Mariane walked through the silent hallways of the orphanage, her steps nearly inaudible on the dark wooden floor that creaked from time to time. The place, which had always been a refuge of joy and life, now felt like a vast, dark cavern, full of echoes and unsettling silences. With each step, her heart beat faster, and her breathing grew heavier. She didn't know exactly what she was looking for, but she felt an urgent need to understand something. Something was happening, and she needed to figure out what it was.
The orphanage, which had always been her home, now felt like a different place. The atmosphere had changed almost imperceptibly, but Mariane could feel it in every corner. The conversations she overheard through cracked doors, the exchanged glances between the adults, the private meetings of the older children—everything contributed to a growing sense of discomfort and uncertainty. Each day felt heavier than the last, and she didn't know why.
That night, Mariane felt an overwhelming need to uncover more. She had already overheard that conversation between Dona Helena and Maria Clara, and their words had been engraved in her mind: "But it's so hard to think about Mariane leaving…" That sentence unsettled her. She had always known that one day she would have to leave the orphanage, just like everyone else. But hearing that her departure was something so difficult for the people who had cared for her made her question everything.
She couldn't shake the thought that something was about to change, and it made her anxious. It was as if a great event were lurking, something she couldn't foresee but knew was coming. What was it? Was it her time to leave? Or was something else happening here, in the heavy silence of the night?
As she passed down the dark hallway, Mariane looked at the doors to each room. They were all closed, and the sound of the other children seemed so distant. The rooms of the older children were almost always quiet, with their inhabitants sitting on their beds or retreating into dark corners, thinking about their lives outside the orphanage. Those children, who had once been full of energy and laughter, now seemed introspective, reflecting on the next steps. There was a tension in the air, something that Mariane couldn't quite identify, but it made her feel the need to understand.
When she reached the staff room, she heard quiet voices coming from inside. It was the same room where she had overheard Dona Helena and Maria Clara talking, and for the first time, Mariane didn't hesitate. She moved closer to the door, trying to be as silent as possible. The light was on inside, but the curtains were drawn, making the room even more opaque. She stood still, trying to listen, not wanting to be seen, but her hands were shaking with curiosity and apprehension.
Inside the room, Dona Helena and Maria Clara were accompanied by a tall man with dark hair, someone Mariane had never seen before. He was standing with his back to the door, arms crossed over his chest, exuding authority. Dona Helena was sitting at the table, looking concerned, and Maria Clara was standing near the window, her hands clasped together.
"Are you sure this is the best decision?" Dona Helena's voice was low, but it carried a tension that Mariane recognized. She had never heard her speak like that before.
"There is no other choice." The man's reply was firm, as though he had thought about this for a long time. "She can't stay here forever."
Mariane felt her stomach tighten. The man was referring to "her", and Mariane was sure it was her. "She can't stay here forever." Those words echoed in her mind like a sentence of departure. Was this what was happening? Was she going to be sent away? For adoption? To a foster family? What did this mean? The feeling of panic spread through her body, and she struggled to control her breathing.
She pulled back from the door and crouched down, trying to hide in the shadows of the hallway. Her mind was a whirlwind. "Is this really happening?" she wondered. "Am I leaving? Is this my time?"
But the conversation continued, and Mariane felt unable to move. She was trapped in that moment, trying to understand what was happening.
"I know, but… it's so hard to think about it." Maria Clara, who had always been gentle and understanding, now spoke with a voice full of concern. "She's one of ours. How can we let her go?"
"We can't do anything, Maria Clara." The man replied with a tone that suggested he had made a difficult but irrevocable decision. "It's already decided. And if we don't do this, she'll never adjust to what the future will require of her."
Mariane felt a chill run down her spine. The future. She didn't know what that meant, but she could feel that she was about to find out. Something was happening, something big and inevitable, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't ready for it. "I don't want to leave. I don't want to go." she thought, but knew that desire wouldn't change reality.
The conversation grew more muffled, and soon she could no longer hear anything clearly. She stood up, and, still trying to be discreet, moved away from the room. **"I can't stay here. I need to know what's going on." she thought as she hurried down the hallway. She felt a sense of urgency, something pushing her forward, making her feel the need to find the answers.
When she reached the staircase, she glanced at the dining room, where the lights were still on. No one seemed to be there anymore. Everyone had retreated to their rooms, and the house was enveloped in a deep, almost suffocating silence. Mariane felt a pang of loneliness. She had always feared the future, but now it felt so real, so imminent. **What would she do if she had to leave? What would happen to her?
She paused in front of a window in the hallway, looking out at the dark sky. The rain had started to fall, tapping gently against the glass with a soft, persistent sound. She had always loved the rain. It calmed her, as if the world could be kinder, more understanding when the sky was wet and dark. But now, the rain seemed like yet another reminder of what was to come, of what she couldn't control.
Just as she was about to walk away from the window, a movement made her stop. Maria Clara appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, and their eyes met for a moment. Mariane felt a whirlwind of emotions, but she couldn't find the courage to say anything. Maria Clara watched her with a concerned expression, as though she already knew something was happening.
"Mariane…" Maria Clara's voice was soft, but filled with a sadness Mariane had never noticed before. She approached her, and before Mariane could say anything, the girl spoke.
"I overheard you and Dona Helena talking." The words slipped out of Mariane before she could think, and she immediately felt the weight of them. **"I know something is going on. I don't want to leave. I don't want to go."
Maria Clara stood in silence for a moment, as though trying to find the best way to handle this. "I know you don't, Mariane. I know how hard this is." She sighed and looked away, as if searching for something. "But life has difficult moments, and while we want to escape them, we can't avoid them."
Mariane looked at her with a pained expression. "I don't want to leave you. I don't know how to live without the orphanage. I don't know how to live without… without you."
Maria Clara smiled, but it was a sad smile. "You will be fine, Mariane. It will be hard, yes, but you have a strength inside you that you don't even realize."
Mariane swallowed hard, feeling her eyes fill with tears. There was nothing more to say. She knew that no matter how hard she tried, words wouldn't change what was coming. But still, something inside her wanted to resist. Something inside her still believed that things could be different.
"I'll miss you." Maria Clara whispered, before pulling away and disappearing into the darkness of the hallway.
Mariane stayed there for a long moment, staring at the rain falling more heavily now, as if the whole world were washing away its sorrows. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew she couldn't avoid it. Something was coming, and she could no longer escape.