The orphanage was one of the institutions managed, and funded, by the Church and located inside the Church's premises. I visited the orphanage a lot when I was younger. I was fond of playing with the children and teaching them how to read and write. I witnessed kids coming in after being abandoned then eventually leaving for a fresh new start. The orphanage had always been a symbol of hope to children who were never given a chance to be loved and cared for. The nuns and priests cared for those children like their own. I never knew the children in the orphanage did extreme recreational activities that would lead to physical injuries. The girl looked like she was beaten up. She looked malnourished, and her left arm was swelling and was covered in purple bruises. It was alarming.
I put off the rest of my hiking schedule and stayed with the child. I fed her and she ate in silence. I watched her eat and waited for her to finish before trying to talk to her. She didn't say anything, not a single word. I knew her from the orphanage, but she was one of the newer kids who came in when I got too busy to constantly visit. I remembered seeing her by herself on one corner of the study hall, concentrating so hard on a book she never even opened. She was a lonely kid. I never saw her playing with the other kids except for one – another girl who I heard came at the same time with her. I wondered whether the people from the orphanage were looking for her. When I offered to take her back, she freaked out and threw a tantrum. When she finally relaxed, I lifted her up and put her to bed. She lay silently until she fell asleep. I got out of the cabin silently and went back to the house. My cousins were enjoying a barbeque party and didn't even notice me arriving. I went straight to my room without a word. I was feeling a little anxious. I left the girl alone in the cabin and I was worried something might happen to her. I was lost in thought when I heard a knock on the door. It was my closest cousin, Anita.
"Where have you been all day?" She asked with a smug look.
"I went hiking." I said flatly.
"And you never thought of inviting me?" She sounded hurt.
"I knew you weren't the outdoorsy type." I said.
"Even so. You should have asked me so I could've said no." She said with a playful smile.
"Anita, I think I won't be going back with you tomorrow." I said with hesitation.
"Why not? Where are you going?" She asked, curious.
"I think I'm staying here for a while. I don't feel so good. I would love a few more days of vacation." I lied.
"Are you okay? What's wrong?" She asked, worried.
"I'm fine. I just need a breath of fresh air. So you all go home without me, okay?"
"Alright. Just don't forget to tell your father, or he'll kill me. I mean, you know."
"Okay. I'm so tired from the hike so I'll be sleeping first. Goodnight."
I called my father and asked him to call the school to excuse me for a week. Being my father's daughter had some advantages, so it seemed. My father only agreed to let me stay as long as Sebastian was there. I went to bed early to replenish my energy. It had been a tiring day. I felt so drained. I woke up early the next day to pack my necessities. I packed clothes, blankets, towels and food, as well as some books for research. I told Sebastian that I planned on staying in one of the cabins. I told him to just stay in the house. He was about to argue but I told him I'll be coming back to the house every now and then. I handed him a note for Anita. I left the house before my cousins woke up and quickly made my way to the cabin. When I got to the shabby old place, the child was still curled up in bed. She was sleeping soundlessly. She must have been through a lot, I thought. I unpacked some of the food and placed them on the small dining table. Then slowly, I woke up the child. She opened her eyes, and for a moment I thought I saw a hint of monstrous rage from her. For a moment, I was frozen in fear. She seemed to have calmed down quickly and walked to the table without saying anything. I spent the next three days trying to get her to talk to me. I wanted her to open up. I wanted to know what happened to her. After days of taking care of her – feeding her, giving her baths, tucking her to bed, playing games with her – she finally spoke.
"My name is Amelia." She said cautiously.
"You have a lovely name. You are from the orphanage, correct?" I asked. She nodded. "How did you get here? Why did come here?"
"I escaped. I just ran and ran. I didn't know where I was going, until I came here." She said while tears were starting to form in her eyes.
"You ran here?" I was confused. She seemed human. She was warm and her eyes were normal. Then I remembered a more important question. "Why did you escape from the orphanage? Don't you like it there?"
"No. They hurt us." She said, sobbing.
"How do they hurt you?" I asked. She hesitated for a bit, so I had to convince her. "You can tell me. I won't hurt you. I won't tell anybody you're here."
"They make us do exercises even when we're tired. They pushed us into the water even when we can't swim. They made us walk in thorns and sometimes locked us up with rats and other animals. They also pricked my arm and it hurt so badly."
I reached for her arm and inspected it. She had been injected with something and it was causing her arm to swell and bruise. Something was going on in the orphanage, and I knew I had to know what it was.
An entire week passed and I had to get back. I left some supplies in the cabin, and promised Amelia I would come visit her again soon. My father wasn't there when I came home. Like a thief, I opened the door of his study with a hairpin. I was used to sneaking in his study. When I was younger, he confiscated my books every time I did something he didn't like so I learned how to sneak them out. My father was a very organized man. He would know if someone's been in his study so I moved very carefully – putting things back in place after I checked them. I kept looking for the file with information on the orphanage, and then I heard his car on the driveway. Devastated, I immediately got out and ran to my bedroom. A few minutes later, father knocked on my door.
"How was your week in the mountains? Did you have fun?" He asked with a smile.
"Yes. It was… refreshing. Did anything happen while I was gone?"
"No. Everything's exactly how it's supposed to be." He said contentedly.
"Father, how are things at the orphanage?" I asked, trying not to sound too curious.
"Okay, I guess. Everybody's doing their job well and the children are well taken cared for."
"I haven't been there for a while. I should probably pay the children a visit."
"The children would love that."
I visited the orphanage the next day, hoping to get as much information as I could. The orphanage looked normal as it had always been. The lawn was filled with children running around and playing, having fun. I got inside the building and approached the front desk.
"Good morning!" I greeted with a big smile.
"Krista! It's been a while since you visited." One of the nuns exclaimed.
"I'm sorry. I've been too busy." I reasoned.
"It's alright. What are your plans for today? Would you like to join the children in art class?"
"I'm actually here to visit someone in particular. May I see Amelia?" I watched as the expression on her face changed from bright to gloomy. It was only for an instant, but she looked like she was hiding something. She was suddenly on guard.
"I'm sorry but you must not have heard. Amelia had been adopted. She's now with her new family." She lied with a fake smile on her face.
"Oh, is that so? That's great news. I'm so happy for her. Then, shall I join the others in art class?" I wanted to know more. I had to find the truth.