Chapter 26

"Oh my gosh, these kids are so cute!" Matilda said, smiling and laughing as they crowded around, arms wrapping around her knees and thighs in greeting.

"I gonna fall! Elena, take my camera!"

I reached over the crowd and grabbed the expensive camera with the enormous lens.

Matilda, giving way, laughed and pretended to topple into the sandbox, a dozen children doing bellyflops onto her as she laughed and faked being crushed.

"Your friend certainly isn't afraid of getting dirty," Mrs. Addison said, smiling at Matilda.

"How would you feel about her taking photos?" I asked, securing the camera strap around my shoulder and neck, knowing Mrs. Addison was nervous about her job. "We don't have to."

"I've been thinking about that," she said. "If it's okay with you, I'll just be upfront and tell my superiors that we've had reporters stopping by to do what I assume is a human interest piece, since Social Scene isn't known for anything heavy, so that will work in our favor. No offence, I hope."

"None taken! You're right. Our reputation will help you avoid problems."

"And if I inform them, then I've done all I can do and it's not up to me what you actually print."

I nod. "Thank you."

"Shall we feed the monsters?" she asked smiling. "I think your photographer needs a break."

I helped the cook bring out the trays of apple slices, cheese, and small muffins. The kids caught sight of us and began to scramble away from their games.

I got a small pang of panic again at the sight of so many stampeding small creatures coming my way, but Mrs. Addison's bellow checked them into a neat, orderly line.

Matilda was left sitting on the ground, her face with a streak of dirt across it and her hair wild. She was smiling, watching a little girl who remained seated next to her, imitating her cross-legged posture.

I remembered the child from a few weeks ago being named Charlotte, a little girl who was very well-spoken for someone her size.

"Charlotte, no snack?" Mrs. Addison yelled.

Charlotte looked up and shook her head. It seemed she wanted to stay by Matilda.

My heart melted and was sad all at once. I remembered what that felt like, the hope that an adult would like me enough to take me to a "forever home."

I blinked tears away and tried to concentrate on my grip on the enormous tray.

"Ready, Mrs. Collingsworth?"

The cook nodded, stopwatch in hand.

"Go!"

The kids filed through, saying thank you, and the food on our trays miraculously diminished at a rate that looked like it was being played at fast-forward on a video.

"Time!"

Mrs. Collingsworth checked her watch. "A minute and thirty-one seconds."

"Drat. And we were even missing one," Mrs. Addison said. "Oh well."

I took the last few bits of food left, put them on a napkin, and walked took them to Charlotte, who offered Matilda a bite.

Matilda looked up at me as if not remembering who I was.

"Oh, I guess I should be using that," she said, reaching a hand up for her camera.

She took it and began to fiddle with it, Charlotte looking curiously on while she worked.

"Can I take your photo?" Matilda asked.

Charlotte nodded and Matilda got down to business. It was fun to watch her, the different ways she moved and crouched, the camera angles she decided to take after she fiddled with the knobs and looked around at the light.

"Look," she said eventually, holding the screen up for Charlotte to see.

Charlotte's little eyes filled with wonder. "Wow! That's me!"

Other kids began to crowd in to look, and then began to loudly insist they get photos done as well.

To make everyone happy, Matilda began taking group photos, and then had them do fun things, like pose in silly ways or swing on the swing set while she lay in the sand below to capture their flight above her.

"Those are going to be amazing," I said to her as she replaced her battery.

"Thanks for helping organize them," she said, smiling at her screen. "I guess I should take photos of the facility too, right? That may be more in line with the story."

I nodded. "There's some good peeling walls just off the entry."

Matilda nodded. "I saw those. There's good, dramatic shadows in there too."

"Great!" I said, thinking I hadn't noticed that at all as she walked out of the play yard, Charlotte trailing after her.

I checked the time. It had really flown that afternoon, and the light was beginning to fade.

"I'm sure you have things to do," I said to Mrs. Addison. "Thank you for letting us back in. Obviously, Matilda loved every minute of it."

She nodded and held the door for me. I waved at the kids, who chorused "Bye!" as we went inside.

"How would you feel about going to another place?" she asked. "You are welcome back here, but I've been talking to my colleague on the other side of town."

Our footsteps echoed in the large, empty corridor.

"She is having the same issues, but worse, if you can believe it."

"How so?"

"Her facility is falling down around their heads and no one will do anything. She's at the point where she wants publicity and doesn't care if she loses her job in the process."

Mrs. Addison handed me a card as we neared the entrance and I nodded, putting it in my pocket.

"Just, please, Elana," she said. "Promise me that you and your photographer will be careful. I don't know what's going on and I'd hate to be sending you into something dangerous."

"Thank you."

We could hear Matilda instructing Charlotte on how to direct the lens. When we neared the entrance, she smiled at us from where Charlotte was taking a photo of a potted tree.

"She's a natural," Matilda said.

Fifteen minutes later, Matilda and I were walking down the street on our way back to the office, the evening light turning blue.

My phone pinged and I looked down. It was Charles asking to meet me at a restaurant I hadn't heard of at a location he had sent me that was half way between the office and the orphanage.

I stopped and looked around, realizing I was close.

"You okay to keep on?" I said to Matilda. "I'm supposed to meet someone near here."

Matilda nodded and waved. "It was a blast. See you in the office!"

She walked off, whistling. She obviously had a great time at the orphanage. I smiled after her as she crossed the street and continued down the block.

I looked down at my phone and the little dot that was the restaurant.

Charles's text said he was getting a table at a tiny but delicious place where there'd be no one to see us and take photos, and he was sending his car to look for me. I texted back for him not to bother, that I was almost there.

I turned a corner of a small alley that was almost empty. At the far end I saw a glowing neon light outside a doorway with the name of the restaurant.

My footsteps echoed on the empty sidewalk as I went. The shadows were darker here in the shade of the buildings. But something didn't feel right.

I looked behind me, but there was nothing. Still, I walked faster.

The door of the restaurant opened and Charles stepped out, tall and regal as he looked down the street.

He saw me, and as I raised my hand he glared and stood taller.

I slowed for a moment, confused by his reaction and dazzled by the power that seemed to radiate from him. He was still about 50 years away, but I swore I could hear a rumble coming from his direction.

Was he growling?

I looked behind me in time to see a dark figure pass the mouth of the alley.

I stopped, staring, my stomach clenching with fear as the figure had vanished.