The thing about orphanages, Mother Mary's, to be specific is that they tend to treat you like the ground you walk on, and that's without you actually doing something to deserve some form of discipline. Mary tended to hate everyone under that roof, me especially (for good reason, I admit) but that meant that I was always the one who was used as an example. Typically if you did something to upset her, even something as small as wearing a pair of socks that didn't match, she would either beat you, starve you, lock you in a cage out back and not give you water or food for the entire day, or just whatever she came up with.
Almost every other week I would get punished in every single way possible just to remind the other kids to be "thankful" for her giving them a roof to live under, but all of us hated her as much as she hated us. If they even knew what it meant to hate someone? There was no schooling in this orphanage, hell, there wasn't any schooling in most of the Slums (the area of the city of which the orphanage was located). The majority of the Slums was nothing but just gang hideouts and guard headquarters. If you can even say that they are any different, you're as likely to get arrested for giving a guard a funny look as you are getting jumped and robbed and your way home.
We never had to worry about the guards or the gangs that roamed the area because even though they may be scum bags they still don't mess with children, that we knew of at least. Though some of us have been brought back by the guards before. To be honest, it still brings a smile to my face when I was caught trying to sell Mary's earrings and I got busted, she beat me for a week straight for that one. But in my defense I only knew what I knew (which wasn't much) because of the only friend I had at the orphanage. His name was Bren and if it wasn't for him I would have gone through my time in the orphanage alone and without even the slightest touch of schooling.
"Hey Bren!" I called over to my tall and slender friend, who had his arms around the two girls on either side of him. I took a moment to look at Bren and remind myself of his features. Bren had long, bright, blonde hair that he often kept tied back. Bren was someone who I would say was handsome though most days I can't manage to look past his large nose. Just like the rest of us who lived in Mary's orphanage he wore leather shoes that were worn down and full of holes, as well as basic trousers and a shirt made of cloth.
"Excuse me, ladies," He said before heading over to me. He took a seat next to me at a rundown table where I had spent ten minutes picking at loose splinters and studying a gold coin. "I swear of all your attributes you've got a serious one for bad timing," He and I both chuckled, "I was just about to get some, man,"
I wrinkled my nose as he said that, definitely the last thing I wanted to know about. "You," I jutted my adolescent chin at the two girls (they haven't even moved an inch) sitting over in the corner, "And them aren't going anywhere. Besides, this is more important," I said as I drew a gold coin out of my pocket and showed it to him.
"Where'd you get this, man?" He asked, studying its yellow surface.
"Jumped a group of bandits the other day," I said, flexing my bicep. Bren looked me in the eye and we both couldn't hold back our laughter, "I stole it from Mother Mary,"
Bren's eyes shot open, threatening to jump out of his skull, "Don't you remember the last time you stole from her?!"
"Quiet!" I hissed at him, "Do you want everyone to hear you?"
"Sorry, man. But this is serious, if she finds out she'll beat you within an inch of your life,"
"So what else is new?" I asked, louder than I should have and throwing my arms up in the air, "She'll beat me just for breathing near her. I don't want to live here, Bren. Slowly, but surely I'll get enough money we can both leave here, together,"
Bren sighed, "Jakub, you're only twelve years old. You wouldn't make it out there,"
"But that's why I have you! Think about it: gold, good food, fresh air and walls that hold back the wind! How can you not want that?"
"Jakub, I'm sixteen, I'll be allowed out of here in a few years, if I'm not careful I could end up in jail. Just be patient, once I'm out of here I'll get you out of here,"
I sighed, defeated, and my shoulders fell. "Okay," I said looking into his chocolate eyes, "But swear to me that you will!"
"I swear," Bren said.
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"Jakub focus!" A voice hissed and two fingers snapped in front of my emerald eyes. I met the stern look and furrowed brow of my mentor, Arthur, I couldn't hold back a smirk.
"Forgive me, mentor. But even you must admit that the view is a beautiful one," I said, my eyes drinking in the view of Omega, the street lamps were lit and the stars sparkled across the night sky.
"Jakub!" My mentor hissed, "Focus on the task at hand! You're going to fall!" I took this as an opportunity to look at my feet and adjust my footing. And to remind myself of the thirty foot drop below us.
"Oh," I said, "Right,"
Returning my focus to the task at hand, I pressed my back to the wall and sidled across the ledge, keeping far enough space between my mentor and I as to not cause him to trip over me. We inched our way across the length of the building watching for bricks that jutted out, anything that could cause us to slip, and of course, guards. We haven't come across any yet, but I knew that there were bound to be some nearby. Once we finally reached our destination: an old window. We were finally able to get to work. I raised my leather hood over my black hair, and pulled up my scarf so that it covered the lower half of my face. I slowly turned myself around and crouched down so that I was level with the window.
"When you're ready," My mentor whispered, I could hardly hear him over the light breeze and my own heartbeat in my ears. My Mentor raised his own mask onto his face and I noticed a small shiver in his movement as his ears grew red from the cold.
"I always told you having a hood helps," I told him with a grin underneath my mask.
"Get to work. We don't have all night," With a nod I worked a pry bar out of my satchel and went to work sliding the window up. Once I met resistance I leaned more into the tool and pressed my weight into it. Once the window finally submitted and lifted, the force I was giving the pry bar came back into me and I felt myself fall backwards, my legs went stiff and my arms flailed frantically.
"Oh shi-!" I began, my eyes briefly closing in preparation for the descent, but once I realized that I wasn't moving I gingerly opened my eyes. I met the same furrowed brow of my mentor, he held a finger over his mask where his mouth would be and gestured to be quiet while he kept his other hand on the collar of my uniform. I grinned underneath my mask and shrugged my shoulders. My Mentor's brow furrowed together as it always does when he's annoyed.
"Be careful!" He whispered to me as he brought me back onto the ledge. I simply nodded and held the window up for him and motioned for him to enter. As he slipped inside he turned and held the window open for me to follow him. With one glance back at the city I went inside the house. As my feet touched the hardwood floor I immediately noticed the heat that radiated throughout the house warm my cold body. I let out a quiet sigh of relaxation as I relished the warmth. But warmth usually meant fire, and if there was a fire, there was someone to keep it going. I let out a small clicking noise to alert my mentor that I needed his attention. When he looked at my hands flew through a series of movements.
