“Wake up! Get up off your lazy butt!” I jolt awake. Standing over me is Mistress Madern. I sit up and rub at my groggy eyes. “You need to go so the dishes! It’s your job today!” I really hate you. I want to leave so bad. I stand up and go down stairs. I go into the kitchen. As I’m walking there everyone moves away from me and gives me a mean look. This is very ordinary for me. It happens every time.

“Are you sure you want him doing the dishes! He might try to kill us!” Someone yells. I don’t recognize the voice at first then I realize it’s my least favorite kid there. A kid named, Nathan. Nathan and I arrived at The Home close to the same time. He always hated me and thought I was going to kill them all. I continue to walk to the kitchen. I clean ever single dish set in front of me. After I clean them I go through and dry them and put them away. When I’m done I sluggishly walk back up to my prison cell. I grab the only book in the whole Home from under my mattress. I snuck it in with me when I arrived. I’ve hidden it ever since. I look at the title; The Tale of the Mysterious Demons. I’ve read this book so many times. Before I arrived here I would read a lot but my favorite was always this one. It’s a fictional book but every time I read it I feel like I somehow connect to it. It’s strange but true. I open it to the first page. I start to read. I get a quarter of the way through when I hear someone storming up the stairs. I hurry and hide the book. My door swings open. Mistress Madern comes storming in. She grabs me by my short red hair and drags me down the stairs. She throws me onto the floor. She points at bloody foot prints and them moves her finger to land on a small lifeless body on the floor. I look at it and see blood gushing out. I nearly throw up.

“HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS!” The Mistress yells at me.

“I didn’t do it. I swear.” I look at the body again. I see an odd shape on his arm. I get closer. I gasp, it’s the shape of a crescent moon. I move back quickly. How can this be? That’s the same shape the demons in the book, leave after killing someone. I stand up and walk over to the body. I kneel by him. I move his longish brown hair out of his face. I notice it is Charlie. He was always one of my favorites. He was the only one who didn’t hate me as much as the rest. I feel a tear come down my cheek. “I didn’t do it. I liked Charlie. Whoever did this left a mark though. We should call the police.”

“No! We will not be involving the police because we all know who did it. You are going to be locked in your room for forever.” She grabs me by the hair again and drags me to my room. She throws me in and slams the door shut behind her. I hear her lock it. I wait a couple minute before opening the window and climbing onto the moss on the side on the building. I hold onto it as I close the window. I quickly and carefully climb down. I take off running as soon as my feet hit the ground. I run all the way to the spot where I usually go. I collapse into the snow on my knees. I look down and realize I have blood on my clothes.

“Louis?” I turn my head toward the voice. I see Harper standing there, staring at me in horror.

“It’s not what it looks like. There was a murder at the place I live and I was holding them after they died. I was blamed for it. They all think I killed him. I liked Charlie. He was such a sweet boy. Now he’s dead. I didn’t kill him but I feel like somehow it was my fault.” She walks over to me and places a hand on my shoulder.

“It’s not your fault. You didn’t kill him so it’s not your fault. Come here.” She goes to wrap me in a hug but I pull away from her.

“I don’t want to get blood on your clothes. Sorry. Do you have any clothes by any chance that might fit me?”

“I think I have some of my dad’s old clothes. Maybe. I’m not sure if they all got burned. We can see.” I look at her confused. We both stand up. “My mom and dad died of the plague.”

“Oh. I’m so sorry. It makes more sense now why you’re not sure if they were all burned. If you don’t then that fine.” I reach into the back of my pants and pull out my book. I hold in in my hands. I stop and try to get the blood off it. “Will you pick it up because my hands are still covered in blood, please?”

“yeah.” She grabs it and carefully dabs it on her jacket. She looks at the cover. “I love this book!”

“Me too!” We walk to her cabin. She looks for some clothes and she finds a light blue button up shirt and a pair of tan pants. I change into them in her parent’s old room. They fit for the most part. The pants are a little long and the shirt sleeves too. I walk out and go into the living area. I sit down next to Harper. “Want to read some of the book?”

“Yeah. Can I read?”

“Yep.” She opens the book and starts to read. I look at her a couple times and smile. She luckily doesn’t see me. She is so pretty. I’ve never liked anyone before. I put my arm around her shoulder. She scots closer to me. She continues to read as she leans into my shoulder. My heart starts beating faster. I feel like my heart is about to burst out of my chest. I try to breath slow to calm down my heart. It doesn’t do anything.

“Are you okay?” She lifts her head up and looks at me.

“Mhm. Why?”

“Because I can feel your heart beating fast.”

“Oh. I’m fine. Just a little nervous.”

“Why?”

“Um… I’m hungry. Do you want me to make something?”

“Hey don’t change the subject!”

“I’m not.” I stand up. Harper takes my arm and pulls me back down onto the couch.

“Yes, you are. You like me, don’t you?” “I blush. I look at her and see she’s blushing too.

“Maybe… yes… I don’t know… maybe a little. I’m not sure my feelings yet. I’ve never liked someone before so I don’t know.”

“Oh. Alright. To answer your question, it’s fine. I can make something.”

“No I insist.”

“I guess.” I walk into her small kitchen and start making macaroni noodles.

“I wonder if she’s going to tell his parents.” I mumble

“Who? Who’s parents?”

“Oh gosh I didn’t know you were there.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’m wondering if Mistress Madern is going to tell Charlies parents.” Oh crap! I just gave it pretty much away. Idiot!

“Wait! You mean to tell me you live at The Madern Home for the Mentally Sick and Inflicted?” She steps away from me. She looks at me absolutely terrified.

“Yes. I swear I’m not mentally sick or inflicted. My parents think I am and everyone for that mater but I’m not. You didn’t think I was at first, did you?”

“No. I guess not.” Her stance relaxes just a little. “Alright but you need to stop lying to me and hiding things from me if we are going to stay friends.”

“Okay. I promise. I can’t tell you my name though because no one knows it except my own parents and me. Not even the Mistress knows. I have gone by the name of Louis from the time I was introduced to people. Do you want to tell you about myself then?”

“Yes please.”

“Okay. So my full name, well my fake first name and real rest of my name is, Louis Parker Harleton. I’m 17 years old. I will be eighteen in 4 days. My birthday is November 30. Um…you know what my favorite book is. My favorite color is black and gold. My favorite animal is the owl. I love reading and siting in the woods. I have no siblings. All of my other relatives are dead besides my mom and dad. I was born at home. I hate Mistress Madern. I also hate the kids there. The only one there who I liked was the boy Charlie, who just got murder. I have always worn a crescent moon necklace and ring since I was young. The ring I didn’t get till eight years ago. I am allergic to water on my skin. Oh, I was born at 11:49 at night. I can’t think of anything else.” She just kind of stares at me.

“That was a lot to take in but thank you. It’s nice to get to know you better.”

“Yeah. I was just thinking that this won’t be able to happen very often any more. I am now locked in my room and I have climb out my window to get out. I will most likely come at night if I get out at all. I will try to get out of there whenever I can and come see you. Now that think about it that sounded kind of creepy.”

“No it didn’t. It was sweet. I don’t know what my feelings are for you yet but I think there’s something there.”

“Same. Do you want to tell a little about yourself?”

“Not really.”

“Hey! That fair.” I tease.

“It’s totally fair.” We both smile.

“Fine” We both laugh. I finish making my famous baked Mac and Cheese. “Where are your plates?”

“I can get them.” She grabs two plates out of a cumbered on the right of the stove. She puts them on the table and grabs forks as well. I put the pan on a hot pad on the table. I dish up the two plates. Harper takes a bite. “This is amazing! You’re so good at cooking!”

“Thanks” We finish and I head back to The Home. I climb up the moss and climb into my window. I close it. I hurry and get in bed. A minute later the Mistress opens my door and looks at me to make sure I’m in bed. She checks on us at 9:00 every night to make sure that we are in bed with lights out. The rest of the night she doesn’t check on us again. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling when suddenly Harper pops into my head. Her rosy cheeks, her long perfectly curled auburn hair, those beautiful blueish green eyes, and those voluminous pink lips. I place two fingers on my own lips as I think this. I pull them away and shake my head. “Maybe I am Mentally sick. I don’t think anyone who wasn’t would think something like that.” I whisper to myself. I fall asleep thinking about this.