The talk of the 'girl with a towel' diminished as Jimmie walked up the stairs with the rest of the kids. While Jimmie herself had not seen what had happened, she knew it couldn't have been good. How did that peabrain forget to get dressed for dinner? she thought. They were all hungry, but none of them had been so desperate that they didn't put clothes on. Jimmie shook her head at the ignorance the newcomer had, as she searched down the hall for room number seven. The door was closed tight, and Jimmie waited for the band of children to disperse from the hall before she knocked. When she did, there was no answer.

"Hey, kid, you in there?" Scotlynn heard her muffled voice behind the door, and covered herself with a blanket. An assortment of tissues used and clean surrounded her form on the bed, a couple having fallen to the floor. Her uniform had dried and was tucked away in her dresser, a corner sticking out from inside the drawer. Jimmie's knocks persisted despite being ignored, and finally she just opened the door. "Kid?"

"Go away," Scotlynn muttered from under the blanket. Jimmie stepped over the clutter of books and clothes on the ground to reach the bed.

"It's not that bad, I tell you if it were me I would have socked anyone laughing, yes sir," she told her tugging the blanket away. Scotlynn grabbed it back and wrapped it tightly around herself, only sticking a socked foot out to kick the other girl away. "I wasn't the one laughing, don't get after me!"

"Go. Away," she said again. The sound of children outside the open door made Scotlynn's skin crawl. Jimmie might as well have invited the whole facility into her room to laugh at her mistake. She felt the bed shift under Jimmie's weight as she let herself hop on, a cloud of dust from recess exhaling around them.

"I'm sure glad it wasn't me though," Jimmie continued. "I'm not dumb enough to make a mistake like that, I mean, we wear clothes every day! How do you forget?" Not considering to take her shoes off before sitting on the furniture, Jimmie scooted back on the bed and plopped her feet over Scotlynn's blanketed form, crossing one over the other. "I wouldn't mind goin' without, but Miss A. would blow her top if I did."

"GO AWAY!" Scotlynn yelled, shoving Jimmie's feet off of her. The blanket slipped off but she didn't grab it again. Jimmie, in surprise, nearly toppled off the bed and caught her hand at the last second on the bed post, twisting her wrist. She rubbed it with a frown in Scotlynn's direction, who had stood up to stare out the window. Jimmie craned her neck to see around her but still didn't see much. Something rolled on the floor from under her feet. Before Scotlynn could see it and think about swapping it with the treasure of another girl, Jimmie grabbed it so she could judge it herself. It was small, and fit into the palm of her hand. Cylindrical in shape, but only an inch high. A glass dome was on one end while the other was open, collecting dust inside. Jimmie frowned at it.

"What's this?"

Scotlynn saw that the bed no longer kept her find from the supply closet. Her annoyance and anger at her unwanted company suddenly subsided and she was at her side. "I found it," she answered.

"I can see that," Jimmie almost snapped, but calmed her voice the next second. "What is it?"

"I-I don't know-" Scotlynn watched Jimmie examine it in her hands. It was much smaller in Jimmie's hand than it had been in her own. It gleamed a dull gold from the light on the ceiling.

"It's not very pretty, is it?"

"I don't-" It was instantly handed back to Scotlynn, more so tossed back into her hands, her nearly dropping it. "It's for you..."

"Me?"

"You-you said you would-wouldn't tell Miss Atkinson-if I found you something..."

"That's it? Come on, surely you found me something better than a broken cereal box prize," she sneered. Scotlynn felt her face burn up and her eyes water. Jimmie walked over to the bookshelf and trailed her fingers over the spines, searching for anything of her interest. Scotlynn watched her, unsure of how to approach the situation. "Surely this room...haunted as it is has something."

"You-you promised!"

"I did no such thing!"

"You promised!"

"Look kid, I didn't promise anything. I only said if you found something-that doesn't mean a piece of broken...junk," she said, trying her best to ignore the large tears spilling out Scotlynn's eyes. "Now, that's not to say I'm gonna blab to Miss A. about Ink Blot or whatever it is you call him, but you know how she is about strange people, especially men." Scotlynn turned away from Jimmie, hiding her soaked face. "He could hurt one of the other kids, he could hurt me!"

"He-he wouldn't-wouldn't hurt anyone," Scotlynn hiccuped in desperation.

"We don't know that, you don't know that," Jimmie said. Her curiosity had taken her to the other side of the room to the dresser. No batteries. "If you're not gonna tell, I might-"Jimmie ducked as the item flew over her head, smashing into the wall surely leaving a dent. It hit the floor and rolled under the bed, back and forth, coming to a complete stop. For the first time in her life, Jimmie looked scared. Scared of a four year old. Scared of the strength she possessed. Scotlynn had taken to a corner of the room, grabbing the blanket from the floor and wrapping it tight around herself, crying, in a position Jimmie would label as, 'a fit'. Taking her hands away from the dresser drawers, she backed up making for the door. She could see out the window now, though there was nothing to behold. Miss Atkinson had to take another break from her work at the front desk to help Miss Grandall corral a rogue child, one who refused to come inside. Jimmie wanted to laugh but held it in. School was in a few days and the girls had, with their years, to go into town and shop for supplies. Needless to say, not all of them were eager, her being one of them.

But Bon Scott wasn't outside.

Jimmie picked up the item Scotlynn had found to give her and studied it. What she would do, or could do with it she had no clue, but-it was interesting to look at. It could have been anything, anything at all. Lots of kids had treasures that only had one simple purpose, but this could have many.

Looking back up at the four year old in the corner, she frowned. It wasn't the battery she wanted, but...maybe...

"Hey kid." Scotlynn turned her head to see a foot kicking her own. She pushed it away. "Ya' know, it makes me feel a little funny to see kids cry...usually I don't mind, but only on the football field. Sometimes I laugh." Scotlynn didn't feel any better. "This obviously isn't a battery," she started again.

"I couldn't find-find one."

"As much as I would have loved to have one, I-I did say it could be anything...an' you know," Jimmie said, taking a seat next to her, holding the item out. "This really ain't so bad." Scotlynn wiped her nose on the blanket, a good amount of teary snot coming out. Jimmie didn't mind, she'd seen worse. "Maybe...maybe it used to be part of a spyglass, or a fake eye...I dunno."

Scotlynn didn't answer, giving Jimmie a chance to really take in her size. A girl that small shouldn't have been able to throw so hard, or beat an older girl enough to draw blood. Maybe being on good terms with her would be a better plan.

"An', hey, ya' know, you'd do real good on the football, or cricket team."

With those words, Scotlynn watched as Jimmie held the object close to them, both of them inspecting it and coming up with all kinds of uses for it. Before they knew it, it was dinner time. Before she knew it, Scotlynn's tears had dried.

The 21st arrived presently. The front of the orphanage had been packed with kids at six in the morning, all of them bundled in winter coats and noses buried in scarves. It was appreciated among the new students that the first day back should take place so late in the week, yet they dreaded the coming hours the same. The girls were separated into groups of twenty, ensuring they all got a seat on the buses that were to take them to the school down the road. It was an old private school that required everyone to wear uniforms. Most were not drawn to that idea, particularly the older ones. With every girl in her new uniform under a thick coat, holding a backpack filled with various supplies, they waited for the buses.

Scotlynn woke up to the thundering footsteps that morning. Having trouble returning to sleep, she decided to stay up, grabbing a coat and her locket with her. After being jostled enough times in the hallway she chose to stand behind the gate, watching the older girls. Several of them were nervous, this being their first day. Others were simply returning after a fine summer, and already knew arithmetic.

Miss Atkinson stood behind the gate too, making sure each of them got on the bus fine, and that none decided to play hooky. Her whistle was on the ready, in case someone made a run. Of course, Miss Atkinson herself wouldn't be the one to go after them, that job was left to security. Scotlynn's cold hand rested in Miss A.'s plump warm one, the other hand fiddling with the locket. Next year, it'd be her turn to go.

Maybe Bon could get her before then. Maybe he wouldn't make her go.

One by one a school bus pulled up along the curb, taking in the next group of twenty girls. It took some minutes to get everyone situated, by which then the bus before it had already left. No one ran, no one ditched. In a few hours they'd be back in time for a warm dinner and homework before drifting off to sleep.

Jimmie Bean was standing with her friends in her year, the seven year olds but Scotlynn never saw her over the heads of the much taller ones. A few girls were going to the high school and wore slightly altered versions of the standard uniform. Miss Atkinson eyed them with a sneer. "To think we paid for those," she mumbled to herself, seeing as someone had torn holes in the tights.

The autumn air was filled with cold silence as Miss Atkinson sighed, forcing a smile on her icy face. She checked her watch. It was now seven in the morning, right on time. "Well, another year starting off a success," she beamed looking back out into the street. "That is, assuming no one sets the chemistry lab into flames."

Scotlynn tried wrenching her hand free but Miss Atkinson had a firm grip. Her whistle was placed back in the pocket of her overcoat and she finally noticed the little girl next to her, pulling in the direction of the gate. "Oh! My dear, I forgot about you! Were you supposed to be on the bus?"

"I'm four," Scotlynn said, still tugging to go forward. Miss Atkinson nodded, as if just remembering the circumstances.

"That's right, forgive me, dear. Well. Looks like you'll have the place to yourself, won't you?" she smiled down at her. Scotlynn stopped tugging. "Of course, you'll probably want to stay inside today, go back to sleep."

"I'm not tired," she lied.

"Oh, well it's still going to be a cold one, I'm certainly not going to be dallying out here if I can help it." With that, Miss Atkinson had Scotlynn following her inside the building, Scotlynn turning her head around to get one last glimpse of the street. The buses turned the same corner as Maude's new parents did. The corner to freedom.

The warmth hit her face making her yawn but she hid it in her sleeve. Miss Atkinson didn't notice as she continued to lead Scotlynn past the front desk and up the stairs to her floor. In the halls Scotlynn could hear a few babies crying, the sound only louder had the door been open. Scotlynn's shoes trod the floor and the pudgy woman glanced at her with narrow eyes, annoyed at having to drag her. "Let's pick our feet up, dear."

"What am I gonna do?" Miss Atkinson searched up and down the hall for room seven.

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone's gone."

"Oh yes, well, I suppose you'll be lonely, won't you?" Scotlynn pictured Bon coming to see her, without any kids getting in the way or telling on her. It felt far from lonely. "You could stay in the nursery, but after living there for years and just recently leaving, I assume you want a break?"

"Dunno..." she mumbled.

"What's that, dear?"

"I don't want to," she decided. Miss Atkinson stopped at room seven and opened it. It was still a mess, the floor covered in clothes tossed in search of something else to wear. She gazed at the floor and back at the little girl.

"You could clean this room for a start, that should keep you busy."

"When are they coming back?"

"Hmm? Oh, around three, dear. They'll be sent to their rooms to finish homework then called down to dinner accordingly. Not much difference in routine. Though, with the weather getting colder, our outside time will be greatly reduced."

Scotlynn thought about what the word 'reduced' meant. She had heard it before, but couldn't quite remember. The thought was pushed aside for a more important one. "Can I go outside?" Miss Atkinson stopped in her track down the hall and turned around.

"Just you?"

"Y-yeah."

"I think first you should go back to bed and get some more sleep," she said with a straight face, but not unkind. "Then maybe clear a path so you can get to your door and dresser, then if Miss Grandall isn't busy today, as she gets some time off, we can ask her to accompany you outside for a bit. Yes, I suppose children still need fresh air, even in autumn." With that, the pudgy woman was down the hall and descending the stairs, leaving Scotlynn to herself in her room. Forgetting about sleep, she moved all the mess on the floor under her bed and left the room, leaving the door open a crack. No one else was there to sneak in.

Making sure to keep quiet step behind the pudgy woman, she followed her down the stairs and stole away into the mess hall, to the kitchen. Miss Atkinson sat down behind her desk, taking great time to remove her tight overcoat and scarf. Once behind the doors to the mess hall, Scotlynn felt that pang of loneliness wash over her. Such a big room so empty made her shiver, despite the warm activity from the kitchen where Old Shana was washing up dishes from the early breakfast.

"I've never seen so many students," she said to her fellow cooks behind the door. "The biggest bunch we've had in years. It wouldn't surprise me if one of them disappeared an' we couldn't track the poor thing down." Scotlynn heard footsteps and dived under the table, hitting her head on a chair leg. The kitchen door opened and with it came Old Shana. "Come to think of it, my niece had a school bigger than the one we have an' there weren't nearly as many kids attending."

"Maybe it was flu season," a much younger voice said. Old Shana pursed her lips, then shook her head.

"No, that wasn't it...or was it the other way around?"

"Sad to see so many orphans," the voice said. Old Shana nodded.

"A damn shame, pardon my language." The old woman nearly had a heart attack as Scotlynn pushed a chair out of her way and came out from under the table. "Oh! Dear me, child. Where on earth did you come from?" Scotlynn didn't answer but looked at the table behind her. "Oh, never mind that. Did you just wake up?" Her eyes widened and she nearly dropped the bucket of dishes in her arms. "Oh my goodness-did you miss the bus this morning?"

Scotlynn shook her head and held out four fingers. Old Shana blinked.

"I don't know what you're saying."

"I'm four." A look of realization and what Scotlynn saw as relief dawned upon the old woman's face.

"Oh, yes, four years. You're not attending school yet, are you? You know my sister was just the same age as you. And she went on to school just like the other kids, all of them years and years older. Or...was it my brother?" Old Shana saw Scotlynn turn around in disinterest and gave a look of pity. "It's mighty early for you to be up so. Did you want a few more hours sleep?"

"I'm not tired," she lied again.

"Oh. Hungry, then?"

Scotlynn nodded.

"Well-can't say I blame ya'. With all the girls making such a racket the babies in the cribs all woke up an' cried for food. Not that you're a baby," she added before Scotlynn could frown. "All right, then. Ladies?" Scotlynn imagined a group of heads turn around behind the door in the kitchen. "Break out the pans again, we got a little one not goin' today." Someone Scotlynn had never seen before opened the door.

"She sick?"

"Too young. This here is Roxanne, she's only four."

"Scotlynn," said Scotlynn.

"Nice to meet you, Roxanne, you can sit anywhere, we'll bring your breakfast to you. Pancakes okay?"

"Those will be fine, Georgia," Old Shana answered for her. Scotlynn was picked up and placed on the same chair she hit her head on. "Now you just wait here for your pancakes, I've got to get these dishes cleaned up before the food dries. An' I don't normally make time for an extra meal for just anyone, ya' know. Say thank you."

"My name is Scotlynn," said Scotlynn. Old Shana tilted her head and pursed her lips. "Thank you," Scotlynn mumbled. The woman smiled.

"Georgia will be out in a minute, shouldn't be long." And with that, Scotlynn was left alone in the mess hall, the sound of pans and cupboards in the room next door. What she couldn't hear, she could smell. The room was also much tidier and prettier when there wasn't a hoard of girls eating a meal in it. Maybe Bon would like to see it. She wondered where he ate his food, that is to say, since he traveled all over the world, he doesn't eat in one place?

Scotlynn thought she could see the faintest hint of snow falling outside the window. Snow in September wasn't unheard of, especially in London, but Scotlynn would have preferred to be outside, even if breakfast was being made just for her at the same time. She imagined Bon standing by the tree outside the gate, smoking his cigarette. She laughed at the image of snow glittering in his hair. It'd take more than a few snowflakes to blanket that mop.

A plate was set in front her of, three pancakes with a square of butter on the top one presented. Georgia tucked a napkin around her collar, and began to unbutton her coat. "Here, let me take this, dear, you'll be more comfortable."

"I'm going outside after breakfast," Scotlynn told them quickly. It wasn't a full lie, but she wasn't sure if Miss Grandall would be able to accompany her. Scotlynn wished she wouldn't. That way, Bon could.

"By yourself? I don't think such a small thing like you should be going out alone, everyone here needs someone to watch over them."

"I have someone," she answered.

"Oh, is Miss Grandall staying here today?" The four year old kicked her feet back and forth and looked down at her plate, doubting she'd be able to finish the meal. "I thought for sure she'd visit her nephew out of town...Well, eat up, dear. You'll need energy if you're going out in such weather. I'll place your coat here and you can pick it up when your plate's empty." Scotlynn grabbed her fork and wolfed the pancakes down, quite sure she'd be able to finish now. Georgia lightly smiled and walked back into the kitchen.

Careful not to choke before she could see Bon again, she finished her meal and stood up to leave, her feet hitting the ground as she hopped off the chair. It was nice to breakfast in peace with no other girls making a mess of the place, or laughing at her honest mistake of forgetting to dress. Grabbing her coat, she was paused by a hand on her shoulder and a glass of milk set in her hands. "Drink this, it'll wash it down." Scotlynn stared at Old Shana standing above her as she drank. The cup was handed back without the usual thank you and the coat was grabbed once again, the girl running out of the room with a white mustache on her lip.

Miss Atkinson was still at her front desk when Scotlynn came in. A white phone was in her hand held to her ear, the other hand twirling a pencil above a notepad. Scotlynn made sure the door didn't slam behind her. "Yes, I see...no, I haven't seen anyone of the sort around here...I assure you, this is a safe and protected building, not to mention the home of many young girls." Scotlynn now crept behind the desk against the wall, out of sight of the pudgy woman. She slipped her coat around her shoulders, and stayed behind to button it, happening to hear the next words. "This is their home! You can't just send everybody away because of one person!" Miss Atkinson lowered her head and tapped the pencil tip to the paper. "I-I understand. But do we really need the police..." She sighed and wrote something down. "What was that number again?"

Scotlynn considered staying behind, to wait until Miss Atkinson had put the phone down to ask what was going on. Scotlynn couldn't understand who was being sent away, or what the driving force was, but it gave her an inky feeling in her heart. The chain in her pocket was gripped tighter than before, her fingers sliding the metal around. Fearing her opportunity would slip through like sand, she stole out the backdoor to the yard, not bothering to ask.

Miss Atkinson would tell her not to worry anyway.

Snow had indeed been falling as Scotlynn ate breakfast. The grass wasn't green anymore, and instead was coated with a white layer of powder, still accumulating. Her black buckled shoes left the tiniest of prints leading up to the gate, where the tree stood without any sign of company. No footprints, no rings of smoke.

No Bon.

She considered waiting for him. After all, something about him told her that he didn't wake up with the crows. Getting caught and rushed back inside became a greater risk, but she didn't care. There was only one of her, and none of the adults seemed too vigilant today.

A car drove by. The street had now been covered with flakes, most of them flattened by tires. A man walked down the sidewalk across the street to a diner, but this man had blond hair, and was much too tall. Someone with fluffy brown hair also appeared, but this was a woman. Scotlynn was sure Bon wasn't one of those.

Leaving the gate she walked the length and pulled the locket chain from her pocket. It was just as empty as the day she got it. The day she found it, rather. She had still refrained from asking anyone whether it belonged to them. Certainly they didn't miss it, or they would have asked. And since it was empty...

She considered asking Bon. Maybe it was his, or from someone he knew. She began to think about his family. She wondered if he was married. If he had kids of his own, he might not want another one, one that wasn't his. One who picked up dirty lockets from the ground and came to the dinner table starkers. One who wasn't wanted in the first place and was left at an orphanage that was soon to be out of business, according to Miss Atkinson and the phone. Perhaps then, he'd have to take her.

Her foot slipped on a patch of snow that was wetter than the rest and fell on the white grass. Her pants were soaked, and her black coat had a trail of fresh mud. The locket flew from her hand landing in some spare mud, the silver stained with brown. It felt gross to pick it up again, but she couldn't lose it. Not if she were to inquire Bon about it.

When she stood up to brush some mud from her hands back where it belonged, she saw someone else outside the gate. Two people, from the look. They both had unruly hair, one standing much shorter than the other. Despite their voices still too far to recognize, Scotlynn could hear them laughing, a few words, then another laugh. The man she hadn't seen before also had a cigarette, and had stamped it out with his boot, much like his companion. Only he pulled out a small box from his pocket and lit another one.

Her heart beat slightly faster as she waited for them to walk closer. If this was in fact the man whose company she had so long been since craving, the first thing she would do was ask about the locket in her hand. Maybe it belonged to his friend, or his girlfriend if he had one. Their voices were louder, Scotlynn could begin to make out the taller man's face, that same nose, those same eyes. He didn't see her, but he was close enough to hear. "Bon?" she called from behind the gate. "Bon! B-"

"You're covered in muck!" a woman cried, stealing the child from the ground and carrying her to the building. "My goodness child, I came out to beat the dust off the rug and I find you-out here by yourself, and in this weather! " Scotlynn was held tighter after struggling in Mrs. Vitello's hold. "I'll call the school and let them know you're a bit late."

"I'm four!" Scotlynn screamed, hoping Bon would hear and come to her rescue. He did no such thing.

"Four?" Mrs. Vitello repeated. "Oh, stop squirming! Four or not, you should never be outside the building without an adult. We're cracking down on that rule rather hard this year. All month we've been receiving complaints of some trouble makers lurking about and we don't want our girls in any more trouble than they place themselves."

Scotlynn stopped squirming. Miss Atkinson must have been talking about this when she sneaked outside. Curious about the situation, and hopeful that this adult wouldn't turn her down, Scotlynn dared to ask.

"What's he doing?"

"Oh-we're not yet sure at the moment," Mrs. Vitello said. "We're not sure he's even a man, to be honest. Could be anyone. A teenager. One of our own. But witnesses say they've seen suspicious behavior in front, behind, and around our orphanage and some very important people are calling us...telling us they don't like what they're hearing. What we're all hearing." Scotlynn was set down on the floor of the building and the door was closed behind them. Mrs. Vitello removed her gloves and coat, hanging them up in her private closet given to her the first day of the job. Scotlynn left her attire on. "They don't want you girls in danger and ending up on the news. We explain that we don't want that either, and that we do our best to keep you all-" The woman sighed and put a hand to the girl's shoulder, lightly pushing her down the hall. "Sometimes they refuse to listen, especially when it's a man arguing with one of us. Really grinds my teeth."

"Do we have to leave?"

"Leave? Heavens no, this is your home! Where else would you go?" There were those same words Miss Atkinson used earlier on the phone. If those words were used by more than one member of this establishment, they were most likely important, and true. Though Scotlynn could think of one other place she wouldn't mind going to, even if just to visit.

Besides the moon, of course.

"Scotlynn? Where did you come from?"

"Found her outside, Mabel. Alone, and you know what kind of bullets they're wounding us with about that," Mrs. Vitello said.

"Oh yes, thank you, Maria. I'll take her from here."

Mrs. Vitello left the two alone, and Miss Atkinson set her phone down running her hands through her hair, her elbows on her desk. Scotlynn reached up and grabbed the walnut name tag, tracing her fingers on the blue lettering she had yet to understand. The pudgy woman smiled despite her recent activities. "Miss Grandall is leaving town, Scotlynn," she said. The four year old seemed not to hear. "You're not allowed to go outside without her. You know that."

"Why not?"

"Because it's against the rules."

"Why?"

"Always has been."

"She said it's gotten worse." Scotlynn pointed down the hall where Mrs. Vitello had retreated to. Miss Atkinson nodded, her red hair swinging loosely over her shoulders.

"Can't say that isn't true. But it's nothing you need to worry your little head over. Come here, you can help me file these records in alphabetical order."

"I can't read."

"Oh yes, that's right. Maybe you should have gone to school today with the rest. Oh well, go on back to your room and change your clothes, you're a mess. I'll send up for some new ones, okay, dear?" But Scotlynn was already gone.