Lost Orphanage Part 2

Grace began to bring home many kids she found in the city or the forest. She then took it upon herself to teach the kids how to garden, make stuff, or use a gun. She also stopped neglecting her lessons in the hope that she could become a better teacher.

As years passed, the orphanage grew from two kids to three to four to twenty. Every child Grace came across, she would offer for them to stay at the orphanage. Most of them accepted, but a few here and there would go with Nene to look for their parents. Nene was great at helping them find their home.

"Grace," Luna approached. "I'm worried. I haven't seen Henry in three days."

"You know how he is. He's always wandering off to kill zombies."

"Yeah, but he always checks in through his pigeon but hasn't checked in since he left."

"I'm sure he's fine."

"We should go look for him," Luna said. "I'm worried something happened."

"Fine, let's look for him. But first, let me leave a note for Nene. I don't want her to worry."

"Is Nene not here right now?"

"She told me she had something to do in the forest."

"Do you think it has anything to do with the people Jonathan saw the other day?"

"Don't listen to anything Jonathan says. He's paranoid. Nene said it was probably just a large animal. Also, don't let rumors about that spread. It might cause a panic."

"You're right."

Luna and Grace entered the orphanage. Little kids ran around playing with a squirrel's pelt, and others sat on the floor cracking open nuts for a snack.

Grace walked into a large room filled with beds. She approached the third one on the left and pulled a paper and pen from the bedside table.

"Went to look for Henry. Be right back."

"Is that enough to tell Nene where we went?"

"She doesn't like long notes. Jonathan, do me a favor!" Grace flagged down the boy from across the room. "Give this to Nene if she gets back before we do."

The boy took the note, "You're going somewhere?"

"We are going to look for Henry. He hasn't gotten in touch for a few days now."

"Oh dear," Jonathan clasped his arm, looking down.

"You know something?" Grace hovered over the boy.

"N-no."

"Don't lie to me, Johnny."

"I really shouldn't say."

"Jonathan!"

The boy shuffled back and forth. He brought his thumb to his mouth and began nibbling on the nail. "I can't. I promised."

"Who was it that saved you from that horde of zombies?"

"Y-you did." Jonathan finally looked up at Grace.

"Doesn't that earn me the truth? Spill it, what do you know?"

"He has a girlfriend."

"What was that?" Grace held her hand to her ear.

"He has a girlfriend."

"Really? Can't you speak up? I can hardly hear you."

"He has a girlfriend, okay?" Jonathan looked over at Luna.

She stared back at him in shock, "Why didn't he say anything? Who is she? Why didn't he introduce me?" Luna shook the poor boy. Grace had to peel her hands away from Jonathan's shirt.

"That's why I didn't want to say. You treat him like your brother, but you're so obsessed with him, Luna."

"I am not." Luna's face turned red.

"You're so rude, Jonathan. You didn't have to point that out."

"Shut up, Grace." Luna stormed out of the room.

"I was just trying to help. Luna, come back! I'm sorry." Grace pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "So, where is he then?"

"In the city. You remember our old hideout?"

"Got it, we will be back soon."

Their childhood hideout was a simple house that stood firm in the wreckage of the world. Greenery grew all around it, almost completely hiding it from sight. Grace and Luna pulled back some foliage and crawled into the entryway. Gerry reached out to try to grab them. He growled loudly and clacked his teeth together.

"Why did you insist on trapping him there?" Luna sneered at the zombie who was tied to a nearby tree.

"Because he is cute." Grace waved at Gerry.

"There's nothing cute about a rotting zombie."

"I don't know. I just remember thinking that I didn't want Nene to kill him."

Luna rolled her eyes and walked up to the house door, practically kicking it in, "Henry! I know you're in here."

"What the? Luna?" Henry sat at a table with a girl. She had long blond hair and piercing blue eyes, and she was unlike Luna in every way.

"So, this is your type?"

The girl flinched and looked at Henry, "Who are they?"

Henry's face went pale.

 Grace gave it her all not to laugh, "We are his siblings, I guess."

"Speak for yourself, Grace." Luna scoffed, "I'm no sibling of someone who sneaks around and doesn't contact us for days."

"Five, these are kind of my siblings, Grace and Luna." Henry's face flushed red, and Grace broke out in laughter this time.

"You told Jonathan she was your girlfriend?"

This time, Five blushed.

"Shut up, Grace! I told him that I like her, not that she's my girlfriend."

"So, Five. Do you like him back?" Grace walked over to the girl and poked her shoulder.

Five covered her face, "We can't, though. I do, but…"

Luna fumed. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from the cute couple.

"Well, congrats then. Why haven't you brought her home, though?" Grace looked at Luna, "Is it because of this jealous little girl?"

"Shut up, Grace."

"It's not that. I'm hiding her."

Luna and Grace looked at the stunning girl and asked, almost in unison, "Who are you hiding from?"

"Someone took me from my home. I barely got away from them when I ran into Henry."

"Do you think her kidnapper is the same person Jonathan saw in the woods?" Luna asked.

"You know Jonathan has poor vision. That could have been anything that he saw." Grace said.

"But still, shouldn't we tell Nene about this?"

"No adults." Five yelled.

"She doesn't trust adults. Five told me that there were some adults she tried getting help from, and they tried to give her back to the kidnapper."

"But Nene always helps kids who lost their homes. Why would she treat Five any different?"

Luna, Henry, and Grace shared a look.

Then Henry turned to Five, "They might be right, Five. It might be safer if we asked Nene for help. I don't know if I could make the trip alone. Even if Grace and Luna joined us, it would be difficult."

"Trip?" Luna asked.

"I was going to take her home. Apparently, her parents live south of here."

"How far south do they live?"

"She says they traveled for three days by vehicle."

"Henry, that's too far. Even if one of us knew how to drive." Grace pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I know, but I have to try."

"Why don't you want Nene involved? She's a good person. Just let her take this girl and come back home already."

"I'm sorry. I'm causing all this trouble. Maybe Luna is right. We should talk with your grandma."

The trip back to the orphanage was quick. Finding Nene was another issue.

"She's still not back?" Grace asked Jonathan.

"I'm worried," The boy bit his thumbnail. "She left after I told her about the shadows that looked like people. I said it could have been a zombie, but she said she would check into it."

"Did she say anything else?"

"She mumbled something about them not coming near the orphanage. I don't know."

"Okay, I'll go look for her."

"I'll go with you," Henry said.

"No, if anything happens, I only trust you to care for the other kids."

"Hey!" Luna screeched.

"That's fair," Jonathan admitted.

Nene's trail was days old, but luckily, it hadn't rained, so it was still possible to follow. Carefully, Grace followed the trail, taking the time to look around as she did. Then she came across fresh tracks. That's when she saw them.

Nene stood across from a man who looked to be in his thirties. Nene looked on guard, and the man seemed relaxed as he smirked at Nene. They spoke back and forth, but Grace couldn't make out what they were saying, so she moved closer.

"…hard to find on my own."

What's hard to find? Grace thought.

The man moved closer to Nene, "What about the kids in the orphanage?"

"Never, they are family. I'll help with anything else, but never sell those kids."

"Who are you?" Grace popped out of her hiding place, "What are you trying to do with the kids from the orphanage?"

Nene jumped in surprise.

"Th-that's not-" The man sputtered, "I merely wanted Nene to get them to help with labor. Maybe even get adopted by some nice folks in my community."

"You don't fool us," Grace pulled a machete from her belt and pointed it at the man. "Nene always taught us not to trust adults. I bet you're the kidnapper, aren't you?"

Nene and the man froze, and a smug smile appeared on his face, "I knew you had her, Joanna."

Nene and the man drew their guns, pointing them at each other in an instant. "You know what happens to those who oppose The Twelve. So why are you hiding her?"

The man shifted, raised one hand, and signaled. A red dot appeared on Grace's chest.

Nene's face flashed with rage. She held her pistol tight. "Hurt her, and you'll never find the girl. I'll be sure of it."

"That's where you're wrong. We already have the general location of the orphanage. It won't take long for us to find it with you gone."

Grace's entire body shook with fury.

"Now, girl, if you don't want to die, I suggest you help me find Five."

"I'm not afraid of you or your cowardly sniper."

The man made another hand signal, and the red dot transferred from her to Nene. "What about now?"

Grace's blood froze as she watched the laser settle on Nene's chest. She narrowed her gaze and crouched slowly, setting the machete on the ground. Nene exchanged a look with her.

"Good gi-"

The man plunged to the ground, his back hitting the ground with a thud. A gunshot exploded, sending echoed through the forest just as Nene jumped to the side. She crouched behind a rock as Grace put the man into a hold while simultaneously using him as a shield against the sniper.

Another gunshot thundered through the forest, and blood spilled all over Grace as a bullet hole penetrated the man's skull. He went limp in her hands and dropped to the ground.

A red dot danced around for a second before it targeted Grace. She dove behind the man's body as another gunshot popped off in the distance. Then another, and another.

Nene popped her head out from behind her cover. Another gunshot was fired, and pieces of the boulder she hid behind scattered and hit her in the face.

"Nene!"

Nene pulled her rifle from her back and rested it on the rock. She took a deep breath, and at the end of it, she squeezed the trigger. A loud yell could be heard from a distance. Grace sat up from her hiding place, grabbing the dead man's handgun. She aimed at a person running off.

Three shots were fired, and three shots missed.

Grace turned to Nene. Blood dripped into the old woman's eye as she squeezed the trigger once more, missing her target as well. "Fuck!"

Grace rushed over to the Nene with her hanky in hand. She examined the wound, "You're lucky it only clipped you."

Joanna pushed Grace's hand away, "We need to get back to the orphanage."

"Are we bringing the kids to the safehouse?"

"No, It's too late for that. We need to check our perimeter defenses."

Grace's mouth gapped open, "Isn't that a last resort measure?"

"They have probably surrounded the forest. We need to get back now."