Young Writers Society

You would think fourteen year olds would know how to do calculus I think as I take a seat at the front of our math class.

I have always been much brighter than my peers, most of the time I know more than the professors. Our math teacher, Mr Artemis is a tall thin man and like all of the other teachers at Durmstrung Institute for Orphans. He really has no life.

I somehow manage to get through all my lessons like I do every day. The only thing I can look forward to in such a dull place like this is after supper when everyone is sent to bed. I climb out of my dorm window, and pull myself up onto the roof of the old rundown building. Here I am free to be myself with no one around but my best friend, Nev.

Nev came to the orphanage when I was nine, she was eight. Her parents were alcoholics and they got into a car crash coming back from the bar one night. Ever since then Nev has been an orphan like me.

“Nev!” I say as I join Nev on the roof. Nev is the only person I can be myself with, but I still need to act positive for her sake. Nev needs me. New kids are always picked on, but especially Nev, because she is so small. And trust me if anybody knows what being picked on feels like, it’s me. But I need Nev too, she brings me back to the real world, in fact she is the only reason I am still here. I have been thinking about running away for a while, leaving the orphanage, but I can’t leave, now that Nev is here, I can’t leave her. And it is probably for the best too. I mean, I would have no chance of surviving out on the streets of London, England. Even with my wits, the streets are a scary place.

“How’s your day been?” Nev asks. No matter how hard I try, I will never be able to talk at such ease as Nev is able to. Whenever a conversation gets boring or uncomfortable, count on Nev to come to the rescue!

“Alright. Yours?” I reply.

“Well, it was my turn in the kitchen today. I got some extra meatloaf at supper, Oh, and I started that story you told me about! I’ve got to say, it isn’t bad!”

I know Nev isn’t as into books, but she reads them anyways. Just to help me not feel as lonely. What would I do without her?

“Come on. We’ve got a big day ahead of us. We should get some sleep,” I say as I scoot back down the roof.

Sorry, I haven’t formally introduced myself, my name is Tris. Just Tris. I didn’t come with a last name.

That night as I washed up, I caught myself looking at my reflection in the mirror. You could say I am pretty, I have dirty blond hair that falls down to my belly button, and big bright green eyes. But my small frame, and grimy face reminded me that I am an orphan, and nobody cares what orphans look like.

I get into bed and try to get some sleep. No use. Car engines and honking horns are a constant background buzz. England is a beautiful place, but when you look closer, especially with the war against the Americans and everything going on, England can be pretty ugly.

The next morning I’m up at 5. I always get up at 5. When I don’t, I feel like I am not being as productive as I can be. I am the only one up at this time, everyone else stays in bed till 8 when they are woken up by the bell. I shower and get dressed, then start my back aching chores. One thing you should know about me is that I am a total perfectionist, and because of it, it usually takes longer for me to get my chores done. I guess I am the only one who actually cares about having a clean place to live. I work till my hands have sores, and the professors don’t even notice the cleanliness of the orphanage. They are just like all of the other children in this place, other than Nev, bone dry twits.

I start by making my bed all tidy - I absolutely hate creases in my covers.

Then I move to the floor and scrub it squeaky clean. By the time I finish this, the other girls in my dorm are getting up. They have gotten used to the fact that I am always up and ready when they wake up. What they don’t know is that I am the only reason we always win cleanest dorm. And that I am the only reason we always get our food first at supper, and why we get first pick on the soccer field. They just don’t realize how lazy they really are.

By about 2 in the afternoon, I finally finish cleaning up the kitchen and making lunch for the entire orphanage. Every dorm is responsible for making a meal each week. Our dorm is lucky that our meal is on the weekend because it means that during the week we can get all of our school done, and then on the weekends we don’t have as much to do. Of course this applies to everyone in my dorm, but me. Infact I would rather do school. While my dorm is fooling around and eating all the food from the pantries, I buckle down and make the meal. I am a pretty good chef, I hate cooking, but I am good at following the instructions from the recipe. After all, cooking is all about measurements, and I got a perfect score on my measurement test.

That night I lay in bed, knowing that I will never fall asleep. Eventually I give up and walk out of my dorm. I’m used to the gloomy halls, but at night it just makes it extra creepy. I walk, following my feet to wherever they wish to take me. Of course, I find myself at the track near the orphanage. Luckily for me, the track is open 24/7, meaning that I can run, and nobody is in front of me to slow me down. I’m sure I can become a professional long distance runner, if I really try. I love running, I am good at running, I have the perfect body for it. Small, but strong muscles underneath. Running is one of the only reasons why I have not been killed yet.

I have been at the orphanage since before I can remember. As I got a little older, maybe around 3 or 4, I was able to understand that I was one of the youngest kids at the orphanage, snd because the weakest ones are the kids who get picked on, running is what saved my life, and I think that may be why I value it so much.

I run till midnight, pushing all of my thoughts out of my mind, and just running.

As I head back through the halls toward my dorm, I hear noises coming from down the corridor.

I immediately jump behind a stone statue that is probably there to scare little kids. In fact, it is more like a gargoyle. Anyways, if the professors caught me, I wouldn’t get food for days. I would know, it's happened before.

I can see them now, its Mr. Artemis and our headmaster, Ms. Trunchbull. A woman with no husband, no children, and like all other teachers, no life.

“For the last time Artemis, I want that girl out of here,” Ms. Trunchbull screams, loud enough to hurt Artemis’s ears, but not enough to wake up the rest of the orphanage.

“As I have told you for the past fourteen years Athena, the government won’t let her anywhere else!” I can tell Mr. Artemis is annoyed, but I don’t think Ms. Trunchbull has noticed yet.

“Well then throw her on the streets for all I care! The Americans are getting closer and closer to finding this orphanage, and if they figure out that the girl is here, they will tear it all down!” Now they are close enough for me to see the fire burning in her eyes.

What girl are they talking about? And why do the Americans have anything to do with this? I guess this war has been going on for over a decade, and millions of people are getting hurt because of it. But the Americans being interested in a girl from this tiny little orphanage? No way!

“I am telling you! This girl will mean the end of this orphanage!” They are right next to me now, but they haven’t noticed me yet.

“I know. And by keeping her here we are putting all of these children in danger, but by hiding Tris, we are keeping her parents undercover, and by doing so, saving all of England.” Artemis replies in a hoarse whisper.

I can’t breath. But I couldn’t have misheard him, he is right next to me. They said my name. And my parents, they’re alive? And then I remembered, before, Artemis had said that they had been keeping this secret for fourteen years, I am fourteen, they are talking about me.

Nev. That’s all I can manage to think about right now. They said that if the Americans’ find me, and this orphanage, the children are in danger, that means Nev. For the past few years I have stayed for Nev’s sake, but now, I need to leave for Nev’s sake. If I stay she is in danger, and if something were to happen to her, I would never forgive myself.