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spiralling into the sky, moulding into one, a single huge cloud of
hope.
Six. That’s how many days we sat, cramped in too little space.
That’s how many towns we visited, places we got examined, teeth
checked, muscles measured, skin pinched. That is how many times
we were made to feel like animals, trying our best to please our
potential ‘masters’. Six days I stared out the droplet-covered window,
looking but not seeing the beautiful harsh landscapes we passed. The
rain matched the mood on the train; there was little laughing or
smiling, the days a blur, filled with apprehension. It was only when
the sun went down and the stars came out that the tears finally fell. I
tried to be brave; we all did. But it didn’t last long.
March 12th, 1904. The seventh day. The day it finally stopped
raining and the sun came out, that was the day my heart started
raining. It never stopped. Because it was then, in a little town in
Kentucky, that I lost my brother.
We stood on a platform like we always did, our patience and hope
vanishing rapidly. I held tight to Oliver’s hand, praying to God that
somebody would want us, would want us both. I scanned the crowd,
looking for my perfect family. I didn’t see them. Silently, I begged
Oliver to remain quiet, to blend in with the pack.
‘Look, Ellie! The rain is gone! Look at the sun!’ His sweet little
voice lit up the entire crowd. He smiled, all loose teeth and dimples,
his blonde hair golden in the sunlight. My heart sank.
‘I’ll take him.’ A middle-aged man spoke up, his voice gruff. His
tan face was weathered and wrinkled, his hair sparse. He seemed
kindly, but he’d taken my brother.
I heard Ms Smithson ask politely if they would take two, and
heard, rather than saw the little jump of shock and frantic
no
. No, we
can only support one. No, we only need one. I’d heard them all. I
knelt down, my eyes raking Oliver’s face, taking in every last
imperfection one last time.
‘You be good, you hear me? Keep dreaming, keep imagining. You
can do anything. Never give up hope. I’ll see you again.’ My words
were a rush, only a small portion of the waterfall that was my heart.
‘Love you,’ Oliver nodded solemnly, his huge baby blue eyes round
and innocent. I hugged him once, then quickly pushed him away.
His new parents took him by the hand, leading him away, to his new
life. But as the distance between us grew, that was when he realised.
Orphan Train
9