The Curry Apple Orchard

Chapter 10

You may be wondering what Step and Sad were doing while Tear was staying by the seaside.

After Tear was taken away, the two boys waited for their Foster Parents.  One by one the other children disappeared until they were the only two left.  It was five o’clock in the afternoon and Matron and Nurse Smiley were getting worried because they had to lock the Scout Hall and go to the Nurses’ Home once all the orphans had gone.

Of course, Step and Sad were worried too. They both jumped up with relief when they saw a car pull up in front of the Scout Hall. Two men dressed in black walked up the driveway.  They both bowed to Matron and then turned to the boys.

“We had planned on taking one boy but seeing you have two we will take them both,” said the taller of the two men.  He had long black hair and an even longer black beard streaked with grey.

“We are members of ‘Jehovah’s Children’ who live on a farm in a peaceful community where we work side by side in order to create a ‘Heaven on Earth’, continued the older man. “It is our duty to be ‘Fishers of Men’ and so we welcome these two boys to our community.”

“It will only be for a month,” interrupted Matron sharply. “Just until we find new premises.”

“So be it,” said the younger man. “Praise the Lord that we are able to help in our small way, when fire and brimstone hath destroyed the home of these poor little children.”

The boys followed the two men to a Land Rover which smelt of sheep, hay and petrol. Sitting in the back seat they watched the countryside flash past as they travelled out along the highway.  The two men sang “Praise the Lord” and “Let the people rejoice” in loud, deep voices until the boys fell asleep.

Late that night they pulled up outside a farmhouse.  They could smell something good from the kitchen but were taken straight to a room with two beds. The older man stood at the doorway and spoke in a calm, measured voice.

“Sleep now for tomorrow we have an early start.  There will be prayers at 5 o’clock.  You will hear a gong at a quarter to 5 and must get up, make your bed and get dressed.  Breakfast will be at 6 o’clock.  At 7 o’clock we will all go to work on the farm.  We stop for prayers and a drink of water at 11 o’clock and then work until 2 o’clock when we have Songs of Praise and lunch. Then it will be work in the fields until 5 o’clock when we have an hour of Prayer and Contemplation. Dinner is at 6 after which you will wash and report for Bible Study.  Then at 8 o’clock you will say your prayers and go to bed. Here is a glass of water each.  We always fast on Sunday so there will be no food for you today. Don’t forget to say your prayers.”  With that he turned on his heel and disappeared, along with a candle that was their only light.

“I’ll bet he’s getting something to eat,” groaned Sad.  “There was something cooking in that kitchen and it smelt delicious.”

“At least we had lunch at the Scout Hall so I suppose we will survive.  It sounds like a busy day tomorrow.  I wonder what sort of work we will have to do on the farm?” replied Step.

“What about school?  Looks like the only bookwork will be Bible Study which might be useful because I don’t know much about the Bible.” Sad frowned, trying to remember.  “I think someone told me a story about a big flood where a man built a boat and put lots of animals in it so they wouldn’t drown.”

“That was Noah,” said Step.  “He built an Ark and put two of every animal in it.  I’ll bet it was noisy.”

“And smelly,” laughed Sad. “Step, I am so glad you are with me.  I feel I can put up with anything, even lots of prayers, as long as you are here too.  It makes such a difference to have a friend.”

The two boys fell asleep despite the lack of sheets on their bed.  There were only rough blankets and lumpy pillows but that did not keep them awake. It seemed like only a moment went by when a loud bell woke them from their slumber.  It was still dark but a sputtering candle was placed on a table in their room.  They were still wearing the same clothes they had arrived in so dressing was easy.

“I’m busting to go to the toilet,” said Step. “Let’s go look for it.”

As they felt their way along the dark corridor they could see other shapes darting around but not a sound could be heard. Obviously there was a rule about silence but Step couldn’t wait.  He saw someone about his size sprinting along the corridor and whispered. “Toilet?”

“Outside,” the figure whispered. Step and Sad looked out the window at the lines of boys waiting outside three outback toilets in the moonlight.

“Bushes,” the figure said before continuing his sprint down the hall.

Step and Sad saw an open door and stepped outside into the chilly air.  They dashed around the corner of the house and were pleased to find a large bush to relieve themselves.  As they moved back inside, whispering quietly, a tall black figure swooped on them, shaking his head violently.

The prayers were held in a large square room which had no furniture whatsoever except for a chair and table at the front.  All the children sat cross legged on cold splintery floorboards.  Some adults stood at the back making sure everyone behaved and followed the rules. Step was surprised to see that some girls were present, wearing long blue dresses almost to the ground and with their heads covered by a scarf.  A man walked to the front of the room and sat in the chair.  On the table he placed a large black book and began to read from it.  Every time he stopped the children would say, “Amen.”

The man then announced they would all pray so they had to kneel on the hard floor while they recited lots of words about working hard and being good.  At last it was time to go to breakfast which was welcomed by all, after their lengthy fast.

Thick slices of home baked bread, creamy coloured butter and pots of blackberry jam sat beside bowls of hard-boiled eggs and cups of warm milk.

“We grow all our own food,” one of the men told Step and Sad.  “We don’t believe in killing animals so sometimes it is hard to find enough to eat. The Good Lord always provides us with enough, so we never starve.”

As they finished eating the man who drove the Land Rover bent over to speak to them.

“This morning you will visit Moses, our leader.  He will explain to you how our community works and find you a suitable occupation while you are here.”

Step and Sad followed the man to an office, where they sat in two leather armchairs, facing an old man with white hair, across a large, polished table.

“Welcome boys, to our community, ‘Jehovah’s Children’. As you probably know, we make everything here that we need.  Our sheep provide wool which we spin into cloth and make into clothes.  We grow wheat which we crush and bake into bread.  We have hens to provide eggs and cows to provide milk for butter and cheese.”

Sad interrupted, “But what about these leather chairs and the Land Rover.  You didn’t make those!”

Moses laughed, “I see you are a very inquisitive boy.  Let me answer that very good question.  When people decide to join our community they donate all their worldly goods to ‘Jehovah’s Children’.  That means we will never starve, even if we have a particularly bad season. The Land Rover is for emergencies.  We used to have just a horse and cart until one of our members became very ill.  All our prayers and herbal remedies did not work and we were resigned to the fact that it was the will of God to take this person from us. We all prayed for a sign from God to tell us what to do. Just at that moment a family arrived at the front door wanting to join our community. They all stepped out of the Land Rover and told us it was ours.  That was the sign.  I drove the sick person for two hours to the nearest hospital and she was saved.”

“Who was she?’ asked Sad, who seemed to very brave, standing up to Moses as he did.

“She is my daughter,” said Moses. “The purpose of this commune is to live in a place free of the sins of the world, but it is not our purpose that people should die when they can be saved.”

Moses wiped his eyes and then looked at the boys with a smile on his face. “Now to get down to the nitty gritty.  I have drawn up a timetable to give you a taste of the various jobs available and then you can find what you are good at.”

Step and Sad looked at a large sheet of cardboard.  The work assigned to them for that morning said “Dairy”. From 3 o’clock to 5 o’clock the chart said “Spinning”.  Moses rang a bell on his desk and a woman in a long brown dress and a happy smile came in to take them to the Dairy.

It was a busy day.  In the Dairy they learned how to milk a cow but as milking was over for the day they then had to make butter in a tall wooden container with a long staff which they plunged up and down.  At the bottom of the staff was a circular blade which swirled the cream around. The boys took turns as it was tiring work but were rewarded with a pat of butter and lots of watery milk left over which was called butter milk. A short stop for prayers and a drink of water in the Dairy at 11 o’clock and then they were back at work.

At 2 o’clock a bell rang and everyone moved towards the dining room, singing Songs of Praise.  They all stood behind their chairs, still singing, until the last song ended.  Moses began a long prayer of thanks for the food while Step’s tummy rumbled and Sad almost fell asleep. Lots of thick bread, creamy butter, golden honey and yellow cheese was eaten.  Step was told that because it was early Spring there were not many vegetables available.  He wondered what would be for dinner.  More bread and cheese?

The activity for the afternoon was Spinning. A teenage girl sat by a spindle and instructed them to pass small amounts of wool to her which she deftly twisted and fed into the spinning wheel.  As she worked, she asked them all about their life at the orphanage.  After they told her about the destruction of their home she sighed, and a tear fell into the wool.

“How I wish I could live in an orphanage like you did.  Instead, when I turn 16 I have to marry a man chosen by the elders.  I don’t like him at all and am planning my escape.”

Step told her that at the orphanage they had to leave when they turned 15 and find a job and somewhere to live.  He talked about Jack who found a job at the Printing Works.  He decided not to tell her about his escape in the garbage bin from the farm with the electric fence.

“What will you do if you escape?” asked Sad.  “I would help you if I could but I couldn’t even smuggle you into the orphanage because it has burnt down.”

“I don’t know,” said the girl, whose name was Ruth. “I just know that I have to get away from here before my birthday, which is next month, in October. I am not going to marry that horrible man.  I want to do things other girls do, like go to the pictures, dance all night, swim at the beach, wear pretty clothes and have lots of boyfriends. I am not ready to settle down and be a good wife.”

Step and Sad looked at each other.  Both were thinking they would like to help but they were aware that there would be a huge uproar if Ruth disappeared, especially if it was discovered that they were involved.

END OF CHAPTER 10

Chapter 9

Just as the orphans thought they might freeze to death, a bus pulled up outside the ruins of the orphanage.  The children climbed wearily on board and were each given a blanket and an apple.  This kept them warm and occupied until they pulled up outside a large, brightly lit building.  Nurse Smiley stood up at the front of the bus and blew a whistle.  The children sat quietly waiting to hear what she had to say.

“We are staying overnight at the Childrens’ Hospital to check everyone for burns or smoke inhalation.  Tomorrow morning after breakfast we will meet in this spot, and you will be taken to your accommodation.  I hope you can sleep the rest of the night because it is only a few hours until dawn.”

It was hard to sleep in the hospital beds because a doctor or a nurse was always waking someone up to see if they were all right when they would have been perfectly happy to stay asleep.  Breakfast came around on little trays after which the children, still in their pyjamas, were taken downstairs and out the front door.

Nurse Smiley and Matron had a large box of clothes which they distributed to the children.  Step ended up with a pair of trousers that was far too large and a skinny jumper.  Tear wore a dress that reached the ground.  Sad was given a tiny pair of shorts and a button through shirt which nearly reached his knees.

“This is only temporary,” said Nurse Smiley.  “We are now going to a Scout Hall where we will camp on the floor until we can find more permanent accommodation.”

In the Scout Hall were rows of inflatable mattresses with a sleeping bag sitting beside each one.  The red mattresses were for the boys and the green mattresses for the girls.  More clothes arrived in another large box so the children spent the day finding some more appropriate and comfortable things to wear.  They even found shoes and socks.

At 12 o’clock a long table was set up with sliced bread and butter at one end.  The orphans took their bread and then chose a filling for their sandwich.  The options were honey, vegemite, peanut butter, cold baked beans, cheese slices, lettuce, tomatoes, egg and corned beef.

Sad smiled over his corned beef and baked bean sandwich. “This is the best sandwich I have ever had,” he said.

Step was content with vegemite and lettuce while Tear had cheese, tomato and egg.

On the end of the table there were glasses and a huge container of 50/50 which is a drink made from lemons and oranges.  There were even small squares of fruit cake for those who were still hungry and a barrel of apples and oranges.

In the afternoon Mr Scott took them outside for a game of rounders which is a bit like baseball only it uses a tennis ball and a cricket bat.  A group of Scouts arrived later that day and showed the children some of the games they played at their meetings.  By six o’clock the orphans were tired after their busy day.  The Scout mothers had made large vats of soup which they ate with thick slices of bread toasted over the coals of the camp fire.

The orphans lined up with their bowls and spoons to wash and dry them before stacking them in crates. When all was tidy they sat on their inflatable mattresses while Matron prepared to speak to them.  No longer did she wear an imposing three cornered headdress.  It was amazing to see her with short grey hair and a simple skirt and jumper.  She looked much more like an ordinary human being.

“Until we can find permanent accommodation you will all be fostered by families.  We have sent out an urgent request and have eighteen people willing to keep you for up to a month. Tomorrow morning the first of the Foster Parents will arrive.  I want you to be on your best behaviour because if you are not good there will be no choice but to send you back and I’m afraid that means you will have to live in the streets as there is no home to go to.”  Matron looked sternly at the eighteen children.  “Nurse Smiley and I will have to stay at the Nurse’s Home while we are looking for a new place to live, so you definitely can’t stay with us should you have a falling out with your foster parents.”

Then it was lights out until one girl cried out, “My Li-Lo’s gone down.”  Soon there were cries from all over the room.  Someone had sneaked around and pulled the plugs on the inflatable mattresses.  The lights came back on, and the next half hour was spent using a number of pumps to reinflate the beds.  Finally, the lights were again turned off and everyone, even Sad, fell asleep.

Tear was hoping that she would be able to stay with Step and Sad, but she was the first to be picked up next morning.  The Grown-Up was an older woman who didn’t seem to know much about children as she didn’t have any of her own.  She told Tear that once she had a husband but he was killed in the War.  She said she had a lovely cottage by the sea and Tear could go for walks along the beach.

They caught a bus from outside the Scout Hall and sat in the front seat, looking at the cars and trucks as they sped past.  Then Tear caught a glimpse of the sea as they roared down a steep hill.  The bus stopped and Aunt Ella, as she wanted to be called, took her hand and led her down the steps onto the pavement.

“Not far to go now,” she said as they continued down the steep hill.  

Tear looked up at a magnificent mansion on their right. “What a beautiful house that is.”

“Yes,” replied Aunt Ella.  “A very good friend of mine lives in that house.  Maybe we can go and visit her one day.”

Tear thought she would like that if she could explore all the turrets and towers.

Aunt Ella’s house was not very big, but it had a front garden full of flowers and a sunny front veranda with two Adirondack chairs filled with comfy cushions.  On one chair a black cat was sleeping but it opened one green eye when they arrived.

Aunt Ella said the cottage had two bedrooms.  One was for visitors although she didn’t have many nowadays.  There were two single beds with green chenille bedspreads and a wardrobe and chest of drawers where Tear could put her clothes.

“But I don’t have any clothes!” exclaimed Tear.  “What I had was lost in the fire.”

“Then we’ll go shopping at the Salvation Army Store.  I’m sure we can find you some clothes for not very much money.  We can’t have you wearing the same thing every day for a month, can we?”

Aunt Ella prepared some sandwiches for lunch and poured Tear a glass of milk.

“This afternoon I am going to have a rest so you might like to have a look around the neighbourhood.  There is a pretty walk down to the beach from here.  I’m afraid the hill is too much for me to on the way back and I know young ones love to explore.”

Tear was surprised that she was allowed to go out on her own.  At the orphanage they were never allowed out without supervision.  After helping Aunt Ella clean up the lunch dishes, she put on a hat from the hall stand and stepped out onto the verandah.  In the distance, at the bottom of the steep hill, she could see the sparkle of the sea.  The black cat stretched and leapt down onto the boards, running lightly to the front gate.

“Are you coming with me?” asked Tear. “I wish I knew your name.”

At the bottom of the hill stretched a long sandy beach.  At one end Tear could see a swimming pool carved out of the rocks.  Beyond that stretched a flat area where waves crashed into little round pools and then drained swiftly away.  At the other end of the beach large rocks were piled high against the cliff.  To her right was a small lagoon fed by a splashing waterfall. Above her, on the top of a towering cliff, was the mansion, with a winding, overgrown track snaking up from the beach.

Where to go first?  Tear decided to climb to the mansion but halfway up was stopped by a rockfall which had totally destroyed the path. The black cat pushed on, scrambling over the rocks with ease but Tear was not as nimble at the cat. Back down she clambered, heading off towards the swimming pool and rock platform.  For the rest of the afternoon Tear stared into clear rock pools, watching little fish dart around while colourful starfish clung to the sides.

The sun was low in the sky and the air was chilly so Tear climbed the hill back to the cottage.  Would Aunt Ella be angry because she was so late?

She needn’t have worried as Aunt Ella treated her like an adult with the same amount of freedom.  She turned from the pot of soup she was stirring. “Tomorrow morning, we are going to the Salvation Army Shop and in the afternoon we are having tea with Miss Zipporah Magillacuddy.”

And so it was that Tear, dressed in her pre-loved clothes from the Salvos, accompanied Aunt Ella along the overgrown path to the front door of the mansion.  A very, very old lady answered the door. 

“How do you do, Miss Magillacuddy,” said Tear dutifully, as she had been instructed.

“Just call me Aunt Zip,” the old woman said. “Now tell me all about your terrible experience with the fire at the orphanage.”

Tear sat with a cup of tea and a scone on her knee while she recounted the events of the past few days.  She talked about Sad and how he had saved them all by shouting “Fire”, even though he was an Elective Mute.  She described the Scout Hall where the orphans had stayed until they were picked up by Foster Parents.

“Matron and Nurse Smiley are looking for somewhere for the orphans to live as the Opera Orphanage for Unwanted Boys and Girls is no more.  It was burnt to the ground,” said Tear sadly. “I loved that place because it was the first time I was happy in my whole life.  I had good friends and Nurse Smiley was very kind.”

Aunt Zip looked thoughtful.  She turned to her friend. “Ella, would you do something for me as I don’t have a telephone.  Would you please ring my solicitor, Mr Moody, and ask him to come and see me when it is convenient?”

On the way home Aunt Ella told Tear some startling news.  Last week Aunt Zip had turned 100 and she had received a telegram from the Queen.  She didn’t like to talk about it because it made her feel old.

As they entered the cottage Ella was wondering about the solicitor.  What was Zipporah Magillacuddy up to this time?”

END OF CHAPTER 9

Chapter 8

For Step and Tear, Saturday was a day of trepidation and excitement.  Sometimes they spent the day or the weekend with someone pleasant, and sometimes with a person who was not so pleasant. They began to look forward to staying at the orphanage where they usually had a treat of some kind because they were left behind.

When it came time to farewell Jack there was an empty bed in the boys’ section of the orphanage.  All the children moved along one bed so that the eldest slept at one end and the youngest at the other.  Step moved along the row and wondered who would fill the empty bed beside him.

It wasn’t long before a small boy was brought into the dormitory late one night.  Step wondered if he had been left at the front door in the same way he had been all those months ago.  Nurse Smiley was talking to him softly and showing him where to clean his teeth and visit the toilet.  Step was excited.  As soon as Nurse Smiley walked away he whispered, “Hello, welcome to the orphanage.  My name is Step and I will be your friend.”

The boy rolled over with his back to Step and lay still.  He certainly wasn’t going to be friends with Step tonight.

In the morning the boy lay in his bed with his eyes tightly shut. Step and the other boys made their beds and then dressed for the day. It happened to be a Saturday so Step hoped he wouldn’t be chosen because he wanted to make friends with the new boy. When he saw Tear he rushed over to her. “There’s a new boy arrived last night. He’s younger than us and won’t talk. I hope we don’t get chosen by anyone. If I have to go, will you look after him?”

Tear assured him she would and so they both sat down facing each other, making silly faces and bursting into giggles as the adults paraded slowly around the room.  Their behaviour must have frightened any would-be Foster Parents because they remained in their seats, along with four other orphans, when all the grown-ups had gone.

Nurse Smiley walked over to Step and Tear, asking them quietly to please come with her to see Matron.  They looked at each other, wondering if they were in trouble for misbehaving during the Inspection.

Matron was seated behind the table, wearing her three-pointed headdress, and looking very formidable.  She stared at the children for a whole minute before speaking.

“I’m glad you are home for the weekend.  We have a new boy at the orphanage and so far he hasn’t said a word.  He could be an Elective Mute.  That means…” she said, looking at the children’s questioning eyes, “he probably can talk but just chooses not to.  He is more likely to talk to you than to the adults, so if he does speak, could you let Nurse Smiley know what he says and that will help us to help him.”

“I tried to talk to him last night,” said Step, “but he just rolled over and stayed very still.”

“We’ll do our best to be his friend,” said Tear. “Maybe it would be best if we didn’t try to make him talk.  It might make him more determined not to speak.”

“You are very wise for a child,” said Matron approvingly.  “We will meet again next week and see what you have discovered.  Remember we are only trying to help him.”

“What is his name?” asked Step. “At least he should be able to hear us.”

“He goes by the name of Sad.  That is not his real name, but he will not respond to anything else.” Matron stood up and waved the children away. “Nurse Smiley, if you hear anything let me know straight away.”

Step and Tear filed out of the room, eager to find their new friend.  As they approached the Games Room they heard a commotion.

“Speak… Speak…Speak… Speak…” the four remaining orphans chanted.  They crowded around Sad and made ugly faces at him.  He stared stonily back at them, his face betraying no emotion.

“Leave him alone,” Tear called out.  They turned, surprised that such a small girl would stand up to them. “You are not to tease him, or else you will find yourself in the most serious trouble.  If this gets out, I imagine you would all be sent to your rooms without any tea.”

“Cook is doing roast lamb for us tonight,” said one boy.  They moved away quickly. 

“Let’s get the cricket set,” said another.  “We’ll go outside and play.”

Step moved over to Sad.  “Hi, my name is Step and this is Tear.  How about we show you around the orphanage.”

Sad nodded and followed the children to the School House, the Kitchen, the Library, the Projector Room and finally to the Mess Hall.  It was time for lunch, so they gave him a tray and discussed what he might like to eat.  At no time did he speak, but Step and Tear pretended this was quite normal, hoping all the time that he might say something.

When the other orphans arrived back on Sunday night Nurse Smiley held a meeting in the Games Room. Sad was nowhere to be seen but maybe he had been sent to Matron.

“Listen up everyone,” she said. “We have a new boy at the orphanage.  His name is Sad and as some of you have already discovered…” she looked hard at the four children who had scared Sad the day before. “Sad doesn’t speak. Anyone who teases him or tries to get him to talk will lose privileges.  You are to be kind and courteous to every child in this orphanage and to all the teachers and staff. Understood?”

“Yes, Nurse Smiley,” the children chanted.

Bedtime arrived, lights were put out and soft snores could be heard in the boys’ dormitory. Only Sad lay awake, his mind continually going over the events of the past few weeks.  After what he had seen, he felt he could never talk to anyone ever again.

Faintly, in the darkness, Sad saw a light.  It was more a glow than a light, and he wondered what it was.  Slipping out of bed he crept to the door and looked down the long corridor towards the girls’ dormitory. There he saw wisps of white curling up into the vaulted ceiling. Surely it wasn’t a ghost.  He didn’t believe in ghosts, but this was not normal.

It was then he smelt smoke. A lick of flame illuminated the darkness and Sad suddenly realised the orphanage was on fire.

“Fire! Fire!  Fire!” screamed Sad in the loudest voice he could muster.

Boys and girls clambered out of their beds.  Nurse Smiley and Matron arrived and escorted the children outside in an orderly fashion.  Standing shivering on the playing fields they watched as the orphanage was engulfed in flames.  Nurse Smiley did a quick head count.

“One girl is missing.  Who is not here?”

“It’s Tear,” answered the girls.  “She stayed behind to get something precious from under her bed.  She said she couldn’t leave it behind.”

Nurse Smiley looked back at the orphanage.  To go inside would be madness as flames were licking every doorway and window.  Just then the fire brigade arrived, and the children could see Nurse Smiley talking to the Fire Chief and pointing to the girls’ dormitory.  Flames roared out the window making any chance of climbing in and rescuing Tear well-nigh impossible.

“There she is,” called a girl.  On top of the tallest tower of the orphanage stood a small figure silhouetted against the flames.  In her arms she held something that could be a book.  It seemed that she was contemplating jumping off the tower, but they all knew that would only end badly.

Suddenly the ladder on the Fire Engine began to rise.  It moved towards the tower at the top of the orphanage.  A Fireman began climbing the ladder even as it rose higher and higher. It stopped just short of the ledge where Tear was standing.  The Fireman reached the top and held out his arms.  Tear hesitated and then jumped towards the Fireman.  The book fell down, disappearing into the darkness below.

“She’s safe,” the group murmured in unison.  Step sat on the grass sobbing with relief.  Sad walked over to him and sat down silently.  Step looked at him in astonishment.

“You spoke!  You warned everyone about the fire.  If it wasn’t for you, we would all have burnt to a crisp.”

Sad nodded.  “I had to speak.  It was a matter of life or death. I…I saw something terrible a little while ago and it fills my brain night and day.  It was only when I saw the fire I forgot the terrible thing I saw and realised I had to warn everyone.”

Step knew better than to ask Sad what he had seen.  Maybe he would tell him one day when they became good friends but for now it was enough that Sad was talking.

The Fireman brought Tear over to Nurse Smiley. “My album.  Did you see my album?” asked Tear.  She seemed to be in a daze as if she didn’t realise how close to perishing she had been. “My photo album that my mother gave me.  It has pictures of me when I was a baby with my mummy.”  With that she burst into tears and was comforted by Nurse Smiley.

The sad little group of sixteen children shivering in their pyjamas sat on the grass of the Playing Field and wondered what would happen now.  They had no home.  Where would they live?  What would they wear?  How would they eat?

The future looked very grim indeed. 

END OF CHAPTER 8

Chapter 7

Step enjoyed his journey back to the orphanage.  He sat beside a friendly policeman who stopped in Goulburn to buy him a pie and milkshake.  While they drove past dry and dusty paddocks Step told him the story of his dreadful weekend at the farm.

“People like that shouldn’t be allowed to foster children,” said the policeman, whose name was Jim.  “I’m going to inform the orphanage authorities so they will strike them off the list.”

After that Step dozed in the warm car and was quite surprised to open his eyes outside the orphanage door.  Jim knocked loudly and was greeted by Nurse Smiley, who ushered them into Matron’s office.

“It would seem the pleasant young lady who picks up the orphans is just a front for a number of very nasty people who mistreat the children and sometimes lock them up so they can’t escape.  Who knows how many children are in the same situation as Step but they haven’t been clever enough to stow away in a garbage bin?”  Jim said, glaring at Matron as if it was all her fault.

Matron looked very upset but did her best to hide her feelings. “I assure you Constable Hooper that this is not a regular occurrence.  The young lady was carefully vetted and ticked all the boxes for a foster parent. It was the first time she has offered her services and of course it will also be the last.  I will leave it up to you to investigate what exactly is going on here but rest assured we always make sure that foster parents are suitable, to the best of our abilities.”

Jim sighed and stood ready to leave. “All the best young lad.  I hope you find some kind foster parents who will give you the home you deserve.  If I was married I’d foster you myself but having a single policeman for a dad would be pretty hard on any boy. I’m almost never home.”

Step waved goodbye to his new friend and, looking at the clock, found he had not only missed school but most of the chores as well.  He went off to find Tear, who was in the kitchen drying the last of the dishes.

“Wait until you hear about my weekend!”

They both spoke at the same time so that they sounded like twins. Step, conscious of Tear’s feelings, asked her to go first.  She told him all about her Fantastic Fun Day and ended triumphantly.

“I’m so happy because I know I’m not an orphan.  I have a mother and even though we can’t see each other we will meet again.  When I am older I will meet her at a café and drink cappuccinos.  We will talk about what happened in our lives.” A tear glistened on Tear’s cheek but she shook it off. “I am not going to cry about this or anything else because every time I am sad I will think about the Fantastic Fun Day and it will make me happy.”

“That’s so cool,” Step said a little enviously.  He thought of his own father and the step-mother who made everyone’s life miserable.  He wondered where his own mother was and if she would ever find him at the orphanage.  However, he was not one to dwell on sad thoughts so he recounted his story to Tear who stood, open mouthed with horror as he spoke of his treatment and escape.

“All I can say is that next weekend will seem tame after this one,” said Step.  “In fact I’ll be quite happy to stay at the orphanage.”

The rest of the week passed uneventfully. The other children were not unfriendly although Step was glad he had Tear to talk to as the other children could be very changeable; chatty and kind at times and cold and aloof at others.

One of the older boys would be leaving at the end of the month.  Jack was fifteen and so could leave school and go out to work.  A big party was planned as a farewell but behind all the jollity Step could see that Jack was worried.  Step didn’t have the courage to ask where he would live and work but thought he would like to know because this could be him one day in the future.

He was fortunate enough to be partnered with Jack for chores one afternoon.  The older boy was splitting logs with an axe, and it was Step’s job to load the pieces of wood into a wheelbarrow. He plucked up the courage to ask what he was going to do when he left the orphanage.

“I’ve got a job lined up,” said Jack.  “It’s with a printing company in the warehouse department.  They told me I will just be doing odd jobs at first but if I work hard, I should get an apprenticeship.”

“Where will you live?” asked Step, imagining the other world of being a grown-up.

“There’s an old lady who has a spare room in a house near the printing works.  She will give me meals and a bed but I won’t have much money left over.  It will be lonely too without all my friends at the orphanage.” Jack looked sadly around him. “One day I hope to earn enough money to rent myself a little house and then I can have friends come and visit.”

It sounded like a good plan so Step got to wondering what he would do when he grew up.  He talked to Tear about this and they both decided that they would look for jobs that earned lots of money.  They couldn’t think of any so they returned to their usual topic of conversation.  Who would they go with this coming weekend?

Saturday morning arrived with the boys and girls lining up on opposite sides of the room.  A man walked in with two children by his side, a boy and a girl.  They were about the same age as Step and Tear so Step stared at the boy hoping to attract his attention.

“Let’s have him,” the boy called to his Dad, pointing at Step.  “She’ll do for Bethany,” he said, indicating Tear.

So it was that Step and Tear were to spend the weekend with the same family.  They couldn’t believe their luck.

Sitting in a blue and white Ford Fairlane with the man and his two children, Step and Tear peered excitedly out the window as they pulled into a large circular driveway.  The house they were to stay in was large and imposing, with tall white pillars each side of the front door and little balconies off each upstairs bedroom.

Step was shown the room he was sharing with Byron.  In it was everything a boy could want. There were shelves loaded with games and toy aeroplanes. A large stereo record player and radio stood in one corner of the room.  On top of a table was a small box which Step realised was a television, even though he had only ever seen them in shop windows. Byron was so lucky!  He had everything he wanted.  He even had a football table where players skewered on metal rods could be twisted and turned to kick the ball from one end to the other.

Step found his new friend was great company until Step started winning at football.  Byron wanted to stop playing and asked him to choose a record to play on the record player.  Step chose Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets but Byron said that was last year’s hit and chose Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley. Byron pretended to be Elvis, playing an air guitar when he suddenly lost interest and turned on the television.

“There’s not much on the box,” he said, peering at the small black and white picture. “It’s all about the Olympics at the moment.  You know, swimming, running and all that stuff.”

Step wanted to watch but Byron turned it off and indicated he was going outside. The boys ran down the large sweeping staircase and out onto the lawn. Inside a small room opening onto the outside was every imaginable piece of sporting equipment from tennis rackets to cricket bats and balls, hockey sticks and some things Step had never seen before.  Byron pulled them all out until the lawn was covered.

“Let’s try baseball,” suggested Step.  “I’ll pitch while you bat.”

Step was pretty good at baseball as this was all he ever played at the orphanage.  He threw the ball carefully at Byron who made a huge swing but missed by a mile.

“Throw it properly,” yelled Byron. “How am I supposed to hit the ball when you throw it all over the place?”

Step tried again and produced a perfect pitch.  Again, Byron missed it and threw his bat down angrily.

“Let me show you how it’s done,” Byron sneered.

He picked up the ball and aimed it straight for Step’s head.  Step tried to avoid it but it hit him a glancing blow on the cheek so that lots of little lights exploded behind his eyes.  It was some time before he was able to pick himself off the ground and by then Byron was nowhere to be seen.  Tear came running over, followed by Bethany, and led him to a seat.  She examined the rapidly rising bump on his cheekbone.

“We’ll have to get some ice on that,” she said. “Bethany, where is the kitchen?”

Bethany was a mouse like girl who rarely spoke, but she wordlessly led them to a large room where a cook and a maid were preparing food.

“Please may I have some ice for Step’s head?” asked Tear.

“I’m not asking how that happened,” said Cook.  “Because we already know, don’t we Bethany.”

Bethany nodded and as Cook applied ice she told the children what they already were beginning to realise.  Byron was a bully and treated everyone and everything the same way.  He had no respect for others and did his best to hurt them when he wasn’t winning.

Step decided to play with Tear and Bethany.  It seemed that Bethany was happy for their company because it meant she wasn’t alone to put up with her brother’s bad temper.  Byron was nowhere to be seen until dinner time, when he turned up looking glum and sulky.  They ate in the kitchen with Cook as it seemed the parents were busy entertaining. At the back of Step’s mind was a lurking fear of what Byron might do to him that night so he delayed bedtime as long as he could.  They played Monopoly but when Byron saw he was losing he wiped all the pieces off the table and ran out of the room.  Bethany pleaded with him to come back to play a card game, but he refused, disappearing upstairs into his room and playing music very loudly.

Suddenly the father could be heard bounding up the stairs.  “Cut that racket or I’ll smash all those records to smithereens,” he yelled. “How am I supposed to entertain guests when you make all that noise.”

The mother came into the games room.  “Off to bed, all of you. Nighty night.”

The time had come.  Step quietly opened the door of Byron’s room to see him curled up sobbing on one of the twin beds.  Despite all the lovely things he owned he seemed a very unhappy boy. Step put on his pyjamas, cleaned his teeth and climbed into his bed.  In the other bed the sobs continued.  Step decided he could do one of two things.  He could ignore the sobs and try to go to sleep or he could talk to Byron and maybe make him feel better.

He started by recounting his adventures of the previous weekend, how he travelled a long way to a farm and was made to sleep on a verandah and eat the leftover food on its way to the pigs.  He told how he escaped in a garbage bin and was picked up by a policeman in Tumbarumba.  As he talked he noticed the sobs had stopped.  Byron was either listening or asleep.

Then he went on to tell of how he arrived at the orphanage with his father because he wasn’t wanted by his stepmother, of the room where he slept, with eight beds and eight boy orphans, of the little school where the children ranged from Kindergarten to 6^th Class and sometimes beyond and the massive kitchen where he peeled potatoes and wiped dishes with Tear.

Step stopped talking.  Byron must be asleep by now. He jumped when a voice said, “I wish I lived at the orphanage….   I’m sorry I hit you.  I’ll try to be better tomorrow.”

The next day Step could see that Byron was trying to be on his best behaviour. “I want you to come back again for a weekend. Please,” Byron pleaded.

Here was the boy who had everything, wanting Step to come over and stay for another weekend.  If he did come back he might be able to help Byron with his problems or he might find himself a victim of Byron’s anger once more. 

As Step and Tear climbed into the big luxurious car ready to head back to the orphanage, Byron and Bethany waved goodbye.  Would they ever see each other again?  They were children and it was the grown-ups who made the decisions so none of them knew what the future would hold.

End of Chapter 7

Chapter 6

Before I tell you about Step’s journey with the policeman to the orphanage I will go back in time to Saturday morning, when Step left happily with the pretty young woman, looking forward to his weekend on a farm.

Tear saw him wave as he left and wished very much that she was going with him.  All her courage left her and she was about to live up to her name when a pale blonde woman stopped in front of her and took both of her hands, gently pulling her up.

“It can only be one day, but I want you to have the time of your life.  Will you come with me?”

Tear felt that she knew this woman but couldn’t remember where she had seen her before.  She felt comfortable in her presence, however, and the tears that almost came out of her eyes dried up immediately. She was going to have a wonderful day, so why worry about the future?

“Just call me Tilly,” said the woman. “Now let me tell you what we are going to do first.”

Tilly took Tear to a big department store where they looked at childrens’ clothes.  She helped Tear select a red and white dress, some white sandals, a straw hat and a white handbag. Tilly told her to put them on while she put the old clothes in a carry bag printed in a black houndstooth design.

“Now I’m going to take you to have waffles and ice-cream,” exclaimed Tilly excitedly.  They sat on high stools in a café overlooking the harbour, savouring the sweet, crunchy waffles.  Tear thought she had never been so happy.

Tilly led Tear down to the ferry terminal and soon they were standing on the bow of a ferry, the wind in their hair and the salt spray in their faces.  They pulled into a jetty, clambering ashore with lots of other families.

“Look up,” said Tilly.

Tear saw the biggest face she had ever seen in her life.  It had large white teeth, bright red cheeks and popping eyes. Its hair stood up like a crown. Behind it she could see a fairyland of towers and turrets, enormous wheels and what looked like little trains climbing up steep rails of steel.

“We are going to buy a ticket,” said Tilly, “that allows us to go on any ride we want.  How about we start with the merry-go-round?”

Tear walked under the white, shiny teeth and stared around while Tilly bought the tickets.  A woman was selling pink fluffy stuff on a stick and before she knew it Tilly was handing her one.

“It’s called Fairy Floss and it just dissolves in your mouth like magic.  Look at the horses on the merry-go-round.  Which one would you like?”

Tear chose a prancing black horse with a flowing silver mane and tail.  Tilly sat astride a golden horse with a colourful saddle and laughed happily at the people waving from the side.

They tried the Ferris Wheel, looking out across Sydney Harbour as they teetered at the top.  The Ghost Train was scary when a figure stepped out and touched Tear on the arm.  They even went on the Roller Coaster, climbing slowly to the top before swooping down the other side.  Tear felt a little sick in the stomach after that but she wasn’t going to tell Tilly.

“Hot dog or sausage roll?” asked Tilly.

Tear decided on a hot dog.  She hoped it wasn’t a real dog in the middle of the bun, although Tilly assured her it was made from pig meat.  Tilly also ordered a big chocolate milkshake which she said they could share.

The sun was low on the horizon as they took the ferry back to Circular Quay. Tilly wanted to go to Chinatown for dinner but the motion of the boat made Tear feel very, very sick.  Soon her waffles, fairy floss and hotdogs had vanished over the side of the boat into the sea.  Once they were back on land Tear felt better so Tilly led her excitedly to Chinatown, past shops with shiny orange ducks hanging in the window and up a grand staircase to a room full of large circular tables.  Because they were only two, they were given a small table in the corner.

“I’m going to order my favourite dish to share with you.  It’s long and short, sweet and sour, fried soup.  The long and short bits are the noodles, the sweet and sour are the flavours, the fried part is the wontons and as for the soup…. well it’s not soup.  It’s a sauce.  I’ll get some fried rice with that.”

It really was delicious, but as the food disappeared Tear was filled with dread.  Her lovely day was coming to an end.

“We’re going to the pictures!  This day ain’t over yet,” cried Tilly.

They skipped along the pavement until they came to a brightly lit picture theatre.  Tilly bought tickets and a box of jaffas to roll along the floor and surprise the other patrons. The picture, called “Old Yeller”, was about a stray dog that adopted a family and became a much loved part of it until it was bitten by a wolf with rabies. Tear lived up to her name and Tilly joined her as they both sobbed their way out of the picture theatre.  Everyone around them was doing the same.

“We have to cheer ourselves up after that,” said Tilly.  “It was a wonderful story but so, so sad,”

Tear agreed.  She had never seen anything that she enjoyed so much even though it had made her sad.  It was a different sort of sadness, because when you walked out of the theatre you realised that it had nothing to do with your own life.  In fact Tear had forgotten all her own fears and worries while she was caught up in the story of Old Yeller.

Now they came rushing back as she realised the day must be over.  Tilly had one more trick up her sleeve, however.  She hailed a taxi and whispered to Tear. “You might see some strange people where we are going but I am dying for a coffee and there is only one place I know where I can get a proper cappuccino and that is Kings Cross.  You can have a hot chocolate.”

They climbed out of the taxi into a busy street full of people and cars.  Some women were beautifully dressed, standing around as if they were waiting for someone.  Tear didn’t have time to stare.  Tilly rushed her down some stairs into a dark room full of loud music and sat her in a comfy lounge while she went to order drinks.  To Tear’s relief the loud music stopped and was replaced by a soft melody on a piano.

Tilly took a swig of her coffee and sat back, wiping her lips with a handkerchief.

“Phew!  I needed that.”

Tear sipped her hot chocolate and found it to be very nice.  She noticed Tilly was staring at her.

“Tear, I have something to tell you.  I wanted you to remember this day for ever more because I can never see you again.”

She took another gulp of coffee and continued. “I am about to be married to a man called Charles.  He doesn’t know that six years ago I had a baby… a little girl.  I was too poor to keep her or look after her, but my sister tried her best with her until she had to leave to go away for a job.  Then she took her to an orphanage.  If Charles knew about the baby he would refuse to marry me.  I can’t lose him.”  She looked into Tear’s eyes. “Tear, you are that baby and I am your mother, but we can never see each other again after today.  One day, when you are grown up, we might be able to meet again but I want you to know now you can’t count on it.  So just remember today and don’t ever tell anyone that you met your mother.  Understand?”

Tear didn’t know what to say but she was determined not to cry.  They caught a taxi back to the orphanage and Tilly took her inside, kissing her briefly before waving goodbye.

It was late and all the other children were in bed.  Nurse Smiley quicky rushed her to the bathroom and checked she had cleaned her teeth.  Soon she was in her pyjamas and lying under a blanket.  Over and over she said to herself. “I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry.”

END OF CHAPTER 6

Chapter 5

Step looked around him and realised the property was surrounded by a high fence.  He remembered the woman with the sweet face who brought him here yesterday.  She had stopped at the gate and spoken on a two-way radio before the gates opened.

The man must have read his thoughts because he immediately said, “Now don’t you go getting any ideas about escaping.  That fence is electric and if you touch it you will be frizzled like a sausage. No-one leaves without my say so.  Right?  Now off you go and dig up some potatoes for our dinner.”

As Step swung the mattock into the hard, dry soil, he considered his options.  The children must leave for school each day and the mother must go out to do the food shopping.  Maybe he could slip out the gate as it opened.  He didn’t like his chances of getting away unobserved and he imagined Bluey being sent after him.  It was not a pleasant thought.

Later that day the man came down to the potato paddock. “That’s enough potatoes for now.  Take those up to the kitchen and then I want you to take the bins down to the gate.”

Step wondered how the rubbish truck managed to pick up the bins behind a locked gate but realised that at least the contents would be thrown in the truck and travel a long way from the farm.  The bins were as high as Step’s chest and made of corrugated galvanised iron.  He struggled with the first one until the man gave him a trolley to put it on.  Now it was on wheels it rolled easily down the driveway.  He left it next to the gate and toiled back up the hill for the second one.  As he dragged the trolley he had an idea.  If he hid in one of the bins early in the morning the gate would open and he could escape.  He might even get a ride in the rubbish truck.

Early next morning Step grabbed his small bag and crawled out from under his newspapers.  Bluey growled at him as if he knew what he was up to.  If Bluey barks then the man will come out and I will be stuck here for at least another week, thought Step

He pushed through some bushes so Bluey couldn’t see him anymore.  Then he scurried towards the gate keeping himself hidden from the house.  The bins loomed in front of him in the darkness.  Yesterday he had checked which one had the least rubbish but they were both nearly full.  He pulled off one metal lid and began throwing the contents into the bushes.  When there was enough space inside he leaped in, replacing the lid. Over his head he dragged a flour bag which he had found in the shed.  When the garbage collector took the lid off he would only see the bag.

Step sat in the bin shivering with fear.  So many things could go wrong.  What if he was hurt as the bin was emptied?  What if Bluey came down with the man before the garbage truck arrived? If he did get into the truck, how would he escape?

Soon he heard the rumble of the truck.  A voice spoke on the two-way radio.  He could hear the gate opening.  Then he could feel himself hoisted in the air.  He fell awkwardly into a pile of rubbish in the back of the truck.  The contents of the other bin landed on top of him.  The truck started moving and he realised with growing excitement that he was leaving the farm.  He had escaped!

The truck drove on for about half an hour. Then it stopped and more rubbish fell into the truck. By squeezing into one corner Step managed to avoid the worst of it but he smelt terrible and wondered how he could face the world again in his present state.

Finally, the truck stopped for a long time and the smell was atrocious.  Step decided he must be at the Dump so climbed up to the top of the truck and looked around.  Piles of rubbish stretched in all directions but he could see a road winding through the wasteland.  Follow that road and I must reach a town, he thought.

The sides of the truck were very high so he waited until it began to empty its contents.  First of all the engine started.  Then the floor beneath him began to move and tilt.  He rolled out onto a pile of debris, jumping up and running before anyone could stop him.

Step must have run several miles before he crossed a small stream gurgling under a wooden bridge.  The water was clear and cold.  After drinking his fill he carefully removed his smelly clothes and jumped into the stream, scrubbing himself all over with his hands to remove the stench of the garbage truck.  Then he rinsed his clothes as best he could, putting them on while still wet.  The sun was warm in the sky and he hoped he would dry off as he ran.  At least he didn’t smell so bad.

A sign ahead proclaimed the town of Tumbarumba, population one hundred and three.  Now Step faced a new problem.  He had no money so how would he eat and where would he sleep?  Up ahead he could see a roadside café where sandwiches, pies and sausage rolls were advertised on a large poster.  His stomach growled with hunger.  He watched a family walking to their car, throwing the remains of their lunch in the bin.  As soon as they drove away he scurried to the bin and found half a meat pie, some sandwich crusts and almost a whole apple.  Sitting under a nearby tree he happily filled his stomach.  After all, it was better than eating the pig swill at the farm.

The combination of food, warm sunshine and exercise made Step very tired.  In minutes he was asleep, only waking as the shadows grew long and the chill of the evening entered his bones.  He knew that he must find a warm place for the night so walked past the scattering of shops in the main street hoping to find a cosy corner in which to shelter. The Tumbarumba Hardware Store had a large, covered porch in front of a locked entrance door so Step huddled in one corner, shivering and wondering how he could get back to the Opera Orphanage for Unwanted Children.  It occurred to him that they may have replaced him and that some other boy could now be sleeping in his bed.

“What have we here?” boomed a man’s voice.

Step looked up to see a large policeman looming over him.  His first thought was to run but the policeman gripped him firmly by the arm.

“Don’t be scared.  I’ll take you home because little boys should not be out by themselves at night.  Where do you live?”  The policeman sounded kind but Step was not sure he could trust him.  What if he sent him back to the Farm?

“My home is the Opera Orphanage for Unwanted Children, but I don’t know where it is,” Step answered.

“So you ran away, did you?  I’m afraid I’ll have to send you back.  Can’t have boys sleeping out the front of shops.”

Step said nothing.  He sat in the Police Station while the policeman spoke on a big black telephone.   He heard his name mentioned once or twice and lots of “I see” and “That explains it”.  He looked questioningly at the policeman when he hung up the phone.

“Well young man, it seems you didn’t run away from the orphanage but you were having a weekend with Foster Parents.  You are a long way from home so there will be a lot of explaining to do.  One of our men will be driving to Sydney in the morning so he’ll give you a lift to the orphanage.  In the meantime you can have a kip in the cell.  No-one is in there at the moment.

That was how Step spent a night in a prison cell.   He didn’t mind.  He knew that tomorrow he would be back in his own bed, looked after by Nurse Smiley and catching up with his new friend Tear.

END OF CHAPTER 5

Chapter 4

The week passed quickly and before he knew it Step realised it was Friday night again.  His heart beat faster when he thought about Inspection Day.  Even if he had to work hard for the weekend it would be nice to live in a house with a normal family.  How he hoped he would be chosen by the Foster Parents.

Tear sat opposite him in the Inspection Room. She looked very frightened but was determined not to cry.  The doors opened and in came the adults in ones and twos.  A young woman with a sweet face caught Step’s eye.

“Hi there!  How would you like to live on a farm for the weekend?  There won’t be much hard work, just collecting the eggs of a morning.  There’s nothing better than a fresh boiled egg with some home-made bread cut into soldiers to dip in the yolk.”  She smiled and prattled on. “There’s a billabong where you can swim if it’s hot and horses to ride.”

Step was thrilled.  He followed her to a Land Rover and threw his small bag in the back. They drove for what seemed like forever and it was nearly sunset when she pulled up in front of a tumbledown house at the end of a long driveway.  He wondered about getting back to the orphanage in time for school on Monday.  Climbing out of the Land Rover he walked to the back and grabbed his bag.

“See you”, called the woman as she swung the car in a circle and headed off down the track.

Step looked in amazement as the vehicle disappeared in a cloud of dust. Turning back to the house he climbed the rotting wooden steps to the verandah, knocking nervously on the front door.

“Go round the back,” called a man’s voice. It didn’t sound too friendly, but Step was relieved that at least the house was occupied.

Step pushed past prickly bushes until he came to a small verandah where a large, ferocious dog showed its teeth.  Fortunately, it was on a chain so Step was able to avoid its excited lunges.  The man wheezed and then spat on the grass.

“Took your time getting here, didn’t you?” the man said in an accusing voice.  “Weekend’s half over already.  This is where you’ll be sleeping, beside Bluey.”

The man pointed to a strip of dirty carpet on the veranda floor beside the dog kennel.

“There’s some newspaper if you get cold.  Now your job is to feed the animals.  After each meal we put the leftovers in a bucket.  You can have first pick and then take the rest down to the pig sty.  Don’t eat too much.  I want our pigs to get nice and fat.  Now take this wheat around to the chook pen and when you get back you can go through the scraps for the pigs.”

Step looked through the window into a well-lit room where a woman and two children sat around a wooden table eating and drinking.  He realised how thirsty he was and asked if he could have a glass of water.

“You’ll be drinking from the tank when you give the animals their water.  I’ll give you the Vandal Proof Key in the morning.  Meantime you’ll just have to share with the pigs.”

Step carried a billy can full of wheat to the chook pen.  As he scattered it around he looked longingly at their water bowl.  It was full of feathers and other unspeakable things but he dipped his fingers in and sucked them gladly.  He comforted himself with the thought that he would be going home to the orphanage tomorrow.

The remains of the dinner were disgusting.  He found a chicken wing which looked relatively untouched and nibbled on it doubtfully.  Some peas and a potato rounded off his meal but an orange he found was soft and covered in mould on one side.

He carried the heavy bucket to the pig pen where he was greeted with delighted squeals and snorts.  The water trough was repulsive, so Step reconciled himself to spending a thirsty night.  At least he could look forward to clean, fresh tank water in the morning.

Looking back on that night Step decided it was one of the worst of his life.  As the hours passed by the cold seeped into his bones despite covering himself with newspaper.  Bluey chewed noisily on his bone and growled at the owls and other night creatures as if they might take it off him.

And the thirst! Step had read that if you put a pebble in your mouth it stops you being thirsty but even though he selected a small smooth stone from amongst the bushes it did little to help.  Needless to say, he was up at dawn waiting for the Vandal Proof Key.

The man appeared and let Bluey off his chain.  The dog disappeared with an excited yelp and ran in circles around and around the house.  He showed Step the Vandal Proof Key.  It was made of brass and shaped like a T.  The man hauled a dirty bucket to the water tank and set it beneath the tap, using the T to open the valve.  As the rusty water rushed out Step put out his hand to catch some drops.  The man pushed his hand away.

“Wait until it’s full.  We can’t waste water.”

Finally the bucket was full and the man took the T and put it in his pocket.  Step lifted the heavy bucket and headed off to the pig pen.

“Don’t you dare spill a drop, or I’ll have your guts for garters,” the man called out in a nasty voice before going back into the house.

Step put the bucket down carefully and scooped the water out with his hands.  Never had anything tasted so good.  Once his thirst was quenched, he set about the unpleasant task of cleaning out the water trough before filling it with fresh, clean water.  The pigs pushed him aside as they drank noisily and happily, dropping bits of food in it so that it soon looked just as putrid as when he started.

The breakfast scraps consisted of greasy bacon rinds and burnt toast so Step decided to give them a miss.  He imagined dinner that night at the orphanage.  It might only be a lamb chop and three vegetables but it would be clean and served on a white plate with a knife and fork.  Beside it would be a glass of milk and after would come a pudding with custard.  When would the woman who brought him here come back to get him?

“Hey you.”  The man kneeled down to Step’s level and looked him in the eye.  “We think we might like to keep you so we are sending word to the orphanage that we will be your Foster Parents.  Who knows, you might live here with us for the rest of your life.  We could find you a spot to sleep in the hay shed if you work hard.”

Step was speechless.  A wave of horror overwhelmed him.  One thing he was sure of.  He was not going to stay in this dreadful place one more day.

END of CHAPTER 4

Chapter 3

Step was excited and scared at the same time.  It was the day of the Inspection and he wondered where he would be sleeping that night.  Would he stay in the orphanage or would some people take him home for the weekend?

He took special care dressing himself and combed his hair until it sat flat on his head.  The other boys were subdued, all wondering what was in store for them.  They filed into the Inspection Room, boys sitting on one side and girls on the other.  They sat in order of size, from the youngest to the oldest.  Step was the first one seated on his side of the room.  He looked across at Lottie, her ringlets swirling around her head as she glanced this way and that for her Foster Parents.

The door opened and the Parents walked in.  They came in twos or sometimes just alone, walking past each child and checking them carefully up and down.  A tall, thin woman with black hair in a bun and a pointy face asked Step his name.

“My name is Step,” he answered in a clear voice.

“How long have you been here?” she asked.

“Only two days,” he said.

“You look a bit scrawny to me.  I need a big strong boy to do lots of heavy work.”  She moved on.

Lottie disappeared with her Foster Parents. “So long suckers,” she called out cheerfully. “I hope I never see any of you ever again.”

Two of the biggest boys left with the tall thin woman.  They looked unhappy, realising they had a weekend of hard work ahead of them.  All they could hope for was that she would give them lots to eat and maybe pay them for their work.

Suddenly the crying girl appeared with her aunt.  Nurse Smiley sat her down in Lottie’s seat and the aunt moved swiftly away.  All the Foster Parents had left with the chosen children so Step realised he was staying at the orphanage for the weekend.  He looked at the small girl who was still crying and crossed the floor to talk to her.

“Hello, my name is Step and I have only been here two days.  Nurse Smiley is kind, the food is good and the beds are warm and comfortable.  It’s not such a bad place.  What is your name?”

“My aunt calls me Tear because I am always crying,” she said.  “I miss my Mummy and my Daddy and know I will never see them again so I can’t stop crying.”

Step was worried.  He had to get this girl to stop crying.  If they could be friends, he would have someone to talk to and someone to sit with when he ate his meals.  They could work together in the afternoon and maybe sit together in school.

“Look at me,” said Step.  “I’ll be your friend and help you whenever I can but you must promise me you will stop crying.  The other children here are not very friendly so it is always good to have an ally.  The world is not so bleak when you have someone on your side.”

Tear stopped crying and looked at Step. It had been a long time since she felt as though someone cared.  Even her aunt was always too cross and too busy to listen to her but now she felt something almost like happiness.

Nurse Smiley came into the room.  “Come with me Tear and I will show you to your room. Then you can have your lunch in the Mess Hall with Step.”

For the first time Step looked forward to eating a meal.  He picked up a tray, collected his soup and bread and sat down at the end of a bench.  Soon Tear came into the room so he waved, and she came over to join him, balancing her tray of soup with great care.

He told her all about the school and hoped she would be in First Class like he was.  Maybe they could sit together?  Then he talked about the afternoon jobs and warned her not to peel potatoes with a knife.

Nurse Smiley came into the Mess Hall.

“Children, listen up please.”  

The buzz in the room stopped and all eyes looked at her expectantly.

“Of course, you will have your jobs this afternoon but as a special treat, because you did not get chosen today, we will be having a projector night after dinner.  The film we are going to show today is called Pollyanna and is about a girl who is always glad about everything.  I hope it will make you feel glad that you are looked after and cared for at the Opera Orphanage for Unwanted Children.”

The children clapped and cheered.  They all carried their plates to the kitchen and looked at the roster to see what their job was for that afternoon. Step was on washing up but because Tear was new she wasn’t on the list.  

Cook glared at Step. She had eyebrows that ran in a straight line above her eyes and looked very ferocious. “You again!  How do I know you won’t slice your hand with the big knife and turn the water red with your blood?”

Step promised to be very careful and put a glove on the bandaged hand. Tear was given a tea towel and told to wipe the dishes until they were perfectly dry.  They worked away happily and talked about all sorts of things, including the film they were going to watch that night.  Life at the orphanage wasn’t so bad after all.

END OF CHAPTER 3

Chapter 2

The schoolroom was a small weatherboard building outside the orphanage.  Step walked up the wooden steps and hung his new satchel on a peg on the wall.  The classroom was square, with three rows of desks on one side and four on the other.  There were two blackboards, one on each side of the room and in the middle was the teacher’s desk, where an old, grey haired man sat in a chair, reading his newspaper. 

The classes ranged from Kindergarten to Sixth Class.  Step was told to sit in the second row from the front as he was to be in First Class.  A boy and girl in his row moved over to let him in.  They didn’t look too friendly.  The teacher, whose name was Mr Scott, handed him a book and a pencil and soon he was tracing over letters.  The boy next to him punched him with his elbow.  His pencil skidded across the book, leaving a dark, angry mark.  Mr Scott was cross and the boy in his row smiled with satisfaction.

At recess the other children ignored him. One of the big boys, called Teddy, came onto the verandah with a billy of milk.  He swung it around above his head and Step was amazed that the milk didn’t fall out.  They lined up with their mugs as Teddy poured out the milk.  Of course, Step was last and there were only a few drops left when it was his turn.

Back in the classroom he had to copy sums off the blackboard into his exercise book.  He was good at adding and subtracting and took great care forming his numbers. He also watched the boy next to him for any sudden movement in his direction.  Then they were writing stories.  Mr Scott asked them to imagine they were a King or a Queen for a day and to write what they would do.

Step wrote that he would put all the bad mothers and fathers in gaol.  All the children in orphanages would be given a hundred pounds to spend on anything they wanted.  Then they would go and live with the King in his palace for ever and ever. Mr Scott thought it was a very good composition and read it out to the class. The other children didn’t clap or cheer.  They just looked at him with frowns on their faces.

Lessons were over for the day.  They all lined up for lunch with a tray in their hands.  Cook gave each child a bowl of soup and a piece of bread.  Soon they were sitting at long tables eating and talking, but no one spoke to Step.  He sat at the end of the row, shunned by the others and wondered if it would always be like this.  He looked up as a pretty girl with ringlets tossed her head.

“My Foster Parents are taking me home tomorrow,” she said.  “I will have a bedroom all to myself with lots of toys and they are going to take me to the zoo and the beach and on holidays.  Maybe even to Disneyland.”

She wasn’t talking to Step.  Rather she was addressing the whole group. “And then I’ll be out of this awful place forever.  Good riddance.”

Step realised that tomorrow was Saturday, the day of the Inspection.  Would someone like the look of him and take him home?

First of all he had to complete his job for the afternoon.  Nurse Smiley led him to the kitchen where Cook was delegating tasks to the children.

“Aaaah! Here’s the new boy.  What are you like at peeling potatoes?”

This was a job his stepmother always gave him so he announced he was very good at it.  Cook gave him a huge pile of potatoes and a potato peeler. He would have been happy to do it by himself but another older boy sat near him and grabbed the peeler.

“You can use this knife.  I’m using the peeler!”

Step wasn’t used to peeling potatoes with a big sharp knife and soon he cut himself.  Blood poured over the potatoes.

“Yuk”, cried the other children.  Cook rushed over, but not before the older boy put the peeler down and moved away.

“I told you to use the potato peeler.  What a silly boy, using that great big knife.  Whatever were you thinking?”

She wrapped his hand in a bandage and sent him out of the kitchen.  “Go and find another job.  I don’t want you here.”

By now Step was feeling mightily discouraged so wandered slowly along the hallway towards the front door wondering where he should go next.  To his surprise there was a commotion at the end of the hall.  A small girl about his age was clinging to a woman and crying very loudly.

“I have to leave you here,” said the woman. 

“Don’t go, don’t go,” cried the girl.

“I can’t look after you anymore.  I have to go far away to my new job, and you are not allowed to come with me.”

“But Aunty, you are all I have left.  Don’t leave me.”

Fortunately, Nurse Smiley arrived and spoke to the woman kindly but firmly.

“I’m afraid there is no room here.  Our orphanage is full.  We can only take sixteen children.”

Step wasn’t sure if he should speak but he felt he had to try and help somehow.

“Nurse Smiley, what about the girl with the ringlets?  She said she was going to live with her Foster Parents for good and she is leaving tomorrow.  Then there will be room for this girl.”

Nurse Smiley looked cross at Step’s sudden interruption but then looked at the tearful little girl and considered what she would do.  “Very well”, she said to the woman. “Bring her back tomorrow and if Lottie is taken then your niece can stay.”

END OF CHAPTER 2