7 The Song of Death

A beaming bright light prevented my eyes from opening. When my eyes finally adjusted, I let them wander around until they landed on a woman in white uniform coming in my direction and smiled.

“Hello Swee—”

“Don’t call me Sweetie! You are not my mother.” I snapped.

“Hmmm . . . okay,” she responded as she fixed my bed and smiled before walking away. Annoyed, I shot daggers at her.

Another woman came in, holding a tray of food in her hands with a badge on her chest:

Meredith Shaw

Little Oak Guardian Homes

I looked back at the annoying woman who was walking away. I should have looked at her badge.

“Where am I?” I asked.

“Welcome to your new home,” Meredith answered.

“Home?” I scoffed. “Is this home? Where’s my dog? I have a dog. She has white and thick fur, and she had cuts and maybe bruises and . . .”

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you find your dog. But for now, you have to take some rest, okay? I’m Meredith.” She extended her hand, smiling. “And your name is?”

I ignored her gestures and looked out of the window next to my bed. “Amber,” I answered after a few moments of silence. Taking my eyes away from the window and looking back at her, I continued. “Amber Greene.”

“Age?” she asked, writing in a journal in her hand.

I paused before looking at her. “13,” I answered, looking away.

“Birthday?”

“Yesterday.”

“Oh, Happy bir—”

I threw the tray and all that were on it at her and she fell on the floor. Her nose was bleeding, and she was groaning in pain. She quickly stood up shaking and almost tripped over when she stepped on the broken pieces of plates and glass. Before I knew it, two muscular men were taking me out of the orphanage.

“Don’t touch me! “Help! Help!” I screamed. “Mom! Dad! Help me! I need to find my dog! Cassie! Help me! Somebody help me!”

I was shouting at the top of my lungs as we passed by other children who were looking at me. Some were younger and some were older.

“Help me! Help me!” I continued to scream until something was injected through my veins that knocked me unconscious.

“He—"

***

I got up with a groggy feeling from the bed and walked towards the cold iron bars of the ward. On the left was the guard on duty, seated on a stool with a baton in his hand. He must have felt my presence, I could say.

“Go to bed,” he said. “And no screaming, okay? Disobedient children are—”

“Tortured? Sedated? And left for dead?”

"Not really. Just a little spanking and reprimanding and what have you. I've heard you're a headache back there in the orphanage, huh?"

I scoffed. "Headache? Let me show you what a real headache is." I smirked. "Hey! Let me out of here! Help! Somebody! Somebody help me!"

The guard shot daggers at me. "Shut up, kid! You might wake the vultures up in the woods from their slumber. Do you want that?"

I continued to scream. " Hey! Somebody help me! The guard is torturing me, help me! Help!" I shook the bars and screamed at the top of my lungs, looking at the guard. I smiled at him as I screamed louder. I could feel his anger rising, and it triggered me to provoke him more.

"Help! Help! Somebody help! Somebody wants to kill me! Hello! Help me! Oh please, stop! You're hurting me, stop it! Ahhh! Stop it please, you're hurting me!" I smirked.

The guard pretended not to listen and whistled, looking around. Annoyed of his reaction, I searched for any object I could use. I searched under the bed and found a piece of wood, an old cloth, and a bottle. Grinning, I took the piece of wood and the bottle. I went back to the iron bars and hit him with the things I found while screaming.

The guard stood up. I could see him seething in anger while playing the baton with his hand.

“Listen, child. I know how it feels like being an orphan. But I’m sorry, I cannot tolerate your stubborn personality. Whoever your mother was, I’m sure she regretted everyday of her life for having you—”

“Stop talking about my mother. You don’t know anything about my family!"

“Alright.” He smirked. “But remember, if you wanna get out of here, you gotta be at your best behaviour. Or else, you’ll be transferred to a facility where there’s nothing but surveillance cameras watching you day after day, night after night. If you wanna keep your sanity, act with sanity.” He whistled and went back to his seat.

The night was calm, but I couldn’t sleep. My parents’ death kept on replaying in my mind like a movie, and I could hear them singing and Cassie barking in my head. I closed my eyes and imagined their faces. I couldn’t believe it was only hours ago when everything happened in a flash. I wish time was an angel so I could make a wish and go back to the past. I shouldn’t have celebrated my birthday. I have just turned 12, but the number seemed cursed so I’d rather skip it. Singing Mom’s song again, I closed my eyes until I finally fell asleep.

The sky is so blue in Malibu

“Hey! Wake up, child! Wake up!” the guard said, hitting the baton against the iron bars. If only I could punch him in the face to stop the annoying sound, I would have done it already.

Trying to open my eyes against the light coming from the window, I glared at him.

“What do you want?” I asked, lying on the bed.

“Somebody here wants to take you home,” he answered.

“Again? How many homes do I have?” I said, rolling my eyes. “I just want to find my dog.”

“Hello Amber,” the man in a black suit greeted.

I looked at him and got up.

“Seriously? How did you know my name, Mister . . . man in a black suit?” I scoffed.

The stranger grinned as the guard opened the iron door.. His shoes echoed as he stepped forward towards me and took off his hat.

“Come,” he said as his eyes turned black.