Friend or Foe?

18 years ago 1910

We barely have anything to eat usually, especially during winter. In our orphanage they'd have throw you out once you reached the age of sixteen. There are some really tough eighteen year olds here for some reason. There is nothing you could say to them for fear of being thrown into the hospital wing. Which was only a small corner of the big room. So what do you do when there is a really tough group you don't want to offend by just existing? You become their slave, their punch bag, their stress reliever, their family. I go up to them and I start a conversation. I am telling them how "amazing" and "powerful" they must be, and that I want to join them. And soon enough they started eating the lies directly from my palm, just like some brainless birds.

After a few months I was able to climb up the "ladder" of their anarchy, and almost became one of the head's right hand. But before that could happen I had to do something to show him that I would be "devoted" to only him. I had to put one of the children in the hospital wing.

'Take a deep breath in Eden, it's not that hard' I thought to myself. Even though I knew it wouldn't be too hard I was still a bit nervous. I choose the weakest child from the whole orphanage. It's a baby. The tiniest of them all. I pick him up. He looks up at me with a pained expression on his small and sour face, but his eyes have nothing but gentleness about them. I clasp him tight, close to my chest and start climbing up the steep stairs that lead to the roof. That is where I have to finish the job.

They are waiting for me, the head of the group and a bunch of other guys. I walk up to them, trembling like a chicken that just saw a fox. It might also be from the chillly breeze of October. The baby looks and seems fine, not even trembling like I am. Maybe he just knows he will be put out of his misery, or he magically finds me to be a rather soothing person to be around. However that would hardly be possible. I get closer to the leader, and he starts talking to me.

'Eden, you are a very obedient person. I would love to have you as my right hand. All you have to do is throw the "thing", off the roof.' He looks straight into my eyes and makes a gesture towards the other guys to get out of my way. As soon as they see their boss indicate for them to step aside they do as they are told. I move towards the edge of the rooftop, but I immediately hear a really loud voice.

'STOP RIGHT THERE!' shouting from behind me.