Chapter 1 - Orphanage

Muffled whimpers of pain escaped through the doorway as the battered door swung shut on the orphanages dormitory room number four.
A scrap of a girl barely in her teens crept past the door without looking back. Slender, pale and lithe, she was the queen of mischief. Her raven black hair was a rarity in the orphanage filled with browns and blondes. Her emerald eyes shone defiant to all authority, her head had a stronger abstinence than a boar.
As she slowly continued on, she could almost feel the child’s pain. When caught red-handed, stealing or failing to be present during roll call for duties, children were beat several times. In the orphanage, all the adults who attended the facility were women, and must be referred to as ‘Mother’, and spoken to as ‘Ma’am’. Despite their kindly appearance to visitors, they were completely opposite people to the little ‘children’ they controlled.
She was completely past the door now, hidden behind a mountain of rancid laundry. Checking both ways, she took a breath before continuing down the corridor.
On her hands and knees, she hastily made her way across the grit scrubbed floors of ‘home’. Taking a sudden intake of breath; she noticed the whimpering growing louder, and realized that the Mother was dragging the beaten child back to his post. Making a mad scramble, she got to her feet and dashed through the bathroom door. Grabbing a rag and bucket, she flung herself into a stall and furiously began scrubbing the filthy toilet bowl. Several moments later, the Mother flung in the victim, and just by hearing, could tell that he had really had a rough time. She listened closely to the Mothers fading footfalls before peeking a look at the moaning child. Realization hit her like a blow from a mallet.
“Abel! You all right?” She crawled over to where her best companion lay on the floor. Her long tangled black hair dangled over him as she bent to examine his wounds, which criss-crossed over his back in deep welts. He looked up at her with a smile.
“Don’t worry Zee” His fine sandy colored hair was matted to his forehead with perspiration. And his ocean blue eyes sparkled with innocence. With his lean body, he was able to live off meager portions. Abel had lived at the orphanage all his life, similar to Zee, and was supposedly the same age so they stuck together as friends.
“Abel, stop smiling like that and get over here” Zee sighed. Abel was extremely considerate, hardly ever putting himself as the priority.
Abel scooted over to where Zee beckoned him, maneuvering around puddles of water and buckets.
“Zee, I’m all right, you can go back to scrubbing before the Mother returns.” Abel gasped; even by the way he spoke she knew he was definitely not all right. She carefully dabbed at his deep cuts with the rag wet only with cold water.
“At least now you won’t catch an infection anytime soon.” Zee put down her rag and gently pulled his shirt back on. Abel stood with slight difficulty, and carefully stretched his arms.
“Let’s finish up these chores so we can earn our supper.” Zee turned back to her stall without looking back, because she knew he always listened.

Roughly half an hour later, two Mothers came in and ushered the bathroom crew into the hallway into double lines; boys in one and girls in the other, alphabetical order depending on name.
The Mothers and the fourteen filthy children made their way down corridors and hallways with little or no sunlight from muck-slicked windows that appeared on occasion. Black and white floor tiles marched in a pattern as strict as the lines the children walked in and just as straight. Hundreds of smaller hallways branched off of the main corridor they were walking, some merely dead ends and others branched off more still. Having no pattern, almost the whole building was a maze meant for confusing children and possible escapees. If anyone was ever lost here, they could be lost for days.
From the back of her line, Zee looked to the front of the boys’ line, and saw what she expected. After many experiences with the belt from many years back, Zee had learned that most often the Mother struck to one side or another. So if you shifted your weight to the other foot when you walked, you would escape a majority of the pain, appearing to ‘totter’. Abel had a slight gimp on his left side where the Mother’s belt must have made a majority of its hits. The whole way to the orphanages dingy cafeteria, she stared at Abel’s lopsided gait, almost fearing he would topple over.
Bursting through the creaky double doors, it was a flurry of feet for food. Unfortunately, they were one of the last groups to arrive. Three great pots of freezing porridge served morning and night were set out, enough to feed about fifty. But nearly triple times that were needed. Usually the older kids pushed to the front to grab their portions first before leaving the younger children to dash for the remains.
“Quick, Abel! Come here and sit down…No! Sit! I’ll be right back” Zee made sure Abel was sitting before scurrying off and grabbing two tin bowls set beside the pots. She prayed she wouldn’t get caught. But luckily for her, someone in front of her was snatched by a Mother for attempting the same trick.
Pushing and shoving through the mass of starving children, it was a feeding frenzy that even tooth and claw were used. Zee was elbowed several times and even kicked, as she in turn pummeled everyone out of her way. Finally she managed to duck through and fill the bowls with a worn wooden ladle. And crouching underneath the table which the pots sat on, she waited for the crowd to disperse before continuing back. When it finally did, only a small group of children were left crying without food, bearing bruises and cuts from their fruitless struggle. She got up and ran over to where Abel sat before a Mother noticed she had two bowls.
Plopping down next to Abel, Zee was comforted by the daily gossip of the orphanees, relaxing slightly under pressure. Finally she managed to ask Abel why he was beaten so harshly. Swallowing a lump of the oats, Abel managed to say, he was caught in the act of someone else’s crime.
“Really? Who’s?”
“I’m not sure, but the Mother accused me of stealing, though she didn’t specify what exactly” Abel coughed a bit.
“Where did she catch you?”
“She saw me as I was coming out of the laundry room; I had been told by a Mother to drop off a load before I went to my daily duties. When I was in there, there had been another Mother, and as I walked out, she followed me and then accused me of stealing” Abel shrugged, “That’s all I know” Abel continued shoveling porridge. Zee watched him carefully. Should I tell him?
Suddenly, the background of quiet talking was silenced, and all children turned to face the front of the cafeteria, where a Mother stood, erect in a position which would frighten the general of an army.
Like most of the Mothers recruited here, many of the woman were unable to find jobs, and managed to find one here to take out their troubles on the children, whom they thought nothing more of than something to be worked until their use was gone. Their attitudes toward the children was similar to that of a slave traders; nothing more than cargo and a way to make a pretty penny or two.
“Zenith of dormitory number two, front and center!” The words bounded around the room at lightening speed, with the sharp scolding tone of a hen. Zee quickly jumped out of her seat and made her way towards the front. All eyes were focused on her, she received many faces of pity and forgiveness, and she knew she was in for the worst. One of the tables she passed close to her own, she heard snickers of malicious delight. She didn’t even need to turn to know who it was. The worst of the worst, Korina took delight in torment and the superiority of tattling. Whatever was going to happen, Zee was not going to give her the delight of knowing she was on the upper hand.
Standing before the Mother, who seemed to be particularly vicious with her overly masculine features of facial hair, Zee was dwarfed to her huge bulk. The Mothers heavy-set frame bearing down on Zee with its sheer size.
Standing as straight as she could Zee looked into the face of her elder.
“You are the culprit of sneaking into the laundry room today and taking a shirt that does not belong to you. Would you admit to doing this?” Assuming an emotionless face hardened with years of practice, Zee replied that she was guilty. She could feel Abel’s dumbstruck stare on the back of her neck, weighing her down with guilt. She knew that pleading innocent she would earn more lashes for lying, and telling the truth got you more because you know you did it. So either way it was a gamble, and she might as well let everyone know if it were true. Gasps arose from every corner of the room and waves of whispers spread like wildfire. Even the Mother seemed a bit taken back, but nonetheless, she bent over into her face, wafting the scent of bad hygiene and the choking odor of rotting dentures.
“Bend over.” The mother then, unlatched her belt from her navy blue uniform, pushed Zee down and pulled up her shirt. Calling on another Mother to hold her, Zee’s thrashing began.
Biting her lips, Zee took each hit without a sound, refusing the pleasure of either Korina or the Mother. Each hit was left with nothing but a mark, until seconds later the stinging pain came. The Mother was obviously an expert for she waited patiently in-between each lash with timed skill. After what seemed like forever, she was finally released, more rather dropped. Zee flopped to the ground, and feeling the blinding pain of her beating in a flash of white hot burning, whimpered only once before blacking out.

Zenith twisted in her sheets, and yelped as she remembered her wounds, as well as felt them. And she shivered, despite her splitting fever. She moaned and rolled about, wincing as her tendered back throbbed in pain. With no one to assist her, she partly staggered from her bed to the single wash basin set out in the room. She flung off her shirt, and using it as a rag, cleansed her wounds as best as she could. Carefully she slipped on her nightgown from the end of her bed and fell back into her soaked sheets, hoping to ease her pain with sleep.
At some point during the night, Zee woke to a sound coming from somewhere near the back wall opposite the dorm room door. She lay on her cot, staring at the ceiling concentrating on the noise intently.
Scritch-scrit-scritch-scrit
Zee quietly turned her head to check for any light sleeping girls that might be awake. In the narrow room, thirteen cots lined the walls between the door and the back wall, each occupied with a girl of any possible age under eighteen. With as little noise as possible, she slipped her legs out from under the thin threadbare sheet and dropped to her hands and knees, wincing slightly from her gashes. In the gloom of the dark, Zee carefully avoided squeaky boards on the bare wooden floor, and made her way to the back corner. A hole as big around as her thumb was punctured through the wall, and most likely was now a residency for all sorts of critters. She sat motionless outside of the hole; her hand tensed hovering above it, lest the inhabitants ventured outside.
Scritch-scrit-scritch-scrit
It sounded like the creature was crawling around inside of the hole.
‘Is it getting closer?’ Zee’s trigger-like hand pounced deftly downwards as a shape emerged from the gap in the wall. Her hand closed around something very cool for the steamy third floor of the orphanage in April. It was softer than leather and at the same time, had a smooth pleasant texture. She noticed the form was not wriggling in her hand as countless other critters had in her grasp, and she hoped she had not choked or suffocated it. Holding her hands close to her face, she opened her hand enough to peek at her find.
It’s a lizard
Zee had heard the Mothers talk about the infestation of the orphanage with rodents and such, but didn’t recall anything about lizards. Nonetheless, Zee held the lizard reverently in her palms. The small reptile was barely the length of her hand and was a sharp forest green down her back, lightening in color around the lesser limbs of the body and deepening to near black at the head. Her eyes were slit golden orbs and sat in such a place on the head that they made her seem to have a calm placid expression. Zee was awed by the small little beauty and surprised something this wonderful can survive in a place such as this. Yet she was surprised the critter was so calm even in the hands of what must appear to be a giant monster.
Little surprises are everywhere… Zee remembered this phrase the tutors had repeated each day when she was small but she still lived by the small quote.
Surprise… Following the naming of her little friend, Zee carefully set the lizard on her shoulder and crawled back up the small path between the cots, making a beeline for her own. Happy that she didn’t jump off her shoulder, Zee set Surprise in a small opening in the frame of her welded pipe cot that had been used for many other past pets.
Hopping back into her cot, she began to remember her other pets – all mice. Each one had continued to run away or die within hours of discovery. But Surprise was different, alien to what you’d normally see in any creature. The way she looked at you, and the way she acted already was, well…surprising.
Trying not to trouble her mind further though, she quickly tried to forget and fall asleep.

Before the morning bells had tolled, Zee awoke to high pitch screaming coming from down the corridor outside her dorm room. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, once again concentrating. She could also hear the thuds of a broom whacking the tile floor. Worry plagued her mind, she knew the tell-tale signs of an angry Mother attacking an innocent critter.
It’s not Surprise is it? No…probably just a common mouse, they’re all over the place… Zee’s imagination took over then, and had terrible visions of poor Surprise at the mercy of a deadly broom in the hands of an equally deadly Mother. Without even restraining herself, Zee tore out of bed, avoiding the ugly stares from the sleep ridden eyes of the other girls she shared her room with. She rushed into the hall, with the Mother now only yards away from the dorm room door. Unfortunately for poor Zee, it was Surprise. The Mother – who didn’t even notice Zee’s approach – had cornered Surprise and was madly thrashing at her with the broom she was wielding. Luckily, Surprise positioned herself in such a way in the corner that the Mothers broom couldn’t reach, and thankfully, the Mother was not going to willingly touch the little lizard.
With out even further hesitation, Zee made a dive for Surprise, ducking under the flying broom, she swiped her from her spot and cupping the lizard in her hands, ran back into her room. For a split-second, the Mother was dumbfounded, broom poised in the air. One moment there had been a hideous green vermin in the corner - and in a flash of rags and bare-feet - was gone. The Mother’s lips curled into a snarl as she turned into the nearest dormitory door. Storming in, she began pulling covers off every girl’s cot that hadn’t already been roused by the commotion. She paused as she crossed over to Zenith’s cot, which was second from the back wall on the left side of the room, seeing she was already sitting up in bed.
Isn’t this the girl I flogged for stealing a shirt yesterday? Sneering, the Mother stepped in front of Zee, hands on her hips in a pose almost as menacing as yesterdays.
“So, Zenith” the Mother spat her name, “Did you enjoy your punishment yesterday?”
“No Ma’am” Zee drawled, she didn’t appreciate the ‘conversations’ engaged with Mothers, they were too much to the point for comfort, and were usually physical. Zee twitched. In her haste, she had released Surprise, who decided that a hole in her ragged nightgown was the best place to hide. She was now making her way up and down her torso, much to Zee’s discomfort. Worst of all, she was immensely ticklish.
“By any chance child, have seen any other vermin, besides yourself, scurrying around in this room?” Zee squirmed a bit more, thanks to Surprise.
“No Ma’am” Zee replied, stifling giggles. The Mother had an annoyed look on her face mixed with disgust.
“Is something funny girl?!” The Mother barked.
“No Ma’am” Zee almost let a squeaky giggle escape her lips. Twisting, it appeared as if somebody was jerking strings attached to her body.
“Straighten up girl, stop fidgeting!” The Mother was furious.
“Y-Yes Ma’am” Zee gasped between hysterical giggles. Unfortunately Surprise crawled into one of Zee’s most ticklish spots, and she broke out in all-out laughter, and fell off her cot onto the floor, giggling like a maniac. The Mother now appeared highly aggravated.
“For your insolence, you are sentenced to a full week of dish duty!” The Mother was turning red in the face; “Now get up and try to look presentable, we are having guests today!” The Mother stormed out, leaving her ruptured dignity in the wake behind her. Hastily, Zee clawed out of her nightgown, being careful with her backside. In the fold of her sleeve, she pulled out Surprise. Holding her in front of her face, she examined her with a look of almost respect. Aloud, she spoke to the lizard.
“I’m going to make it my mission to find out where you really came from.”

As it turned out, the guests left almost immediately after walking in, as the orphanage wasn’t one of the finest places to adopt in any manner of speaking. So life moved on and dish duty simply could not wait.
After the morning meals of – once again – cold porridge, Zee retreated to the back of the cafeteria, through rusty hinged double doors into the kitchen. Off to her right, piles of unopened boxes of frozen food and silverware sat gathering dust. To her left, an endless line of counters rested against the kitchen wall. Directly in front of her in the back of the room, a cavernous lime covered sink beckoned, with heaps of dirty porridge bowls soaking in disgusting cold water. Pausing, Zee gave an enormous sigh and inspected her future duty before continuing like a condemned man. First draining the water in the sink and filling it a fresh, Zee wished dearly she didn’t have to be here, or have to wash these stinking dishes. Furiously, she bashed them around, almost enough to make them scream for mercy. In her flurry, Zee almost didn’t notice that the remaining dishes began to rise into the air. Stunned, Zee let the bowl she was holding slide to the floor, thanking God it was only tin. Bending over to pick up the bowl, she kept a wary eye on the floating bowls. Much to her amazement, they began to wash themselves.

Zee’s eye nearly popped out of her head. Never, ever, in her lifetime had something even remotely like this happened before. Whether or not something creepy was happening, she was happy that dishes were no longer her duty. Smiling to herself, she decided to poke around a bit. Keeping an eye on the kitchen doors, Zee went from counter to counter making mental notes of everything she saw. After a time she grew bored with opening endless drawers and cabinets, and she wandered over to the heap of cardboard boxes. She poked around there too, but still nothing of interest. Then finally, a sight to behold; the refrigerator, which had been hidden behind the mound of boxes. Her mouth watering, Zee leaped to its doors and flinging them open, she almost cried. Tubs and tubs of dreaded porridge were all that filled it.
‘Of course’ she thought, ‘Why would they keep their food in here, where anyone has access to it?’ She sighed and closed the heavy doors. She glanced back at the bowls, which were still cleaning themselves. Dipping and scrubbing till they gleamed even in the dark gloomy kitchen.

The bowls continued to wash themselves every day during duty, and Zee was continuously acquainting herself with the kitchens nooks and crannies. By the fourth day, she knew the kitchen better than the back of her hand, but everyday, something strange seemed to happen in the kitchen. Once, while inspecting the porridge tubs, a great glob of it came crawling over the edge out at her. She was caught unaware, and was almost snatched by its sloppy grasp. To save herself from heavens-knows-what she grabbed one of the big wooden spoons and bashed it over and over again until it was nothing more than dull grey porridge once again. A second instance was when Zee was going through drawers; forks suddenly came flying out at her, and were caught in the wood of the pantry door that she used as a shield. Zee’s week in the kitchen was never boring.
Not only did strange things happen in the kitchen though, they seemed to be following Zee like dolphins after a ship. When she would walk through the hallways, doors would randomly begin opening and closing, and windows would open and shut, letting in small trickles of good fresh air that tickled her nose.
In the dorm room, her bed would make itself in the morning and the wash basin water would change itself. The room would seem to rock lazily back and forth at night, soothing her to sleep. Even Surprise continually became stranger by the day. She would act like a guard, jumping out of her pocket when Mothers came to slapping, and hissing as Korina passed by.
Thinking, Zee thought to herself, And none of this started happening until Surprise showed up

On day six of dish duty, Zee couldn’t take it anymore, she was tired of the orphanage. She knew that there was something better out there, proof being the bowls and the adventures she’s had. She didn’t want her fun to end, but at the same time, her adventures made her thoughts bloom into ideas, ideas turning into imagination. And now, Zee was desperate for something more, and wanted whatever it was, very badly.
Flinging everything she touched, Zee stormed about, furious about being here and not there. Her only comfort now, was supper-time, when she could share her feelings and thoughts with her best friend.

One morning at breakfast, Zee leaned over to whisper something in Abel’s ear.
“I’m going to find it today” She seemed very serious, yet Abel did not have a clue.
“Find what?” Abel paused in his chewing to think a moment.
“It”
“Um…what is it?” Abel was not catching her drift, quite puzzled by her speech.
“The thing that’s been making all the weird stuff happen in the kitchen” Now Abel was confused, having been positive that everything Zee had been telling him were just stories.
“How are you going to find it?” Abel continued to stare at Zee. But she continued to shovel her way through supper, in an attempt to rush to the kitchen and look for it.

This time as Zee walked through the kitchen doors, the bowls were not washing themselves. They were just plain, porridge encrusted bowls that needed scrubbing. Zee warily stepped closer and poked them, still nothing. She just stared. Then, out of disbelief she just turned and sat down on the kitchen floor. Seeing no benefit in sitting around with actual chores to do, she got back up and began scrubbing the dishes, on her own this time.
She did not have the energy to smash the dishes or the spirit to sort through the boxes or drawers. It was gone, and probably would never come back. She knew by now that once something left the orphanage, it was never to be seen again. Whether it was kids or favorite blankets, or pets…
Zee’s memory sparked and she began sorting through her pockets. Before leaving her dorm room, she had put Surprise into her pocket, to keep her company in the kitchen and while doing chores. Now Surprise was gone too.

Abel trudged down the corridors in line with the other children, making their way to their daily chores. Abel could not stop thinking about Zee’s stories, all unreal, yet like a good friend, he wanted to believe her. Sighing, he knew nothing like that would ever happen to him, it was too crazy.
The lead Mother shoved the children through the bathroom doors, watching them for the first few minutes before retreating to business. Thanks to Zee, he had been day-dreaming more than usual and it was keeping him from doing his work right. He had very narrowly escaped a beating because he had been caught staring off into space. But he couldn’t blame Zee for that; he knew he should have better control over himself. Abel picked up a bucket and filled it with the alkaline water from the faucets. He chose a stall all the way in the corner and began scrubbing. He told himself that as long as he kept his hands moving, he couldn’t get into trouble for not doing his work. As his body switched into automatic, he let his mind wander. First over Zee’s stories, then anywhere his imagination took him.
A quick movement out of the corner of his eye broke his reverie.
A lizard? Abel cocked his head, and sure enough, a small green lizard had perched itself in the corner of the wall, and was eyeing Abel suspiciously. Huh, I’ve never seen a lizard here before Abel continued his work, but instead of zoning out once again, he kept his eyes on the little lizard. It has stunning golden eyes… In turn, the lizard watched Abel as well, with a strange amused gaze.
When the Mother finally marched through the bathroom doors to receive their crew, he snatched up the little lizard and placed the wriggling form into his only pocket with the button remaining. Checking to make sure it was secured, Abel grinned to himself.
I can’t wait to show Zee

Zee managed to complete the bowls after recovering from her double shock. She felt lonely and if it weren’t for Abel she wouldn’t have anything to live for, but she scolded herself for thinking this.
She felt better after consoling herself and marched into the cafeteria with more self confidence than usual. Although it plummeted quickly as she realized that the cafeteria was full, and she was the last one in. This meant one thing: no food this time around. Of course, she had dealt with this before and was really of no great concern. With a small sigh, Zee turned her head to search for Abel in the sea of children.
She immediately saw him, who was waving a hand to her madly, wincing as a Mother came over and clouted his ear. He stopped waving, but she could still see the eagerness in his eyes. When she finally reached him, he pulled his cupped hand out from his pocket.
“Zee, I want to show you something”
She stared wide-eyed as Abel opened his hands to reveal a small green lizard.
“Surprise!” Zee snatched her before Abel could speak, crooning to the small green lizard who seemed to enjoy the attention.
“Where did you find her?” Abel eyed the small lizard in her hands. Zee looked at Abel blankly until she realized he was talking about Surprise.
“Well, I caught her last week I believe when I woke up to her scratching in the floor boards” She continued to caress Surprise’s delicate frame. The little lizard had turned over now and exposed her lighter under-belly like a tame dog does. Abel changed the subject.
“So Zee, did you find it?” Abel watched her hopefully, waiting expectantly for her answer.
“Oh…it must have gone away because there was only a plain old kitchen this morning. I actually had to wash the dishes…” Zee looked crestfallen.
“Well…are you going to look again?” He encouraged hopefully. She thought a moment, and then shrugged.
“I guess it wouldn’t hurt”

Meanwhile in the dim interior of room number two, the force that had been propelling the inanimate objects awoke once again after its short rest period of gathering energy. Before, the magic had turned the girl’s mundane tasks and life more pleasant, gifting her with a companion from a separate dimension, to watch over her. Now, it was preparing to alter her life forever. It was preparing to summon her back from where she came.
Condensing, the magic gathered itself, charging energy into a concentrated orb, and feeling the magic begin to seep from the orb, it released a portion of itself, forming a portal to the dimension it had come from. Slowly, it fed the rest of its whole to the growing dimension entrance which to human eyes was virtually invisible.

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