Feeling almost nothing except a slight annoyance, Amelia made her way through the halls. Practically from the time she had started on the lawn crew, she had become Ellis' favorite victim. By far. She was with him multiple times every week, and sometimes he was rougher than others. Everyone knew that he preferred Amelia over the other girls, and she was not challenged as she walked the corridors of Lisson alone. Once she had started feeling freedom of movement within the facility, Amelia had taken to wandering the halls, always ready with the excuse that she was going to see Ellis. She knew the entire orphanage, top to bottom, and it was the closest thing to a home that she had ever known. Amelia checked the cheap watch on her wrist that Ellis had given her; she could wander for a few more minutes before he would start getting impatient.
Amelia rounded another corner, and she passed by the door that led to the underground kitchen. Like she did everyday, Amelia wondered about the conditions down there. She could perfectly recall Neena and Aaron, as well as the names of all the other kids she had known, so long ago. She doubted that they remembered her. Maybe when they used her innovative garbage line one of the older kids would recall the precocious pre-pubescent girl who had created it. Or not. She continued on her circuitous route to Ellis' office, thinking on his recent behavioral changes. He had become very clingy to her, oftentimes demanding that she hold him throughout the night and constantly reassure him that she would never leave him. She knew that his desire for her was more than just physical, she was not extremely attractive anyway. No, he actually preferred Amelia because of her mind. He asked her questions constantly: How to deal with staff issues, the orphanages' finances, health issues and anything else he could think of. She was his confidant, and though he retained ultimate authority, she had significant influence. Amelia knew almost everything that happened at Lisson Orphanage, in real time. One thing Ellis never, ever talked to her about, however, was the adoption process. On that particular issue, Amelia was just an ignorant orphan.
Ellis dreaded the adoption phone calls. They were so insistent, so demanding. There was some white-collar bastard in an office, in some city hundreds of miles away, telling him what he had to do. Ellis was told that there would be a couple coming to Lisson the following day, and they wanted an older child. Somehow they had gotten a list of all the kids under his care, and the adoptive couple could reference the list at any time they were in his orphanage and demand to see a particular child. Ellis was powerless to stop them. If he showed any resistance, they would phone the adoption agency and hoards of administrators would descend on his little fiefdom, inspecting every crevice. He could not allow this, so he was forced to cater to the adoptive couple like they were Jesus and Mary themselves. After an adoption phone call, Ellis always felt stressed, and on this day, he called Amelia to come alleviate his tension.
When Amelia entered Ellis' office, she immediately recognized his mood. She had spent years as his slave and confidant and she could read his body language masterfully. His shoulders were drawn high, nearly to his ears. His head drooped forward slightly. He leaned forward, one hand on his desk, one on the armrest of his chair. Amelia took in all these things at a glance. She was still uncomfortable with being Ellis' secret adviser. She feared that he would tell her something in the heat of his lust, something destructive, and she would be forced to act. He might also start expecting too much from her, assuming that she could instantly decipher every passing phrase, every slight gesture. She had long ago resigned to being the man's sexual servant, but the risk of being his
Amelia rounded another corner, and she passed by the door that led to the underground kitchen. Like she did everyday, Amelia wondered about the conditions down there. She could perfectly recall Neena and Aaron, as well as the names of all the other kids she had known, so long ago. She doubted that they remembered her. Maybe when they used her innovative garbage line one of the older kids would recall the precocious pre-pubescent girl who had created it. Or not. She continued on her circuitous route to Ellis' office, thinking on his recent behavioral changes. He had become very clingy to her, oftentimes demanding that she hold him throughout the night and constantly reassure him that she would never leave him. She knew that his desire for her was more than just physical, she was not extremely attractive anyway. No, he actually preferred Amelia because of her mind. He asked her questions constantly: How to deal with staff issues, the orphanages' finances, health issues and anything else he could think of. She was his confidant, and though he retained ultimate authority, she had significant influence. Amelia knew almost everything that happened at Lisson Orphanage, in real time. One thing Ellis never, ever talked to her about, however, was the adoption process. On that particular issue, Amelia was just an ignorant orphan.
Ellis dreaded the adoption phone calls. They were so insistent, so demanding. There was some white-collar bastard in an office, in some city hundreds of miles away, telling him what he had to do. Ellis was told that there would be a couple coming to Lisson the following day, and they wanted an older child. Somehow they had gotten a list of all the kids under his care, and the adoptive couple could reference the list at any time they were in his orphanage and demand to see a particular child. Ellis was powerless to stop them. If he showed any resistance, they would phone the adoption agency and hoards of administrators would descend on his little fiefdom, inspecting every crevice. He could not allow this, so he was forced to cater to the adoptive couple like they were Jesus and Mary themselves. After an adoption phone call, Ellis always felt stressed, and on this day, he called Amelia to come alleviate his tension.
When Amelia entered Ellis' office, she immediately recognized his mood. She had spent years as his slave and confidant and she could read his body language masterfully. His shoulders were drawn high, nearly to his ears. His head drooped forward slightly. He leaned forward, one hand on his desk, one on the armrest of his chair. Amelia took in all these things at a glance. She was still uncomfortable with being Ellis' secret adviser. She feared that he would tell her something in the heat of his lust, something destructive, and she would be forced to act. He might also start expecting too much from her, assuming that she could instantly decipher every passing phrase, every slight gesture. She had long ago resigned to being the man's sexual servant, but the risk of being his
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