#2

“Alright,” Lux huffed, throwing back her hood as she readjusted the seat. “Let’s go meet my new warden.” Without another word, she climbed out of the flashy car, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.
The neighborhood was rough, with cracked sidewalks and overgrown grass, with a mailbox down the street laying in the middle of the road, with houses that seemed weathered and beaten enough to have arrived with the Mayflower. The social worker’s Chrysler looked as if, at any second, it might be jacked and lost to her forever.
Lux’s shoes scuffed the spidered walkway as she approached the front of the house.
“Mrs. Rawlings--Linda-- this is Lux. Lux Dalthan,” the social worker called from the far side of her Chrysler, rushing around it to catch up to Lux. She smoothed her suit as she climbed the stairs to greet the woman. “How are you today?”
“Just fine, Jen,” the woman, Linda Rawlings, broke into an easy smile, shaking the social worker’s outstretched hand. “Hello, Lux. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She extended a hand to the girl.
“The pleasure is all mine,” Lux replied, sliding into a personality that didn’t belong to her. She clasped Linda’s hand, pumping it cordially.
“Would you like to see the house?”
“Of course. Sounds lovely,” she responded--like she wouldn’t want to see the place they expected her to live for the remainder of her “childhood”.
“If you’ll just step inside then,” Linda directed, pushing the worn door inwards on wailing hinges. “I’ve had a lot of kids grow up here.”
Lux folowed her into the house, glancing over her shoulder to see the delighted expression the social worker--Jen--wore.
“I keep a few pictures of each,” Linda continued, gesturing to the walls with sweeping motions, directing her guests’ attention to the clutter of picture frames, each with a handful of kids frozen in action. “There are three of you right now,” she said, turning to Lux. “Two other boys--Nate Moss and Josiah Good.”
“I see,” Lux murmured, her face a carefully composed mask, the cheery girl eviscerated.
“May we see her room?” the social worker interjected, stepping in front of Lux. “Her things are out in the car.”
“Sure thing,” Linda smiled, heading towards a flight of stairs tucked into the corner of the kitchen. “Just up this way. The boys stay on the other side of the house. You’ve got your own bathroom.”
“Oh--that’s fantastic!” The social worker whirled around on the stairs to look at Lux. “Isn’t that just fantastic?”