So Fin had walked over, clenched his fists, and punched Thomas.

Suddenly the silence was gone. “Fight!” It began in a whisper, then became a chant.

Thomas, never one to let his audience down, complied. And there was a fight.

A gaurd eventually broke it up, after watching for at least five minutes with a sneer on his face.

Then he looked down at the two boys, each sixteen and about to leave the orphanage soon enough.

“Stupid boys. Go outside and cool off. No dinner tonight.”

Fin nodded and turned around. Outside. Part of his stomach lept, and it wasn’t for hunger.

Outside.

As soon as he got out he began running, and never went back.

He didn’t have anywhere to go, though, and eventually just stopped and sat against the wall of a building.

Then a man was walking by, not too much older than Fin, and looked down.

“Want some coffee? It’s on me.”

Fin may have said no, but he had not eaten dinner. So he said yes instead.