The Orphanage

One night has passed since the full moon. The stars were shining bright in the sky with the wind that blew the leaves in the air. A moon that was missing a smaller piece when it would only become smaller and smaller as the nights passed by until it completely disappeared. The light from the moon lit up the red hairs of a little girl who was running through the woods. Her pink boots had a small hole by her big toe. A purple dress covered in red flowers that waved in the wind against her knees. Another girl with black hair like the dark night, was running after her. You can heartily see the girl with black hair in the darkness when all she was wearing was black jeans and black a sweater. They left a trail of footprints behind in the dirt. And soon all you could was the fog and all you could hear was their laughter as both girls disappeared behind the trees. Happy, playful laughter and cries in the darkness. Cries and screams in the wind, but from where did they come from? The wind, the trees that cried out to the girls that were running around. A warning, a cry for help. The girl with red hair suddenly stopped, looking at the trees around her. As she looked around when the girl with black hair came from behind a tree. She stopped when she saw her standing there, looking at her with her green eyes. The girl with black hair turned around, looking behind her at the quiet sound. A lingering sound from deep within the woods, a voice so soft that you couldn't make out the words.

"Did you hear something," the girl with red hair whispered.

"No." She was looking at her with her arms folded over each other, like she was just imagining creepy noises for fun. The sound was coming closer and closer and closer, blowing together with the wind. Footsteps made their way through the dirt when a woman came to stand before the girls. The woman was wearing a dark blue habit, that looked like a long dress. Over the habit, she was wearing the same blue scapulier, a dress that only covered the shoulder and went down to her ankles. At her neck was a white silk guimpe that covered her shoulders and her neck. On her head, she was wearing a blue veil with a white one underneath. The Sister came to stand next to the little girls as her silver cross swung over her chest. The woman looked like she was in her twenties, with a kind and soft expression on her face.

"There it is again," the girl with red hair yelled.

"I heard it too, I thought that it was you guys." the Sister grinned at them.

It wasn't me," the girl with red hair answered.

The woman looked down at the girls and then at the trees when she said, "It sounds like someone crying." She took both of the little girls they're hands as they followed the noise that came from deep in the woods. As the three of them walked deeper into the woods, following the sound of crying, they found something quite strange. Through the fog, there was a red glimpse that came visible from the moonlight. The red light came closer until it stood right in front of them. One tear drop fell on the leaves that were lying on the ground. A strong wind blew through the trees, making the hairs and veil wave around. The girl with red hair started to scream, "It's a girl and she is naked."

The girl looked up at the three strangers in front of her as the tears rolled down her cheeks. Her face was covered with dirt and blood, blood came out of her blue eyes like she'd been crying blood for days. Lines of blood went from her mouth to the rest of her body. But even when they spoke to her, she couldn't understand a word they were saying. The Sister suddenly got through her knees to her height in front of her, putting her soft gentle hands on her shoulder.

"Are you okay, are you lost?" the Sister swallowed, knowing that it was bad for a little girl to be all alone in the woods at night.

The girl looked up at the Sister and started screaming, "Fa det til at stoppe, fa det til at stoppe." But the Sister didn't seem to understand a word she was saying. They looked at each other when the girl was screaming the words at them, words that could also sound like some animal or anything, just the opposite of what they understood. It was clear that they didn't have a clue what she was saying, just like the girl didn't know what they were even planning on doing with her. Who are you, where am I? She just wanted to scream out the words, but it didn't matter what she said, they didn't understand her.

"What is she saying, Sister Lyla?" The girl with black hair asked in confusion.

"I don't know, I don't know what language it is."

The girl kept on screaming to them, "Fa det til at stoppe." While the girl took a step back, away from them as Sister Lyla's hand fell from her shoulder. Sister Lyla held her hand out for her to accept it. Her gentle hand waiting in the cold late-night breeze while she stood there looking at her hand, not understanding what to do, what Sister Lyla was going to do?

Sister Lyla smiled at her and said, "It's okay." In a kind voice. "You should come with us; you

can't stay here."

"Fa det til at stoppe."

"We're going to take you to our home, where it's safe, okay?" She took off her blue veil, leaving her only in the white veil as her front hairs were floating around in the air. She wrapped the blue veil around the girl and carefully took her hand. The girl held onto the blue fabric tightly when they walked through the woods with the two girls walking behind them. At the end of the woods was a path with bubbly stones that led to the village. The girls jumped from stone to stone until they were standing in front of an old building. The girl looked up at the old building with a Maria statue above the wooden doors. Elegant metal on the doors that have been rusting over time. And every window had wooden panels next to the glass. Looking like some old building from the Middle Ages when Sister Lyla opened the heavy doors and walked inside. Light brownstones in a big hallway with candles hanging on the walls, it almost looked like a church. The girl her eyes were sparking when looked at the inside of the building. It looked like a small castle. Her eyes couldn't keep up, looking from the left to the right at the old interior. Everything looked brown and gray, missing some color.

"Sister Jacqueline, come quickly," Sister Lyla yelled through the whole house. A woman in a long sleeping gown came running toward Sister Lyla. She looked a little scary, looking like a witch. Those scary, strict eyes, wrinkles all over her face and those thick purple bags underneath her eyes. She looked at the girl and back to Sister Lyla when she said, "A girl, where did you find her?"

"In the woods."

"She looks terrible. Is she hurt?"

"She doesn't look like she is in pain."

They looked back at each other but immediately looked back to the girl when she said, "Fa det til at stoppe." Words that they didn't understand that were coming out of her mouth. Sister Jacqueline looked at her with wonder in her eyes. What was she saying and where she came from was the big question. And she liked to know as well. She looked back at Sister Lyla.

"She doesn't speak French; I don't understand what language it is." Sister Lyla responded. Sister Jacqueline stepped closer to the girl and bent down on one knee to take a closer look at her. "What's your name?" she asked.

But the only responses were the same words she'd been yelling the whole night, "Fa det til at stoppe."

"My name is Sister Jacqueline. What's yours?"

"Fa det til at stoppe." She yelled once more.

She looked at the ground before she stood up back on both feet and whispered to herself, "This isn't working, we should call a doctor." She left into some small room on the left side of the hallway. Sister Lyla took her hand and led her to the dining room to give her some food. It looked like she'd been starving for days. The room had one gigantic table with about twenty chairs on each side. In between every window was a light texture, lighting up the room in the dark evening. She gave her a plaid with potatoes and sausage and she immediately dug in. Eating like some animal, throwing the food around and shoving it inside her mouth. The only language she understood at this moment was food. It was always a good thing when it came to food. Always hungry for something to eat. At the same time, Sister Lyla took a wet towel and cleaned the girl's face, arms, and hands.

A few minutes later, Sister Jacqueline walked inside the dining room with another Sister and a man following behind her. The man was carrying a brown briefcase with him. Dressed in an old gray-green suit, with a pocket watch in his side pocket. He was wearing round small glasses that barely covered his eyes.

"Doctor, in here," the other Sister Lucille said who looked a little younger than Sister Jacqueline. If only you imagine her without the wrinkles.

"We found a girl in the woods." Sister Jacqueline replied to the doctor.

"Let me see." The doctor sat down in front of the girl while he opened his briefcase. She let go of her fork when she was about to take another bite from her sausage and moved away from the man standing in front of her.

"Fa det til at stoppe."

"She doesn't speak French; we don't know what language it is," Sister Jacqueline said.

"I think it's Danish," the doctor responded while his hands went over his chin.

"But that's in Denmark. How did she end up here?" Sister Lucille asked.

"I don't know, family or a school trip. You should ask for lost children in Denmark."

"I'll do that right away." Sister Jacqueline said and left the room. The doctor took out his stethoscope from his briefcase and started to examine the girl. From head to toe, looking for any possible injuries.

"How is her health?"

"She is perfectly healthy Sister Lucille, there is nothing to be worried about."

"But what about the blood on her body?" Sister Lyla whispered.

"The blood is dry, it's not hers."

"That's good news, thank you, doctor." Sister Lyla said in relief.

The doctor put his stuff back into his briefcase and left the building. Sister Lyla sat down in front of the girl, handing her some clothes when her fingers touched the collar around the girl's neck, the only piece of clothing she was wearing. "That's a beautiful necklace you're wearing." She flips the medallion over, finding a name written on the back. Nina.

"Is your name Nina?" Her heart swelled at the name, the only thing she could understand, and sounded so familiar in her ears that she started jumping up and down from excitement. The only thing she knew or better yet something she learned in those months. A lovely memory that warms her whole body just thinking of it and still, somehow, she ended up here for some reason. Far away from him, away from where she should be, or wasn't he where she was supposed to be?

Nina, Nina," she yelled.

"I think that means a yes." Sister Lyla said while her hand went gently through her white hair.

"You must be tired, but first let's give you a bath."

"Can she stay in our room?" The girl with red hair asked. When she suddenly appeared next to Nina, smiling from ear to ear.

"I don't know if that's a good idea right now Eloise, she's very terrified."

"I think that's an excellent idea. She would feel a little safer if you girls were with her."

Sister Lucille said.

Sister Lyla handed Nina the clothes and took her hand. The two of them left the dining room and opened the first door on the right. The room was filled with white tiles, a small wall that speared every shower stall. Eloise followed behind them and sat down in the doorway while Sister Lyla helped Nina clean her body. Nina looked up at Eloise when a smile appeared on her face as she sang a song to herself quietly. The blood was getting drained into the sewers with foam bubbles that smelled like roses. Nina's pure white hair was becoming visible. It may even be whiter than the white tiles in the shower. Her ocean blue eyes that can light up the entire room never left those grass green eyes Eloise had. She stood up when Sister Lyla was finished and put Nina into some clothes. White underwear and a white dress. It was a long time ago that Nina last wore clothing.

"Come with me, I'll show you our room." Eloise stood in front of Nina and took her hand. They both started running toward her room dragging her through the hallway with

Sister Lucille screamed at both of them. "Don't run in the hallway!"

"Sorry."

It was a long hallway with a lot of doors that kept on going behind the corner. Eloise opened one of the doors where her room was. The other girl with black hair was already in her bed. There was a bunk bed on the right side of the room next to the door. The girl with black hair was lying in the bed that was close to the ground. There was one more bed opposite the door on the left side of the room. The bed was filled with pink, purple, and blue pillows and one black pillow, making the bed look more like a very comfortable couch. There was a big closet next to the bunk bed and in front of the window was a small desk. Nina walked inside the room as Eloise closed the door behind her.

"My name is Eloise and that's Blanche." Nina looked at her, trying to figure out what she was saying. She heard that language before when she was still staying with that little boy Léon, but she still didn't know what they were saying.

"She doesn't understand us, remember," Blanche said.

"I'm just trying to be nice."

"At least she doesn't look like a zombie anymore. I'm tired, I'm going to sleep."

Blanche laughed when she turned around. Eloise took Nina's hand and set her down on the bed covered in pillows. Nina grabbed one of the pillows next to her and squeezed it hard, letting her nails dig into the fabric.

"This is your bed, okay?" Nina nodded her head in response and slid down on the mattress the tears fell while she buried her face in the pillow.

"I think she understood me."

Blanche took a look at Nina and Eloise. "She didn't say anything."

"But she nodded her head."

"At least she's in the bed. Just turn off the lights Eloise."

"Okay, bonne nuit Blanche, bonne nuit Nina." The lights went off and Eloise climbed in the bed above Blanche. Nina looked at them while they were getting comfortable in their beds. Wondering who they were and what she was supposed to be doing here, or maybe for how long she would stay here with them.

Meanwhile, the Sisters were still looking for answers while they were calling the Danish embassy to find Nina's parents or at least for her to be able to go home. But even with all the calling, they were unable to help her. "Well, no girls are missing in Denmark around the age of five and seven, not even her name nor a photo of her." Sister Jacqueline said.

"So, there's no hope for her to find her family." Sister Lyla asked.

"We do take care of girls without a family; she can stay here until she finally finds

her home." Sister Lucille said.

The clock was ticking past midnight when strange sounds were coming from underneath the bed, the bed Nina was sleeping in. The sound of nails scratching the wooden floors and growling like an animal. "What was that," Eloise shouted while she jumped up in her bed. She looked around the room and her eyes landed on Nina, but Nina was nowhere to be found in the bed. The pillows were shattered across the room but the door was still closed so she didn't leave the room.

"What is it?" Blanche Asked.

"The creepy noises." There it was again and Blanche immediately looked at the window, branches of a tree were scratching against the window. The curtains aren't completely closed while a small light from the lantern outside shined its light in the room.

"It's the wind, now go to sleep".

The light from the lantern went all the to Nina's bed where a few feathers were lying on the mattress. There were also some feathers on the pillow and the floor, and suddenly you could see deep nail marks on the floor. A killing noise crept through from underneath the bed that made you want to cover your ears, and that was exactly what Eloise did when she heard the noise. Blanche turned around in her bed and took a good look at Nina's bed while she was going with her fingers through her eyes. An empty bed with a ripped mattress while more growling noises came from underneath it. She leaned forward when she couldn't believe the noises that were coming from underneath there. Again, the same scratching noise when a long nail became visible. The nails took a piece of the wooden floor with them while they slid deep into the floor. Blanche put her hands away from her ears when she saw something even stranger. The light from the lantern made two red dots glimmer underneath the bed, looking directly at her. "Is it me or are there two red eyes looking at me."

"I'm scared," Eloise yelled.

"Me too."

"Where is Nina?"

"I think that that is Nina." Blanche kept on staring at those flaming red eyes that were trying to pierce right through her skin.

"What?" Eloise responded.

How in the world could that ever be Nina, she was just a girl that they found in the woods a few hours ago, a girl that didn't even understand a word they were saying to her, didn't even know what was happening, and was very terrified of all the unknown she was experiencing. Eloise looked back at the bed and jumped up at the terrifying sight she was seeing, her face went pale at the side of those big red eyes looking at her. All she wanted to do was cover herself underneath the covers and hope this was all some bad dream she was having, and wake up soon to the normal world she understood. A world without scary red eyes looking at you from underneath a bed like she was in some kind of horror movie. But every time she glanced back at the bed, it was still there and it was not a dream but reality. What was happening right now was far from normal and oh-so real even if they both didn't like it.

"I want to get out of here." Eloise cried out.

"Listen to me Eloise, I'm going to count from three to one. We're going to run fast towards the door, okay?"

"Okay," Eloise whispered with a trembling voice while her mouth was shivering up and down as the tears from fear rolled down her cheeks.

"Three, two, one!" Blanche yelled and jumped out of the bed running towards the door Eloise jumped after her from the high bed to catch up with her before that terrifying thing from underneath the bed could catch her. Growling noises were coming from underneath the bed when they passed it. Eloise started screaming at the noises while Blanche was struggling to open the door. They both looked behind them at the red eyes and scary noises. A long nail broke into the floor that came from underneath the bed, It was only then that Eloise noticed the hand that was reaching out to her. A hand with very long nails that made a lot of noise, a hand that was trying to grab them both while blood dropped down on the floor from the sharp wood splintering into the fingers. She turned back to Blanche and pushed her on her back to get out of the room and fast before that thing could cache them. She screamed so loud that there was no doubt that the whole house was waking up. As she closed her eyes a hand landed on her shoulders. She was getting pushed on the floor when Blanche finally opened the door. Eloise crawled further over the floor while Blanche slammed the door in its frame. It was only then that Eloise realized that they made it out in time before that thing could have captured them. She made it completely through the door, and they both did. Blanche didn't move one millimeter while she was pushing her back hard against the door. Now in the cold hallway with heavy breathing, Blanche started screaming for help. Just someone that could chase that thing out of their room or kill it so they could go back to sleep.

"Sisters, Sisters!"

Sister Jacqueline ran out of her room down the stairs into the hallway with a long face, not happy to see Blanche and Eloise screaming and walking around in the hallways instead of being in bed. "What is all that noise, you girls should be in bed!"

"There is something in our room, some kind of monster," Eloise said.

"The only thing that's in your room is Nina. Are you going to tell me that you're afraid of her?" They both nodded their heads at Sister Jacqueline while Eloise kept on crying in the arms of Blanche.

"That poor child." Sister Jacqueline grabbed the door handle when they both screamed the words "no" at her. But even so, she didn't listen and still opened the door to look inside the room, looking for Nina.

"Nina, are you in here?"

Two red shimmers were coming closer from underneath the bed while she took one step inside the room. She kept on calling her name while the door flew wide open, the wind from the door made the curtains wave around in the room. The sound of nails scratching across the wooden floor, made her ears hurt from the noise when her attention went to the bed and then to the floor.

"Nina, what are you doing underneath the bed?"

She set down on her knees and took a look underneath the bed. She couldn't see or make out the shape. Her hand went underneath the bed when the curtain moved again, giving a little light underneath the bed. Nina's nails were buried into the wooden floor and her eyes were overflowing with tears as they landed on the dark brown floor. Nina looked at her with her ocean blue eyes, like nothing weird was happening a second ago

and the girls had only imagined it all.

"Fa det til at stoppe."

"I know I know, come my child."

Her hand moved closer to Nina while she slowly took it and with a little hesitation Ninacrawled out from underneath the bed and walked into the hallway where Blanche and Eloise were standing, crying and shivering. Eloise, wiped away her tears when she saw Nina, Her face that had been crying just as much as hers or even more.

"Now will you girls care to explain what happened?"

"She was making a scary noise," Eloise said while a tear fell from her cheeks.

Sister Jacqueline looked at Nina and back to Blanche and Eloise. A crying girl who didn't have a clue about anything anymore and had nothing at all. "Just because she speaks a language that we don't understand doesn't mean that she is making scary noises."

"But she did," Blanche yelled back at her.

"That's enough! She is more terrified of you girls."

After that night they gave Nia a room all to herself because no matter what room they gave her, all the girls in the orphanage were terrified of her. No one wanted her in the same room as them after hearing what happened last night. Even so, they still had to, but the result was always the same. Screaming and crying, girls running out of the rooms in fear. They all became terrified of her and very distant. At least she could be by herself in her room without bothering anyone or anyone saying that she was a weird girl who looked strange and didn't understand a thing. Better yet, didn't belong here, belong in this world.