Chapter 1
Emily sat at the foot of the staircase outside as she watched the other children play happily on the playground. She could hear their distinct chatter.
she watched them with a sad expression on her face.
Soon one of the Nuns arrived helping her gently into her wheelchair.
" it's time for your medicine." The Nun said softly.
Emily remained quiet as the Nan pushed he across the courtyard.
Emily had grown up in the St Anthony's orphanage all her miserable life. She had been crippled in a fatal accident when she was six years old leaving her with a fractured spine. Her mother had died in the accident and her father who had survived, abandoned her, not wanting to bear the trouble of taking care of a crippled child.
As the Nun pushed her, she saw them.
The dark shadowy figures hovering over some of the children.
Since childhood, Emily had grown accustomed to seeing ghosts and hideous monsters who appeared in human form.
There were many in the orphanage, but no one knew about their existence apart from her.
She remembered how she was ill treated as a child when she had spoken about the things she saw.
The mother superior had her locked up in a mental hospital for many weeks.
And so, Emily learned not to talk about the mysterious things she saw.
Growing up, the other children had called her crazy, and were terrified of her. Some even said she was cursed and so everyone avoided her.
Emily dreaded every single day of living in the orphanage. She wished there was a way to escape this hell, but there wasn't.
The couples who came for adoption never looked her way. No one wanted a crippled child. And so as the years dragged on, Emily had lost all hope of getting adopted.
Emily was surprised when the Nun sent her to the office.
" I thought it was time for medicine. Why are you taking me to mother superior. Am I in trouble." she asked innocently.
The Nun only smiled and pushed the door open.
Inside, the mother superior sat behind her desk, with her hands folded on the table. She peered at Emily through her intelligent reading glasses. Infont of her sat an elegant woman, with striking dark eyes and beautiful black hair tied into a crisp bun.
Something about her presence made Emily feel uncomfortable.
She looked at Emily and smiled.
" so this is her."
" Yes Miss Quain." said mother superior.
" she looks adorable. She's perfect."
" Emily, This is Miss Philipa Quain. She wants to adopt you."
Emily gasped in surprise. She couldn't believe her ears. Someone actually wanted to adopt her.
" Do you agree to it, or do you want to spend sometime with her before..."
" I agree." Emily said without a second thought. This was her ticket out of saint Anthony's orphanage and she was eager to leave.
" Alright then." Mother superior said.
" After signing these documents, Emily will officially become your daughter and you can take her away immediately."
The papers were signed quickly. Everything felt like a dream. Emily barely noticed the details. All she could think about was that she was finally leaving Saint Anthony's orphanage behind. The Nun quickly went to fetch her little belongings and medicines.
Miss Quain wheeled her down the corridor, past the familiar concrete walls and faded paintings. For once, the whispers from the other children didn't sting. They felt distant like echoes from a place she no longer belonged to.
Outside, the sun was setting, casting a golden glow across the courtyard. Emily blinked in the light, her eyes adjusting to a world that somehow felt brighter.
Miss Quain knelt beside her and tucked a strand of hair behind Emily's ear. "Do you like chocolate cake?"
Emily nodded slowly, unsure how to respond to such warmth. "I've never had one before."
"Then we'll make one tonight," Miss Quain said with a smile.
They reached a sleek black car parked just outside the orphanage gates. The driver stepped out and helped fold the wheelchair into the trunk. Miss Quain lifted Emily gently into the back seat, covering her with a soft blanket. The Nun soon appeared handing over Emily's belongings which fitted into a small school bag.
As the car pulled away, Emily looked back through the window.
For the first time in her life, she didn't feel invisible. She felt free.
But in the far distance, near the topmost window of the orphanage, a dark silhouette watched the car disappear. The figure's eyes glowed faintly red, unseen by anyone but Emily.
Her chest tightened. She knew they hadn't said goodbye.