An Unexpected Gift

At first, Gabriel's stay in that place was tormentuous. He had ceased to be the cheerful and imaginative boy he once was and lacked any desires. Life had lost all meaning for him. Angry with God, he constantly reproached Him for taking his parents and leaving him alone. 

Despite sessions with the psychologist and talks from the parish priest, who tried to explain God's purpose in life, Gabriel became a withdrawn child who merely fulfilled the tasks at the orphanage, nothing more, nothing less. He had lost the joy of living and no longer felt any interest in reading those wonderful stories that once transported him to a dream world. 

It was January. In the third year of his stay there, something unusual happened on his fourteenth birthday. That day, which used to be special in better times, a package arrived with his name and the orphanage's address. When he opened it, he found a very worn book. 

It had fine binding and hard covers, with a beautiful illustration of a ring in relief and indecipherable characters engraved inside, set against a background of a map with mountains, territories, forests, and rivers. The book was "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien, with one thousand three hundred pages. 

—Thank you. —Gabriel said to the priest without showing emotion, only out of courtesy. 

The priest smiled and clarified that he was not the giver of the gift, nor was it anyone from the orphanage. 

— It seems you have a friend out there —the priest replied. 

Gabriel did not inquire further, believing Father Mario's words were an attempt to cheer him up and that the giver was undoubtedly the priest himself, as he knew no one else outside. He put the book away; he hadn't felt any interest in reading for a long time. The next day, while Ana, a woman in her later years and somewhat overweight, served him a bowl of soup, she said: 

—I suppose they didn't give you that book of witchcraft... 

—The book the priest gave me? —Gabriel asked, surprised. 

—My God! —exclaimed the woman, crossing herself. —So, they did give it to you? 

—What's wrong with it? —Gabriel asked. 

—Who knows! But coming from an old man with a crazy look, you can expect anything. 

—A crazy old man?" Gabriel thought. "Father Mario? 

—No! How could you think that! I mean an old man with a crazy look who approached me on the street when I went shopping. 

—I thought it was the priest. Besides, I don't know any 'crazy old man' —said Gabriel. 

—You don't know him? He seemed to know you very well. He clearly told me: 'Give this book to the boy Gabriel.' And he also asked me to tell you he was a friend of JV... or something like that. 

—JV, what a strange name! I don't know anyone by that name —Gabriel responded. 

—You don't know anyone...? I knew it was a trick! Who would come up with such a ridiculous name? That's why I gave the book to Father Mario.

The emphasis Ana placed on not reading the book piqued Gabriel's curiosity, especially after she claimed it was a book of witchcraft. He would soon discover it was much more than that; it was the discovery of an impressive world, a world populated by elves, hobbits, dwarves, orcs, wizards, and all kinds of fantastic creatures. That world was none other than Middle-earth.

This would not be the only book he received from that enigmatic "friend." In the years to come, more books of the same genre followed. From that point on, Gabriel found in the orphanage not just a refuge, but also a community of lost souls who shared his fate. Despite his initial withdrawal, he gradually built relationships with the other children and the staff who worked there.

Among the children, Gabriel became a sort of older brother to some of the younger ones. He told them stories before bed, filled with adventure and magic, inspired by the books he used to read before sadness enveloped him. These narrations became a nightly ritual the children eagerly awaited, a brief respite from the grim reality surrounding them. With the orphanage staff, Gabriel developed a relationship of mutual respect and gratitude. The director, a woman with a compassionate gaze and a soft voice, was always willing to listen to his concerns and offer words of encouragement. The caregivers, although often overworked, always found time for a smile or a kind gesture towards Gabriel and the other children.

However, not all interactions were positive. Some children, like Gabriel, carried the scars of abandonment and loss. Some of them, in their pain, became resentful and hostile, seeking to vent their anger on others. Gabriel learned to deal with these attitudes with patience and understanding, knowing that the pain they shared united them more than it separated them. In summary, life in the orphanage was marked by a complex web of human relationships, in which Gabriel found both support and challenges. These interactions greatly shaped his character and his perception of the world around him, preparing him for the challenges he would face in the future.

When Gabriel turned sixteen, a new phase of his life began to unfold before him. After his morning lessons at the orphanage, he spent four hours each afternoon working as a messenger in a nearby office. Every peso he earned was another step towards the independence he so longed for, each task completed a victory in his struggle for a better future. And so, in time, the day came when he finally turned eighteen. The wounds of the past, though still present, had healed, and Gabriel was ready to face the world that awaited him beyond the orphanage walls. He said goodbye with a strong hug to Father Mario, who over the years had become a second father figure to him, a beacon of guidance and support in difficult times.

As he crossed the orphanage gate, Gabriel paused for a moment to look back. There, amidst tears and smiles, stood Father Mario, Ana with her imposing presence, and the children to whom he had brought comfort with his bedtime stories. Each of them represented an important chapter in his life, a reminder of the bonds he had forged on his journey to adulthood. But while he contemplated the past, Gabriel also looked ahead, towards the future that awaited him on the street stretching out before him. It was the beginning of a new life, full of challenges and opportunities, and Gabriel was ready to embrace it with courage and determination. With a firm step, he stepped into the street, certain that, no matter what, he would always carry with him the memories and lessons he had learned at the orphanage.