Untitled; Chapter Three

Topo was always curious about new comers and how they got there. The Noche Fire legends always seemed to have a mythical answer for everything; except how the orphans come to the orphanage. The new comers always say they don't remember anything, only the dark, coldness and fear they experienced while in the Well of Abandoned. Therefore, Topo was one of the few who wondered if the children really were abandoned, or maybe they were kidnapped and taken here. Not many questioned though, they did not want to bring any thoughts that they may have left a happy home that they should be desperately missing. They all wanted to think they came here for a better calling. Topo didn't feel that way; he wanted to know what was going on.

There was one girl, though. Her name was Lupa, Italian for "she-wolf" because of how dark, mysterious, and misunderstood she was. She spent her time in the dark room at the top(third) story of the Orphanage. It was a room with a bed, table, small cabinet of food, and a bathroom. It was lit only by candlelight and had shelves upon shelves of books. Lupa was a girl who many thought was crazy because she said she saw things. Not the future or any such thing, but more like, the past of the other orphans, and dangerous things in the Telarana Valle (Italian for 'Spider Valley', where the Orphanage was located). She had one day been getting water with Topo and suddenly froze and dropped the bucket.

Her eyes darted everywhere, frantically searching for something, but her body remained still. Her face went pale and Topo saw she wasn't breathing. He splashed the water on her face and she collapsed and choked. She said she saw something, but wouldn't say what. She remained in the dark room after that, and no one bothered her except to bring her food. Some say they'd seen her when they brought her food. Her eyes were a color of dying coals on a fire and her skin was pale and they could sense her soul had gone black. They said she was like a shadow in the room, slowly fading from existence. They said she was dying day after day. Topo remembered her when she was around him; her hair was a sandy blonde, her eyes blue and her skin was a beautiful soft tan color.

He could no longer remember her laughter or smile, but when he thought of it, he thought of the warmth and silkiness of vanilla. He had been the only one she had talked to and the only one she had showed herself to. They had been the best of friends, but not anymore. Topo had never gone to see her after the incident, but the urge to was eating him alive. But something told him the time to see her again would come, and it had not been any of those years. Topo stopped remebering Lupa and started shoveling the water again. The nameless boy came to him. "That man said I needed to talk to you about my chores. He said I had the 441 schedule, which means I do specific chores along with others in my certain group."

Topo sighed. "OK, in the morning you make your bed, you go downstairs and help make breakfast for your group, then after you eat you clean the cafeteria. Then you will proceed to pulling the weeds and stones from the paths to the creek and the paths to the doors on the orphanage. Once you're done, you'll get a fifteen minute break to do what you please. Then you'll help prepare the evening meal, then you'll get another five minute break. Then you'll filter the water, what I'm doing. Afterwards you'll go into the cafeteria, set the tables and eat. You'll clean your bunk and go to sleep. Right now you should be cleaning the paths since your time frame is a bit different than mine. Get to it."

The boy ran off to the front of the orphanage and began plucking up weeds. He was being fairly neat and doing a good job, something that all newcomers did at first, but soon got over it and began to get lazy. He saw the boy pull a daisy from the path. The boy hesitated with the daisy in his hand. He smelled it and froze. Topo put down the bucket and slowly stood up straight. The flower fell to the ground in slow-motion. The flower crumpled as it hit the ground. The boy was still frozen, but his eyes darted fiercely everywhere, frantically searching for something. Topo grabbed the bucket and ran as fast as his legs would carry him to the boy.

He took the water and splashed the boys face. Instead of choking like Lupa did, he thrust his hands to his eyes and screamed, "It burns! It burns!" He yelped in pain and sounded a bit like a dog. He ran to the creek and jumped over it, surprising everyone for it was a pretty wide creek for him to be able to do that. He ran into the woods and out of sight. Mr. Kurring ran past Topo and jumped the creek and fled after the boy. Topo feared if the boy wasn't killed by the deadly spiders that lived in the woods, that the boy would end up like Lupa. Topo knew it was time to see Lupa again.