CHAPTER THREE

Addilyn spent that entire morning explaining everything to Eliana who at first did not believe anything that was being said to her until she saw the proof and almost immediately she was all in. Eliana was more excited than Addilyn was, she kept asking questions , she thought about it so much it was hard for her to pay attention in her classes and instead of doing her chores she spent most of her time day dreaming about leaving. She was so happy to know that their was a small way she would be able to leave the miserable place she was in and finally have a life of her own.

Although her excitement was a good thing, it scared Odelia, she was afraid that something about their plan would slip out of Eliana's mouth and get them all in to trouble but of course Addilyn always found a way to reassure her.

For two weeks the girls managed to have small meetings in the attic to grow their plan. They talked about girls that would be good enough to help and wouldn't say anything to anyone but so far all the girls they had seen around did not have the qualities they were looking for. Their was no one they were able to identify that would be willing to steal or a prefect that would actually help.

By now they had already spilt up the tasks they would be in charge of and just two more girls to fill the spots.

Eliana was in charge of the transportation since she was the only one able to contact someone outside the orphanage, Odelia was in charge of lookout and timing since she knew the time tables of everyone around the orphanage and Addilyn was in charge of keeping the plan together and recruiting two other girls she thought would be able to help.

Nobody had a clue of what the girls were planning, every time they snuck into the attic at night or when they weren't in their dorms getting ready for bed and someone saw them they either did not care enough to be suspicious or were suspicious but not enough to care, spy on them or tell anyone.

Things were going good for the girls and they became comfortable to do what they were doing. They didn't care whether anyone saw them go up to the attic or see them come out of it late at night since they were convinced no one really cared about what they were doing.

Two weeks later during supper, the girls skipped, like they always did and went to the attic. They walked up the stairs leading up to it and entered the small dirty room happily and began to make themselves comfortable.

They stayed up for a while talking and sharing ideas, making sure to write down and remember as much as they could and in no time they were done but when they stood up to leave they heard footsteps coming from up the stairs. Someone was going to the attic.

This happened a lot, someone would come in and peep once in a while other times they would actually go in the opposite direction and not in the attic and so the three girls were unbothered. They took their time and continued to talk to each other while they arranged everything they would use for the next day but as they did so the footsteps got louder and closer. Now they could hear them in a distance it was almost like the person walked and stopped to listen to them and then continued to move slowly and closer.

Odelia volunteered to go out and have a look to see who was coming, she wasn't afraid at first because she didn't hope to see anyone important but the minute she saw who it was she began to panic.

She ran back as fast as she could to the attic even though she didn't go far she went back inside panting like she had ran around a whole field.

"It's Birdie hide everything!" She yelled but tried so hard whispered

All three of them were panicking now Addilyn and Eliana immediately began to hide everything, all the papers they had been writing on, the pencils they had used, the letter and pictures and immediately pocketed them not caring whether they would get wrinkled.

This had never happened before when some girls went up the attic and saw Addilyn and her friends, it was never a prefect or any of the sisters. So when they saw Birdie it was unexpected and completely frightening.

They tried to move quickly and hide everything faster but the quicker they moved so did Birdie, her footsteps went from soft to quick, they could hear her shoes move on the shaky steps and could hear the dust particles make noises against her shoes they weren't fast enough, even when they finished they knew they were done for. They couldn't hide or run she was already to close.

"Take them out" someone commanded.

They looked up and saw Birdie, her voice was calm and collected but demanding she looked at all three of them up and down as if she was disgusted to even be around them.

"I said take them out" She repeated

Odelia closed her eyes in defeat and let out a heavy sigh. She looked over at Eliana who had began to take out the papers and the pencil she had stuffed in her pocket and Odelia did the same.

Both girls handed them over to Birdie who pulled them away from their hands angrily nearly ripping the papers.

"Now you" she said pointing at Addilyn whose heart was already starting to pick up speed, she was so scared that she felt pain in her stomach and had an urge to throw up.

She thought of all the bad that would happen if she handed the letter to Birdie the punishment she and her friends would get would be unbearable. Sneaking to the attic during meals and at night was one thing but planning an escape was something bigger.

She stayed standing completely zoned out telling herself the same thing over and over again "you're fine just don't give it to her"

"Just say you have nothing"

Birdie walked closer to her and Addilyn's hands started to shake she held onto the hem of her uniform slowly tugging at a loose string at the end of it.

"Give me what you have" Birdie yelled impatiently and still Addilyn didn't move. She kept looking at Birdie straight in her eyes and tried so hard not to look way.

Birdie looked back at Odelia and Eliana who were already staring up at her.

"I'm not giving you anything" Addilyn finally said.

Her hand was now tightly pulling at the the short loose string at the hem of her uniform, moving her finger around it pulling it harder and harder until it finally snapped off.

Birdie let out a sigh of frustration,walked even closer to Addilyn and began to forcefully pull out whatever she had in her pocket. She held on to her pocket with both her hands and began to yank at it. Birdie was strong and Addilyn couldn't push her away no matter how hard she tried.

"Get away from me!" Addilyn yelled

"Don't touch me!" She yelled again trying to push Birdie away from her

She pinched her arm but Birdie didn't move, she stomped on her feet but still Birdie didn't move.

Birdie pulled at Addilyn's pocket even harder and in the process tore it leaving a huge hole on the side of her hip revealing a small part of underwear.

Eliana gasped loudly and her hand went to her mouth and Odelia stared in shock.

Addilyn looked at her uniform that now had a huge hole in it moving all the way from her hip to a small part of her thigh.She couldn't believe how big the hole was and it left her at a complete loss of words.

Birdie was not in any way phased. She looked at the letter she had got from Addilyn's pocket and put it together with the papers the other girls gave her and without any other words she walked out of the room and the girls looked at each other in disbelief.

******

Two days after the incident, everything was still the same it was almost like nothing had happened, it was like Birdie took the letter, threw it away along with the papers and immediately forgot about it. She barely acknowledged them and hardly looked at them it was back to the same old routine. At first they were relieved but the constant fear of knowing that at any moment they would be called into the Prioress's office kept them on their toes. None of them were sure Birdie had forgotten and every time they passed by her or saw her around she acted like she did but they were never sure.

They knew the punishment they would get would be heavy and the fear of being sent away just like the other girl's were kept all three of them up at night.

Addilyn and Eliana stayed close but Odelia was angry she barely spoke to them and the only form of communication she made was when she waved at them in class. Every time Odelia she saw them walk in her direction she would quick turn the other way.

She was just as afraid as they were but she turned that fear into anger, she was angry at herself for helping in the first place and angry that they got caught. Every day was scary for her she knew that anytime soon she would be called to see the Prioress and if that happened it would be the end for her. What other orphanage would take in a black girl and not use to work or even her or auction her away, this was the best she had and it was slowly going away.

Staying away from her friends made her almost forget all that had happened, it made her less anxious and the less she saw them, the more the thoughts about it all were pushed aside.

Another two days passed and still nothing happened and for Addilyn it became frustrating. She had had it, she had already lost a friend for something that was most likely not to happen.

If something was going to happen she wanted it to happen, then at least she wouldn't be worried all the time. She was scared but impatient and annoyed by the fact that nothing was happening. What was taking Birdie so long? Addilyn had told Eliana about how she was feeling and that she had decided she would confront Birdie about it.

During breakfast her and Eliana were standing in line just like everybody else until they both saw Odelia walk into the kitchen. Her hair was held up in a tight bun as always and she had an apron on which meant she was serving the breakfast in the kitchen. The minute both of them realized that they immediately followed her.

They walked into the large kitchen that was filled with smoke, loud noises of mummies from girls talking to each other,pans falling and utensils being set aside. A lot of girls were in the kitchen serving gruel, some talking amongst themselves as they separated bowls,others washing dishes with cooks. Eliana was the first to spot Odelia who was collecting rubbish and getting ready to throw it out.

The girls walked up to her slowly and when she saw them she let out a groan

"What?" She said in annoyance

Eliana nudged at Addilyn who looked at her nervously and said nothing. Odelia looked at both them, her eyebrows raised in confusion, she let out a sigh and walked outside to put the rubbish in the dustbins.

"Don't follow me if you have nothing to say" Odelia said angrily as she started to put the rubbish in the bin.

"I'm going to talk to her" Addilyn determinally told her

"Who?"

"Birdie" Eliana replied

Odelia looked at both of them completely dumbfounded, she couldn't believe what they had said it was almost like they had no idea what kind of risk they were taking.

Addilyn began to pace around as she held tightly at the hem of her uniform whose hole had been perfectly sewed back thanks to Eliana.

"I'm getting impatient and-"

"You're getting impatient?" Odelia said slamming the the rubbish she had in a small bucket on the ground scaring Eliana

"You should be happy nothing terrible is happening. Do you have some kind of death wish?" She yelled

The look on her face made Addilyn feel like a small child being yelled at by her mother.

She stared hard at Odelia almost like she was challenging her. Even she knew that talking to Birdie was risky but she didn't want to wait around.

"If we are getting a punishment why is it taking so long" she argued

Odelia looked at her and scoffed "I'm trying to figure out whether you're crazy or just the stupidest person alive. Your reasoning is stupid do you even understand what you want? "

"I want my letter back" Addilyn mumbled

Odelia didn't know what to say talking to Addilyn was like talking to a brick wall she would stand and look at you like she was listening but in reality she was pushing your words away.

"I don't think you should do anything" Eliana said

Even to her it seemed stupid why couldn't Addilyn just leave it as it was?

Addilyn looked at both of them, Odelia angrily walked back into the kitchen and Eliana followed her. She couldn't believe it one minute all three of them were planning a great escape and then the very next minute, after one small mishap they were all out.

What if Birdie hadn't told anyone? What if she didn't even read the letter or even look through the papers?

She stood outside alone and asked herself all those questions.

After long thought she walked back into the kitchen and then out of it going ahead to the dinning hall were she saw Eliana and Odelia already seated and eating their breakfast, she made sure not to look there way and walked past them, went out of the dinning hall and started looking around for Birdie.