• I learned the definition of orphan at age six.

    It started with a simple plan. The simple plan my parents had devised: Leave Muriel at home with a sitter, while we go out for some alone time at the new burger joint down town.

    Too bad it didn`t go according to plan. A drunken idiot had to ruin their fun and crash his car head-on into theirs. They died instantly.

    Now I had no mom, no dad.

    The nice police people came to my house and took me away. They told me that mommy and daddy weren`t coming back, that they died. Not exactly knowing what 'died' meant, I just stayed calm as they lead me to the cool-looking black and white car with red and blue lights on the top.

    The police people took me to a new state,a new town. A town they called Dark Hills. I giggled at the name, and the driver stared at me worriedly through the tiny mirror between him and the passenger seat.

    If only I was more aware.

    I let the police people take me to a brick house at the very end of a deserted street. When they took me to the door with a suitcase full of clothes, I knew something was wrong.

    A frantic man answered when the police people knocked. His glasses sat crookedly at the end of his nose, and the buttons on his flannel shirt were done unevenly.

    "Mr. Mello, we`re here to deliver sad news...and your neice. We heard that this was the best place for her to stay."

    That`s when I flipped. I kicked the first police person in the shin, and the second where the sun don`t shine. They doubled over and squealed pathetically. I turned and tried to make a break it, but a warm hand gripped my wrist.

    It was the frantic man.

    "Please, Muriel... You don`t know me, but I`m Uncle Dom - you`re father`s brother. Uhm...you`re safe, you know? You can....stay." His voice was gentle, so I took a step toward him.

    "Uncle...Dom?" I whispered.

    He nodded and wrapped his arms around me. I froze, but eventually wrapped my own frail arms around him.

    "So...I guess...welcome home?" Uncle Dom said meakly.

    One of the police people smiled tightly, and began to giggle uncontrollably.

    ~To Be Continued...~