Louis kept running until the sun went down, not knowing where he was. He felt confused, scared of his aunt, and hungry. Suddenly, he saw someone in the distance who offered him food and water and asked if he was an orphan. Louis hesitated to answer, afraid of being sent to the orphanage.
The boy said, "Don't worry. I'm an orphan too. My friend and I live in mobile homes. Do you want to come with us?"
Louis replied nervously, "Okay."
The boy said, "Oh, I forgot to tell you my name. I'm Dave. And you?"
"I'm Louis," he said.
Louis asked, "How did you know I was an orphan?"
Dave replied, "I saw you running from your aunt. Sorry, I thought it was just a fight. I didn't realize it was more than that."
Louis sighed, "It's okay. Everything makes sense now. Even my aunt has hated me for a long time, but she only showed it after my parents died."
Dave said, "Don't worry, Louis. Not everything we see as kids is true."
Then he called out to someone else, "Hey, Alex! This is Louis—the one his aunt used to fight with. He's like us now, so we'll help him."
Alex said, "Hey, Louis. We're not spoiled at home anymore. We're running from the orphanage, where they could find us anytime. I've seen it all… it was horrible."
Louis said, "Ah, yes. Dad told me about that. He tried many times to sue them for what they did, but it was useless—they always know how to cover it up and win. But I won't let them catch me. I have a dream: to go to wizarding school."
Dave said, "Oh, that's my dream too—yours and mine, right, Alex?"
Alex said, "Yeah… it's a good dream."
Dave smiled, "Alright, we have a goal now: get into that school. That's our mission, and we'll avoid the orphanage so they don't catch us."
At that moment, Louis's aunt called the police to search for him. The officer asked for his description, and she said he was fifteen years old. She explained that when he learned his parents had died, he couldn't bear it and ran away while she tried to take him home. She began to cry, and the officer tried to comfort her. She added that he was wearing a black t-shirt and black trousers, brown shoes, with blue eyes and black hair.
The officer said, "That's enough. You've been very helpful. Don't cry—we'll find him."
She said, "Okay," ending the call, still angry at him.
Her husband muttered, "It's my fault. I should've broken that kid's leg so he wouldn't run away."
The story returns to Louis and his friends. A few hours after his aunt called the police, they were already on the move, scouting the area. They heard the sirens, and Dave said, "Come on, Alex! Louis! Move fast, or they'll catch us!"
They ran, but the police caught up to them. They had to jump from the tall buildings side by side, but Louis froze in fear. His friends tried to encourage him.
Leakey jumped, but before he could land safely, the police grabbed him and chased his friends, catching them all. They took Louis to his aunt, while the boys were dragged to the orphanage.
"I'm really sorry," Louis said.
Alex, furious, shouted, "Damn you! You're just a selfish coward!" But Dave held him back. "He's our friend—he's innocent," he said.
Alex was frustrated at what awaited them at the orphanage. He began crying and cursing Louis, who was sobbing and apologizing.
His aunt said, "Take these boys. Louis, my dear, what were you thinking? They might influence you, encourage you to take drugs."
The officer said, "That won't happen—Louis is with you now, isn't that right, Louis?"
His aunt gave him a terrifying glare, and Louis, scared, whispered, "Yes."
They took the boys to the orphanage, and his aunt dragged Louis inside. She called for the staff, and Louis tried to slip away, but her husband and sons locked him in the room…
The room had no window. There was no escape. The orphans dragged Louis away by force. His uncle hit him and pulled him off while he clung to his aunt, hoping for mercy, but it was hopeless.
A cruel person never changes. She even kicked him in the face until it swelled and yelled, "Get away from me, you son of your mother! I warned my brother not to marry her, but he didn't listen. This mess is her fault. Look at you! If it weren't for her stupidity, you wouldn't be going to the orphanage today. Pathetic!"
Louis cried, "Please! I'll do anything!"
She replied coldly, "No thanks. I have plenty of servants."
The orphans injected him with a sedative. He woke up in a dark room, terrified. "I don't know what's going to happen… why me?" he whispered.
Then Dave interrupted, "Louis?" in surprise, "What? Why are you here? Weren't you at your aunt's?"
Louis said, "My aunt was looking for me to throw me into this nightmare."
Alex said, "Okay… we're all equal here now, but we won't let them enslave us. That place out there is the orphanage."
Dave said, "Yeah, the three of us have to escape together."
Louis said, "I'm really sorry."