Chapter 1(Not real)

Olivia comes closer to me, making sure nobody else was listening. "I've been working on something to levitate us over the electric fence, it's like a zip line." I look over to see little sparks run across the fence, and two long bars on top. "We'd have to run the zip line from the top bars, there's no shock." I said, pointing at them. "Good observation, I'm glad you're deciding to help." I smiled at her, knowing how kind she was.

I wondered why nobody else wanted to help her, she was only doing good. As we start going over the plan, a loud bell went off. "Looks like it's time to head in." Olivia says, walking toward the door. "Time for chores," Ms. Selma shouted, opening the supply closet. As I look around, I see how messy the place was; it was never this bad at my house.

"Has anybody seen my brother?" I ask, Ms. Selma stops me in my tracks. "It's time to be quiet, chore time is slilent." I roll my eyes, grabbing disinfectant wipes from he closet. She grabs my shoulder,"the bathrooms are all yours, Nicole. Nobody help this... child." I could hear the children giggle at me, I balled my fists in anger, taking off up the stairs.

I knew Ms. Selma didn't like us, but I couldn't figure out why. As I start on the first bathroom stall, I hear whining come from the utility closet. Pulling the door open, a little girl was holding her face. "Mary?" I gasp, helping her out of the closet. "What happened to you?" Mary shrugged her shoulders. Her face was black and blue, her arms have been bitten. She hugs me tightly, not wanting to let me go.

"I don't know what I did, I guess I deserved it though." I shake my head, "nobody deserves this." I caress her in my arms, laying her down in my bed. "If you need anything, whistle." I say, heading back to the bathroom. Stains covered the walls and floor, it was almost impossible to clean them up. Soaking the floor with soapy water, I let it sit.

Laying my back against a stall, I could hear two girls talking. "She's breaking all the rules, I wonder what Ms. Selma has in store for her." The other girl snickers, "whatever it is, we're next to give the punishment." Drying their hands, they skip out of the bathroom, leaving me in my thoughts. I knew they were talking about me, and I didn't know what was going to happen.

A loud, high pitched whistle caught my attention. As I enter the room, I saw Nate hunched over, and Mary guarding him. "I couldn't get them off of Nate, they just kept on kicking him." Making Mary lock the door, I storm into Ms. Selmas office. "What seems to be the problem this time?" She asks, crossing her arms. "Why do you let these boys torture my brother?" She slaps a ruler on the desk, "have a seat." Slowly sitting down, Ms. Selma gets close to my face.

"Your brother is constantly breaking the rules, and so have you. My children help with the punishments, so I don't have to." I ball my fists, not understanding why I wasn't being punished. "I'd take all of his punishments in a heart beat, I'm tired of finding him getting hurt by these kids." Ms. Selma curled her lips, "you'd take his punishments?" I nod my head, "I'll take them." Placing her hands on the desk, she extends a hand. "Is that a deal?" I nod my head, "it's a deal."

"Very well, then. There's a viewing today, and it was supposed to be your brother, looks like it's you now." I gulp, knowing it was going to get a lot worse. Thanking her, I leave the office.

"Mary, you can unlock the door now." I say, she runs out, hugging me tightly. "Hey, little bug, they won't hurt you again." Nate smiles, he was relieved. "How?" He asks, I think up a lie in my head. "I explained to her how you did nothing wrong, and she believed me." I sat next to him, he hugs me. "Ready to go over another chapter of rules?" He nods his head, I knew he wanted to stay out of trouble.

Looking over the next chapter, I read out loud what it said for Nate.

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Chapter 3: The Rules to Orphans

1. Do not talk back, it is disrespectful.

2. Do not speak unless it is on your free time, or if you have a question.

3. No cell phones

4. Answer all of Ms. Selmas questions, no matter how personal.

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Those were the most important rules on the page, I didn't see anything on there that would cause Nate to be punished. "Buddy, you have to do your very best to follow these rules, that way you don't get hurt." He looks over them again, "I will, Sissy." As I put the book under the bed, Ms. Selma walks through the door. "Why is Mary in here?" She asked, yanking Mary toward her. "She was trapped in the closet, I couldn't stand to hear her hurting." I said, crossing my arms.

Pinching Marys arm, she pushes her against the bed frame. Tears streamed down Marys cheeks, Ms. Selma pointed at her. "Stop whining, child. Stand up, now." I run over to help her, "what did she do?" Ms. Selma crinkled her nose, pushing me backward. "She avoided my question, that's a no no in my book." I shake my head, frustrated with Ms. Selma. "She's scared and hurt, she needs a doctor."

"The people adopting her will see her like this, then what? You'll be in trouble." She backs toward the door, nodding her head. "You think you know it all, child? I'll show you what you're missing." Ms. Selma yells, slamming the door behind her. I hold Mary tightly, keeping her safe with me. "I won't let anybody else hurt you, okay?" She nodded her head, tears soaking through my t-shirt.

I knew she had to be Penny, and I was scared to find out what she had in store for us. What if she was going to Drown everyone? They're all too scared to fight her, but

I could change that. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I started to think about ways to escape quicker. What if Olivia had a cell phone? I could call the authorities and have this place shut down.

Looking around the house, I spot Olivia polishing Ms. Selmas shoes. Sneaking inside the room, I crouched down to her. "Do you have a cell phone?" She nods her head, "I do, but it's at the jungle gym." As Ms. Selma walks by, Olivia and I pick up another chore. "Olivia, picking up the slack today?" She smiled smugly, "the punishment is tonight, wouldn't want the auditorium a mess." Nodding her head, she starts yelling at a child.

"Do you know what the punishment is?" Olivia scrubs the floor, breathing heavily. "The punishment is for a child that has broken the rules more than once, for someone Ms. Selma has a grudge against." My heart pounded, "that child is me." Olivia drops her rag, "what? Why you?" I explained all that was going on between us, she was flabbergasted. Continuing on the wall, Ms. Selma came back into the room. "Who scrubbed the wall too hard?" I turn, watching the other kids scurry away.

"Nicole, did you do this?" She points at the wall, I nod my head. "It was an accident, I was trying to get marker off the wall. She threw her hands up in anger, "you can paint all the rooms now," she throws a paintbrush at me. I shrug my shoulders, starting on the bathroom.

An hour into painting, Ms. Selma makes everyone go outside, I continue on the walls. "I said out, Nicole. That means you to, you can finish when you come back." Setting my painbrush down, I step into the fresh air. Looking around the playground, I see Olivia waving. "Come, I have something for you." She says, patting her dress pocket.

"Make sure you do not get caught with it, or your punishment will be worse." I nod my head as she hands me a small flip phone, I slide it into my pocket. "The only way to get service is by the rose Bush, she shouldn't be able to see you from there." I thanked her, running toward the Bush.

Dialing the first number that came to mind, a small, quiet voice answers. "Wilson residence, may I ask who's calling?" Tears stream down my face, "grandma, it's Nicole." I could hear the pain in her voice, it was like she thought I was dead. "Nicole, where are you? Why haven't you kept in touch with grandpa and I?" I explain the situation quickly, she gasps. "I'm coming for you, stay out of trouble till then." She says before hanging up. I hoped she would come to our rescue, but who knew what was going to happen.

Tucking the phone back into my pocket, a loud ring goes off. "It's time for the punishment, all children report to the auditorium, immediately." My heart pounded as I headed that way, scared of what was to come. As I entered the auditorium, I was knocked out.

Pulling a pillow case off my head, Ms. Selma smirks. "This is Nicole Duncan, she has broke one of the biggest rules in the book." Showing the children the cell phone, she points at me. "This was found in her pocket, does anybody know how she got it?" The room was silent, I nod my head. "Well, where did it come from then?" Tears ran down my cheeks, I had to tell her the truth.

"I snuck my fathers phone in, I wanted it to see pictures of my family." She slaps me across the face, "your family is dead." Children gasp, not believing that she just said that to me. It was like my heart just got ripped out of my chest, I could see Nate crying from the bleachers. "That's the only thing I have left of them."

Ms. Selma throws the phone on the ground, crushing crushing it with her foot. I smiled on the inside, knowing she believed my story. I already knew I was in a whole lot of trouble, might as well make the best of it. I saw Olivia sitting in the front row, her jaw dropped, tears streamed down her face. She had to feel bad for me, I was only doing this for Nate. "Adam, will you bring me the punishment items?" She asked nicely, Adam steps on stage with two items in hand.

A needle and thread.