Home 1928, Canada Ontario Chapter 1

"TIGER WHERE ARE YOU, YOU BRAT, I'm gonna beat the hell out of you!" Yelled Lady Helga, one of the nuns in St. Alexander Hemis orphanage. Scurrying the room as lady Helga redens looking under every bed and covers. A little boy around 9 sitting at the top of the church's pointy roof. Ashy, brunette hair swerving in the wind while his olive skinned nose is stuck in his book in his drags. Tiger balances himself with his toenails like claws barring into the roof. Ears that have hearing of a wild animal, scans noises to warn him of danger, as if he were a wild cat himself.

Helga brings out another yelp, "TIGER THIS IS URGENT, YOU'RE BEING ADOPTED!" Distracted by the news, Tiger loses his balance, sliping and stumbling down the steep roof. Catching his grip at the windosill, he pulls himself up to see Lady Helga heating like a kettle. "A-a-adopted?" He repeats Lady Helga. "Oh for god sakes where were you, ya know what don't answer that, it's the best day of my life and your mistake of an existence is wanted somewhere else, I can finally be rid of you." Lady Helga displays her honest opinion. Grabbing Tigers arm, Lady Helga drags the child to the exit where a man and a woman are waiting patiently. "This is the boy you wanted, he didn't have much but this stupid book, he's yours, take him." The couple looks at each other and then at Tiger. "Well you must be Tiger Maxwell, I am Cherry Smith and this is my husband Herald Smith." Mrs. Smith greets the boy, smiling with her cherry red lips, blue eyes and dark brown silky hair tied back in a hat. She's wearing a green flapper. Mr.Smith, looks much of a drunk shakes tigers hands. "It's a pleasure," he says.

The ride to the farm was quiet, although Mrs.Smith attempted at conversations, Tiger's thoughts have blocked his passage of speech and was unable to answer.

"This is your new home from now on, Tiger, aren't you excited?" Mrs.Smith asks, still wearing that bright smile. At last the boy decides to say something, "Y-y-ya" he stutters. "Oh come on be grateful you were even given a home, I'm telling you Cherry, this boy is gonna be a pain." Expressess Mr.Smith. "Oh nonsense, he's just shy, give him a chance, he'll warm up to us in no time." Stands up Mrs.Smith.

Mrs and Mr Smith live on a farm, large land, with a barn and a corn field. The house has 2 bedrooms, one bathroom, two stories, looks old and about to collapse. Tiger steps into the home, sense of cigars and booze in the air. Careful of Tiger's observations, Mr.Smith seems to be drunk. Scared to move any further from the door, Mr.Smith himself pushes him forward. "What's wrong with you boy, keep moving.""Don't mind my husband, he's a bit uneasy, come on let me draw you a nice warm bath." Tells Tiger under her breath.

The boy strips down, standing in front of a mirror, he hasn't eaten anything in the past 5 months. He's skinny as a skeleton. Tiger slides into the bath, as his thoughts start to darken, the water starts to boil. His eyes slide wide open in an attempt to calm his body temperature. "Is everything alright in there?" Says Mrs.Smith knocking on the bathroom door. Silence, "Can you say something, please, I just want to know if you're okay." Asks Mrs.Smith once more. "I-i'm fine, thank you." Words finally slide out of the boy's mouth. "If you don't mind, I brought some clean towels and pajamas." Mrs.Smith leans holding laundry. Silence, taking it as a yes, Mrs.Smith opens the door putting the towels and pajamas on the chair. "I hope you'd warm up to us soone, I'd love to know you better, there's nothing to fear." Exclaims Mrs.Smith as she closes the door.

Staring at the wall of the bedroom, Tiger closes his eyes and falls back onto his bed. Heflips to the side and his eyes are now staring at the lit candle by his bed. Strange how fire doesn't have a shadow, just like the boy. There is this belief where if the fire is calm, then there isn't any negative energy within the building, however if the flame starts to dance, then something bad is happening. As the flame reflects in Tigers eyes, it suddenly starts to dance. CRASH! A loud bang from the downstairs floor. Tiger jumps up on his two feet and stands still to listen for more sound. Mrs.Smith and Mr.Smith are fighting. The boy creeps out into the hallway and squats at the steps. Plates flying everywhere, bottles crashing. It smells strongly of vodka. Mr.Smith seems to be drunk.

"Please stop it, you're scaring me!" Begged Mrs.Smith.

"Then wHy did we let some strange BOY INTO THIS HOUSE?!" Mr.Smith slaps Mrs.Smith.

"We needed the money, it was your idea" weeps Ms.Smith.

"EXCuEs ME!!! Are you accusing me of your mistakes!?" Mr.Smith says preparing to punch Ms.Smith. Horrified, Tiger springs to action, quickly getting in front of Mrs.Smith catching the fist in a split second of time. "You're drunk, go to sleep." Tiger says trying to be intimidating. Mr.Smith snaps his wrist out of Tiger's palm. Surprised, Mr.Smith becomes angrier. He chuckles. "You're a brave little boy, think you can be a hero, don't fight other people's fights." Mr.Smith shoves Tiger to the side, tumbling into a table. Mr.Smith continues to attempt at hitting Mrs.Smith.

"DID I STUTTER?!" Tiger stands up fearing for his own life. "No Tiger, don't, he said it's not your fight." Mrs.Smith stops the boy. "You didn't answer my question Mr.Smith." Tiger stands. "You dare SPEAK UP TO ME!" Mr.Smith says smashing his vodka bottle on Tiger's head. Mrs.Smith screams as Mr.Smith punches and kicks Tiger until he's partly conscious.

Mr.Smith crashes onto the couch, and Tiger rolls over into child's pose, coughing out a good dosage of blood. Though his blood isn't red, it's orange, like fire. The blood burns a bit of the floor and Tiger quickly wipes it before it does any more damage. He looks over at Mrs.Smith, seems as if she fainted. With the little strength he has left, Tiger drags Mrs.Smith to her bed. He climbs back down to clean up the glass and bring Mrs.Smith a cup of water at her side table. Then he collapses on his bed.

Squirming and folding, Tiger wakes up with a head full of flames, shocked. He had that nightmare again of his parents. Tiger punches his hair to knock out the fire from his hair. He jumps out of bed swadling down to the kitchen in his pajamas to an unknown sent. "Good Morning Tiger, how'd you sleep?" Asks Mrs.Smith as if nothing happened. "I-i-i slept fine thank you. H-h-how did y-y-you sleep?" The boy stutters trouting around the kitchen. "I slept like a baby, I don't even remember getting in bed, I guess I was just really exhausted." Answers Mrs.Smith with a grin. "Sit down, breakfast is ready." The boy sits at the table, while Mrs.Smith puts a circular flat cake on the plate in front of him. "W-whats this?" Tiger sniffs the meal as it could be poisonous. They didn't teach trust in the orphanage, so Tigers always on his tippy toes sensing any sort of danger. "It's a pancake, have you never had one? Well that's depressing, come on try one, it's Mr.Smith's favourite." Explains Mrs.Smith sitting herself at the table as well. "W-w-where is Mr.Smith?" Picking at the pancake with his fork, interigates Tiger. "Well Herald is at the bar." Mrs.Smith face saddens holding a smile. Hiding a great sadness is almost impossible to people who aren't naive, especially to those who are sad themselves.

For the rest of the morning, Tiger offers Mrs.Smith to help clean up breakfast. "Hey, um i-i-s it alright i-f I explore the town?" Asks Tiger wiping a plate dry. "After you meet the neighbors." Says Mrs.Smith washing the cups and forks.

Wearing the new boots he was given, Tiger walks down to meet the neighbors uncomfortably. "May I please take o-o-of these boots, they're uncomfortable?" "Nonsense, you don't want people thinking you're some animal." Knocking on the door of the first home, a little boy, around Tiger's age answers. A mix coloured kid, with deep blue eyes, freckles splattered all over his face. "MOM!" Yells the kid looking back. The mother comes running putting on an earring. "Wha- oh Cherry! Is this the orphan?" "Yes, Tiger this is the Geralds, Billy here is also an orphan just like you." Greets Cherry. "Why won't you two come in for tea, I got some extraordinary gossip for you." Mrs.Gerald drags Mrs.Smith inside. Staring at Billy, Tiger seems to have zoned out again. "So, wanna go upstairs." awkwardly says Billy looking around.

Tiger and Billy sit on his bed awkwardly waiting for somebody to say something. "How are you liking King Township?" Says Billy. Silence once again. "Hey, Mom's probably gonna be talkin for another 4 hours, want me to show you our town?" Billy jumps onto his two feet when Tiger nods yes.

The boys sneak down past Mrs.Smith and Mrs.Gerald out the back door. Billy lends Tiger a bike and they both ride into town. "Why don't you speak?" Billy asks, peddling. "Are you scared or something?" "S-sorry, I-." Tiger cuts off his tongue. Biking down to town, Tiger hears a cry for help. He stops and a hult, drops the bike and runs towards the cry. "HEY, where are you going!" Crashes Billy. Hurrying to keep up with Tiger, Billy trips,cutting his leg pretty harshly. "OW!" Tiger rushes down to Billy, ripping off a scrap of his shirt, tying it on the cut and throwing Billy over his back. There's no time to stop now, somebodys in trouble. Picking up his paste, Tiger finally arrives at an indigeunous girl being tormented by a group of caucasion boys. "HEY! Leave her alone!" Tiger yelps out. "Look it's two more freaks," one boy yelps out. "What are you gonna do huh?" another boy says leaning the girl over the edge. Anger starts to boil in Tigers blood, and before the third boy tries to speak, he comes up behind him, kicking a tooth out and grabbing the girl from falling. The white boys stand still in fear, "boo." Tiger says, steadying the girl. The caucasions scurry out of there in fear. "YA you go Tiger!" Excitedly, Billy punches the air. "T-t-hank you." The girl says in perfect english. She's wearing a traditional European dress and hair braided back. "Are you running from the Residential schools?" Asks Tiger. Surprised that he knew that, the girl nods. "Please don't take me back, I beg you!" "Which tribe are you?" Tiger asks. "Blackfoot." she answers. "Well that's in Alberta, I can get you home." Tiger says observing the girl. "But that's hours away, when the hell will you find time for that." Billy protests. Silence, Tiger leads the girl and Billy to the bikes. "We'll go on Tuesday when school starts, no questions asked, speak a word of this and you'll face consequences." Explains Tiger getting on the bike. "She'll just need a place to stay at until then." "Thank you, but I really don't need your help, and we're only like what 9, where is that gonna get us?" Says the girl, "I feel like you do, this world is dangerous and we can protect you." Billy agrees with Tiger.

The kids arrive in town, parking their bikes at the horse stable. They strudel along Kingtownship, observing every building until they arrive at the library. Without a word, Tiger walks into the receptionist. "What may I do for you today young lad?" The librarian says. "I am looking for a map of Canada." Tiger answers. The librarian leads him to a globe. "We don't have specific maps, but we do have globes." Says the librarian. "Well it's alright, I've been meaning to study geography for a while now." Responds Tiger.

Billy - "So what's the plan?"

Tiger - "Calgary Alberta is farther than I thought, I'll be able to give you directions, but we can give you supplies for your trip home."

The girl - "I appreciate it really, I haven't caught your name's? I'm Yindi."

Billy - "I'm Billy, and this is Tiger, I can offer you to stay at my place until then, I'm sure mother wouldn't mind."

Yindi - "That'd be wonderful."