4. Remina

The orphanage was a bleak building, surrounded by tall, foreboding trees that swayed in the wind.

As I walked through the doors, clutching my new small amulet around my neck, I felt scared and confused. I had no one left in the world to call my own. I had lost my family, my home, and everything that mattered to me.

The worn wooden floor creaked underfoot as I navigated through a mismatched array of plush sofas and threadbare armchairs. A large fireplace, its bricks blackened by years of use, stood as the heart of the room, radiating a comforting heat. A mishmash of worn-out sofas and mismatched chairs surrounded a sturdy wooden table where children sat and whispered.

The children at the orphanage stared at me with curiosity and, in some cases, with a hint of cruelty. I felt like a small, fragile bird in a cage full of predators.

I was dragging my feet behind the old caseworker when she appeared.

A whirlwind of energy and warmth, a bright light in the darkness of the orphanage. She rushed over to me with a friendly smile, her deep purple hair bobbing with excitement.

"Hey there! Are you the new kid?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine curiosity.

I nodded, unable to find my own words. This girl had a way of making me feel at ease, and I was grateful for her presence.

"Well, I"m Gi-Gi," she declared, extending her hand. "And I"m gonna be your best friend. What"s your name?"

"Remina," I replied softly. Gigi extended her hand for me to hold and follow her as she showed me around. Her warm touch was a balm to my wounded soul.

Gi-Gi"s friendly demeanor put me at ease, and she quickly introduced me to the other children. She made me feel like I belonged—like I could take my first proper breath since the death of my family.

Days turned into weeks, and I continued to learn about the orphanage and its quirks. Gi-Gi was always by my side, showing me the ropes and teaching me how to navigate the rules of our little world.

Gi-Gi had a way of caring for others, of being a source of strength in the darkest of times. She was my anchor in the storm, my guiding star in the night sky.

The orphanage was a gloomy place, and life within its walls was a daily struggle to survive.

Three weeks had passed since I first arrived at the orphanage, and life had been an adjustment. The older kids were quick to pick on the newcomers, and I was no exception. They taunted me for being small and weak. Pathetic, they called me.

I was on my way to see the headmistress when I noticed a group of older boys harassing Gi-Gi. As the boys circled her, their taunts growing louder, I couldn"t stand by and watch. Something inside me snapped, and my sense of vulnerability was replaced with a surge of defiance. I couldn"t let them hurt Gi-Gi any longer.

"Hey, cut it out!" I yelled as I pushed my way through the crowd to stand by her side. Gi-Gi"s eyes widened in surprise, and for a brief moment, our gazes locked.

Jerry, one of the older boys who often acted as a ringleader, turned his attention toward me. He was larger and stronger, his words sharper, but I refused to back down. I couldn"t bear to watch another person be bullied, not when I could do something about it.

Jerry"s calculating eyes locked onto mine, his lips curling into a malicious grin. "Oh, look who"s come to the rescue—our little newcomer. What"s the matter, new girl? Are you going to cry too?"

I squared my shoulders and met his gaze unflinchingly. "Leave her alone. It"s not right to pick on her just because she"s a wolf without a pack."

The taunts of the other kids ceased as they awaited Jerry"s response. For a brief moment, I was filled with a sense of empowerment, having taken a stand against those who sought to torment Gi-Gi.

Jerry"s gaze bore into mine, his cruel amusement morphing into annoyance. But I was determined to protect my newfound friend. His malicious grin returned as he stepped forward and pushed me, and the other boys followed suit. They were bigger, stronger, and outnumbered me, making it nearly impossible for me to fight back. I stumbled and fell to the floor, my small frame no match for their aggression.

Fueled by rage and frustration, I reached for the amulet that hung around my neck, the one that had been handed to me on the drive here. The amulet was meant to remain in place until I turned fifteen, but the weight of injustice and helplessness bore down on me. I could take no more.

With a fierce yank, I ripped the amulet from my neck. The moment it left my skin, the orphanage was filled with a deafening silence as black smoke poured onto the ground around me. I shouldn"t have had access to my powers until I turned fifteen, and the abrupt change had caught everyone off guard.

As the realization of my unleashed powers settled in, a sense of dread washed over those around me. They had underestimated me; I may be small and quiet, but I wasn"t defenseless.

Now they had witnessed what I was capable of when I lost control.

Before I could make use of my powers, the heavy oak doors of the orphanage"s main hall swung open, revealing the imposing figure of the headmistress. Her stern face was enough to shake everyone out of their frozen states.

The headmistress was a commanding figure, her tall and imposing frame shrouded in a long, dark cloak that trailed behind her. Her demeanor was stern, and her very presence demanded respect. She had a reputation for being strict but fair, an authority figure not to be trifled with.

"Enough!" she boomed, her voice echoing throughout the hall. "Everyone, back to your classes!"

The crowd reluctantly disbanded; their glares directed at me. I knew what was coming next. My lapse in self-control had consequences that I would have to face.

As the hall began to clear, the headmistress approached me with deliberate steps, her expression unreadable. Her gaze lingered on the amulet that dangled from my trembling hand, the intricate design glinting in the dim light.

"Remina," she said in her commanding tone, "Put that back on and follow me."

Regret gnawed at me as I followed her through the maze of stone hallways and up the narrow staircase to her office. The amulet, now replaced around my neck, felt like a lead weight.

The headmistress"s office was filled with wooden shelves that held old, dusty books lining the walls. Her large oak desk dominated the room, and she motioned for me to take a seat in front of it. I obeyed, the chair creaking beneath my weight.

She remained standing, her hands folded on her desk. Her piercing eyes bore into mine, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. The headmistress was not one to offer gentle admonitions or sympathetic ears.

"Remina, you are well aware that your powers should not be accessible to you until your fifteenth birthday. You were instructed to wear that amulet at all times while here," she stated, her voice holding no trace of emotion.

I swallowed hard, the words sticking in my throat. "I ... I didn"t mean to use them," I stammered, my voice small.

She raised a single, unyielding eyebrow. "That does not excuse your actions, Remina."

The room seemed to close in around me, and I fidgeted with the hem of my tattered dress.

The headmistress sighed, her expression softening just slightly. "I understand the challenges you face, Remina, but you must learn to control your emotions. You are not to use your power here, not until you come of age like everyone else."

The weight of disappointment settled heavily upon my shoulders. I nodded, a surge of guilt overwhelming me. "I"m sorry, Headmistress."

Her gaze softened, and she extended a hand to rest upon my shoulder. "I know you are, dear. Your arrival here has put us in a unique situation. I must forbid you from using your abilities here with the other children, but I fear if left unchecked and untrained your powers could become a heavier burden. I will have someone teach you how to control them offsite, starting tomorrow."

I was surprised by her understanding, and for the first time, a glimmer of hope ignited within me. It was an opportunity to learn and grow, to understand my magic and why I had access to them before everyone else.

As I left the headmistress"s office, the weight of my amulet seemed slightly less oppressive. I would master my powers and prove that I could control them. The orphanage might have been a place of cruelty and darkness, but maybe I could find my place within it.