The Curry Apple Orchard

Chapter 15

The first day of school dawned cool and sunny. Step, Tear and Sad all donned their uniforms for Seacliff Beach School while Tom put on his grey trousers, white shirt and blue jumper for Middlemount High School.  He seemed to have recovered from his bad mood and wished Step good luck on his first day. Step was pleased they appeared to be friends again and hoped that Tom would have a good day as well.

While Tom and three others caught the bus to high school, it was only a short walk for the remaining twelve orphans to their new school. They stopped at the gate while Nurse Smiley went inside to inform the Headmaster of their arrival.  He walked down the wooden steps and asked them to form a boys’ and a girls’ line and then line up in order of age.  Sad was at the end of the boys’ line feeling very small, with Step, Biff and Mark in front of him. Tear was at the back of her line with Rose, Wattle and Cherry close by.  The bigger children were sent to the Primary section of the school while eight of them were to go to the Infants.  They were introduced to the Infants’ Mistress, Miss Cruikshank, who told them if any of them misbehaved they would get the cane. She also told them that they had made the classes very large, and the teachers were not happy about all the extra work they would have to do so they had better be on their best behaviour.

Sad waved goodbye to the others as he was taken to his Kindergarten room.  Step, Tear and the others were put into the Second class which was already full of children.  The teacher, Mrs Harris, sent for more chairs and tables so they finally had a place to sit. She told them there were now 38 children in the class which meant a lot of marking books and homework.  She said if anyone wasn’t prepared to work she would send them down to First class or even Kindergarten.  On the other hand, if they achieved exceptional results they could go up to the Primary School into Third class before the end of the year.

Step and Tear had had a lot of interrupted schooling so they were both terrified they would be sent to Kindergarten, even though their friend Sad was there.  The teacher gave them exercise books and pencils and began the day with a handwriting lesson. They worked hard through Spelling, Reading and English Grammar before they were allowed out for Playtime. Before they could meet up with Sad they had to find their cake wrapped in greaseproof paper in their school bags and drink a small bottle of milk delivered to the classroom.  Finally out in the playground they made a beeline for Sad.

“How was it?” asked Step.

“Teacher’s nice.  She was very kind to me.  The work was easy and I sat next to a boy called Brian who was friendly and loaned me his rubber.”  Sad seemed happy with his morning.

“Our teacher was cross because the class is so big.  She’s going to send us down if we can’t keep up and up to Primary if we are brilliant.  I just want to stay where I am,” said Tear. “Imagine being sent to Third class with all the big kids.” Her eyes opened with horror. “It would be so scary.”

“I don’t think that will happen,” said Step. “She was giving us really hard work to see if we could go up a class.  I couldn’t do some of it.”

Tear didn’t admit to it but she had been able to complete all the work quite easily.  Maybe she should not try to get everything right in future.

The rest of the day passed in a blur.  The children were not used to a bigger school and found many things confusing.  

Sad’s class was outside doing Folk Dancing.  He kept getting muddled up with his steps and the teacher told him he would have to have lunch with the girls.  He wondered why that was a punishment.

Step and Tear’s teacher had to leave the room.  She chose a big boy called Paul to watch the class. “Anyone who talks is to line up at my desk for the cane,” she said.

Step whispered to Tear, “That doesn’t seem fair,” as Paul yanked a girl from her seat for talking.  The next moment Step was having a tug ‘o war with Paul as the bigger boy pulled him out of his seat as well.

“What is going on?” asked the teacher crossly. “Everyone sit down.  I really don’t know how I am supposed to control so many children!”

Fortunately, no one had to get the cane.

Lunchtime arrived and Sad followed his teacher to the girls’ lunch area.  All the girls in the Infants School sat on tiered seating while the boys were across the playground on another set of identical seats. Sad wasn’t sure what he had done wrong as the Folk Dancing had been very confusing, but he ate his lunch quietly while the girls chattered and laughed around him.  He caught sight of Tear and shook his head at her questioning expression.

“I’ll tell you later,” he mouthed.

As he left the teacher crouched down to his level. “Next time you need to listen to instructions carefully or you will be in even more trouble.”

Sad decided he hated Folk Dancing and he wasn’t so sure about his teacher either.

In the afternoon there was an assembly.  The school did not have a hall so they sat on the bitumen playground in their classes while the recorder group played the school song and the teachers each gave a short talk about what they expected from the children in the third and final term of the year.  There were awards given to students from last term who excelled in their schoolwork and a story read by a boy in Sixth Class who told about how he spent his holidays.  It sounded quite boring compared to the adventures of Step, Tear and Sad.

Finally it was 3.30 pm and the school bell rang joyously, or so it seemed to Sad, Step and Tear.  It had been a stressful day for all of them and they each worried about what was to come.  Sad worried about Folk Dancing, Step worried that he would be demoted to Kindergarten and Tear worried that she would be upgraded to Third class.  

As soon as they entered the front door Nurse Smiley met them to escort them to Matron’s office.  After they sat down Matron smiled at the three children and began to speak.

“I have news concerning Ruth which you may be interested in.”

The children sat up straight, holding their collective breath, waiting for Matron to continue.

“Ruth has been returned to the farm, but as you know, a solicitor, Mr Moody, has been investigating the legality of forcing Ruth to marry against her will at the age of 16.  A judge has been consulted and ruled that Ruth should be removed from the Children of Moses Farm if she wishes, as long as she can be found suitable accommodation and work to earn money to support herself.”

Matron looked at the children with a warm smile. “I am pleased to tell you that she will be going to live with Aunt Ella. The old lady is getting on in years and was looking for a companion who would be able to help her with her daily routine.  Ruth is exactly what she is looking for and I think Ruth feels the same way.”

Tear thought of her little bedroom at Aunt Ella’s which would now become Ruth’s.  There would be no more overnight stays at the weekend.  She hoped she would be able to walk down and visit sometimes.  To make up for her selfish thoughts she burst out with, “How wonderful for Ruth and Aunt Ella.  I hope it won’t be too difficult for her to get away from Moses.”

“I’ll let you know when she has arrived at Aunt Ella’s,” promised Matron.

The children were shooed away to go and do their homework.  Step approached the room he shared with Tom feeling some trepidation.  What sort of day did Tom have at his new school?  Would he be sullen and resentful after fighting and clashing with his new schoolmates?

Tom had not yet arrived on the bus so Step took out his books and sat at the desk beside his bed.  He groaned as he looked at his homework.  The maths he could do fairly easily but the other exercise was to write a description of his room.  He looked around him at the bare walls and wooden floor.  The two beds had mismatching bedspreads.  One was pale blue and the other was green. He wondered what to write so began cautiously.

I haven’t been in my room for very long because I was in another room with five boys but I did something wrong and got into trouble so now I am here.

He looked at what he had written and thought that the teacher would not be impressed.  He crossed it out and started again.

There are two beds in my room.  One belongs to Tom who is twelve.  He goes to High School and isn’t home yet.  The other one belongs to me.  We each have a desk with a chair to sit on when we do our homework.  When I sit at my desk I can see out the window.  There is a tiny patch of blue which is the sea. Most of the view of the sea is blocked out by a huge gum tree.  

Step chewed his pencil and wondered what else he could write.  He looked up at the ceiling.  Where the walls met the ceiling there was a fancy edge but he didn’t know what it was called.  In the centre of the ceiling where the light hung down was a circular shape with patterns on it but he didn’t know what that was called either.  Maybe Tom would know?

Tom entered the room with a smile on his face.

“How was your day, Midget?”  This was Tom’s new nickname for Step.

“The teacher didn’t like having so many new children but otherwise it wasn’t too bad, I suppose.”  Step appeared unenthusiastic. “How about you?’

“Pretty good.  There was one time when a kid started having a go at me because I was from the Orphanage.  I nearly punched his eyes out but then I thought, ‘What would Step do?’ I figured you would just tell him a story so I gave it to him.  I said.  ‘Yes, I’m an orphan because my house burnt down and my mother and father and little sister were frizzled up like bacon and I’m the only one left to tell the tale. I’ll bet you can’t do better than that.”

“What did the kid say?” asked Step.

“He didn’t know what to say.  I’m not sure if he believed me but he just shrugged his shoulders and walked away.”

“Is it true?” Step said carefully.

“Mostly true. I was staying at my friend’s house for the night.  The next morning two police officers came to the door, a man and a woman.  They asked to see me alone so I knew something bad must have happened. They said my family wouldn’t have known what was happening as they were sleeping.  Electrical fault or something. You see, my parents were only children and my grandparents were dead so I had no relatives.  That’s how I ended up here.”

“Anyway, school was good.  I’m going to try out for the cricket team and I didn’t lose my temper.  I got put in a class with a lot of kids who are behind in their schoolwork and they muck up a bit but I just ignore them.  I’ve made a friend whose mother died so I call him a half orphan.”

Step asked what the decorative features in the room were and Tom told him they were Cornices and a Ceiling Rose, so he continued with his description.

Where the wall meets the ceiling there is an elaborate cornice.  It has a row of wavy lines at the bottom.  Above that are squares that look like boxes with fancy tops. Then above that are more wavy lines.

Tom’s bed has a green bedspread and mine has a blue one.  They don’t match.

Step was satisfied he had written enough and turned his attention to the arithmetic.

END OF CHAPTER 15

Chapter 14

The weekend arrived and to Tear’s surprise she was still allowed to go to Aunt Ella’s cottage.  Her Foster Parent after the orphanage fire had become very fond of her and invited her to come and stay whenever she wanted.  Now that she wasn’t allowed to talk to Step and Sad she welcomed the chance to get away for a couple of days.

Not that it was very far away.  Aunt Ella picked her up on Saturday morning and they walked the short distance to the cottage.  Aunt Ella made a cup of tea and cut two large slices of cake before sitting down opposite Tear.

“Now tell me all the news.  How is life at the new orphanage?”

It didn’t take long for Tear to tell Aunt Ella the story of Ruth hiding in the attic.

“And now I’m not allowed to speak to Step and Sad and even worse, Ruth will be forced to marry Esau.”

Aunt Ella mumbled a bit to herself and then smiled at Tear.

“You know, I think we can do something about this.  There must be some government organisation that looks after the welfare of teenage girls.  We can’t have parents and guardians forcing them into early marriages.  How about we contact Mr Moody.  He’s a solicitor.  He should know about these things.”

Tear wanted Aunt Ella to ring straight away but she shook her head.  “I only have his office number and he would be closed today because it’s Saturday.  However, I will ring on Monday and see what can be done.”

Tear had to be content with that and tried to put her worries in the back of her mind.

Meanwhile Step had moved into a room with Tom.  He was quite apprehensive as Tom was a very moody character who threw tantrums when things didn’t go his way.  No-one had wanted to share a room with him.  Also he was four years older than Step so might not be happy sharing with a “little kid”.

“What did you do to get put with me?” asked Tom. “I hear you are in some sort of trouble.”

Step decided if they were going to get along together he might as well tell him the whole story.  At least it would give them something to talk about.

“So this Ruth girl has got to marry someone she doesn’t like when she’s 16?  Gosh, that’s only five years older than I am.  That would be awful. Can’t you sneak her out of the hospital before they come to take her home?”

“Even if we could get her out, where would she go?  She couldn’t stay here and if she was homeless on the streets something terrible might happen to her.”  Step sighed and shook his head.

“How about we sneak out of the orphanage, go to the hospital and visit Ruth.  She might have some ideas about where she could hide,” Tom suggested.

Step looked at Tom with surprise.  He hadn’t expected him to be so interested in Ruth.  He thought maybe Tom was bored and wanted a bit of excitement.

It was the weekend but Step and Tom had not been selected by any Foster Parents.  The orphanage was quiet on a drowsy Saturday afternoon with most of the children who weren’t with foster parents at a small picture theatre in the main street, watching “Around the World in 80 Days”.  Nurse Smiley had gone with them as had Sad but Step was told to stay behind.  Tom said he didn’t want to go as he felt sick. Matron was in her office and the boys were told to play quietly in the Games Room.

“We don’t know which hospital Ruth is in,” said Step.  “How can we visit her?”

Tom dashed out of the room and came back carrying the telephone book which lived on the hall table next to the telephone.  In the Yellow Pages he looked up Hospitals and put his finger on a list. “I think the nearest hospital would be Southland, but to make sure I could ring this number and ask if Ruth is there.  What is her last name?”

“I…I…don’t know!” Step looked at Tom .  “We never thought to ask her.”

“That’s all right.  I’ll say I’m from the Jehovah’s Children Farm and am ringing to check how she is.  I’ll say we don’t use surnames at the farm.  If she’s not there it means we just have to try another hospital.”

Tom looked at Matron’s door.  It was shut so he quietly picked up the phone and dialled the hospital’s number.

“Oh, hello,” Tom put on a deep, adult sounding voice. “I’m ringing from the Jehovah’s Children Farm and enquiring after Ruth, who is in your hospital with influenza……No, I don’t know her last name.  We don’t use them at the Jehovah’s Children Farm…er, I’m ringing on behalf of Moses, who is our leader. Oh, is that so?  Sorry to trouble you.


“No luck,” said Tom.  “She’s not there. There’s a hospital called Cliffdale.  That might be closer to here.” Tom indicated the map at the front of the Telephone Directory.  “Here is Clifton Beach and here is Cliffdale.  What do you think?”

Step just nodded.  He was impressed with Tom’s knowledge and ability to handle himself on a phone.

Tom tried the Cliffdale Hospital number.  It wasn’t long before he was smiling.  He put down the phone and turned to Step.

“She’s there and visiting hours are from two o’clock until four.  Now all we have to do is work out how to get there. Hmm, it’s only about five miles.  Too far to walk and get there in visiting hours but maybe we could catch a bus.  Get out your pocket money, Step.”

“Do you realise how much trouble I’ll be in if I get caught?” said Step. “And sure as night follows day I’ll get caught.  So will you, Tom and we’ll both be in heaps of trouble.”

“I thought you said the most important thing was to stop Ruth being returned to the Jehovah’s Children Farm,” said Tom.

“I suppose so,” Step grudgingly replied.  He really wanted to spend the afternoon doing a jigsaw puzzle and keeping a low profile.  He couldn’t see the point in going to the hospital if they didn’t have a plan.  Tom seemed sure that Ruth would know what to do if she had some help.

They sneaked out of the orphanage, keeping to the shadows around the building.  After a quick dash to the shrubbery they arrived at the front gate and walked down the hill towards the bus stop. The first bus to arrive said Lake City above the windscreen so they asked the driver if it stopped at Cliffdale Hospital.  It did, so they paid their money and settled into seats on the ocean side.  They were both so entranced by the view that they were surprised when the bus driver stopped and called out, “You’re here.”

Jumping out they walked up a steep hill to a small hospital, more like a cottage than the large buildings they were used to.  At reception they asked the nurse which room Ruth was in and she directed them down the corridor. They could see Ruth sitting in bed reading a magazine.  She looked up at them in surprise.

“Oh my goodness, it’s Step! What a surprise!  And you are?” She looked at Tom.

“This is my friend Tom,” said Step hurriedly.  “It was his idea to come and see you and help you to escape.  You are looking a lot better than the last time I saw you.”

“Oh yes, I am almost completely recovered.  You got here just in time because Moses is coming to get me tomorrow and take me back to the farm.” Ruth bit her lip, “Thank you for trying to help me escape but where would I go?  I can’t go to the orphanage and I have no money and nowhere to live.  I appreciate you wanting to help me but I will have to go back with Moses.  Maybe I can talk to him and he will see that making me marry Esau is a bad idea.”

Step was relieved because he had an image of Ruth hiding in a cave on the beach and dying from cold and starvation.

Tom looked disappointed.  He hadn’t planned the next step so sat glumly in the visitor’s chair looking at the ocean.

“We’d better catch a bus back and try to sneak in without anyone seeing us,” Step said anxiously.  He was keen to get back to the Games Room as soon as possible. “I’m pleased that you have recovered, Ruth and I hope you can talk some sense into Moses.”

Step and Tom said goodbye and returned to the Bus Stop. A bus travelling north arrived and they paid their money for Clifton Beach.  It was only a matter of minutes and they were back at the front gates of the orphanage. They watched from behind some bushes as Matron walked around the gardens calling “Step….Tom”.

“Here we are,” called Step.  “We were playing hidings in the garden.”

“I asked you to stay in the Games Room,” she said, but she didn’t appear to be cross and escorted them back inside. “The other children should be back from their outing soon but until then I’d like you to go to your room and do some quiet reading.”

Step couldn’t believe his good fortune.  He hadn’t been caught and wasn’t in trouble.  Well at least he wasn’t in more trouble than before. He was happy to lie on his bed with a book, especially as Tom hadn’t spoken a word and no longer appeared to be friendly.

“Thanks for trying,” Step said to Tom.  Tom just rolled over on his bed with his back to Step. Obviously something was bugging him but Step decided it was wise to let sleeping dogs lie.

It was Sunday night before Tear was able to communicate her news.  She passed a folded note to Step as she passed him on her way to dinner.  He read it when he was sure no one was looking and was immensely cheered by what it said.

Aunt Ella ringing Mr Moody re Ruth.  Says she’s sure he can help.

He caught Tear’s eye and she winked.  He must get this message to Sad.  Also would he tell Tom?  Maybe that would cheer him up.

As they were leaving to go to bed later that night he passed the note to Sad, making sure he wasn’t being watched. He approached his room with trepidation.  What sort of mood would Tom be in?

“I’ve got some news Tom.  I think it’s good for Ruth.”

Tom turned to look at him, which at least was a start.

“Tear gave me a message.  She says that Mr Moody, who is a solicitor, is going to look into Ruth’s case. She seemed very hopeful that maybe Ruth won’t have to marry Esau after all.”

“Who cares?” Tom cried. “I’m over this.  It’s all boring.  You’re just a scaredy cat and I hate having to share a room with you.  I’m asking Nurse Smiley if you can be moved.”

With that he climbed into bed and covered his head with his blanket.

The next morning Step, Tear and Sad were called to Matron’s office.

“Sit down,” she said brusquely. “I’ve have reviewed your behaviour over the past few days and can only conclude that you did what you did out of consideration for Ruth and not because you are naughty children.  As a result, you will now be allowed to talk to each other again which I’m sure will please you all.”

Matron looked at Step for a few moments. “Step, I have received a request from Tom that you be moved from his room.  I had hoped that with your friendly nature he would enjoy your company but he is a difficult boy to please.  I have decided to leave it up to you.  If you want to return to the room you share with Sad and the others you may.  However if you think it will help Tom to have your company it might be a good idea to stay a little longer.  I’ll leave it up to you to decide.”

Step was deliriously happy when Matron said he could move back.  However as she finished speaking he realised she was asking him to help Tom.

“Matron, could you give me a few days to make up my mind? I’ll see if I can get through to Tom.  If not, then I will be happy to move back to my old bed.”

As they were leaving Sad gave Step a push. “Why don’t you move back straight away?  It must be so boring stuck in a room with Tom No Friends.”

“I will gladly come back but I think Matron wants my help.  Tom can be nice but for some reason he turns away from people and becomes bitter.  Maybe something happened to him to make him like that.”

“That’s no excuse,” Sad said in a wobbly voice.  “What happened to him couldn’t have been any worse than what happened to me but I’m a friendly guy, aren’t I?”

“That’s all the more reason to help Tom.  Maybe he just needs some friends and he will get rid of that huge chip he has on his shoulder.”

With that the children reported to the Games Room because tomorrow they were all going to their new schools for the first time.

END OF CHAPTER 14

Chapter 13

Sad was unsure what to do.  Should he call for help from his friends or Nurse Smiley? Ruth quickly put her finger to her lips.  

“Don’t tell anyone I’m here because Moses will come looking for me and if Matron or Nurse Smiley know where I am they will have to tell him.”

“But you can’t stay in here with the chooks,” said Sad. “For a start they won’t come in here and that will arouse suspicion. I will have to hide you somewhere else.  And what about food?  You can’t live on wheat!”

Ruth stared at Sad with a strange look. “I would rather starve to death than go back with Moses and marry Esau.”

Sad thought quickly.  He and his friends had already explored the house and knew where the best hiding places were.  At the back of the house was the servants’ staircase, used in the olden days when a wealthy family lived here.  It was narrow and steep and led to a row of small rooms in the roof of the house where the servants used to sleep.  No-one used it now as the cook and gardener lived in their own homes nearby.  Sad decided that it was dark enough to risk moving Ruth to her new quarters without anyone seeing.  The stairs were near the kitchen so he might even be able to take some food up for her after dinner.

He looked at Ruth. “How would Moses know you were here? He wouldn’t even know where this place is.”

“I overheard him talking to someone on the telephone.  He was trying to find the address because he wanted to take some orphans for the weekend in the hope of persuading them to stay. Our numbers are dropping as some people have been leaving.  It is very hard to get away if you are older because you have donated all your worldly goods to the organisation and so you have nothing when you leave. Some people are still so unhappy they leave anyway but then they have to beg on the street to live.  Anyway I saw the address written on his notepad and decided to come here and hide until they get sick of looking.”

“How did you get here?” asked Sad.

“Jehovah’s Children Farm is a few miles from the Picton railway station.  I left in the middle of the night and walked to the station. I had been saving money wherever I could find it and dear Isaiah helped me.  It is amazing how much money we found in the discarded furniture.  Anyway I caught a train to Central and then another one to Cliffside Beach.  It is a long walk down the hill from the station but I was so excited to be here.  Then I saw people in the garden so I hid in the hen house.”

“Well, let’s get you out of here and upstairs without anyone seeing.  I mustn’t forget to lock up the chooks either.”  Sad looked around in all directions, thankful it was almost dark and then quickly scurried to the back door.  Peering inside he could see no-one, so waved to Ruth to follow him.  Together they crept up the steep stairs, their shoes in their hands, until they came to a narrow corridor. Sad looked into each room until he saw one with some sparse furniture.

“Here, this will do.  It has a bed with a mattress.  You can put your blanket over it as it is awfully dusty.  I’ll get you some more blankets as well as some food and water.”

With that Sad rushed off to lock up the chooks and report for dinner.  It was difficult to act normally in front of Step and Tear when he had such an enormous secret.  He had to get them alone before he could say anything as he didn’t want to risk anyone overhearing.  It would be useful if they could save some food for Ruth as well but tonight she was going to have to rely on what he could forage alone.  He slipped a bread roll and an apple into his pockets and then remembered his drink bottle in his room.  As soon as the meal was over he rushed upstairs, filled his drink bottle with water and set off for the back stairs.  To get there he had to walk through the kitchen which was difficult as Cook and the rostered orphan, Peter, were washing the big pots and pans.

The only thing to do was switch off the lights and hope he could slip through unnoticed.

Cook remarked, “There’s a blackout!”  

”Can’t be,” Peter said. “ The lights are on in the rest of the house.”

By this time Sad was off and up the back stairs.  He opened the third door and presented his gifts to Ruth.  He had forgotten to get blankets.  Ruth didn’t mind.  She drank the drink bottle dry and ate her bread roll in seconds.  As she munched on the apple Sad told he he’d better get back as there might be a search for the person who switched off the lights in the kitchen.

Getting back was easier as Cook was out in the hallway talking to Nurse Smiley about the lights going off and Peter had left to go back to the others. Sad checked no-one was watching and fled to his room where he found Step reading a book.  The other two boys were obviously somewhere else so when Sad got his breath back he told Step the whole story.

“Wow!” exclaimed Step. “How are we going to keep her there without anybody finding out?”

“It will only be until Moses has been and gone and then maybe Ruth can be given a place at the orphanage,” whispered Sad. “We have to find Tear and tell her what is happening.”

“What about washing and er… you know.” Step muttered.

“She can go down the stairs and out into the yard in the middle of the night.  No-one will see her.  There’s an outdoor dunny in the back garden.”

Sad and Step were unable to get Tear alone until the next morning.  Sad asked if she would help him in the chook yard so she and Step went out before breakfast to let the hens out of their house.

“Tear, Ruth is here hiding in one of the attic rooms and we have to keep her out of sight until Moses comes to check if she is here.”  Step didn’t waste any words as time was short. “Make sure you keep some food from breakfast for her and fill up your drink bottle with water.  We’ll meet here after breakfast.  Not a word, understand?”

Tear nodded and returned to the house.  Half an hour later they met again at the chook yard. Sad was carrying a blanket off his bed as well as a bag of food.

“I don’t know if we should all go up together.  Maybe if Sad goes first we can follow at a safe distance,” said Step.

The two orphans waited until Sad was out of sight.  Step crossed to the back door next and after a few more minutes Tear followed.

They found Ruth in a very miserable state.  She was hungry, thirsty and cold and snuggled up to Sad’s blanket with relief.  The children spoke quietly and then left one at a time.

Until the new school term started the children were given a roster of activities to keep them busy.  It consisted mainly of work in the garden or the house.  That day Tear was supposed to hang the washing on the clothesline.  Sad was assigned to weeding the garden and Step had to vacuum the carpets.

They all looked out for the Land Rover and sure enough it arrived at precisely midday.  Sad saw the car pull up and watched Moses striding to the front door.  Step paused in his vacuuming while Moses went into Matron’s study and Tear watched from the clothesline as he and Matron searched the back garden.

After a long time he was back in his Land Rover, satisfied Ruth was not there.  That is what they all hoped, anyway.

They all wore jackets with big pockets to lunch so they could stow as much food as possible without arousing suspicion.

However, Rose had noticed something because she approached Tear as she was leaving the Dining Room.

“What are you doing with all that food in your pockets?  I saw you sneaking it away.  I saw the others too.  Tell me now or I will inform Nurse Smiley.”

“Er…um.  A midnight feast!  Step and Sad and I were going to have a midnight feast,” Tear said quickly.  “You mustn’t tell. Please!”

“I won’t tell if I can come too.  It sounds like fun,” replied Rose. “Where are you meeting?”

“At the top of the back staircase, in one of the attic rooms,” replied Tear.  She realised she had given away Ruth’s secret but didn’t know what else to say.

“Great!  Make sure you wake me if I am asleep.  Otherwise…”  She raised her eyebrows dramatically.

Tear broke the news to Step and Sad.  Sad was angry and kicked the wall so hard he hurt his foot and hopped around groaning for several minutes.  When he recovered, he gasped, “Why did you tell her where Ruth was hiding?  You didn’t have to do that!”

“Calm down,” said Step.  “I have an idea.  We can still have the midnight feast, only not in Ruth’s room.  We can warn her to be quiet and have it in the room next door.  We just need to get lots of food so we have enough for both purposes.”

“I don’t want to get up at midnight and have a feast,” said Sad.  “What a stupid idea, Tear.”

Tear looked like she was about to cry but Step hurriedly stepped in. “It was quick thinking in a difficult situation.  What would you have said instead, Sad?  Would you have organised a midnight feast in the chook pen?”

That made Sad laugh and the awkward moment was past.

When Step took the scavenged food to Ruth that night she was lying on the bed with her hands clasped to her temples.

“What’s wrong?” asked Step.

“I have the most awful headache,” she said. “I just want to sleep and hope it will be gone in the morning.”

Step quickly told her about the feast scheduled for midnight in a nearby room.

“Well, I won’t be coming to your party,” she said. “Rather you than me.”

Step left the food and water although Ruth didn’t seem very interested.  He ran downstairs thinking he just wanted this night to be over.

Tear rather hoped that Rose would sleep through the night, but she was out of her bed and tugging at Tear’s sleeve as the church bell chimed twelve times.

Wearily Tear grabbed her dressing gown.  Two more shapes appeared.  It seems Rose had told Wattle and Cherry so they were preparing to join the feast.

“I hope there’s enough food,” muttered Tear. “We weren’t expecting so many people.”

Silently they crept downstairs, through the dark kitchen and up the narrow staircase to the attic.  Step and Sad were already in the first room, candles alight and the food spread over one of the blankets from Step’s bed.

“This is so exciting!” Cherry said, her hands fluttering towards the food. “Thank you for inviting us.”

The children ate quietly, munching on biscuits and cakes and washing them down with tooth tumblers of water. Tear began to breath more easily as she thought they might have kept their secret for one more day.

All of a sudden a loud voice could be heard nearby.

“Let me go!  I’m not coming back! I don’t want to marry Esau!  I’d rather die!”

They all looked up and Rose, Cherry and Wattle appeared genuinely scared.

“Do you think it’s a ghost?” asked Rose.

Surprisingly it was Wattle who dashed out the door to Ruth’s room and opened the door.

“As I thought,” said Wattle.  “Someone is hiding up here.  Calm down Rose, it’s not a ghost.”

Cherry held up the candle to see who was in the room.  On the bed Ruth tossed and turned. Her face was red and she moaned continuously.

“I think she is very sick,” said Step.  “Let’s go and get Nurse Smiley. Tear and Sad, you two stay with her and give her some water.”

The children rushed down the narrow stairs and up the broad ones to Nurse Smiley’s room.  After Step’s brief outline of the situation she donned her dressing gown and grabbed a large torch and her medical bag. On the way she knocked on Matron’s door and let her know of the situation.

Within minutes she was taking Ruth’s temperature and placing a cool cloth on her forehead.  She looked at the children gathered around.

“I don’t know what you were doing up here but I want you all in bed NOW.  Understand?  I will see you tomorrow in my office at 7 o’clock.  Now scoot!”

The children did as they were told but found it hard to sleep, wondering what was going on.  They heard the wail of an ambulance siren, the crunching of gravel on the driveway and muffled voices but what had happened to Ruth they could only guess.

The six children waited outside Nurse Smiley’s office at 7 o’clock.

“I will see Rose, Cherry and Wattle first,” she said.  In a few minutes they reappeared.  Rose looked at Step, Tear and Sad.  

“You three are in soooo much trouble,” she said, swinging her plaits around her head.

The three orphans looked at each other.

“The most important thing,” Step said, “is that Ruth recovers from her sickness and does not have to go back to the farm.  Keep that in mind.”

“Sit down please,” Nurse Smiley looked very serious. “The girl from the attic is in hospital with influenza.  She is in a bad way but the doctors hope that with an antibiotic drip she will recover.  I have been told by the girls about the midnight feast.  Now I want the whole truth from you three as I get the feeling you know a lot more about this than Rose, Cherry and Wattle do.”

Sad spoke first. “I am the one who found the girl in the hen house.  She wanted to stay at the orphanage so I hid her in the attic.  It is all my fault.”

Step spoke next.  “I am the oldest but I decided to help Sad because I felt sorry for the girl. It is my fault that Tear is involved because we should have kept it to ourselves.”

“Before you go on any further,” Nurse Smiley interrupted.  “I know the girl is Ruth from the Jehovah’s Children Farm and that Moses has been looking for her.  As soon as she is better she will be going back to the farm.”

“But Nurse Smiley, she is going to have to marry Esau when she turns 16 and she doesn’t want to.  She is still only young and should not be forced into marriage.  She doesn’t even like Esau.” Sad was in tears, he was so upset.

“I was not aware of that,” said Nurse Smiley thoughtfully. “However, as Moses is her guardian we have no control over what he decides to do. Now as for the three of you I will have to talk to Matron about your punishment.  For the moment you are not to speak to each other and Step and Sad will sleep in different rooms. Step, you can move in with Tom so go and get your things now.”

The three orphans left Nurse Smiley’s office stunned and heartbroken. The future looked very bleak indeed. 

END OF CHAPTER 13

Chapter 12

The horizon was streaked with pink and gold although the sun had not yet appeared when Sad and Step dumped their backpacks in the Land Rover.  They had the same driver as before because he knew where the Scout Hall was.  Matron had asked that all orphans be returned there and not to the new house.  She very wisely decided to keep its whereabouts a secret.  

The driver was alone and not at all chatty, so the two boys sat in the back seat quietly brimming with excitement.  Every now and again they looked at each other and a big grin would spread across one of their faces.  Then the other would burst into silent laughter and they would both shake with shared joy.

It took two hours to reach the Scout Hall.  They could see other cars pulling in and driving out.  Foster parents and orphans were carrying bags into the hall and Nurse Smiley stood at the door greeting each group.

Step looked around for Tear.  He was worried that she might not come back, that some Foster Parent would take a liking to her and keep her.  He couldn’t see her anywhere and began to shiver with the thought that she might be gone forever.

He eventually plucked up enough courage to ask the dreaded question.

“Excuse me Nurse Smiley, but do you know if Tear is coming back?”

Nurse Smiley turned to Step and answered “Tear will be meeting us at the new house as her Foster Parent lives nearby.  It was because of Tear that we were left this beautiful mansion.  She made friends with the old lady who owned it and told her all about our dilemma. The old woman made us the sole beneficiaries of her estate.  She was very, very old, over 100, and one morning, sitting in the sunshine, after drinking a cup of tea, she fell asleep and didn’t wake up.  She had no other relatives and her last days had been brightened up by Tear’s company.  I’m sure she imagined how excited the orphans would be to live in her huge house.”

Step thanked Nurse Smiley and rushed to tell Sad the news.  Everyone was given a brown paper bag with sandwiches and an apple.  There was also a colourful drink bottle of water with each bag.  They were told to keep the bottles so they could refill them when needed.

A small bus pulled into the driveway.  The orphans climbed on board, eager to see their new accommodation.  They travelled along a busy road, turning eventually into a narrower, quieter road where they caught glimpses of a shimmering blue sea between the trees. Halfway down a steep hill they turned right up a winding driveway.  Everyone gasped at what they saw.  Even Nurse Smiley, who had been there before, stared in renewed wonder.

Before them they could see a mixture of chimneys, arched bow windows, carvings, striped bull nosed verandahs, intricate lace balcony railings, rusty iron roofs and tiled terraces.  The overall effect was one of crumbling grandeur. The children eagerly entered the large front door and looked with curiosity at the broad staircase leading to the rooms where they possibly would sleep.  Nurse Smiley ushered them into a large room at the front of the house where sun streamed in through numerous arched windows.  There were no chairs so the children sat on the floor, faces turned to Nurse Smiley in anticipation.

“First of all I would like to welcome all sixteen orphans to our new home.  It is to be named after the kind woman who left it to us, the Zipporah Magillacuddy Childrens’ Home.  Our first job is to work out where everyone is going to sleep.  We won’t be having dormitories any more so there will be four children to a room.  Some of the older children will share with one other and some can even have a room to themselves.  I will read out the groups and you can wait with your roommates to be shown your room.  First girls’ room will be Tear, Cherry, Rose and Wattle, first boys’ room will be Step, Biff, Mark and Sad. The older children can discuss with me if they want to share a room or be by themselves.”

The orphans were astonished at their new-found freedom and looked at each other in amazement.

“I just want to let you know that we are following the wishes of Miss Zipporah Magillacuddy.  She wanted this house to feel like a home, not an orphanage, so she has decreed that certain instructions must be followed.  For example, you will all go to the local schools, primary and high school, and if anyone wishes to continue with their education past the age of 15, they may stay here until they have their Leaving Certificate.  We will no longer have the Saturday Inspection Day but we will still encourage members of the community to take children out for the weekend and in school holidays.  There will be jobs for you all to do but we will have a proper Cook who will take care of all the food preparation.  We will need all of you to help with the garden and some of the easier house renovation but there won’t be anything that is too difficult for you.  I think you all want to do your best to make this house a home.  Is that correct?”

The children all answered with a fervent yes and stood up, eager to find their rooms.  Nurse Smiley led them up the staircase and stopped at the first door to the left of the landing.  Inside was a large room with four beds. French windows opened onto a wide balcony and through the glass could be seen glimpses of shining sea.

“Tear, Cherry, Rose and Wattle, here are your sheets and blankets.  You can make up your beds now.”

The group continued to the end of a long corridor where Nurse Smiley opened the door into another large room.  It also had a door leading onto a balcony but this one was at the front of the house.

“Step, Biff, Mark and Sad.  Please make up your beds and I will return in ten minutes to check.”  Nurse Smiley moved off with the older children who were already choosing friends with whom to share their rooms.

Nurse Smiley poked her head in each room. “I want to see all of you downstairs in fifteen minutes, at exactly 3 o’clock.”  With that she turned on her heel and scurried downstairs.

Tear put her backpack on one of the beds and thought about her roommates. Cherry was a friendly girl most of the time although she could be influenced by the others and say nasty things. Rose was very self-centred and seemed not to care about other people or their feelings.  Wattle was very quiet and she didn’t feel she knew much about her at all.

“Well, we’d better get these beds made,” said Cherry.  “I don’t know about you, but I think we are going to love living here.”

“As long as I get the bed near the window,” said Rose quickly.  “I want to see the sea when I wake up.”

Wattle said nothing so Tear chose the bed furthest away from Rose.  The less she had to do with her the better.  Beside each bed was a small wardrobe where they could store their clothes.  On the other side of the bed was a bedside table, complete with a reading lamp and a small vase of yellow daisies.  Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to make them feel welcome.  Tear wondered if Aunt Ella had anything to do with it.  She was going to miss Aunt Ella and was looking forward to visiting her sometimes on weekends and holidays.

Meanwhile Sad and Step chose beds side by side.  Biff and Mark claimed the other side of the room.  After they made their beds Nurse Smiley checked on them, making clucking sounds as she straightened blankets and pillows. “Now off you go downstairs.  The others are already there.”

Peter was the oldest orphan.  At fourteen and ten months he had expected to be leaving the orphanage soon but as he was quite good at his lessons, he had been told he could go to the High School and get his Leaving Certificate.  Who knows, he might get a scholarship to Teachers College or University!  He was excitedly telling the other orphans about his own room up in the top of the house.  It was circular, with windows all around and a vaulted ceiling.  Here he could study away from the noise of the younger children. The other children had found rooms for two and happily shared with friends.  Only one person was not happy.  Tom was not popular as he had a habit of throwing angry tantrums when he didn’t get his way. None of the older children had wanted to share with him so he was by himself. Peter told him how lucky he was to have his own room but Tom just felt more alone and isolated. Step watched him shouting and crying but felt he couldn’t help. Eleven year old Tom would not want the friendship of a seven year old boy.

Nurse Smiley and Matron stood at one end of the room and raised their hands for quiet.

Matron spoke first.  “Welcome everyone to the Zipporah Magillacuddy Childrens’ Home.  We hope you will be very happy here as you will find it very different to the last place you lived.  One major change will be school.  Mr Scott has retired and is having a well-earned rest living with his sister down the coast.  All the children up to 6^th class will go to the local public school, Cliffside Beach and the three children of High School age will catch a bus to Middlemount High School.  You will all need uniforms so we have some mothers here from the school to measure you up so that on your first day you will blend in seamlessly with the other students.”

Nurse Smiley continued. “When you have been measured would you please go through this door to our dining room.  You can wait in the lounge chairs around the room until it is time for dinner.”

Step, Tear and Sad were interested to see the uniforms.  The boys would be wearing grey shorts and a green shirt with a green and white striped tie.  Tear would be wearing a grey box pleated tunic over a green shirt, with the same tie as the boys. They would be wearing grey socks and black shoes.  For sports days the boys had green shorts and yellow T-shirts while Tear had a green wrap-around skirt with yellow edging.

There was a lot to talk about as they sat in the comfy armchairs of the dining room. Step wondered how big the school was. If it was a small school, having another thirteen students would make a big difference. He hoped they would be accepted by the other school children.

Nurse Smiley reappeared.  “Dinner time!” she called out cheerfully. “Please take a tray over to the window at the end of the room and you will be given your meal.”

Step, Tear and Sad sat together.  They were so excited they couldn’t stop talking.  Rose walked past them with her tray. “Sitting with the boys, are we Tear? Girls not good enough for you?”

“You’re welcome to join us,” said Tear, but Rose walked off with Cherry, Wattle following indecisively a few steps behind.

“Hey Wattle, come and join us,” Tear called out. 

Wattle looked perplexed.  She looked at Tear and then at Rose. Rose looked back. “You’re with us,” she hissed, and Wattle scurried to join her.

After dinner the children walked in single file, carrying their plates.  There were four bowls of hot, soapy water in the kitchen so it wasn’t long before they had all washed and dried their dishes.  They returned to the lounge chairs and listened attentively to Nurse Smiley.

“Before you all go to your rooms tonight, I want to tell you one more of Miss Magillacuddy’s wishes which we intend to carry out as soon as possible.  She wanted the children here to have experience with animals so in time we will obtain some chickens, some ducks, dogs, cats and even goldfish.  You will be responsible for looking after them so I would like you to write down what sort of animal you would like for a pet and we will see what we can do.  You may have to share some animals because we wouldn’t want sixteen cats if you all asked for one, whereas we could have sixteen chickens.”

There was excited buzzing of voices as slips of paper and pencils were passed around.  Step wrote down “dog” on his paper, Tear wrote “cat” and Sad put “chickens”.  Sad thought no-one else would put chickens and he liked the idea of feeding them night and morning and collecting the eggs each day.

Sad’s wish was the first to come true as there was already a chicken pen in the garden.  It was empty but the next day he was asked to supervise the arrival of the new inhabitants.  They were to live in a large rectangular yard fenced with high chicken wire.  Inside, at one end, was a hen house where they were to sleep at night on perches. Sad had to lock the door each night so the chickens would be safe from foxes and other predators.  He also had to unlock the door in the morning, collect the eggs and feed pollard mixed with water to the chickens. As well he had to clean the water dish and refill it with fresh water. It seemed a lot of work for one person and as no one else had asked for chickens he could choose a friend to go with him each time.

There were six very annoyed hens delivered in flour bags with their legs tied together. Sad, Tear and Step were wary of the noisy birds, but  Fred the gardener swiftly cut the ties on their legs and let them run around.

“Just leave them to settle down and then tonight we’ll see if they go into their house so we can lock them in,” said Fred. “Meet me here at six o’clock.”

As if by magic the chickens scuttled up a ramp and into their new home.  Fred had already fed them wheat so Sad was relieved the chickens were not his responsibility alone.

It was a few days later when Fred met Sad in the morning as he was looking for eggs.

“They probably won’t start laying for a while.  They had a big fright moving here.  Listen, Sad, I have to go away today but will be back tomorrow.  Would you make sure the chickens are fed and locked up tonight.”

Sad nodded his head enthusiastically.  He liked being put in charge of the chickens without any adults around.  He decided he wouldn’t even ask Step or Tear to help.

At five o’clock he fed the chickens and at six o’clock he came back to lock them up.  They seemed upset and wouldn’t go into their house.  He poked his head inside to see what the problem was.  Surely there wasn’t a fox in the hen house! On the floor he could see a mound covered with a tartan blanket.  Funny, that shouldn’t be there. He was a little bit scared but decided that it couldn’t be an animal.  He grabbed the blanket, pulled it away swiftly and gasped in astonishment.

Curled up on the floor was a girl.  Sad was sure he had seen her before.  Suddenly he knew who it was. It was Ruth, their friend from Jehovah’s Children.

END OF CHAPTER 12

Chapter 11

Step and Sad had still not reached the end of their long day but watching Ruth spinning had been informative and interesting, not so much for what she did but what she said. The hour of prayer and contemplation was coming up and Sad hoped it would be a good opportunity for a sleep.  Everyone was gathering in a sunny area at the front of the house, sitting cross-legged on the grass with eyes closed.  For a whole hour Step and Sad had time to think about their situation.  Step considered the possibility of staying with Jehovah’s Children.  So far it seemed a pleasant lifestyle and all the grown-ups were friendly and smiled a lot. Ruth showed another side of the community, where people were made to do things against their will.  He would reserve judgment until he was here for a few more days.

Sad was too tired to think for long.  The combination of late afternoon spring sunshine and the effort of turning cream into butter had made him very sleepy so he slowly drooped forward until his forehead touched the ground.  He dreamed he was in a large house with all the other orphans.  Looking out the window he could see the waves crashing onto the rocks below.  In his dream he was happy and excited.  Step woke him up to tell him they were going to dinner.

“What do you think about staying here?” asked Step.

Sad’s head was still filled with his wonderful dream. “I’m sure we will get another place to live.  I want to go back to the other orphans and Nurse Smiley and Mr Scott our teacher.  I want to go to school and know what’s going on in the world. Most of all I don’t want to be forced to get married to some girl.  Ugh!”

The dining room was like a cafeteria, with trays, plates and cutlery at one end and food in metal trays for them to choose from.  One boy exclaimed, “Gluten steak tonight!”

Step looked in surprise when he heard the word “steak”.  Maybe they ate some meat here after all.  He speared a piece onto his plate along with some mashed potato, cabbage and pumpkin.

Moses began his pre-dinner prayer. “We thank you Lord for this food you have provided for us.  For our gluten steaks, made in our own kitchen from wheat grown in our own paddocks, potatoes and pumpkins grown in our own vegetable garden and cabbage from last summer which we have bottled and preserved to keep us from scurvy in the long winter.”

Although it was chewy, Sad found the gluten steak was a change from bread and cheese.  He hoped there would be dessert and there was.  Apple crumble with apples from the orchard and crumble from the ground wheat with a dollop of cream from the dairy.

Bible study was interesting as they were given readers roughly suitable for their age group.  For Step it was easy although Sad struggled a bit with some of the words.  To Sad’s delight the story they were studying that evening was about Noah and the Flood. However, when he reached a part that said the dinosaurs were too slow to get on the boat and that is why they died out, he put up his hand.  “Excuse me, that is wrong.  The dinosaurs lived a long time before there were any people on the earth.  It is thought that a meteor hitting the earth caused the destruction of the dinosaurs.”

The teacher at the front of the room smiled although it was through gritted teeth.

“Sad, we believe that God created all the animals and man in six days, so they were all on this earth together until the Great Flood.  It tells us that in the Bible, which is the Word of God.  It is not our place to dispute the Blessed Word of God.”

“But…. Ow!” Sad was suddenly silent when Step kicked him under the table.  Maybe he had better be quiet.

He couldn’t help himself, however.

“Excuse me, Brother Jacob (that was the teacher’s name), exactly how many animals were on the ark?  It couldn’t have been every animal in the world, could it?  What about Polar Bears?  They only live in the ice and snow.  Were they on the Ark?”

Brother Jacob just nodded his head. “The Bible says it was every animal of God’s Creation.”

“Except the dinosaurs,” replied Sad.

“Except the dinosaurs,” repeated Brother Jacob.  His smile was looking very forced.

Next day after morning prayers and breakfast the boys reported to Moses. Instead of giving them a sheet of instructions he called someone into his office.  It was Ruth, smiling broadly.

“I have asked Ruth to show you around all the work activities today so we can decide more quickly what you are suited to.  We might as well get you working as soon as possible.”

Ruth took them to the hen house where children were collecting the eggs.  She also pointed out other children who were collecting loose feathers to be used in pillows and cushions.  The bee hives were well away from the house and they were told that not only honey came from the bees but also the wax which could be used for candles.  There was a mill where the wheat was crushed to be made into flour and vegetable gardens where people young and not so young were digging, weeding and planting. In some paddocks there were sheep, and others showed signs of being recently ploughed, waiting for crops of wheat, oats and barley to be planted.  Everyone they saw smiled merrily at them so that Step finally asked Ruth why everyone was so happy.

“They are not really happy,” said Ruth bitterly.  “They have been instructed to show they always have the Joy of the Lord in them.  If you stop smiling you get sent to a Pastor who punishes you until you start smiling again.”

“What sort of punishment do people get and have you ever been punished?” Sad asked fearfully.

“Oh, I’ve been punished lots of times.  Now I just go along with what they want, meanwhile making my own plans for escape.”

“But what do they do to you?” insisted Sad.

“They lock you up in a small, dark room with no bed and no blankets.  They only give you one glass of water a day and no food.  You get so bored you beg to be let out.  Meanwhile you must promise not to tell anyone where you have been, or why.”

The second last place they visited was the vast kitchen where they admired rows of jars with gold-coloured lids. “This is where all our summer fruit and vegetables are preserved.  That keeps us going throughout the winter.  We cut up the produce, put it in a jar, put the lid on and then boil it in a large pot filled with water for hours.  That kills all the germs and the food keeps throughout the winter. It gets very hot here in the summer with the stove alight all the time so we try to do as much as we can outside in the shade.”

Ruth looked at the boys. ”I have to make a recommendation for your chosen labour but I have one more place to show you.  I think you will find it interesting.”

They walked over to a large wooden shed. Ruth knocked three times on the door and waited while a voice called out, “All right, I’m coming, I’m coming.”

The old man who opened the door wasn’t smiling.  He didn’t even pretend to be happy, but he ushered the children and Ruth into the shed and then went back to what he was doing.  He was working on some shoes, fixing the soles which had large holes in them.

Step looked around the shed.  It was full of every imaginable kind of junk.  Maybe some of it wasn’t junk but you couldn’t tell because there was so much of it.

Ruth waved her hand around the shed. “This is all the worldly goods donated by people who have joined “Jehovah’s Children”. Isaiah here has a huge job trying to sort through it all.  For example, look at all the shoes!  He goes through them all and fixes anything that needs mending.  Once things are in good working order they go to the Sunday Thanks Giving where people who have worked well during the week are given rewards.  Of course, we don’t give out a wireless set because we don’t have any electricity and we are forbidden to find out about the world outside.”

“So, there could be a War,” exclaimed Sad, “and you wouldn’t know about it!”

“Moses would know,” said Ruth.  “He has a wireless in his room which runs on batteries so he would know if another country invaded Australia.”

“Would you like to help Isaiah?” said Ruth.  “He needs help sorting out all the donations and no one else wants to do it.”

“Does Isaiah want us to help him?” asked Step, wondering if the cranky old man needed two small children around him.

“I reckon you’re from outside, so you might be more use than the dingbats who live in this nut house,” replied Isaiah. “Crazy, the lot of them.  It’s all smiley, smiley and daggers behind your back.  I’m having none of them.”

Sad wondered why Isaiah didn’t get put into solitary confinement but decided now was not the time to ask.  He looked at Step, who nodded.  This was as good a place as any to work and it might be fun.  Who knows what they would find!

From then on life began to take on a familiar routine.  The boys found Isaiah was not as unpleasant as they first thought.  They had long discussions about various items found on the shelves of the shed, what could be useful and what was just rubbish.

“I need to get rid of all the junk,” said Isaiah. “What I need is a big hole in the ground to put it all in so I could have some room in me shed.”

The days flew by until it was Sunday.  Step and Sad were not looking forward to a day of fasting but Ruth told them to keep some bread and cheese from their meals to nibble on that day. “Everybody does it,” she said.

Step was looking forward to the Thanks Giving Service. This was to be held after Church in the little chapel beside the farmhouse.  At one end of the chapel was a stage and on the stage were all sorts of interesting items which Step and Sad had helped Isaiah choose the week before.

The most useful things were chairs and tables, beds, mattresses, sheets and pillows.  There were lots of kitchen items but of course they didn’t include anything that ran on electricity so the shed was still full of toasters, electric jugs, heaters, hairdryers, refrigerators and washing machines.

At the end of a boring church service Moses walked to the front with a list of names.  He smiled and announced that there were ten hard workers who would be given their choice of item from the stage.  The first person named was Saul, who had prepared all the paddocks for planting with the help of a plough and their one draft horse.  He and his wife Mary walked to the front and chose a large wooden double bed complete with mattress.  It would have to stay there until tomorrow as no work was allowed until the Sabbath was over.

The next person named was Sarah, who had milked the cows every morning and made 50 pats of butter.  She chose a table with four matching chairs and looked very pleased with herself.

Moses looked up with a beaming smile and said, “I am pleased to announce that our next recipient is soon to be married.  Esau, you have chopped down 20 trees in the last week and cut them all up into firewood ready for next winter. Would you like to bring your future wife, Ruth to the front and choose your gift from God.”

Step and Tear looked with interest at Esau, Ruth’s future husband.  He appeared much older than her but he didn’t look particularly evil.  As the couple walked to the front Esau took Ruth’s hand but she withdrew it sharply.  It was obvious to all that she didn’t like Esau one little bit.  He looked at her and asked what she would like.  She shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes. 

Moses spoke quickly to recover the situation. “Let us all show our joy in the future union of our two Children of Jehovah.  God has chosen these two to be together and I know that once they are married, they will grow to love each other.”

Esau chose an axe and a saw while Ruth stared grimly out of the window.  He didn’t look at his future wife and seemed embarrassed by the whole situation, as well he might.

It was two weeks later, while Step and Sad were working in the shed, that Ruth came to the door to tell them Moses wanted to see them.  Sad had been keeping his head down and his mouth shut so he wondered if he was in trouble.  Step was also thinking back over the last week to see if he had broken any of the rules.

Moses was looking very serious and for once was not smiling.

“I have some news from your Matron, who telephoned me this morning.”

Moses has a telephone?  I wonder how that works way out here? thought Step.

“Apparently there is a new home for the orphanage.  It is a big, old house near the sea which has been bequeathed to the orphans by an elderly lady who only recently went to live with the Heavenly Father.”

Sad looked up in astonishment.  It seems as if his dream from two weeks ago was actually coming true.

“Although much work has to be done to it, Matron wants all the orphans to return so they can help with the repairs and renovations.  It looks as though you will be leaving in the Land Rover tomorrow, unless you want to stay?”

Step looked Moses in the eye. “Sir, I feel it is our duty to report to the new orphanage and help where we can, despite the wonderful time we have had with Jehovah’s Children.  I would like you to accept our sincere appreciation of all you have done for us.”

“Well, that’s that,” Moses sighed.  “You’ll be off at dawn tomorrow.”

END OF CHAPTER 11

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