Planets: Chapter Two: Food for Cheap (Part Three)

Kelsi’s bed was in a more “private” corner of the room. Her bed was furthest away from the door and was near a small square window. Many girls shied away from windows as a horse would from a snake since the windows would let in cold air during the winter. This seemed to be a small price to pay, at least to Kelsi. Beautiful trees from the forest were easily spotted from the window that brought in the needed sunshine for Kelsi’s survival. Shivers went up her spine as she remembered living downstairs without a window. Dark, dreary days surrounded her then and though life was hard now, the window seemed to make orphanage life more bearable.
There was less high school orphans than anything else. Even though there were many babies and toddlers they quickly were adopted before they were old enough to become high school orphans. The few high school students quickly left at their first opportunity, many leaving at age sixteen to work someplace else. The only high school orphans now were Kelsi and five other girls, including Olivia. Kelsi sometimes pondered on why Olivia was still at the orphanage. It was common knowledge that Olivia had been offered more than one home.
“Have a home now?” Olivia would often laugh, her voice filled with disgust. “Parents are more strict than Matron. I may’ve w anted parents when I was little but I certainly don’t want them now, not with all their crazy rules and kooky punishments. No thanks, count me out.” Olivia was often heard lecturing the other girls on the evils of parents.
“Easy enough for her to say,” Kelsi muttered to herself. “When one has millions of loyal friends and adoring subjects, who needs a loving family?” She flopped on her bed, wondering whether it was cold enough to take down the blankets ad put up the sheets.
The autumn cold seeped through the old window. Kelsi shivered. Winter was coming faster and faster, chilling everything in preparation for the freezing winter ahead. Tugging the three thick patchwork quilts down, Kelsi sighed as she thought of the weekend ahead of her. With the on coming cold the orphanage would be full of activity until every nook and cranny had been stuffed with newspaper and even the horrible large crop of turnips were bottled.
Hopefully I’ll be able to work in the garden this weekend. At least it’s close to the forest. Kelsi longingly looked out the grimy window towards the forest. She felt drawn to it, probably because she was found there, but the forest grounds were forbidden to all girls from the orphanage and many of the children that lived in town. The fact that the forest was “forbidden” also made Kelsi’s fascination with it stronger. Tall, imposing pines that made up the majority of the forest helped with the tales that were told. The forest was where strange things happened, many of them dangerous.
Kelsi pulled out several sheets and pinned them up, helping re-create the “cubicle” that was supposedly her own. Curling up on her bed, nestled among the four blankets, Kelsi closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. The smell of pine needles wafted in though the semi-open window. She exhaled and for a second all her fears and worries drifted away. When she was asleep the world was no longer difficult. The world was no longer there.