• Alone in the world, she thought as she sat on her bed in the orphanage. The night before the her eighteenth birthday was a stormy night.
    “If I left now maybe they’d never even notice.” she whispered as she watched the lightning flash outside her bedroom window. The thunder rolled and cracked as she stood there in complete silence. She watched the rain pour down on the dark streets, and heard the tinkering of the hard rain on the roof. If she left right now, in the pouring rain, she’d be free from the rules of the orphanage. She glanced at the clock on her desk. It was fifteen minutes until midnight, fifteen minutes until she was free. Within two flashes of lightning her mind was made up. She was going. Tonight.

    By eleven fifty she had her entire life packed up in her duffle bag. Her clothes, the few photos of her mother, father and brother. The small stuffed bear her now ex-boyfriend gave her shoved into one of the pockets on the side as the thunder crashed and rattled the windows. She opened her door, the mistress of the orphanage’s door was open, and a light was flickering off the wall as she crept past. The thunder pounded even louder than it was previously. Quietly she crept past Miss Martin’s quarters, she wasn’t always called Ms. Martin, most of the kids in the orphanage called her Ms. Murder because she’d work them until they wanted to die.

    Cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, fixing the meals, there was twenty orphans in the house, under her care. She rarely took care of them, it was usually them taking care of themselves or the older ones taking care of the younger ones because Ms. Martin didn’t want to change diapers, or anything of the sort. The children, were in fact just a way for her to get help from the government, the money the government would give to take care of the children usually went on Ms. Martin’s gambling habit or worse. Ms. Martin was always in trouble with local mob gangs. The children were always hearing “You’ve got one more week to come up with the money or else this place is going up in flames, with everyone inside, sista.”

    Needless to say most of the older kids often ran away, but were always caught and brought back to the hell hole they were forced to call home. Most of the kids that ran weren’t old enough to make it on their own. Addison herself ran away seven times before tonight, tonight was her eighth and final time. In ten minutes she would be an adult, which means, either way, her butt was out in the streets. She’d seen it happen to her friend Jenny. The morning of Jenny’s eighteenth birthday was the day she had her packed bags thrown at her and she was shoved out the front door with no money, no place to stay, nothing.

    Addison was different than Jenny though, Jenny had to find a place to stay, which was with friends from school, Addison on the other hand, had secured a place a week before her birthday. It was a small room of a local crack dealer’s place, but she was willing to take anything. She’d met the dealer one night when she was walking back to the orphanage from work, which she was fired from the next day thanks to Ms. Martin and her anonymous phone calls complaining about the kids who work there.

    As Addison neared the front door, the biggest bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating the doors and the chains on them.
    “s**t!” she gasped as she quietly hurried forward to grab the chains. “She can’t..” she trailed off as lightning flashed again, followed by a thunder crack that was so loud she nearly screamed. Growling to herself she walked over to the office room and opened the door. She scrambled over to the window and unlocked it, and poked her head out looking around as the rain pelted her face. There was a dumpster with the lid closed below the window seal. Addison pulled her head back in the room where she then picked up her bag and tossed it out the window, avoiding the dumpster and the loud racket it would most likely make. She looked around the room once more before she stuck a leg out the window, followed by her upper body, then her other leg. As she waited for her eyes to adjust to the hard rain she felt someone grab her hand which was still on the window seal.
    “Addison.” the voice whispered, “You can’t leave me here, Addie, please.”
    “Julia, I can’t take you.” she replied to the small child who held onto her hand. “I’m sorry, but I’ll barely be able to take care of myself.”
    “But, Addie. You promised.” Julia replied, holding back the tears Addison knew were probably falling as hard as the rain. “You can’t leave me here with Ms. Murder. When she finds out you’re gone she’ll work me twice as hard.” the young girl replied. “When you’re gone, I’m the oldest. Addie, I’m only fifteen. I can‘t be mother to seven children under five.”

    Addison sighed and thought for a moment, the room she had been given by Dane Johnson wasn’t very big. Not big enough for two people, but she understood how Julia felt. When Jenny had been kicked out a year ago Addison was then the oldest, and responsible for everyone, and she was the sixteen, a year older, a year wiser than Julie, but she still became mother to nineteen other kids, and then had to look out for herself on top.
    “Fine, go get your things. I’ll call someone tomorrow and have then make up some fake papers saying they’re your old lost brother or something.” Addison replied, “But you’ve got to be quiet. Ms. Murder’s light was still on when I left.”
    “I know, but all the lights went out after that big flash. We don’t have any power, plus I think she’s passed out anyway. She’s been on the bottle since noon.” Julia replied before she let go of Addison’s hand, “I’ll be right back.” she whispered leaving the window seal.
    “Better hurry up kiddo, we don’t have long.” Addison replied as she knelt on the lid.

    Five minutes went by as Addison knelt on the lid of the orphanage’s dumpster. A few minutes longer Julia reappeared at the window.
    “What took so long?” Addison asked as Julia handed over her own duffle bag.
    “Andrew woke up.” she replied as she climbed out the window. “He wanted a drink of water, but was too scared to go get it himself.”
    “You didn’t tell him we’re making a break, did you?” Addison asked, as she jumped off the lid to the wet road.
    Julia grunted as she climbed down, “No, I didn’t tell him. I got him his drink, and he went back to bed.” she replied as she fell off the dumpster and landed on her butt in a puddle. “Great,” she groaned as she wiped her bottom off.
    “No time. Let’s go. Dane’s got a room we can share, but it’s gonna be cramped.”
    “Addison, I share a room with five other people from the ages of thirteen to nine. I really doubt sharing a room with you is gonna suck.” she replied as she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulders, Addison doing the same as they both began to run down the alleyway.

    Three blocks later they both hid behind a restaurant’s dumpster as a police car drove past. They hid until the car went around the corner, then they ran across the parking lot and jumped the fence. Addison having to boost Julia. Julia had never ran away before, she was always one of the kids forced to stay behind, Addison on the other hand, had practice, jumping fences, hiding from the police, everything she could do. It was when she was out and about that she usually got caught. She boosted Julia over the top the fence before she backed up about five feet before she gave a small run and jumped half way up the fence, then pulled herself over the top and jumped down from the top.
    “I’ve never jumped a fence before.” Julia said as she panted.
    “I’ve done it a few times.” Addison replied as she ran on ahead of Julia. Stopping at the end of a building, looking to see if the coast was clear before they darted across a large alleyway in the down town area. When a car passed by they made a break, running up the alleyway five or six blocks before they slowed as they entered the north side of town.

    They walked for two blocks before Addison stopped in front of a two story house, with a tall fence around it. A porch light was on in the back, which was where Addison walked towards. Julia hunkered even closer to Addison as she followed her to the back door with the porch light. Addison gave a few looks around before she walked up on the porch and knocked twice. She waited a few minutes before she made to knock again, when she went to know for a second time the door opened up.
    “What the f-” a man broke off. “Addison, what are you doing out at two o’clock?”
    “It’s that late already?” Addison asked as she looked at her watch. “Damn, took longer to get here than I expected.” she chuckled.
    “You made a run for it again?” he asked, Addison nodded. “They gonna notice you aren’t around?”
    She shrugged, “Maybe so, Maybe not. But they’ll know she’s gone.” she said as she side stepped to reveal Julia.
    “Addison, you said it was just going to be you.”
    “I know I did Dane. But with me gone, Julia would be left in charge of the kids. Ms. Martin likes picking on the new kid and I couldn’t let it be her. I’ve been there before.” she paused as he nodded.
    “Yeah, Jenny. I know. She’s dating my brother.” Dane replied. “Alright. Get your asses in here before the cops come around. They’ve already been here once tonight.”
    “What for?” Addison asked as she and Julia walked inside.
    “Looking for you two.” he replied. “They said that there’d been word two runaways would out on the street tonight, and someone tipped them off that you’d be staying here.”
    “Crap.” Julia sighed, “Addie, maybe I should just go back.”
    “Yea, and get your a** beaten? I don’t think you want that.” Addison replied as she sat her bag down on the floor. Julia repeating.

    Julia glanced around the room, a man was asleep on the couch, the television in the corner was playing the news, a woman was asleep on the floor, it really wasn’t a place she wanted to call home.
    “Julia, you sit here. I need to talk to Dane in the other room.” Addison said as she watched Julia sit on the chair and look over the two sleeping bodies.
    “Yea. Okay.”

    Addison pulled Dane into the other room by his arm, “Dane, I need you to do something for me.”
    Dane nodded slowly as he watched Addison’s frantic eyes. “What do you want done?”
    “I need you to get someone to forge some documents.” She replied as she looked around.
    “You what?” he asked, almost disbelieving what she had asked. “I can’t believe I heard you say that. You’ve only been around be a few times and already becoming a criminal.”
    “Can it Dane. I need someone to go to orphanage with Julia and say they’re her brother or sister, just someone so she can stay with me.”
    “Alright, alright. I’m sure I can hit up one of my clients for a favor. But this is going to cost you.” he replied, Addison nodded.
    “Name your price.” she replied.
    “I’ll need you to deliver a package for me.”
    “Whoa, I don’t deliver drugs!” Addison nearly barked. “Dane-”
    “It’s not that kind of package. I just need you to make sure she gets to a clients house unharmed.” he replied as he pointed to the sleeping girl on the floor.
    Addison looked at the girl, she was pretty, slender, dark chestnut hair with clothing all to revealing for her taste. “Fine. When and where am I following her to?” she asked,
    “Tomorrow morning, she’s got a date with Mr. Alcutta at his home on the south side. She knows where to go, you just need to make sure no one messes with her while she’s there.” Addison nodded and agreed. “Alright. Now you and Julia get some sleep. You’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”

    Julia looked over the back of the chair, “What’s going on.. Addie?” she asked as she looked around, “Can I stay?”
    “Yeah, you can. Let’s go get some sleep. I’ve got a busy day tomorrow.” Addison replied as she grabbed her bag and Julia’s. “C’mon.” she said as she started up the stairs behind Dane, Julia right behind them. Two flights later, Dane opened their door.
    “Your in luck. The bed is a double.” he said as he watched the girls go in. “Tomorrow, Addison. I’ll be in to wake you up.”
    “Yeah. Okay Dane.” she replied as he closed the door and let the two girls get their things together.

    “Addie..” Julia said a few minutes later, “What’s going to happen to me?”
    “Dane’s gonna get someone to make some papers, saying that they’re a relative of yours, and then they’ll sign over custody to me, and I’ll be the one taking care of you.” Addison replied as she climbed into the bed. “It’ll be okay. C’mon. Let’s go to bed kiddo.” she yawned as Julia climbed in on the other side and flicked the lamp off.
    “Thanks Addie.” she whispered as she drifted off to sleep.

    So far there's two chapters completed I'll post them up as they're done.