Chapter 9

Hey I'm Trudy Hale and I live with my parents. I'm an only child and I'm six years old, I'm about to start school and my life is currently perfect.

I wish that was how it happened but that is only how I imagine it to be. Everyday. I actually live in an orphanage in San Francisco. It's horrible here, I mean it's not that bad it's just I'm one if the children here who are different. I don't know why but I don't fit it with anybody I meet. I remember both my parents faces when the social worker took me away.Daddy had to have at least seven policemen on him to stop him try to get to me. Mummy was screaming and thrashing at the guards but there wer eto many. I later learned that the person that took me, definitely wasnt a social worker, it was someone who despised both my parents and their friends.

I dream that one day, Mummy and Daddy will come to the orphanage and take me back home and tuck me in every night and Mummy sings my favourite lullaby while Daddy is cuddling with me. I remember those days, the best days of my life. I pray evry night that it will happen but nothing happens.

Flashback:

Mummy was tucking me in when a loud crash sounded through the loft. "Mummy?" I whispered, terrified out of my mind, next thing I know I am being held up in the air and there is a big man with a gun pointing it at Mummy. Daddy is trying to get free while Mummy is on the floor, asleep.

"Daddy!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "Don't let them take me!!" I yelled while kicking and thrashing at the man holding me up. "Please!" I screamed before it all went black.

I woke up and I was being dragged away, Mummy was yelling for me to know that she always loved me and still does. Daddy was trying desperately to get away and towards me. "We will find you!! We promise, we will always love you" I cried and cried the whole journey with the man to wherever we were going.

But the oy thing I could think about what Daddy had said. "We will find you. We promise"

That memory still brings tears to my eyes when I think about it.

"TRUDY HALE. DOWN HERE FOR INSPECTION NOW!" Mrs Robinson yelled up the stairs. I made myself look presentable and headed down the rickety staircase.

I should probably explain how I ended up here, well I was left in the streets one night after the man told me to wait and of course I didn't, I ran and ran until I found the sheriffs station. I ran inside and asked the man if he knew any Hales. He looked the name up and nothing showed, I kept telling him that Hale was a real surname but he didn't believe me. He gave me a social worker and that's how I ended up here.

I stood tall and straight and Mrs Robinson inspected me for any dirt or grime. "Hands" I flipped over my freshly washed hands for her to look at. She nodded and I calmly ran back upstairs to where I keep my journal and personal belongs. I wrote down all my problems, fears and emotions in that book, no one has ever seen it because I only got it when I refused to talk about my parents to anyone so they said I would be better writing everything down instead.

This is my 2nd year here so far and its already like hell. I only have one friend and that's Archie, he stays in the room next to me, he always wanted parents, blood or not, he was always alone so we just stood by eachother. Tomorrow was adoption day, something I always avoided, I knew my parents would come back for me. No one believes they will and stand me next to all the other children and try and make me smile. Never happens. I haven't smiled since my parents and my family and it's going to stay that way. Archie is the only one that could have a fair chance at getting me to smile.

I woke up the next day and we were all sent to the orphanage nurse, an old humble lady who secretly helped all the children to get food and stay healthy. I was third to last in the line and I went up to the nurse. "Hi" I said in a quiet voice. She smiled at me and petted my hair. "Hi Trudy, here like everyone else is, for the all clear for adoption day?" I nodded and she did the usual check up things.

Once I was given the all clear I headed out into the reception. Mrs Robinson seemed to be waiting for me, she ushered everyone into a line and I stared out the window, we hadn't been aloud outside, so I was desperate to go and fo something out there. I was sort of zoned out when Mrs Robinson called my name. "Trudy?" She waved her hand infront of my face. "TRUDY!" She shouted, and I came back into reality.

I felt lots of eyes on me, some in a judging way but others seemed to be sympathetic looking. There was one set of eyes that felt familiar. I looked around, my body doing it's own thing. It led to the back of a man with light brown hair,leather jacket, and dark jeans. He turned around and my face turns into a massive grin to everybody surprise.

Archie gasped and Mrs Robinson looked taken aback at my reaction to the stranger. But he was no stranger to me.

"Uncle Peter!"