It is England in World War Two. For Anna and the other orphans, Saint Margartet's Orphanage is not a pleasant place to live. She, however, is more than an orphan.
Suddenly Anna stopped. She heard crying: pitiful little sobs, but the corridor and landing were empty. "Who’s there?" she called and the crying immediately stopped.
She frowned. Tears were not uncommon in the orphanage but she would never become used to them. Where could the orphan be? She stood very still and listened but the only noise was the distant rumble of feet as eighty children lined up in the front entrance way. It must be cold otherwise they’d be assembling outside.
A tiny sniff came to her ears and Anna knew where the person was hiding. She walked over to the broom cupboard under the stairs, gently pulled the door open and peeped inside. Scared, tear filled eyes stared up at her. It was Johnny, one of the boys, a thin lad a couple of years younger than her.
"It’s okay," she whispered. "It’s only Anna."
"Go away." Johnny sniffed and wiped his eyes with a thin jersey sleeve. He was crouched up on the small downside of the triangular shaped cupboard. "No, I won’t," Anna said. Without thought of the extra trouble she would get into herself if she did not arrive at school by nine o’clock, she stepped in the higher part of the cupboard, amongst the brooms, buckets and mops and pulled the door shut. She found a cord that hung down and pulled it. A weak light bulb glowed above them. Finally, she pulled her knees up and sat down facing the boy.
"Go away," Johnny cried again. "You’ll get the strap."
"So." Anna shrugged. The strap stung but it wasn’t as bad as being whacked with a cane. She smiled sympathetically. "What’s wrong, Johnny?"
"My money’s gone and I can’t pay off George," Johnny stammered. "He’s already belted me and that’s only the beginning. If he sees me talking to you it will be worse. I’ll be called a sissy. Only a sissy cries in front of girls."
"What rubbish," Anna snapped, but her voice softened when she studied the distressed face looking back at her. "What do you mean about George, Johnny?" she continued. She knew the boys fought a lot and bullying went on but this sounded different.
Johnny blew his nose on an old piece of rag, which served as a handkerchief, and smiled. "I’m sorry. Boys aren’t supposed to cry," he said quietly. "Girls are, but I have never seen you cry, Anna. Never!"
"Oh I cry," Anna whispered almost to herself. "I just hide like you. I refuse to cry in front of Mrs. Ranson or Old Square Eyes, that’s all." She stopped and smiled. "But you still haven’t explained about George."
"He takes our pocket money," Johnny began. "It’s to buy his friendship. There are four of the older boys who belt the others. George says the money he takes is our wage for him to stop the other boys hitting us. If we pay him nobody hurts us. See?"
Anna pursed her lips in anger. So this was what was happening! The girls could be mean and spiteful but at least they weren’t physically violent.
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Suspenseful and close to home, Rain of Deception 2 will leave you in Tears. Much like Part 1, this will shocking sequel will keep you on the edge of your fingertips.
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Suspenseful and close to home, Rain of Deception 2 will leave you in Tears. Much like Part 1, this will shocking sequel will keep you on the edge of your fingertips.
Suddenly Anna stopped. She heard crying: pitiful little sobs, but the corridor and landing were empty. "Who’s there?" she called and the crying immediately stopped.
