Chapter Text
14-year-old Wednesday sat at her typewriter adding to her murder mystery novel, trying to ignore the noise of people chattering away outside.
Viper De La Muerte walked through the dark passage and found herself facing a wall. She knew there was a hidden door somewhere, she just needed to figure out where it was and how to open it.
So engrossed in her novel she didn’t hear a knock at the door.
‘Wednesday, I’m coming in.’ Mrs. Graham the dorm mother at the orphanage walked into the room, immediately spotting Wednesday sitting straight as a statue typing furiously on her typewriter.
‘Wednesday why aren’t you outside with the other children. You know we have prospective parents and families here today.’
‘I find no point in degrading myself to those people downstairs playing fake families.’ She said as she continued to type away.
Mrs. Graham sighed. Wednesday had been under her care for 5 years. Wednesday had come to the orphanage when she was 9 years old, after her mother, father and brother Pugsley passed away in a car crash. Wednesday who was also in the car at the time, was the only survivor, after spending a lengthy amount of time in hospital.
‘Wednesday, I know you’re scared of rejection, but I know deep inside you have a big heart, and you deserve to find and have a family again.’
Wednesday stopped her writing and tensed up. ‘I am not scared,’ she snapped out, ‘I am perfectly happy being alone. No one wants a teenager anyway. People only want to adopt babies and young children. I don’t need a family.’ She continued, before going back to her writing.
‘Alright then Wednesday, I’ll let you stay up here. This is not me giving up on finding a family for you. You deserve a second chance at happiness.’ She said before getting up and leaving Wednesday to it.
Wednesday stopped her typing as soon as Mrs. Graham had left the room. She got up from her desk and headed towards the window in her bedroom. She looked out the window to see all the other children running around the playground, with potential parents and families chatting away with the children.
I don’t need anyone. I had a family, and I don’t want to belong to another one, she thought as she turned away from the window.
Later that night, Wednesday was tossing and turning in bed.
‘Pugsley, stop crying,’ Wednesday snapped, as Pugsley tried to get out of his car seat with no success. Wednesday and her family were coming back from a family holiday in Romania and were driving home from the airport.
‘Wednesday be nice’, Mortica sighed as she turned around in her seat to look at her daughter who sat with her arms crossed in the backseat.
‘What’s the matter my little one,’ Cooed Mortica as she looked at Pugsley.
‘Your little brother is just sad the holiday is over, my little storm cloud.’ Gomez said, quickly turning to grin at Wednesday.
Wednesday rolled her eyes, but the corners of her lips turned up the slightest.
The light turned green, and Gomez drove the car forwards, when suddenly Mortica screamed out, ‘Gomez look out!!’ Then everything went to black.
Wednesday bolted up in her bed, sweat pouring down her face. She dreamt of this memory often, the last time her family was all alive. She slowly pulled the bottom of her pyjama top up to trace her fingers along the long scar covering her stomach. When she woke up from the hospital, she was told that all her family had passed away instantly, for which she was grateful for, as then didn’t have to suffer. Wednesday was touch and go, but the rescuers and medical staff managed to save her. She often wished she would have passed away with her family, so she didn’t have to live in this hell without her family there to be with her. They were at peace, and she was suffering every day for the last 5 years.
A week had passed since the Orphanage open day. Some children had been adopted and fostered out to families. Wednesday had gone about her week like usual, going to school, then spending her afternoons in her room practicing on her cello or adding to her novel. It was the end of the week, and she was sitting in her room finishing off her homework when she heard a knock on her door.
‘Come in,’ she said as Mrs. Graham opened the door.
‘Hi Wednesday, how are you?’ She asked as she sat down on the edge of Wednesdays bed.
‘Mrs. Graham, I’m sure you didn’t come all this way to ask me how I am.’ She said in her usual monotone voice.
Always straight to the point. Mrs. Graham thought as she rolled her eyes internally.
‘You’re right, I do want to know how you are, however I do have another reason why I am here.’
‘No,’ Wednesday said straight away.
‘What do you mean, no. I haven’t even said anything.’ Mrs. Graham said looking perplexed.
‘You came here to say you’ve found a potential family for me. I know how the game goes.’ Wednesday said, staring at Mrs. Graham.
‘Yes, once again, you’re right. Wednesday this is the 5th time I’ve come to you to say a prospective family is interested in you, and you say no each time. This time I’m sorry but I’m going to have to put my foot down for your own good. I feel like this foster placement will be perfect for you.’ Explained Mrs. Graham, fully expecting Wednesday to not be happy with it.
‘No way. I told you so many times, I don’t need a family. I’m fine all alone.’ Wednesday snapped out, feeling her heart rate increasing.
‘No, you’re not fine. You’ve been here for 5 years Wednesday, and I know you miss your family. That’s understandable. This foster placement is not trying to replace your first family Wednesday, it’s about giving you another chance at having a family. You’re the oldest person here at the orphanage as you refuse to give anyone a try.’ Mrs. Graham said getting up from her seat on the bed.
‘I guess there’s no point in saying no, as it won’t change your mind.’ Wednesday muttered darkly.
‘No, I’m not changing my mind. I really think you’ll like this placement. It’s a foster placement with someone that doesn’t have any other children of her own. She lives by herself and is a principal at Nevermore High School. Her name is Larissa Weems. She’ll be coming tomorrow to meet you and pick you up to take you to her place.’ Mrs. Graham said before leaving the room, leaving no more room for argument.