It started only with the children running out of the hundred-year-old cottage for a water break. Three of the fourteen orphans went to make little flower bracelets after their drink. Those were eight-year-old Gia, ten-year-old Lillian, and ten-year-old Calista. Eleven-year-old Fantasy, and ten-year-old Casey stood nearby, looking for a chance to pull a prank or stir up some mischief. None of them were unusual besides the fact that Casey was the only tomboy in Berry Cottage Orphanage. So the girls were just out of sight from the caretakers, when Gia stood up and tapped Lillian and Calista. "I'm going over by the willow tree. It's so peaceful and pretty. Anybody wanna come with me?" Calista shook her head and her ebony curls swayed like a horse's mane. "Gia you can't. Miss Linda said it's too far out of sight. She always worries about you, knowing you're the littlest. She would have to give you a lecture if she caught you there." Gia winced at the thought of her favorite caretaker scolding her /again/. So she nodded and went to the cottage's entrance and climbed a hidden ladder that led to a private little library filled with at least fifteen small chapter books, and maybe five animal encyclopedias. Gia knew that Fantasy had read them all. Fantasy was a strange combination of bookworm and prankster, and Gia could not really wrap her mind around that. Casey was the only other girl that Gia and Fantasy allowed up here. Casey was a world champion secret-keeper. She sometimes hid snacks up here for Gia, and she was always ready to stand up to the boys if they teased Gia about her red hair. Gia opened the elf like door and then shut it as quietly as she could manage. She found a hidden cup of peaches with a note that read, Dear Gia, I have a riddle I made up for you. You are a smart girl, so this one should be easy. How do you get under the table? Make like a bird and duck! Love Casey Gia folded the note and tucked it into her pocket. She /had/ cracked the riddle. It was a funny one. Gia pulled a book off of its shelf and inhaled the strong booky smell. It had the faint scent of blueberries. This one was so old, the title was impossible to see. It was about a black horse and his friends Merrylegs and Gingersnap. Gia liked to call it The Story of a Black Horse. Fantasy read most of it to Gia and let the little one read the rest. Gingersnap died but Gia thought that was so sad and pretended the horse only fell into a deep sleep and woke up the next day. Gia had barely started the second chapter when she heard Miss Linda call for the children to come back inside the cottage. Gia found a bookmark to hold her place and threw the peach cup's remains in a trash bag. She climbed down the ladder without anyone noticing and headed for the door. But just then Miss Linda ran over to her and knelt down beside her. "Gia have you seen Calista? None of the other caretakers could find her." The teen's gentle hazel eyes were wide in alarm. "No, but I spoke with her earlier. I-" Gia lowered her eyes, ashamed to tell about her almost sneaking away. "I was going to go to the weeping willow tree again. But Calista stopped me." Miss Linda nodded silently. "We'll have a few leaders out here looking for her. Meanwhile you ladies need to work on some French." Miss Linda smiled, but Gia knew she was almost as scared as she was. Gia nodded slowly and walked into the tidy elfish cottage. She took her normal seat in a blue desk. Usually she would be sandwiched between Calista and Lillian. Lillian was a sweet girl with amazing dark skin and darker brown eyes. She always helped Gia whenever she needed the help. She always had candy with her to cheer up any sad person she might stumble into. When she read the books during story time, all the children praised her, even the rudest boys. Gia had to admit she was a little jealous of Lillian. Lillian was also at the top of the class when it came to math drills and tests. Gia was in the same class because it was ages eight through eleven, and it was she who was at the top of the french class. She could count to twenty-five and name four different colors and could have a conversation without getting more than a sentence wrong. Gia always wondered why Calista didn't let Lillian into the secret library. She was absolutely positive that the secret librarian wasn't racist. Gia had never thought to ask her before. Casey once told her that she was going to make Calista tell Lillian, because she herself had sworn not to tell anyone about their hideout without permission (and Casey had rolled her eyes at that part and her and Calista got into a fight about that being against the rules and how bad that was). After french and math and history, the headmistress announced that Calista had still not been found, and they had called the police. The children were dismissed to their rooms as the police investigated.
