Riley's+The+Name+of+Neptune+12

FORWARD:

It was chill-to-the-bone cold out. I was no more than two... I think. It was the first thing I can remember. There was a lady, smiling at me, and crying. All of a sudden, she stood up and ran, over a hill and then there was the noise! Oh, the noise! It came like thunder and roared like a lion! Then the man... in a hooded cloak picked me up and ran to a building. The only glimpse of him was his eyes. The twinkled like a star and were baby blue like the sky, when it is not cloudy. This day was dark, and dreary. I can remember the man dropping a necklace in an bag and gave it to me, and ran. The Nun. She was kind and brought me to a building. That is what I know, and will know for now...

Five years old... I think. I have never really known my age. All the stuff in the world that I know and yet, I still don't know my age or name. The only clue about my name or age is on a necklace, and I can't seem to read it! I have been taught to read and write and stuff by the nicest person I know! Sister Marry! She is a Nun here at the orphanage... the BOY'S orphanage! Here I am, a girl, at a boy's orphanage! None of the other Nuns like me, and I can only duck and run from the names the boys throw at me. But it is here at this orphanage that I start my life of truth, hard work, and the devastating end to a friend. It is here, that my story truly starts.

This necklace I have kept secret for a long time, guessing at the words on it. A part of me wants to ask Marry, but something inside of me tells me not to. What am I supposed to do?

"HEY YOU!" one of the Nuns called, "GET DOWN HERE AND TAKE YOUR FOOD!" some people in this world don't understand that, even misfits, have feelings.

"Coming." I dropped the necklace under my pillow and ran down stairs. My food was sloppy soup, while the boys got tasty bread and beef! Marry tried to get me more than the slop, but the rest of the Nuns took me for a slave. I retreated to my room and sipped the slop-soup stuff silently.

The next morning was bright and peaceful. Marry got me up and took me downstairs to work on school work like every morning!

"Nine divided into three equal groups and multiplied by fifty is?"

"One hundred, fifty." I chirped the numbers without any mistakes or any thing like that.

"Correct!" Marry was very happy to teach me, and I was happy to learn! I enjoyed these session for many years, but one morning when I was about ten, there was a knock on the door, which was answered by Marry. I did not hear all of the conversation but I did hear this:

"There is NO Iris Neptune here, and may I remind you that this is a boy's orphanage." Marry was shaking. Why? I don't know.

"Come on, 'Marry Susan", or should I say 'Patricia Kaitlin'!'' A hooded man at the door spoke in a deep, rough voice.

"You knew this day would come, and I am hear to finish this line." He made Marry cry... something she has never done before

"A line has no end. You can't stop it. Now go away you filthy retched BEAST!" she cried as she slammed the door on his face. I was hidden on the stairs at the time of this event, and retreated to my room. Iris Neptune... huh. I wonder what that could mean.

"Pack your stuff and get ready to run!" Marry called into my room, "They are coming to torch us!"

"Torch?" I asked as I through my few belongings into a burlap bag.

"Fire! Boom!" Marry was pacing around my tiny cold room, "Look. I know you are only 11 (Ah ha! Eleven!), but please! Promise me you will find some where safe!" I hadn't a clue what she meant, but I promised all the same!

"Good!" There was a explosion that rattled the room,"Run! Run east to town!" she shoved me out the door, and I ran. a while and looked back at the building. Screams of terror a nd blazes engulfed the building, for it was turning to ash in the cold, cold winter snow, on a cold, cold, winter night. I was thinking again about that Iris Neptune thing, and then it hit me. I pulled out the necklace and sure enough, it said, "Iris Neptune."

Shadows. Shadows of men on horses running in hoods from the ash of terrified boys and nuns in a small compact building, vanished into the growing, creeping night. I heard one mans whispers saying that, "Iris Neptune must be dead, no way she could of escaped. I'll be at that inn of mine, looking fer some more, 'workers'." and then I realized that man was heading to town, so I followed him. He was a big bulky man with a hood and a horse, and his voice was deep and rough.

"You headin' to town on yer own?" when I realized he spoke to me, I replied with a simple, "Yes."

"Outcast?"

"Yes." I replied sharply.

"Ya ain't got no where to hustle to then?" //who talks like that?// was the first thing I thought, but said,"Suppose not."

"Why don't ya work fer me then?" I knew I shouldn't, but I knew I must be safe there, since he thought I was dead!

"That would be okay." I chirped.

"Great!" he grinned with a sly look. I did not know it then... but he would play one big part in my adventure

"Follow me." he said as he rode off into town.

The inn was was more of a restaurant that barley anyone could fit in! All I did was give out food to the men there (it was all big and hairy men) like all the other "workers". That is a funny term considering we are forced to work, live off of bread and gross water