Wishing Only Goes So Far

Chapter 2

"Thank you so much, Sebastian! You're a life saver!" Mrs. Anderson cried after I fixed her

creaky front door. She was having important company over, and hated the horrid noise it

made.

"No problem, Ma'am."I said.

She smiled, and grabbed a twenty dollar bill from her purse. "Here, keep the change."

Stunned by the ten dollar bonus I'd just received, I utter a thank you, and went on my way

home. Well, not really a home, unless you want to call an old abandoned building full of

runaway teens home, which I would not.

Most of the kids in our 'gang' made an income by stealing, or something of the like. I, on

the other hand, was raised to believe that stealing to be a thing you never did. Although I left

home because I didn't agree with my parents, I still abide by this rule. I left the idea of

stealing to a last resort. Instead, I did odd jobs. Fixing doors, creaky windows, thing like that.

As you could imagine, most of my friends thought I was scared to steal, that I would get

caught or something. I always replied, "To much for the conscious." Usually, they left me

alone about it for a while after I mentioned that.

Our hideout was located on the outskirts of the small town we were hiding in. Since it

looked like any other rundown building, it blended in fairly well. Still, to be on the safe side,

we had a lookout by the door at all times.

When I approached the rusty door, I knocked three times, and it cracked open ever so

slightly, that no one would notice unless you knew it would happen. Suddenly, the door flew

wide open.

"What took you so long?" The tall gangly boy with jet black hair and brown eyes inquired of

me.

I shrugged. "Doors don't fix themselves. What's the big emergency, Matt?" He usually didn't

care about when I returned.

"We got pizza, and Garret's been tryin' to save you a piece for the last hour. He almost got

beat up! Twice!"

I laughed. "He didn't need to do that."

Matt rolled his eyes.

As I strolled into the dimly lit building, I recognized every corner of the dimly lit space. Five

people stayed in our building: three guys, and two girls. In the far right corner was Garrets

small space. Afghans were tied to the wall, creating an enclosed space. Most of them look

like this. My area was in the left, and Matt's in the back.

Angry protest were the first things I heard.

"Garret, he's not here! Just give us the pizza!"

"Let them have the pizza, Garret," I consented.

"And how are you going to eat?" Garret was standing on the dinky table, pizza box in hand,

while Whitney and Alison glared at him.

Pulling out the extra money, I said. "I got extra cash today."

Garret's eyes widened. "But, I thought you said ol' Mrs. Anderson was as cheap as a

monkey with banana collection?" Obviously, Garret was from the south, and I didn't say it in

those exact words.

Nonchalantly, I shrugged. "I know."

"Garret!" Blonde-haired Whitney yelled. "I'm starving here!"

Rolling his eyes, Garret tossed the pizza box down, and climbed down from his temporary

safe haven.

Ignoring the chatted of the people behind me, I walked slowly to my bed. Lazily, I stayed

there for quite sometime.

"Hey, Sebastian?" Whitney called my name.

"Yeah?"

"You got any new ideas?" Unlike Garret, Matt, or Alison, Whitney also refused to take from

others regularly. Since we were both on the same page about this, we often exchanged

theory's on how to get more money, legally.

I shook my head, "Naw. You?"

"Nope."

Ah, well, I thought. I'll live off of fixin' creaky doors for a living.

(Maggie's point of view)

Playing absentmindedly with a strand of my curly brown hair, I read. Trying to make the

time pass. Unfortunately, I'd read this story many a time before, and found it rather

monotonous to try and trudge through it again. Since that was the only book I had at the

moment, I snapped it shut, and searched aimlessly for another pass time.

As sluggish as the morning was creeping by, I still felt anxious about the coming visitors.

Mrs. Lewis said their arrival would be sometime after lunch.

Glancing at the ancient clock that hung crookedly on the wall, I realized it should be

anytime now. It was well past two o'clock. Since this made me even more giddy with nerves,

I tried distracting myself: humming quietly, daydreaming, thinking of Madeline, still, nothing

worked.

"Baker!" Mrs. Lewis aggravatingly called my name. When she slowly dragged herself into

my small, shared room, she eyed me unhappily. "You're turn to see our guests."

Instantly, my anxiety multiplied immensely. I thought a silent prayer, and pushed past the

old woman into the hallway. The door that led into the room meant strictly for interviews read

'interview center.' Although it was only a table, and a few chairs, it reminded me of an

interrogation room.

"Their names are Mr. and Mrs. Smith" The always angry woman uttered as we stood stood

beside the door. "They can't have children, so they decided to adopt. They already have a

twelve year old son."

I nodded. Background information was routinely around here whenever important

interviews took place.

Mrs. Lewis opened the already ajar door. Sheepishly, I stepped through the doorway,

subconsciously chewing on my bottom lip. Sitting in the dimly lit room, was a gleeful couple.

Both young and smiling. The woman had short, black hair, with chocolate brown eyes. The

man had brown hair, and bright hazel eyes.

"Hello, Maggie," I heard the woman's high pitched sing-song voice say.

"Hi,"I returned, unable to think of anything else to say. I was shaking slightly with nerves.
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"How did it go?" Suzie asked eagerly. "You have to tell me!"

I shrugged. From my perspective, it went like any other interview. "Fine, I guess."

"Well, we didn't see them. They don't want twins." Scarlett added sadly.

"Oh." I didn't know what else to say.

The three of us were seated outside, watching the clouds slowly crawly across the sky. As

the white fluff hovered above, a black bird flew across the horizon. Usually, I didn't think

anything of birds or any other animals scurrying about. But, this creature captured my

attention. It doesn't have a care in the world, I thought. Its free to do what it wants. Not having

to worry about what its going to do the rest of its life, or who with.

I sighed.

"Whats wrong, Maggie?" Suzie suddenly asked.

"The usual things." Suzie and Scarlett had last their parent when they were ten, so, they

knew how much I wanted a home.

Reassuringly, she grabbed my hand. "It'll happen eventually."

I nodded slowly.

My companions and I stayed outside for a good two hours, not doing anything specific, just

talking.

Eventually, the dreaded dinner bell chimed its unwanted song. Scarlett and Suzie sighed

in unison. Thus began our march towards the entrance doors of the orphanage.

Surprisingly, the atmosphere inside the walls had changed drastically. It was

actually...happy. Clearly, the visitors had taken their toll on the inhabitants of the orphanage

in New York. While the streets outside were rather loud and busy, inside our temporary

abode seemed content and happy. For now, anyway.

When the twin confronted the scene, their faces turned into masks of confusion. Soon,

they both began mumbling to each other, and neither came up with an answer.

As usual, the cafeteria reeked its odd flavor. Scarlett, Suzie, and I walked to our normal

table, and waited to get our food, that looked like baked potato's with an odd green tint, and

carrots on the verge of rotting.
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Emotion overwhelmed me when I heard what Mrs. Lewis had just told me: relief,

happiness, sorrow, but, mostly joy. Obviously, the reason for sorrow would be leaving my

new friends, but I would worry about that later.

"What?"I asked incredulously.

"The Smith's want to adopt you."

"Y-you mean go with them to Chicago?"

The old grump nodded.

Smiling faintly, I found myself at a loss for words. I knew eventually my mind would flood

with questions, but, for now, my thought process was blank.

"It will take about a month before you can go, but that should be enough time to say your

good-byes,"Mrs. Lewis groaned on.

Still, unbelievable joy filled my mind, and I barely heard what she said. Someone had

chosen me. It felt wonderful.
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"You did what?" Suzie and Scarlett both asked.

Some how, I was able to hide the shock I was feeling of the words that came out of my

mouth. "I got adopted."

"I knew it!" Suzie exclaimed.

Scarlett smiled. She didn't talk much, but when she did, she meant what she said.

"So, where ya' going?"

"Chicago."

Suddenly, Suzie began jumping up and down. "You have to send me pictures! I hear its

amazing there!"

I nodded. "I will."

"Good! And, you have to send letters, or something! I'm going to miss you!"

"I'm not leaving for a month!"

"So? Its the truth!"

I rolled my eyes.

Since there were only hours left till lights out, the three of us were sitting in their tiny room.

A bunk-bed was placed in the corner, and a cot by the window. One large chest, and a closet

inside the cramped space.

"Are you going to see Madeline?" Scarlett asked.

This was a question I'd mauled over many a time. Hopefully, the odd couple would let me

see her before they whisked me away.

Outside, the blue sky had turned into starry darkness. Eerily, the moon's face gazed down

and highlighted the dingy street side. Suddenly, something stirred in the shadows. Keeping

my eyes fixed on the scene just beyond the glass, I worried about what it could be. But,

Suzie called my attention before I could find out what it was.

"No, I don't know if I'm going to see Madeline,"I muttered.

I slowly turned back to the window. Standing in the street was one of the younger boys

from the orphanage. He was about seven. Before I could see what happened, he left.

"Did you see that?"I asked.

"What?" Scarlett asked.

"Aaden was in the street..."

"Are you sure? He's supposed to be in bed by now."

"I know,"I uttered as I approached the window.

Oh well, I thought. He'll come back eventually.

The evening passed by exceedingly slow. By the time I crawled under the covers of my

bed, I was already half asleep.
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When I awoke, I heard sounds of confusion, and troubles coming from the hallway.

Stepping into the hall, I saw something that startled me deeply. Mrs. Lewis was scurrying

about, opening the doors of the various rooms, and after every door, she looked more and

more upset.

"Whats wrong?"I asked.

She ignored me, and continued down the hall.

"Mrs. Lewis?"

No reply.

"Mrs. Lewis!"

Finally, she turned and faced me.

"Aaden got out last night," she informed me. "No ones seen him since."

"I...I saw him outside last night, but, I figured someone would call him inside..."

"You saw him, and you didn't do anything!" she accused harshly.

"I-I didn't know..."I stammered.

"Well, where did you see him?"

"Outside, in the back, by the street..."

Mrs. Lewis sighed. "He's probably gone by now."

"Well, aren't you going to go look for him? He could be in trouble! Mrs. Lewis, you have to-"

"Maggie, there's nothing we can do. The police will look for him," she interrupted.

"But-"

"There's nothing we can do."

Without another word, she turned and left me in the deserted hallway.