Chapter 22

I stare at the resemblance while biting back tears and then shake her out of my head as I have come accustomed to doing over the years, to bear the ache, and turn to ready myself for getting out of here unseen. The only way I dealt with their loss was to never dwell too long on it. I never really learned any other way. I turn my attention back to what I need to do. I’ve never snuck out of the orphanage before, nor ever needed to, but I have a route plan, and I think I know how to get by unseen, where no one will miss me for an hour or two. It’s not like this place was ever set up as a prison, and we don’t have any guards watching us. I scribble a hurried note for Vanka, should she care, which is doubtful, telling her I’m taking a book to a secluded part of the garden to hide and read and know she won’t bother checking. She doesn’t care if I live or die most days, so she sure as hell won’t care if I’m not in my room now I no longer have classes to attend. School ended for me on the day