Chapter Text
We Were all Someone Once
Chapter 1
Who are You?
What happened, when the moon didn’t come out? Those eternally dark nights that caused even the bravest of men to cry out in fear at the most gentlest of touches.
Just where did the moon go on nights like this?
It was quiet in the orphanage tonight. Most kids actually slept, others sat under their blankets clutching their flash lights to them like they were lifelines afraid of the boogeyman.
But the few, very few embraced the darkness. No fear was written on their faces as they looked up at the inky dark just to see the small whispers of twinkling lights in the sky.
Ines was 11 years old, black hair, almond eyes and a soft whisper of a voice. In her lap was a small picture of her parents. It was all she had from that night long ago. Her mother had got her out of the house, then she ran back in to help her dad…neither left the house.
So she sat in an orphanage three days before Deo des morts. The day of the dead.
She gasped as she felt the cold breeze begin to filter in. No matter how much she wanted to stay outside it was getting cold. “Come on Ines…let's get you to bed huh? Before Jack Frost gives us our first freeze of the year.” The caretaker said, pulling a blanket around herself as she walked back inside.
The halls were long, with a soft brown carpet that Ines used to sit on when she was younger. She would move her feet around and touch people that went by. It would cause them to jump up and giggle. Eventually everyone was running their feet over the carpet and doing it to each other giggling loudly. It turned into a huge game for them for the longest time.
Ines walked into the darkened bedroom. There were wall to wall beds pushed into four different rows. Each bed had its own night stand, blanket, and pillow. Some were empty, but others had sleeping children inside. Ines picked up her stuffed black cat and let her caretaker tuck her in.
“Good night, Ines. I’ll see you in the morning.” SHe said with a soft smile before making her way out of the room. Ines eyes went to the sky light where she could see the moon. Her small lips formed a tiny smile as her eyes got heavier.
Above her, for a moment she thought she saw golden ribboning lights across the sky. Was that the northern lights? No…the northern lights weren’t gold, they were blues, reds, purples, and whites…no golds…and did she see…fish? Small floating fish?
Her eyes fluttered for a moment as she watched them. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment…but they opened as she felt something flutter past. She opened her eyes to see a tiny man flutter around for a moment as if looking for something. His eyes fell onto hers. He gave her a soft smile, a tiny wave, as he floated past sprinkling dust onto her head.
“Sand…man?” Ines whispered as she closed her eyes.
“Ines! Time to get up! You’ll be late for school!” The caretaker's voice rang out.
No dreams…never any dreams…none since…since it happened.
Ines jumped out of bed looking around seeing her roommates running around putting their school uniforms on. “Come on kid, get up or you’ll get yelled at by Mr. Tony and you don’t want that again. He said he’d throw you into the hold again.” The hold was a small closet without a heater and that wasn’t ideal for someone during the winter.
Ines jumped up and started to pull on her clothes and run the brush through her long hair. “Breakfast!” One of the caretakers yelled from downstairs.
Ines ran down the stairs and into the dining room. On one side of the table was breakfast, on the other side were bags with names on them. Lunches for school Likely with a single sandwich, a fruit, chips, and a small drink.
As Ines went to the table she sat down pouring some cereal into a bowl and adding milk. “ALright hurry up or you’ll miss the bus.” One of the caretakers yelled. There were three caretakers and the headmaster. “Come on Ines…tuck in.” One of them said putting down some orange juice for her. Technically it wasn’t a bad orphanage…but the headmaster was a jerk. But lately…children have been disappearing all over the city. The only clue they had was their shoes.
As Ines finished with her breakfast she stood up, grabbed her jacket, backpack, shoved her lunch inside and ran for the door as she braided her thick black hair.
“Early today aren’t we Ines?” Mr. Tony said as he walked by. “Looks like the time in the box…taught you a lesson.” She had gotten up late by accident the other day and got shoved into the closet…she wasn’t able to eat for two whole days.
“Alright let's get on the bus everyone.” One of the caretakers walked by patting Ines on the shoulder. “Come on, it's too cold out here to just stand around. You too Mr. Tony, you’ll catch your death out here.” SHe said as she ushered everyone onto the bus.
Ines sat down on the bus and finally after all the rush she was able to think back to what she might have seen. Who was that, why was he looking around, and…
“Sandman…” Ines whispered as she pulled out a pad of paper and began to draw the little man in a gold suit.