Chapter 9.12

After a couple of weeks, I started to get used to it and my wounds were almost healed, although the cast on my leg remained. I thought things were going well- finally. After that day, I followed Luke's rules and I was learning more and more about how to live properly here, until Luke told us we had to go. I thought he came to take us to lunch or give us another toy from the children's centre, but instead, he said "My sister would like to meet you and hopefully take you home with her."

"I have to leave?" I asked confused, like I didn't quite understand what he said. Where would I go? Why would I go?

"It was always the plan to give you to a family. My sister can't have children, so she asked to take you both. Don't worry, she's not scary. But before that, the doc has managed to figure out a way to get that off you."

He pointed at the prisoners' bangle. I'd almost forgotten it was there, the ugly bit of metal had been on my wrist for three years, I'd stopped noticing it. Hang on, what was going on? Where are we going? Did I do something wrong? Why was he getting rid of us?

"We'll be brothers!" He beamed excitedly, he looked at me enthusiastically, but I wasn't sure I could share his eagerness, I was uneasy. It felt a bit like he was lumping us off onto someone else. I thought I'd finally got used to living here, I didn't want to go.

"Do I have to go?" I asked in a small voice.

"It will be better for you living with my sister; you can have your own room and you won't have to share with the other kids anymore. She can't teach you things that we don't have time to teach you here."

"I don't care about that." I hated that I was acting spoilt, but it was how I felt. I also suspected there was another reason he wanted me to go.

"My sister has really been looking forward to meeting you both." He answered stubbornly.

"When are we leaving?" The words came out harsher than I meant, and as a man who always wore his heart on his sleeve, I saw his expression twitch with hurt.

"She's coming over to meet you tomorrow. Then depending on how it goes, it could be tomorrow."

Tomorrow. Such a short time, I wondered if he knew? How could he spring something like that on us without warning? Did he not care? Did he want us to go that much? If that was so, I guess there was nothing to be done. The decision was made. If it was an order from my god, I'll have to accept it.