One Wish, One Choice Read online

  She examined her reflection in the tiny mirror both she and her roommate, Willow, had to share. They had been roommates since Willow had come to the orphanage three years ago. Anja had been given the task of showing her around and after that, they’d quickly become best friends. Willow was easy to get along with, sweet and level-headed, which contrasted to Anja’s overly energetic and wild brother. Their room was on the bottom floor so it was easy for Willow to access with her wheelchair.

  She tilted her head up so the light hit it, bringing out the red tint in her auburn coloured hair although it was nothing in comparison to her brother’s deep red mop.

  Reluctantly she realised it was time to look after the little children, a chore she and Willow did during the school holidays to give Mrs Dorsin, who ran the orphanage, a break.

  When Anja trudged into the hall a minute later Willow was already lining up all the children by the door, helping them get their coats and knitwear on, ready to go outside.

  The hall was barely decorated with only a small cupboard under the stairs for coats and shoes. On top of the fading blue wallpaper were drawings from generations of children that had somehow got in possession of a pen and had decided to show their ‘artistic talent’ by doodling all over it. She knew for a fact that Rufus had been one of those children because when he was barely able to write she’d found him scribbling, “Missus Dawsin smels” on the wall.

  In her rush to help get the children wrapped up she stumbled over shoes that had been lazily flung in the doorway. This drew Willow’s attention. She pushed her glasses up her nose with one hand, waving enthusiastically as she hailed Anja.

  “Perfect timing! I think everyone’s ready.”

  Anja collected her coat from its rusty hanger in the hallway. She watched as thirteen little heads bobbed out the open door and dashed toward the old fort built in the garden.

  The ancient fort must be even older than Mrs Dorsin. The wood was split in places, spiders had found homes in the floor and the wind and rain had damaged the tin roof, but in spite of it all the children would spend hours on it.

  Anja watched attentively from afar at the game of Sorcerers and Soldiers the children were playing. Willow chased them around the fort in her wheelchair, manoeuvring expertly across the uneven ground. Her role as the Sorcerer was short-lived, ending in a brutal death at the hands of a little girl playing the role of President Atgas. The children ran around shrieking as the child playing Atgas stabbed the “Sorcerers” in the heart one by one.

  How can they make violence look so cute? Anja thought to herself as she watched them play. If I did that I’d be sent to a mental hospital.

  The harsh wind seemed determined to push Anja over as she stood on the steps. When it couldn’t, it retaliated by biting the exposed skin on her ankles and neck. This special kind of torture persisted until the lunch bell rang.

  Thank goodness.

  The children rushed indoors, splattering mud everywhere as they went, their hysterical laughter magnified tenfold by the cracked walls.

  * * *

  Anja had been working at her desk for a while when she glanced up and noticed Willow slumped on her bed, homework and pencils surrounding her.

  “Everything okay?” Anja asked.

  “I can’t figure this out.” Willow pouted. Her face was flushed and it was clear that she was getting to the stress point where she would either shout or cry— and Willow didn’t shout.

  “Alright, what are you stuck on?” Anja moved to find a free space on the bed, shuffling papers to the side.

  Willow huffed, pushing her blonde fringe out of her eyes. “My history teacher has requested a ten-page essay on how Atgas became the President.”

  Anja got her to explain which part she was confused about.

  After she was done Anja spoke, “Well, I know a bit about how the position opened up…”

  Willow brought her hand up to her mouth, “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry Anja. I didn’t think.”

  Anja waved off the apology. It had been over ten years since the terrorist attack had killed the old president, and resulted in the death of her parents. While the wound would never heal it was getting easier for her to bear.

  “It all goes back to who Atgas married,” Anja pointed out, “She married Arthur Atgas and then he became president. After he was murdered, due to her popularity as the president’s wife, the people called for her to take his place.” Anja mentally added, because apparently a woman can’t get a powerful position in the government unless a man opens the door for her.

  Willow grinned, “She is pretty awesome.” She went over her notes, “Her son was only nine when she took her husband’s place. A widow ran the country while also raising her son. Now that’s inspiring.”

  “Make sure you mention Jabez Atgas in the essay.”

  “Trust me, I’ll definitely be bringing him up.”

  Anja laughed, “Don’t tell me you still have a crush on him.”

  Colour rose in Willow’s cheeks as she quickly changed the subject,

  “Is that it?”

  “Nope. You haven’t mentioned the cabinet.”

  “Why would I mention kitchen cabinets?”

  Anja tried to keep her smile hidden as she explained. Willow’s hand worked furiously as she scribbled down her notes, chewing on a piece of her blonde hair.

  Chapter Three

  Anja didn’t have the energy to go downstairs for breakfast the next morning. Instead, she stayed sitting on her bed and began proof-reading Rufus’s column for that week.

  He freelanced for the town’s newspaper, a job that would hopefully bring him to Okland one day. Anja would always check his columns over before he sent it off to his editor.

  After finishing the column, she glanced at the clock on her ancient bedside table and realised that she was due at work to collect her last paycheck. Her job hardly earned her anything, but in Kettleton the number of people outnumbered the available jobs, so you took anything you could get.

  She shouted a quick goodbye to Mrs Dorsin as she slammed the door behind her and walked along the cobbled streets of Kettleton, away from the peeling paint of the old orphanage.

  Thanks to the lack of Sorcerers that needed saving on this trip she was able to make it to the pharmacy without any delays.

  She shoved the glass door aside, inwardly groaning as her eyes immediately landed on her coworker, Carl.

  The other two co-workers seemed to like her, but in their eyes she was just another young employee who would be replaced soon. The only other teenager employed there was Carl. They both worked at the till, while the pharmacists dispensed the medicine.

  She slowly approached the counter. Carl was busy chatting up a customer. He spent half his time working and the other half trying to impress any woman who had the misfortune of being in his line of sight.

  Anja had to admit, he was attractive. Carl’s jawline was sharp, his eyes a dark blue. But she found that once you realise someone has a rotten personality, it’s hard to see the good in them. Sadly, that hadn’t stopped her going on a date with him a few months before. After one dreadful meal, where Carl only talked about himself for two hours straight, she was left bored by the mere thought of him, so she’d declined his offer of a second.

  When the girl he was flirting with left, Anja moved forward.

  “Hi, Carl,” she growled, her voice as low as it could get.

  “Oh. What’s up, Anja?”

  “I’m here to collect my paycheck.”

  He grinned, holding one finger up in front of her face, “Wait here.”

  Where else am I meant to go, dumbass?

  Carl seemed to think that because she showed no interest in him that she was secretly in love with him instead. He returned with an envelope in his hand, but he didn’t hand it to her, instead he leant his elbows against the counter.

  “Guess what?”

  Anja mentally rolled her eyes, “What?” She prepared to zone him out but his next sentence made her
freeze.

  “I’ve been accepted as a guard in Okland! This means that after a few months of training I can come and join you in the capital!”

  Anja’s insides squirmed in disgust. She wanted to tell him that she didn’t care, however, she didn’t want to be mean, so she just kept silent.

  “I know you didn’t want to get attached to me because you were leaving, but now we can be together.” He flipped his greasy hair out of his face, flashing her a smile.

  When she’d first met Carl, she’d done some digging. Anja had discovered her natural ability with computers and cybersecurity from an early age. She’d wanted to find out more about her parent’s deaths, but everyone was trying to shield her from the painful reality, so she found the information herself. During secondary school, her computer science teacher had seen something in her and let her have extra lessons to work on her coding skills. Since then she had learnt everything she could about firewalls, encryption and system penetration. Anja had used her skill to do a bit of digging on Carl—and had found out that his uncle owned the pharmacy. She should have known that nepotism was the only way someone that dumb could keep a job.

  “Anja? Did you hear me?”

  She blinked, pulling herself back to reality and to Carl, who was not-so-patiently waiting for a reply to a question he’d asked.

  Anja nodded. Apparently, that’s what Carl had been waiting for. A massive grin spread across his spotty face—and then he said three words that made her lunch reappear in her throat.

  “It’s a date!”

  “Umm, Carl…”

  But he’d moved on to talking about his new workout routine for becoming a government guard.

  Anja cursed the entire male species.

  Why does this always happen? Before I talk to them they seem nice, but once they open their mouths it becomes apparent what jerks they really are. I’m not pretty enough to make them go this stupid, this is their own fault.

  With every word Carl said she could feel herself losing brain cells. Finally, he paused, taking a breath in. Anja seized the opportunity and spoke.

  “I’ve got to get back, could I please have my paycheck?”

  Carl frowned, but he handed over the envelope, “Alright then, I’ll catch you later.”

  I sure hope not.

  And with that she made her escape.

  * * *

  When she arrived back at the orphanage, she decided to eat her reheated potato and beans in her room, away from the irritating noise of the younger children.

  Her meal was interrupted by a thud at her bedroom door.

  “Do you want me to get the door?” Anja called out.

  “Yes please,” Willow’s sweet voice answered.

  She rose from her bed to let her in. Willow wheeled into the room looking exhausted, her long golden blonde hair tied into a knot on the top of her head.

  The bed’s old hinges creaked under her as she collapsed on the bed and shoved her wheelchair aside.

  “Willow?” Anja frowned.

  “Ughh,” Willow groaned as she buried her face into her pillow. “I got my score back from the test we took last week. I didn’t pass.” Willow was lovely, but she never did well academically. “Now I’ll have to retake the class…”

  “That’s terrible!” Anja exclaimed, already digging out her laptop from under her bed.

  It took eight minutes exactly for her to add a few points to Willow’s test score. Anja didn’t pretend to be the best coder out there, but once she got into a system nothing could get her out. She used one of the backdoors she’d put in the school’s IT system years ago when she’d changed the cafeteria menu for a dare to make it a lot less nutritious.

  “Umm… Willow,” Anja faked a puzzled look. “I think they rescored your test.”

  Anja spun her laptop around. Pulled up on the screen was Willow’s overall score, now a few points higher.

  Willow’s mouth fell open. “Oh! I’m really, really sorry!”

  “You don’t need—”

  “I passed! I can’t believe I passed!” Her face lit up, “I’m going to go tell Mrs Dorsin!” She pulled her wheelchair back towards her, lifted herself into it and left the room grinning cheerfully.

  Anja settled back down onto her bed, making sure to hide any trace that she’d hacked into the school system again.

  * * *

  “Anja?”

  She glanced up in response. Willow was in the doorway, fiddling with her cardigan’s sleeve.

  “Carl is at the door… he says that you promised him a date?”

  Anja groaned and squeezed her eyes shut.

  “Go tell him to stuff it,” she muttered, returning to her laptop.

  Rufus’s head popped around the door.

  “Hey, Sis! Your boyfriend is here for you. I didn’t want him to catch a chill so I invited him in,” he said with a mischievous grin.

  Anja cursed at her brother.

  “I hope you don’t use that language around Carl, it’s not very ladylike.” He laughed as she slowly dragged herself out of the room.

  Rufus had heard her complain about Carl a thousand times and he wouldn’t let her forget the fact that she’d gone on a date with him before, voluntarily… But this was her own fault for not rejecting him outright.

  “Carl,” she told him, as nicely as she could force herself to sound. “Look—”

  “Did you forget about our date or something?” He leaned against the staircase.

  “Of course not, I was just…” Oh, God, she groaned internally, am I really going to waste one of my last days here with this guy?

  Carl’s eyes skimmed up and down her body. He held out his arm for her to take, but Anja just pushed past him. She didn’t want Carl thinking he was a gentleman.

  “So, I was thinking that we could go to a restaurant like we did last time—”

  “No.” The word escaped her mouth before she could stop it. “I’m not going on this date with you, Carl. We’re just not compatible,” she said bluntly, stopping on the orphanage’s steps. “It wouldn’t be fair of me to lead you on because I just don’t like you in that way.”Or in any way.

  Carl’s mouth opened wide. From the look on his face, Anja guessed that he’d never been rejected before.

  First time for everything, prick.

  “Is this a joke? I mean, I’m not just any average guy.”

  No, you’re below average, thought Anja.

  “Why wouldn’t you want me?” he persisted.

  Anja laughed out loud.

  He just stared at her as if she were crazy. Then his face froze and took on a soft expression.

  “Are you into girls?” he asked quietly, leaning forward.

  “Are you kidding me?!” Her voice rose sharply. “Can you seriously not understand that maybe I’m just not interested in you? How can you think that the only explanation for me not liking you is that I don’t like any guy?”

  “But—”

  “You know what, Carl? You’re self-centred, unfunny, and a complete douchebag. There is nothing remotely attractive about you, and…and…” She searched for a final insult. “Your eyebrows are weird!” She hadn’t realised, but she had begun to shout.

  He began to yell too, “You’re just a stuck-up bitch who thinks moving to Okland means she’s better than the rest of us. But news flash, it doesn’t! I bet Okland will take one look at you and send you right back to this shithole.”

  Anja couldn’t believe his arrogance. In one swift movement, she slapped him right across the face.

  She spun around to stride back into the orphanage but found Rufus standing in the doorway with his mouth wide open in shock. She shoved past him into the house. A few seconds later she heard the front door slam shut behind her.

  Rufus was laughing so hard tears pricked his eyes. “You’re a heartbreaker! I know you hated the guy but did he deserve that?”

  “Yes! When I said I wasn’t interested in him he said the only reason could be that I’m gay!” />
  Rufus broke. Any self-restraint he’d had dissolved as his laughter took over.

  She gave her brother a death glare before pushing past him into the TV room, where she finally let a smile spread across her face.

  Chapter Four

  The lights in the orphanage had been turned off, but Anja was still lying awake in bed, her hand clasped around the Sorcerer’s necklace.

  A knock at her bedroom door made her sit up. Willow groaned and wrapped herself up tighter in her bedding. Anja slipped from her bed and opened the door to find Rufus standing there, in bright blue pyjamas, his hair an absolute mess.

  “I can’t sleep,” he croaked. His eyes were red and sore from crying. “I don’t want you to leave me here.” Tears streamed down his face.

  Anja reached up onto her tiptoes and pulled him into an embrace.

  “Rufus,” she said as they parted, “you just need a job in Okland, then everything will be how we planned it.”

  “Yeah, but what if I don’t get a job and end up moving to a town without running water and I have to live in a cardboard box?”

  “Trust me there is no way I would let that happen, if worse comes to worst then I’ll hack into the system and make you an ID card for Okland. The system can’t be that hard to hack.”

  Rufus half smiled, but tears still filled his eyes. “Not everything can be solved by hacking, you know.”

  “Doesn’t mean I can’t give it a shot.”

  “You can’t make ID cards. Even I know that.”

  Anja nodded. She had been fascinated with the ID cards for years, and had tried to replicate them multiple times, but nothing had ever come close. The cards were programmed specifically for everyone who lived in a city. They allowed access to buildings that weren’t open to tourists, and left a digital footprint wherever you went.

  “In that case, you better get a job, or we’re screwed.” Anja’s joke felt very forced, even to her ears.

  They leant against the door. Anja still wasn’t prepared to talk about leaving so she began discussing Rufus’s latest column, the one she had finished reading through.

  “Maybe you could swear a bit less and tighten up the beginning, but apart from that I really liked it.” She paused. “Mum and Dad would be proud of you.”