Aralynn and Adonia quietly stepped past the living room. Reaching the door Aralynn felt her sister tugging on her hand. She looked behind her to see the soft, silky blanket lying on the stairs behind them. It was the only thing left from their parents. Ara told her sister to stay by the door while she silently reached for the blanket. As she was walking back the blanket got caught on the glass table that had several little glass figures. One of them was a pale angel. As it fell to the ground it landed and glass shards scattered everywhere. Ara looked up at her sister and told her to open the door. They both knew that their adoptive parents would come downstairs and see them trying to escape. Adonia started pulling on the door but it wouldn’t budge. Ara finally pulled it open just in time before Mr. and Mrs. Tucker came down stairs. They were running out the door when Nia tripped on her shoes. She fell in the mud; it had been raining the day before. Ara quickly pulled her up before the Tucker’s started screaming at them to come back.
“They can yell for us to go back but we aren’t going to.” She thought. She and her sister kept running. They finally turned the corner and just barely made it on the city bus. They rode to the next stop so they could eat. Ara had only a few dollars but it was enough to get them a hamburger. They stepped inside the café and the manger eyed them suspiciously. Ara went up to the register, still holding Nia’s hand, and ordered them a hamburger with one small cup of water.
“Three twenty-five” The manager said, still staring at her suspiciously. Ara handed over the four dollars she had and got $0.75 back. Not much money, but enough to keep them going until they were forced to beg on the streets. They got their food and sat the farthest away from everyone possible. They opened the bag, but before Ara pulled out her sandwich she saw the manager on the phone. They were busted. Ara grabbed the bag, the cup of water, and her sister’s hand. They ran out of the café so fast that they made it out before the manager could catch them. When they finally got to the bus stop they rode to the park and ate the rest of their lunch. They were starving. Ara wondered if they should go back to the orphanage or try staying alive out here. She decided to go back to the orphanage; at least there they could have food and a place to sleep. They got up and took another city bus to the orphanage. When they got there all of their friends were so excited. Hope ran up to them and squealed in delight. Ara and she had been best friends since they were little. Not long after everyone saw them, it got quiet. Too quiet. They looked towards the doorway to see Ms. Stone staring at them. The worst part of coming back was having to face her. She was cruel, mean and shouldn’t be doing anything with kids. She waved them over to her office and sat down in her over sized chair.
“You’re back…”She said unenthusiastically. The girls wondered if she was trying to get every kid out of the orphanage just so she could quit.
“They kick you out again?” she kept muttered. They just shook their head and tried to appear calm and not worried. Eventually she stopped talking and sent them out to eat with the rest of the kids in the dining hall. They were relieved. Adonia went off with her friends as so did Aralynn. Hope was still ecstatic and was rambling on and on about what happened while they were gone. The 7 o’ clock bell rang which meant it was almost bedtime. Everyone got up and went to their rooms. As Ara laid down she pulled out the one picture she carried, the only one she ever had. It was of her parents. They were perfectly happy and in love. What happened to them? Did they escape the fire? Ara sighed and sunk down into bed. She had a feeling like she would have nightmares again. She had started having nightmares right after the fire. She slowly closed her eyes and blocked out al the noise around her. Only focusing on her mom’s voice that seemed so far away, but yet so close…


She woke up with a start as the alarm bells rang. She grasped her sister’s hand and ran as fast as she could to the door. It was hot against the palm of her hand. She winced as she heard a big crash. Ara instructed Nia what to do and they opened the door, breathing in the hard stench of ash and smoke. They got low to the floor and heard voices. Her mother was screaming and trapped. Ara and Nia crawled over, coughing from the stench that was literally drowning them. Their father told them to go and they crawled away. Suddenly, the cabinet crashed on top of them and all that was heard was the quiet ember of the fire.


She had been having nightmares like these since the fire in their house. They always ended the same way: Her parents died. Ara had to wonder where they were and if they were alive. She didn’t like being in the orphanage. She was still breathing hard as she glanced at the time. She then brushed her teeth and washed her face. She went down stairs to the dining hall, deciding to talk to the cook. They had always had long conversations. They got along pretty well. She always said that Ara was older than she looked. The cook was no where to be found and the morning bells rang, saying it was time to eat.

After breakfast, Aralynn looked around for the cook and when she found her she told her about her experience in their last foster home. She listened as intently as ever and for a second she seemed like she was thinking about something else.

“What are you thinking about?” Adonia questioned. She looked around as if to say it was something important and shouldn’t be said aloud. She motioned for her to come closer and Adonia did.

“They think…they found your parents. They have been living in a small place outside town. After the fire they escaped out a window and ran. They were looking for you and asked the police and it brought them here. I was in the room this morning when the police were here and I heard everything. Ms. Stone seemed perfectly fine with letting you go with them. I think she just wants to get rid of you though…We will see tomorrow.” Adonia stepped back in shock and looked at her with wide eyes. It couldn’t be true…their parents had found them? It was so much to comprehend all in a second. She had to tell Adonia, and she had to break it to Hope too. She started to walk away when the cook grabbed her by her sleeve and pulled her closer.

“And don’t you dare tell anyone, I could lose my job.” She looked at her with a stare that said she wasn’t joking. She nodded more out of fright then anything else and walked away. While she was walking back to the halls she recalled a conversation between her and Hope. Hope and she were outside lying under the big oak tree and Hope asked,

“If you were adopted, what would happen to me?” Aralynn never realized that this possibility could occur in a few days.

The next day Adonia and Aralynn were called up to Ms. Stone’s office. Sure enough it was about her parents she was excited with joy but yet it was still heartbreaking that they were going to have to leave all of their friends. Soon, they were brought with the news they were getting adopted. Hope tried to act happy but Ara knew what she was thinking about.
On the last day they had together Ara took her out to the oak tree.

“Remember how we were sitting here and you asked what would happen if I got adopted?” She nodded tears brimming the edges of her eyes. Aralynn smiled and watched the face of her friend look slightly confused. “I know what’s going to happen; my parents are going to adopt you too!” She looked at Ara her face wet with tears.

“Seriously?!” She screamed. She grabbed Ara and hugged her. They were finally going to be sisters!