[two weeks later]

I stared at the building in front of me. It didn't seem real. Lily looked at me and grinned. "Something out of a Harry Potter movie right?"

I gaped at the orphanage. A large wooden door with two brass knockers stood at the center. It branched off on either side and behind it. It obviously was quite large, as I couldn't see the end of it. The entire building was a dull gray. A bell tower shot up from a second floor. It looked an old church. A crooked stop sign with ivy covering the entire thing except the front of the sign stood at the end of a cobblestone road that led to the orphanage. Ivy creeped up the walls of the outside. Overall, it resembled an abandoned and haunted mansion.

Lily turned to her mom. They looked like sisters. I looked nothing like my mom. She had brown hair and light highlights and freckles everywhere. I had thick blonde hair and amber eyes. I was told I was pretty, but looking like a cheetah, it was kind of hard to see myself that way. 

I watched as my friend talked with her mom in rapid-fire Spanish. I had no idea English was her second language until today. When she first said something to her mom as they got out of the car. I had looked at her in utter surpise, and she looked back at me, confused. Her mom laughed and kept talking. 

Lily hugged me when she finished talking. It was nice. We had never been close enough to hug. 

So she and I knocked on the brass knockers, together.

~

We were placed in a room together, because we came at the same time. The person who answered the door was a tennage girl older than us. Her black hair was cut to her chin and dressed like she was attending a rock consert. Very grunge. As she leaned against the door I could see a small tattoo on the inside of her wrist. Her eyes were heavy lidded and dressed with smokey black eye-shadow. 

"Miss!" She called into the building. A woman with a long hair to her waist came. She also had a tattoo. She looked tired. But her face perked up when she saw me and Lily.

"Hello! I'm Aster. You're Visions?"

"Uh." I looked at Lily blankly. She looked back.

"You see ghosts." She pressed impatiently. An accent came out. Perhaps Irish. 

"Oh, yes." It was like Lily became invisible. She stood behind me slightly, looking at Aster suspiciously. I caught her eyes and nodded toward the woman. A silent, be polite. 

She decided to ignore me. "What are those tattoos?" I bit my tounge. I was told not to ask questions. Was she not taught the same? I guess not. 

"Why," Aster said, surprised. "They are part of the orphanage. Of course, they are not like being tattoos. They are not er.." She looked toward the grunge girl for help, saying something in Irish.

"They are not tattooed on." The grunge girl said. Her voice was low and quiet. She pronounced each t. Apparently Californians don't say their ts. I don't hear it, but I'm a biased judge.

I have more questions about the tattoes now, but Aster is leading us inside and manners take over curiosity. Lily looks at me and I realize how scared she is. I take her hand and pull her in. She holds on tight. The inside smells dusty and cozy. It was much different than the outside. The door goes into a hallway, but Aster presses something that reveals a secret door. 

She looks at us and says, "In case people look. We don't want to be found."

I thought it was odd, but for Lily's sake, I nodded and pretended it made sense. After a stair climb and a walk down some other halls, Aster stopped at a door. I realize the grunge girl had left. I had been looking at the walls I hadn't noticed. 

Aster hand us each a bag taken from a chest outside of the door. "Lunch is in an hour. Map's in the bag, but you can ask a Vision for help." And she leaves before I can say thank you.

The room had a bunk bed, a bathroom, two desks, and a closet. It was lit by a light hung from the ceiling. They had candles in little holes, like the old chandaliers in mansions. 

I looked at Lily. The room was spacious but warm and comfortable. 

"I'm scared." She blurted.

I turned my head to the side. "Why?" 

"I um. I don't like...new places? Change?"

"It's okay. You'll get used to it. And you can talk to me if you need to."

She smiled. "Right. It's not that bad with a friend."

It really wasn't.