The Pyle Inside

All I remember is seeing blue and red lights coming out of the window. I was holding my brother as tight as I possibly could. Next thing I know I was getting pushed in a gray volvo.Then, I felt my brother inching away from me. No! Don’t take him away! I thought. I felt a tear escape my eye and roll down my cheek. I felt my face crumple up. I look at him one last time. His curly brown hair, striking green eyes, and miniscule nose. My heart just shattered into a million pieces. There is only rain, constantly drowning the flower until it can’t go on. Dragged away, my baby brother. Alexander.

“I hate this orphanage!” I yelled at Allina, the staff here, “I hate it!” I despise this place, and I will never ever enjoy it here. First and foremost, I hate how these people took my brother away. I hate how they trick everyone into thinking they all will get adopted. I hate how they take away contented and jubilant lives. I hate how this orphanage has colorful green walls, posters with inspiring quotes, windows at every corner, butterflies, flowers, and hearts everywhere. As if being abandoned by your parents is okay.

“Aspen I know you are upset but—”

“I’m upset?! No way! What gave it away?!” I screeched at the top of my lungs. I look up at Allina. I am tired of seeing her short hair that frames her oval face. Her dark circles are as dark as a raccoons’. Afterwards, turned around and stormed off in the other direction. I sat in my diminutive dorm and fumed. I furrowed my eyebrows deeper and made my frown more prominent. My room has a large window, a twin sized bed, dresser drawer, night stand, and lamp. Additionally, to add to the list of reasons as to why I hate the orphanage, I hate this room, it’s like living in a seashell. I hate this life here. I picked up a book that was beside me. Reading is the only entertainment I have.  

“Aspen play with the little kids!” Allina ordered.

“No!” I retorted.

Allina wrapped her hands around my elbow and pulled up and out of my room.

“No! You can’t make me!”

Pushing, she made me go outside. I look around and see children playing tag, hide and seek, and riding the swings. Activities I don’t enjoy. Although it is chilly outside, the kids continue to run. The garden only has one swing, a small patch of grass, a sandbox, and a fence along the perimeter of the garden. Then, a kid jogged up to me. A kid with curly brown hair, green eyes, and a miniscule nose. Alex. Except this kid has eyes not as green.

“Do you want to write with me?” he asked.

“Uh… sure,” I replied back surprised that someone asked me.  

I was handed a piece of paper and pen. I sat down and started writing. As I started writing, I got more engrossed. I was in the middle of my sentence when—-

“Aspen! Quit writing!” Allina yelled. “I told you to go play!”

“Well maybe I don’t want to!” I screeched back. “These activities aren’t fun at all! It’s not what I want to do!”

“To live, doesn’t guarantee a life of happiness!”

Allina yanked the paper out of my hand, and crumpled it, letting it fall to the ground. She yanked my arm and pushed me to the crowd of kids. She is right. Being alive doesn’t mean you deserve happiness. You have to work for it. Even if it means risking everything during the

journey. Because in the end, you don’t know what’s going to happen. Which is why you have to try.

I waited for Allina to walk away. Once she went inside, I jumped over the fence and ran. I don’t know what will happen or where I’ll end up. But I know I will be happier anywhere else. Anywhere else.

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I wouldn’t believe you if you said I turned out to be one of the most famous authors in the world. But it happened. After that day, everything turned around. A woman took me in and everything changed. I now have a husband, a daughter, and a son. I never found Alexander and I still don’t know what happened to him. But I did find something. I found light at the end of the darkness. I found sun for my flower. I found bandages for my heart. I guess you could say I found happiness.