1 Chapter 1 – Evelyn

It's Monday morning, the sun is shining bright. Today is going to be a special day. Why? Because it's adoption day. I live in a small room, crammed with junk that I have collected from the floor, waste from the bins, and just anything I can find my hands on that doesn't look too shabby.

I share my room with four other kids, don't know why I call them kids, when I am the youngest of them all. The oldest one, Jason, his Seventeen. He is tall and lean with chocolate brown hair, and crystal blue eyes. I am like half his height.

The other two kids are Kirstin and Clark, aged nine and twelve. Kirstin is dark with very messy hair that covers her face. I rarely see her eyes but from memory it's black. Clark on the other hand is like the total opposite of Kirstin, pale with curly ginger hair and always has this charming look about him.

We are all super excited, every month on the first Monday, its adoption day. We normally have an average of about three kids who will be taken away. I wonder how they feel after they leave.

I mean for me, I have been here my entire life. All my memories are of this place. The long hallway with many small rooms attached on either side, filled with multiple metal beds that are dirty brown, and bed sheets that smell like they have never been cleaned before.

The big hallway, where we all get our metal bowls and line up behind one another and walk towards the kitchen lady who will then give you a spoon of the warmest soup with little scraps of meat and veggies. It's so good, it makes me feel so lucky, sitting on the floor drinking and picking up any missed bits with my fingers. It just makes me feel so lucky and fortunate to be here.

"Evelyn! What are you doing?"

"Sister Maria…I am trying to blend in with the others."

"How? Look at Jason, Kirstin and Clark"

"They are all cleaning themselves up and making themselves look good and wanted. What are you doing?"

"I like it here and you like me here. If these people really want me, then they will settle for who I am, no matter how dirty I am."

"Evelyn honey. I love you too. I do like you being here but think about your future. You are still young, you can make the most out of your life…"

"Come on, clean your hands, wash your face and come to the kitchen once you're done. Okay?"

"Okay mum."

"Good Girl."

That was Maria, she is one of the elder sisters here. She has been looking over me from as long as I know. I like her, she's very nice to me and always spoils me. I love it when she just sits next to me and gives me a kiss on my forehead and wishes me good night. I always have a restful sleep when she does that

I should really get ready now, at least make it to the kitchen and see which one of my friends are leaving for good. I really hope it's not Jason, Kirstin, or Clark. They have been my roommates for just over two months. All the previous kids in my room have left.

I spit into my hands, and start rubbing my face, using my metal cup for reflection. Water is too scarce here. The idea of sacrificing my only cup of water for the day to make myself look more presentable is silly. I just need to get rid of some of the dirt I smeared on my face earlier. After a good few seconds of doing this, I look fine, my skin is lighter, I still have a smudge on my cheek but nothing obvious. The only obvious thing about me at the moment is that I smell like saliva. Eww.