1 Mitchell Lima

"Morning everyone! This is Mother Mary, It's August 6, 2018, 9:00 AM. Numbers 0321, 0918 and 1217 are being called to the Adoption Hall!"

"We have found suitable families for you!"

"And for the everyone else, we are trying our best to find you a lovely family as well. As long as you are behaved and obedient, the chances of you being the next lucky kids would be higher than others!"

"That is all, please arrive at the hall within 10 minutes."

A sweet melodic voice echoed throughout an empty hallway.

Soon, doors opened, kids ranging from 7 to 16 peeked out. They all glanced at a particular door.

"11-15..." Kids started to chatter among themselves in a hushed tone.

"It's Mitch.."

"He sure is lucky, I hope I'm next."

"You? Come on, everyone knows you are an imp, stealing milk from others all the time."

"W-What!? Don't make it sound like I did it on purpose! I really thought it was mine!"

"I want to see Mother Mary!"

"Maybe when we leave, we could see her."

"Ahhh, It should have been me! I want Mother Mary to send me off instead of Mitch!"

The hallway gradually got noisier.

Inside room 11-15-

"Mitch, wake up! Lucky, you got lucky I say!" A little girl, about the age of 11 was rocking the top bunk bed. It shook albeit rather weak. Her efforts did not betrayed her. The kid sleeping at the bed woke up. He was good-looking, with a fair complexion comparable to a girl. His skin was like snow, neither pale nor unhealthy-looking. It was like strawberries and ice cream.

Mitch took hold of the cold metallic handle bars on the bed.

"Stop, if I fall I'll-"

"Get up now! You got chosen Mitch! You need to go now, or else you might not make it!" The little girl stopped and shouted at him.

His other roommates chimed in with her. All of them looked up at Mitch with eyes of envy but their happiness overshadowed their envious feeling. Everyone of them knew what happens to the chosen ones. They finally get to leave the orphanage and step out in the real world. Being Mitch's friends, they did not want him to miss this wonderful opportunity.

Mitch broke out in cold sweat. 9 AM. It was a time where he always took a nap. It was not forced but more of a habit ingrained into his body. He has been sleeping every morning at 9 AM and waking up an hour later. It was a beneficial to him as it gave him strength to tackle his daily chores. But now, it could have been his demise. It was fortunate that his friends were there to wake him up.

"Come down now, or else!" A boy knitted his eyebrows and shouted. He was the same age as Mitch.

"Alright!" After seeing the boy's face, he immediately thought that they were not joking so he scurried out of his bed and went down using the ladder. He missed a few steps along the way and almost fell.

"Careful!" His friends hissed at his frantic display.

'If you fall, maybe break a leg or get knocked out? What would we do? You do know we can't just leave the hallway whenever we wanted to, right? What if we get in trouble because of you? We might not get adopted at all!' The thoughts ran in their minds as they sighed.

"Go on, we prepared a new set of clothes for you to wear, you should go and change." The little girl, Sasha pointed at the bathroom with a smile on her face.

The others gave way for Mitch, they were genuinely happy for him just like Sasha.

"Mhm!" Mitch went in.

As he change his tight, white clothes, memories started flooding back on him. Fragments after fragments he recalled. It was just like watching a movie. They wake up early to eat breakfast. They were allowed to roam around the orphanage before 8:30 AM. Until 3:00 PM, they were to stay in their respective rooms. At 4:00 PM they are called to simulate house chores, study how to iron clothes, do laundry and even cook food. By 7:00 PM, they were given free time once again to roam around, maybe play with their friends, talk about their ideal families and the such.

He has been to the adoption hall numerous times before. He had passed the door known as the 'Happy Future Door'. Everyone longed to exit through that door; it was the door that would give them a happy future since it was the door that connected the outside world and the orphanage.

He also recalled the good times he had with his friends which made him cry a little bit. He couldn't help it. Soon he finished changing. He took a last look at the mirror and he smiled.

Walking out of the bathroom, he was greeted by his friends once again. Like him, they all had tears. Tears of joy.

"Don't worry, Mitch. Once we get adopted, we'll find you!"

"Sasha is right! Be good, okay? Or you might get sent back here!"

"If that happens I'll laugh at you."

Everyone was happy. They took turn to hug Mitch as they say their goodbyes.

Soon, his back was against the door. In front of him was his good friends. Although he hated to say goodbye, there was nothing he could do about it.

"Thank you for waking me up." He gave a warm smile and turned his back on them.

"I'll be waiting outside for all of you. Sasha, Harold, Clarrice, Ken.."

Mitch wiped of the tears that piled up off his face and left the room.