Ch-1 Sunshine and shadows

The orphanage was ancient, its walls heavy with centuries of secrets and whispered stories. Cracks in the stone seemed to hide shadows that moved when no one was watching, and every creak of the floorboards told tales of forgotten footsteps. At least, that’s what Nora believed.

For now, she was scrubbing the same worn floors she had scrubbed a hundred times before, the scent of old stone and wax filling her senses.The work was monotonous, but comforting in its predictability. It gave her mind space to wander—to the attic full of secrets she wasn’t allowed to peek into, the locked rooms that probably contained either treasure or some very grumpy ghosts, and the strange little noises that seemed to follow her down empty halls. Magic, obviously, was hiding somewhere in these corners, probably rolling its eyes at her for not noticing sooner. Or maybe it was just the hopeful ramblings of an orphan who figured life didn’t have to be all chores, rules, and disappointments.After all, if the universe insisted on stone walls and endless scrubbing, she might as well pretend there were dragons hiding in the corners, ready to entertain her.

Her imagination also supplied villains closer to home. Sister Imelda, the warden, with her sharp voice and unbending rules, could very well be a demon in disguise, Nora decided. Maybe she didn’t drink blood like in the stories, but she had a remarkable talent for wearing children down with endless chores and impossible rules—until, Nora imagined, they finally surrendered their spirits, one exhausted soul at a time.

“You’re still at it?” Aine’s voice floated from the doorway, soft and teasing. Sunlight caught in her golden curls, turning them into a halo she absolutely did not deserve. Her smile — wide and annoyingly perfect — was almost blinding.

Aine, my dearest comrade in this hell.

The only person in this entire crumbling orphanage capable of making scrubbing floors feel like a cosmic joke instead of a punishment. She leaned against the frame with that effortless grace she didn’t even know she had, watching Nora with amused pity.

“Do you actually enjoy this,” she continued, eyebrow raised, “or are you trying to polish your soul along with the floors?”

“Very funny,” Nora replied, rolling her eyes. “I just like to make it look like I’m working hard. It keeps Imelda off my back… mostly.”

Aine laughed, stepping closer. “Right. Because nothing says ‘innocent orphan’ like scrubbing floors with that much dedication.”

“Exactly,” Nora said, smirking. “Now, come on. We need to execute Operation Library Escape before Imelda notices. She’s definitely in a soul-collecting mood today.”

“Oh?” Aine’s eyes sparkled. “Do tell. I hope it doesn’t involve actual danger this time. Last week’s ‘daring mission’ ended with you almost tripping over the bucket.”

“That was strategy,” Nora said, wagging a finger. “And today’s mission is much safer. We sneak out, head to the library, and work on the plan. Our plan.”

Aine leaned against the wall, smiling softly. “Right, the plan. Step one: avoid chores. Step two: conquer the world… or at least the bookshelves.”

“Exactly,” Nora said. “And if Imelda catches us, we tell her we’re conducting research. Very important research. For… science.”She can’t argue with science.”

“Science,” Aine echoed, shaking her head. “You’re ridiculous. But I’m in. Let’s go before she changes her mind about harvesting our souls for chores.”

They shared a quick grin, ducked around the corner, and silently celebrated their small rebellion. The orphanage was old and strict, but with each other, it felt less like rules and more like the stage for their secret little adventures.

“Ready?” Aine whispered, eyes sparkling. “The clock’s ticking.”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Nora replied, a grin tugging at her lips. “We’ve got a week. Seven days. That’s it. Seven days to finish the plan, memorize every map, and figure out exactly where we’re going when we finally leave this place.”

Aine’s lips pressed into a thin line, excitement and nerves mingling. “Seven days… it’s surreal. I can’t believe we’re actually doing it. We’ve waited for this… forever.”

Nora nodded, heart thudding. “Forever. Every endless chore, every rule, every shadowed hallway… we’ve dreamed about this moment since we can remember . And now it’s here. A week. Just one week until we step out on our own.”

Aine’s eyes brightened, hope shining in them. “I’ve imagined it a thousand times. The wind on my face, streets we’ve never walked, mountains we’ve only seen on maps… it’s almost too much to believe.”

Nora grinned, rolling her shoulders. “Believe it. And we need to hurry. Imelda’s been unusually sharp lately. She notices things… things like two girls disappearing into the library instead of polishing floors.”

Aine laughed softly. “Soul-harvesting mood, maybe?”

“Definitely. And we can’t give her the satisfaction,” Nora said. “Every map we can get, every atlas, every book of towns, mountains, coasts… it all has to be ours. We can’t leave anything to chance. This is our last week of being trapped in this stone cage.”

They slipped through the library door, the familiar smell of old pages and leather-bound spines wrapping around them. Sunlight fell in golden shafts, dust motes dancing like tiny stars. Nora dropped onto the floor, spreading out the maps she had collected over months of secret planning.

“Look,” she said, pointing to a narrow coastline in a hand-drawn map. “If we start here, we can follow the coast south and go to the harbour and take ship, then take the train west and… oh! There’s a city with a library older than this orphanage. We have to go there.”

Aine traced her finger over the map, her soft smile focused. “And maybe a village with a lake on the way. I want to see the sunrise over water at least once before we pick our home.”

“You’ll get your lake,” Nora said, grinning. “But don’t think I’m giving up mountains for your lake just yet.”

They settled among the maps and books, flipping pages, comparing atlases, scribbling notes, whispering strategies. Every detail mattered. Towns, distances, transportation, food sources—everything had to be perfect.

“This is insane,” Aine said, a small laugh escaping her. “Incredible, but insane. Seven days and we’ll have the whole world mapped?”

“We’ll do it,” Nora said firmly. “We’ve been waiting for this our whole lives. This is our freedom week. We leave in seven days, and nothing—nothing—can hold us back. No chores, no Imelda, no stone walls. Just us and the world.”

Aine reached over, brushing a loose strand of hair from Nora’s face. “Promise me one thing?”

“Anything,” Nora said, meeting her gaze.

“That we’ll see it together. Every strange city, every hidden village, every mountain and lake… together.”

Nora smiled softly. “Together. Always.”

And for a moment, surrounded by golden light and the scent of ancient paper, the orphanage faded away. Their freedom wasn’t just coming—it was almost here. Every map they traced, every plan they whispered, every laugh shared over tiny discoveries—this was the life they had imagined for years, and now it was within reach.

The world was waiting, and they were ready.

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