The boy tilted his head to the side.

“But I haven’t seen nobody here, where are they?” The boy asked his voice rife with a curious excitement.

“Oh, they are all out in the back. Do you want to go out and see?” Miss Dower asked, while smiling as the boy’s spirits slowly rose. The boy slid off his chair and rushed to the kitchen door, the food he had been scarfing down abandoned.

“Well, come on.” The boy said, gesturing with his hands for Miss Dower to walk faster.

“Calm down, you won’t be able to find the door without me anyways.,” Miss Dower retorted, her voice stern, but a smile was on her face.

The duo walked through the hallways, with the boy nearly pushing Miss Dower, trying to hurry her up. They reached a dirtied, banged-up door in the back corner of the house. The boy didn’t even wait for Miss Dower before rushing ahead and slamming into the door, forcing it open. The kid stumbled down the few small steps leading from the door. He stopped and stared for a minute. The backyard of the house was huge, full of wild, untamed plants and grasses. The yard created a contrast with the blackened-by-age houses that fenced it.

“I can tell you like the yard,” Miss Dower said. “You don’t see many in the city like this anymore. But again, this is an old house.”  The boy stiffened, worried, as one of the kids who was playing in the yard started trotting towards him. The kid from the orphanage stopped a few feet from the boy and stared at him for a second, thinking. He took in the boy’s ragged clothing, dirtied skin and hair, and gaunt frame.

“We’re playing capture the flag, and the only other people on my team are girls.” The orphanage kid said, exasperated, he gave the boy a pleading look.

“Want to join my team? I’m Dan by the way,” The orphanage kid asked. The boy looked surprised for a second, before shyly nodding and walking towards Dan.

Miss Dower smiled at the two before turning around as the door to the house opened. Adrian stood in the doorway, his body filling up the frame. He walked towards Miss Dower.

“So do you think he’ll be good here? You’ll take care of him?” the guard questioned, flicking a glanced towards the now retreating back of the boy.

“Yes, Adrian. It won’t be the same as when you were here,” Miss Dower said softly. Adrian didn’t reply, he just stared off into the yard, lost in thought.

“So what’s your name?” Dan asked the boy.

“Oh, I am Rane,” The boy answered.