Splas.h.!.+ Water splatter in every direction. Lila sat on the stool working a latter into one of many dress s.h.i.+rts to be completed by the end of the day."Why!?" Lila threw the soapy s.h.i.+rt in her hands into the bucket with the rest of it"s kind. Just to be then torture by her stomping feet.
"Why? do I have to be on laundry duty again!" Lila yelled at no one to particular. But received an answer none the less.
"Because you can"t keep your mouth closed long enough for your brain to remind you keep it shut." Kara replied while placing another load of laundry next to Lila"s just empty basket.
Lila"s faced turned black just looking at the extra load. Then turned even more blacker facing her frenemy"s laughing face.
Kara was Lila opposite. Everyone say so. Where Kara was of fair skin. Lila was of a golden wheat. Where Kara has dark small phoenix eyes. Lila has light brown big almond eyes. Kara is tall, with hints of womanly curves. While Lila has always had a pet.i.te stature. While people loved Kara long straight black hair. Lila texture got only sighs.
The reason these two were constantly being compared. Is because they both arrived at the orphanage at the same time. Literally.
The only difference was Kara was carried in by military personal, while Lila was left by someone on the door steps.
"Look I can"t help it if no else is willing to speak their minds." Lila rolled her eyes, while going back to the task at hand. "Ms. Joy was wrong. If she getting paid to take care of us then why do we have to do ch.o.r.es. It just doesn"t make sense. " Lila mumbles underneath her breath.
Kara takes a seat on the empty stool, giggling at Lila"s reasoning.
"Besides, she said we can always come to her with any problem we might have. Only to turn around to give me, and only me, laundry duty every week! Is that fair. Beside the fact, I can"t go anywhere until this ch.o.r.e is done. And what does she say is the reason why, "Lila, you need to learn grat.i.tude. One must be humble in life." F*** that! I want my Sat.u.r.days back!"
The one and only Ms. Joy heard the last of Lila comment as she made her way over to drop off the last batch of laundry. And who would Kara be, if not a frenemy, who didn"t notify Lila of this approaching threat coming.
"Lila! that kind of language is inappropriate for a young lady." Ms. Joy abolished Lila. Her tall shadow encasing Lila from behind. Lila"s heart froze when she realize she"s been caught cursing.
Ms. Joy came from behind dropping the load of laundry in her hands. "Lila, I know you think that having laundry duty is to punish you."
"It isn"t! You could have fooled me." Lila exclaim in her mind.
"We are teaching all the children here how to take care of themselves. You all won"t be here forever." Ms. Joy turned to Kara, when Lila had nothing else to say. "Kara, have you finished all your ch.o.r.es. If so you may have your free time." Kara not wanting to stay any longer, ran off to find her friends. While Ms. Joy went back inside.
Unbeknown to both of them, at their backs two small little middle fingers were sending them on their way.
Ugh!...Lila lugged the last baby blanket over the clothes line, snapping before securing the blanket in place with a clothes pin. "Don"t know what they are feeding these infants to make them p.o.o.ped and puked the same nasty green-brown color. Which are worst than the food stains from the elementary kids clothes." Lila glared at the last load of infant blankets and clothes, after having to wash them twice just to get out those stains.
Looking up at the sky, Lila realize there was not much time left within the afternoon. If she wanted to leave she had in leave quick. Dropping off the equipment. Lila headed for the front gate, to freedom, before Ms. Joy could find another load that needs was.h.i.+ng.
"24-7 store is the best." Lila entered into the store smelling the familiar scent of instant food and air freshener. Lila was beside herself the first time she entered 24-7. Since orphans are not allowed out by themselves until they turn thirteen. Lila had no idea about such a wonderful store. Since then it"s been her go to store for all her addictions. Chips, candy, sweets and of course the instant meals.
" Okay, the countdown is about the start." Lila attention was taken from the food lining the aisles to the television hanging in the ceiling corner of Mr. Shen"s 24-7 store.
"We are live from Country M"s launching site. Country M has made numerous attempts to get their s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+ps into outer s.p.a.ce. With succeeding, only to get to our farthest moon. Though they are the only ones to reach there. Their country"s astronauts perish on trying to make it back. Let"s listen in as they ready to launch." The newscaster sent the live feed back to the launch site.
All the customers in the store eyes were glued to the screen. They watched the men on the ground communicate with the staff in the s.p.a.cecraft. No one spoke, only watched and waited, leaving it eerily quite.
It wasn"t like this wasn"t a common occurrence in the past two decades. It just that s.p.a.ce is our future, the only future.