It had been weeks since Ben had been rescued by Akito. But then beautiful older boy had never returned. Ben wondered where he lived if not in the city. The city was the only home the orphan had ever known. He heard there were trees out there. Not single standing thin ones like the one at the end of backer's street, but huge ones taller than a house. And not just the one, but forests. It all sounded like a fairytale to Ben, or an alien world. He had trouble picturing a landscape without concrete and brick.
Snow had begun to fall, marking the harshest months at the orphanage ahead. The bullies had all but given up mocking Ben for being gay now that he no longer curled up in shame about it, but the chill was harder to shrug off.
Ben had all but forgotten the shooting star he'd wished upon almost a month ago, but today, yet another miracle was taking place.
"Ben, get in here!" Mrs McRoy, the caretaker screeched. It was never a good thing for the adults to call your name, they all knew. Ben felt his blood freeze in anticipation for punishment as he franticly tried to think of what he might have done. Tylor and Jenny sniggered at his misfortune, making Ben paranoid that they may have framed him for something bad.
Ben shuffled over to the caretaker's office in his newspaper-stuffed, oversized shoes. At least this room had some heat to it. No wind whistling through these walls. There was a seat at the other side of Mrs McRoy's desk, but Ben knew better than the sit down.
Mrs McRoy sat down and began sorting through her cluttered files, making Ben more anxious by the minute. Mrs McRoy finally spoke after a heavy pause.
"You've been away from the orphanage a lot these past weeks..." she observed in a leading tone. It was true. Ben had been gone often, discovering his sprouting sexually with the dirty magazine. Then later pining for Akiro, hoping to see his angel again. Neither story was one he could tell the caretaker about. Nor about how he'd been avoiding the bullies.
"Well?..." She demanded. Ben figeted.
"I'm just exploring the city, Mrs McRoy, mam."
"And who have you been exploring it with?"
"No one, mam," Ben said.
"Then why have you been requested by name?"
"Requested?" Ben asked.
"Yes. Requested. For adoption." The meaning hung in the air for a long time. Ben wasn't sure he'd heard correctly. As if sound had been delayed in reaching him, Bens eyes slowly widened to shock. His brain struggled to restart from the revolation.
"Someone wants to adopt me...!?" This had to be a trick. Another evil prank. A trap of some sort. But Mrs McRoy was anything but amuzed.
"Why are they requesting you?" Ben wanted to know the same thing. But there was more to this than a simple adoption. Why would Mrs McRoy be so upset?
"I don't know..." Ben answered honestly.
"Who have you been talking to?"
"No one."
"Do you expect me to believe you? Do you think it a coincidence that you'd get randomly adopted out of the blue the same day that I get informed of an impending inspection!? You're behind this, aren't you?"
"I don't know anything about that," Ben tried to explain.
Mrs McRoy reached across the desk as quick as a viper and grabbed Ben by the throat. This wasn't like her usually cross, but ultimately disinterested canings for troublesome orphans. There was murderous rage in her eyes. Ben felt the wrath in her grip crushing his windpipe.
"You think I'll let the government take my job? You think you can expose my embeselment? I earned this. I put up with you scavenging virmin for decades to get where I am today, and I'm not letting you take it from me!"
Ben tried to gasp for air as he kicked and thrashed off the ground. She was going to kill him!
The door flew open, revealing a tall, broad shouldered, hulking man in a crisp, clean, midnight-blue suit under a tray cloak. The man's huge hand gripped the caretaker's arm tight enough for her to instantly release Ben's throat in a cry of pain.
"What's the meaning of this!?" Was all Ben caught the man say before he passed out.
He awoke soon after, being carried in the large man's arms out of the orphanage. He caught a glimpse of Tyler and Jenny's shocked and jellous faces.