I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and saw Josephine standing beside my bed, with a smile on her face. "Wake up, sleepyhead! It's time for breakfast," she said. She grabbed me from my bed and pulled me towards the dining table. "Why is she this happy?" I asked myself. "Is she not aware that I might be leaving her soon? Isn't she aware that Miss Cathy will soon do away with me?" As I thought about these things, Josephine pulled me to the dining table and sat me down on the chair. Before me were the others. I sat and looked at everyone of them. Was this really the last time I would see them?
Miss Cathy emerged from her bedroom, which was a few steps away from the dining table. She looked particularly stern today, but Josephine's smile didn't falter. She asked, "Miss Cathy, why did those people come here yesterday? The ones in the black suits?" Miss Cathy's face turned pale on hearing Josephine's question. It was as if I could read the thoughts that went through her mind as she struggled to cough out an answer. "Well, they were just here for a visit," she said. "A visit?" Ronnie asked. "If they were here for a visit, why did you ask us to go in then? We would have loved to speak with them," he continued. "Yes, Miss Cathy, we would have loved to speak and play with them. One of them even approached Mia, but she stepped back," Kaitlyn said. Miss Cathy glanced at me, but I looked away. "Well, erm... let's have breakfast," she said awkwardly.
As we all sat down, Jessy came into the dining room. She had a dull look on her face. She signaled to Miss Cathy with her hands, and then they both left the dining room. "Why did she leave? Are they ready to kick me out already?" I thought. My heart started beating fast. I glanced at Josephine, who was still smiling broadly. I wondered why she was so happy. What made her smile this much? Wasn't she aware that I would be leaving soon? Why would she be so happy? She doesn't know Miss Cathy is planning on sending me away. These thoughts flew through my mind.
Miss Cathy re-entered the dining room. "Children," she said. "Well, we will have a small activity today," she continued
"Activity? What activity, Miss Cathy?" Kaitlyn asked. "There will be no breakfast today. I want to see how long each of you will be able to stay hungry, and the winner will get a prize..." "A prize?" Josephine exclaimed. Her smile became more glamorous. "Yes, a prize. I can't wait to see who wins, so good luck..." Miss Cathy said, and she immediately left the dining room. "A competition? This has never happened before. Why today of all days?" I asked myself. Before I could think further, Josephine and Kaitlyn grabbed my arms, and Kaitlyn said, "Come on, Mia, let's go play outside so we won't get hungry." With that, we all stepped outside. My mind was racing with a lot of questions. When will I be thrown out? Where will I go? Who will I run to? Would I be on the streets again? What's this prize all about? These questions remained unanswered as we stepped outside.
I watched the others play from a distance. Although they forced me to join them, I refused. I didn't want to get too involved with them for the few moments that I had left in the orphanage. They were so happy. They danced and jumped around. They had smiles on their faces. They were happy. How I wished I could join them! How I wished I could be as happy as they are right now! How I wished I could also jump around like they are doing right now! But wishes never come true. They're only wishes and nothing else. They remained unfulfilled. Why did Miss Cathy make that promise? For a moment, I felt peace. I felt happy, and then she intended to snatch it away from me. Why does she pretend to love me when she doesn't? Why does she bring me close to her when she's going to push me away? Or is it my fate? Is it how my life is meant to be? Will I never find happiness?
I stopped thinking for a while. I then looked at the surroundings. Tears dropped down my cheeks as I gazed at the surroundings. Then I heard a voice from within me. The voice sounded familiar. I tried my best to recall whose voice I heard. Then it dawned on me that it was the same voice, the same voice that always spoke to me. Why am I hearing it now? Why is it back? My hands started shivering, and my heart started racing. "Run, Mia... Run..." the voice said. "Run?" I whispered. "Why? Why should I run?" "Run, Mia... Run..." the voice continued. "Run, Mia... Run... There's no place for you here. Run, Mia, Run before they find out the whole truth... Run!" "The truth?" Immediately I heard that, my whole body vibrated vigorously. It was as if the world around me were crumbling. I saw Miss Cathy pushing me away. I saw Josephine pushing me aside. I saw myself in a deep pit. I saw bloodstains. I saw myself with a crooked smile... I...
"Mia!!!!..." Josephine called out, and my body felt a bit calm. "You're sweating and trembling. Are you alright?" she asked. I didn't reply. My whole body felt stiff, and I didn't know what to say. "Don't tell me you're already starving. Are you that weak?" she asked. I shook my head and entered the building. As I quickly made a move to go to my room, I saw Miss Cathy and Jessy in the dining room. They seemed to be discussing something, so I leaned in to hear what they were saying. "Ma'am, we can't keep pretending all is well. We have to do something, or else this whole place will be in ruins," Jessy said. "Jessy, why are you speaking like this? We've been managing for years, and we'll continue to do so," Miss Cathy replied. "Did I get it all wrong? Was Miss Cathy not going to send me away? Was I mistaken?" "But ma'am, they will return in two days' time. What do we do?" "When the time comes, we'll find a solution. Don't bother yourself, Jessy. Be calm, for heaven's sake," Miss Cathy said. "I can't be calm, ma'am. I am worried. What if they shut us down?" Jessy said. "What should I do then, Jessy? I love these children a lot. I can't let anyone adopt them. Josephine, Kaitlyn, Ronnie, and Ramley are dear to my heart," Miss Cathy said. "And Mia?" Jessy asked. "She's not dear to my heart," Miss Cathy said. My heart shattered to pieces as I heard those words, and I immediately withdrew my ears. "So I was right. She's sending me away. She made me a fake promise. She hates me." I ran into my room and threw myself on the bed. Tears dropped down my cheeks as I lay face down on the bed. "Why did she bring me here? Why did she promise me? Why?" "Run, Mia... Run... She knows the truth... Run..." The voice returned. My body trembled again. I arose from the bed and stepped out. My legs moved me like an autopilot. I stepped outside the building and slowly made my way past the others. I heard Josephine's voice calling out to me, but I didn't respond. The only thing I heard was the words, "Run, Mia... Run..." I made a run for it. I sprinted out of the sight of Josephine and the others, into the unknown. I didn't look back. I didn't want to see the faces of the people I was leaving behind. I just kept running, my heart pounding in my chest. Maybe I wasn't meant to be happy. Maybe I wasn't meant to find love. Maybe I was a witch after all. The painful memories won't let me be in peace after all...