Chapter 2

Kira walked along the road to the edge of the Forest and began to hear the talking and laughing of people as they went out. Just before the turn Kira stopped and dropped her bag. After a minute or two, Kira’s hand emerged from the bag clutching a cloak, long and black with a large hood. Quickly, Kira put her arms in the holes and hid her bag in the Forest. Satisfied that her face was not shown, she continued on. The town was aloud with jabbering of women, shouts of men, the clip clopping of horse hooves, and loud baby wailing - ignored by the chatting mothers. As Kira made her way past Bakeries, Barbers, and an Inn, she smiled to herself. She looked up, and her smile faded. There, at the end of the town on a hill, was the tall grey house with a sign that read:

‘Ms. Ferdin’s house for children’

The Orphanage. Even though she knew no one could see her face, Kira started to worry, glancing in all directions in case someone was about to shout,
“Look! There she is! The runaway. Quick, someone grab her!” At the thought Kira bolted down the street and into an alley. Once covered by darkness Kira tried to calm herself.
“No one is coming to get you, just do what you have to do and get back to the Forest,” she murmured under her breath. Squinting as she emerged from the alley, new hope awakened in Kira. The Orphanage Kids would be at school. Kira made her way, weaving in and out of people as they passed. All though she hated doing it, Kira was very good at pick pocketing.

But she was not the only one who knew it. Hiding in the shadows a figure watched Kira as she did her weaving and picking, and he followed the hooded figure as they moved down the streets and up to the Forest. Once he could get them alone…

Kira decided to go and visit the school. What harm could it do? She looked at the Church clock. Half past twelve. Lunch time at school. She slowly made her way up the hill to where the school was. It was near the Forest so if need be, Kira could run into the trees. Still pick- pocketing as she went, Kira did not realise how close she was until the towering building of the school was before her. Kira started to walk round the back, where the kids had their lunch but she stopped to listen to a group of girls, who were standing by the wall.
As she made her way to the middle of the crowd, Kira’s heart gave a jolt. In the middle of the group, chatting loudly for all to hear was none other than Lisa. Kira felt a surge of anger and went to see what they were talking about.
“She ran away a few days ago,” Lisa was saying.
“She didn’t!” Cried a girl from the crowd.
“Oh yes she did! I don’t know how but I went to ring the bell for breakfast in the morning and she was gone!” Kira noticed Gemma standing next to Lisa, and the anger started to grow.
“How do you think she did it?” Another littler girl from the crowd asked. Wanting to be the centre of attention, as always, Lisa bragged,
“I know how she did it,” Lisa felt all of the eyes of the crowd, smiled and said; “she got up and simply left. Even she’s smart enough to see that no one likes her.” At this, there were a couple of sniggers from the girls and Kira gasped. They were talking about her. Keeping her face well hidden, Kira tried to make her voice sound different.
“Where did she go?” She said in a squeaky, high-pitched voice. The girl standing next to her looked at Kira and there was a murmur from the crowd.
“Ha! She ran off into the woods or something, but probably got kidnapped.” Lisa said, searching for the girl who had spoken.
“Serves her right too. She should have known from the start.” Gemma spat and crossed her arms. Kira sighed and turned to leave. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around. Lisa, brown hair swinging violently, was standing there; her hands now on her hips, with a glare of menace in her blue eyes.
“Who are you?” she growled.
“I’ll tell you once your ‘posy’ has disappeared” Kira replied coolly. All eyes were now on the mysterious figure, Kira, but no one could see her face.
“Fine. Go on, all of you.” Lisa turned to her crowd and they angrily scuttled away.
“Now, who are you?” She asked again.