Sarah's POV:

  I know that Chole fell asleep after singing to me. It was a nice song.

   I wonder where she learned to sing like that it sounded like a mother's voice.

   Only she is not a mother.  Oh, how I wished she could be my mom.

   Please, I thought, please let her adopt me.

    As soon as I woke up, I got up slowly, not to disturb, Miss Chole. She looked so peaceful in her sleep. I smiled as I went to see Mr. Nathaniel.

  I could tell he was happy to see me. I also overheard him talking to someone before I entered the room.  I entered it, but no one was there with him.

     Perhaps, I imagined it.  Yes, that is it.  I talk to him. He tells me not to make Chole worry.

      I agreed, hugged him, and told him to take care.

  I warn him to keep away from the bad guys. I know he did it to help us, but he needs to be more careful. I would cry if something happened to him and Miss Chole would too.

     I do not think Chole knows it yet, but she loves him. How could she not?  He is way better to her than the monster was to here. I know because even my real parents who died were better to me than the orphanage workers and the other children there.

       I have a flashback to my past that troubles me. One, I never told anyone about not even Mr. Nathaniel.

  "  Sarah's Flashback..."

    I am in the cafeteria at the orphanage which doubles as a school. I sigh, the others have friends to sit with and I have no one. I sat alone as usual.

      The others scoff, "Sarah the loser. The girl who has nobody, because she is a nobody. She will probably even die a nobody."  I was hurt more than anyone knew.

     It was bad enough that they bullied me. To make it worse was the workers.

 Miss Mean Eyes, as I called the principal, and head leader of the place walked towards me.

   "Sarah Jane, you must sit with the others at once."  She demanded. "I can't they will hurt me," I said pleading with her to let me be. She was having nothing of it. "Girl, you shall sit where I tell you to." She pointed to a table full of girls. I sat there, but they refused to talk to or  look at me.

     How was that supposed to be better than eating alone?  I took one bite of my sandwich when this tall girl snatched the meal out of my hand and crushed it. Then, she throws it at me.  The others laughed at me.  Why were they always calling me names, taking my food, and hurting me? Why?

     I try to shove her hand away when she grabs my arm. "Let go of me," I yelled at her.

 She did not let go. She never did. She bites my arm. I winced in pain.

   I  stood up and threw a chair at her. It pinned her to the wall. I ran out of there and back to my room. I slammed the door and hid under the bed.

      Someone came and dragged me out of there. I was taken to a basement. At least, I think it was one and made to clean it. Day after day was the same, I was yelled at, bitten, and pushed for trying to defend myself.

      One day that all changed the day I turned ten. I gave up. I stopped trying to defend myself. It never did any good anyway.

     No one liked me.  The girls, boys, and leaders all hated me. I wished to curl up in a ball and die.

  Two days after my tenth birthday, no cake or anything special about it like the rest of my birthdays since age six spent there because that was when my mother and father died. It was when all those who loved me were gone.

       I screamed that evening after I finished cleaning up. My body ached from all the constant scrubbing.  Someone came and snatched me out of the shower, and attacked me. I was slapped, punched in the lip and nose, kicked in the shin, and someone even did other things so horrible I dare not speak of them.

      I swore I would die or run away soon because I had to get out of there.

One year later...

    I turned eleven years old. The others had been adopted. I was the last one left.  New children arrived and I was afraid to get close to them. Anytime I had before I was abandoned.

       I  did not bother trying. I gave up on friends. I gave up on love. I almost gave up on life.

      I was abused again. This time when she left the room, I hid in the closet. I changed into a fresh dress. I put on shoes and grabbed my teddy bear. I waited until afternoon when no one would miss me to leave. 

       I ran to the park and climbed a tree.

"End of Flashback..."

       The day, Mr. Nathaniel and Miss Chole found me was when my life began. At least, I felt like it was because it was the day I started to trust again.  I wasn't sure how I trusted them, but I did. 

  I also discovered I could heal myself. Not of the emotional or mental scars, but of the physical ones I could. I found out while in the tree waiting for some kind and generous people to help me down.  I sobbed onto my arm and it healed. Then, I caught a tear and spread it on my ankle and it healed, the same thing happened with everything that was bruised, tattered, or broken. Everything except for my hurting heart. 

      Physically my heart was healthy, but it had been broken by those who should have loved me but failed too. I also found a box that day under the tree. I had it with me along with my teddy bear. I opened it saw an anklet and put it on.  

       I never told anyone this so don't tell anyone. Please don't tell. I do not want the mean ones to find me. I can't let them. I mustn't let them. 

         I feel tears fall as I sit in the chair next to Chole. I see her wake up.

   "Sarah, what happened dear one?" Chole asked.

   "I can't tell you or they will try to take me away from you. They will know I told and they will do bad things to us all," I  blurted out.

     Chole saw my lip quiver and the tears as they fell. "Sarah, I promise not to hurt you."  I hear her say.

    "I know, but so did they at first, but in the end, they all hurt me." I  look away afraid to look at her.

   "Sarah, Jeff touched me in ways that a man should never touch a lady without her permission and I should have stopped him. I did not. I never told a soul. I was afraid for years that he would carry through with his threats and harm those I love. Then, I found you and knew I had to leave him.  I could not let him hurt you the way he hurt me," Chole said.  

    I looked at her shocked. "B-but you are so much braver than me," I said. "I am not a brave person child, but you can be," Chole responded. "O-okay," I said.

       "The people at the orphanage called me names, took my lunch, hit, kicked, slapped, dragged me, and made me clean the basement until my skin was all raw. They never loved me. They hated me, so I ran away." I explained.

       "Oh, Sarah, I am sorry, so sorry, " Chole said with tears in her eyes. I knew then she understood me because we had the same pain. Maybe from different monsters but the pain was real.

      Chole wrapped her arms around me. She was so gentle I knew I was right, I could trust her. She was different than the others right? She wanted to protect me. 

     "Do you love me?" I asked.  "Yes, Sarah, I love you," Chole said. I smiled and laid my head on her shoulder."  "Mom, I love you too," I said. I did not know she had heard me. I thought I had whispered it. "Sarah, I will try all I can to keep you. I will and I know Nathaniel will help us too." She said.

    "Yes, he will because he loves you," I said. Chole gasped. "He said as much, but he could never mean it. Not me, some other girl maybe but not me. I am nothing," Chole said.  I could not believe what I was hearing. How could she say that after all she has done for me?

     "No, Chole it is not true. You are someone, you're the lady who loves me. I love you, and you will be my mom and no one can tell you anything else." I yelled.

       Chole continued to hold me. I felt bad that it made her sad. I could tell because she was crying.

        "Sorry, Mom, don't cry," I whispered. I reached up and caught her tears. They disappeared.

 I was not sure how but the tears disappeared. More tears fell. 

            I kissed her elbow and it glowed, and then I saw the scar disappear. She did not judge me for what I had done. She loved me. Yes, there was hope after all because Chole loved me.

       The story continues in Chapter 16

     bye-bye,

little owlets!

Summer out!

     Edits Made to this Chapter 5-11-2024 (May 11, 2024/ Mother's Day)