, and a row of black nondescript shoes. Everything was precise, shaded and extracted from a nightmare.

"I'm Jonathan, the keeper of the orphanage, you may address me as Mr. McMillan or Sir. You will not back talk me or give me attitude, is that understood?"

Mutely, Harry nodded his head.

When Jonathan tapped his ear, Harry voiced his answer, "Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes sir."

Satisfied with his response he pulled him up a flight of dark brown hardwood stairs and down a grey hallway.

He used a key to open the last mahogany door in the hall and shoved him in.

A black bed frame was pushed against a wall, with a mattress and grey sheets. Along with a black stand up wooden dresser beside it and a dark desk pushed up against the wall opposite it.

Harry cautiously stepped into the grey four walled room, thinking the walls might close in on him and squeeze the life from him.

"During your stay here, you will follow all rules and show respect, is that clear?" He demanded of Harry.

"Yes sir"

Content, he continued, "There is no loud or boisterous play. You will be on your best behavior at all times. Your uniform will be impeccable. You will help out when needed or asked. You will show respect to all your elders. You will be on time to all meals, which are promptly at 7:30, 12 and 5. Lights out at 10. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir," Harry managed to gulp out.

"Your uniform is in your wardrobe."

After concluding what he needed to say, Mr. McMillan left his room, closing the door behind him. The heavy door clicked loudly shut and silenced his room.

Harry quickly pulled open the dresser and changed into the school-like uniform. Interestingly they were all his size.

His backpack on the bed, he pulled out the pair of clothes to shove into the dresser. Although he could tell they were new, none had the price tags left on them.

Harry sat on the ground, leaning his back against the bed frame, thinking to himself, I don't like this place.

He allowed a single tear to leak from his eye, shaking from the fear of the scary building with nothing to comfort him.

Short chapter, I know.