Hi, excursionists, it's me Gnari. For the next few episodes, I've got something different for you, something a little dustier, a little sharper, and just as full of shadows as the paths we usually walk together. For the next four episodes, we're stepping into a Western written by Caroline, a tale about those who are left behind for one reason or another, becoming orphans, or as they used to be known, the Abandons.
This will be a four episode series, and the first episode is coming up next, So saddle up, excursionists, meet me at the crossroads where the sun sets, and let's see where this trail takes us. This episode may contain content that is not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised, especially for those under the age of thirteen. Welcome to Endo the Night. I'm Narri, your guide on today's excursion down a twisted path. Be careful not to get lost. Be it dark or light, it's easy to
lose your way. Are you ready, then let's begin the Abandons. Many of the children couldn't remember their families. Sometimes I thought they were the lucky ones. I remembered better than most, and my sister Rizzy remembered our folks nearly as well. Both of us cried ourselves to sleep more times than I could count, certainly more times than the people who ran the Orphanage thought proper.
Missus. Stoltzman gave us some licks with a will of switch she was so fond of when she caught us, and she told us that we needed to remember just how lucky we were. Lucky or not. Rizzy and I survived when our parents and two neighboring pioneer families were killed in the Indian attacks that left us orphans, or as people here in the territories call us, the abandons. We may have felt alone against the world, but we
weren't alone at the Orphanage. Whether it was cholera, bad luck, Indian attacks, or just the misfortune of being little ones left behind along the wagon trails, they brought us together, and the collection of us formed our own community. It's funny how even as children, we knew that we belonged together. We weren't family by blood, but we were all we had. The most unfortunate of us were the ones born as a result of the brothels that every western town had.
None of us judged them, None of us were at the Orphanage through any of our own doing, and neither were they. The religious leaders and those who owned the place, however, never missed an opportunity to be noticeably harsher toward the brothel children. Life wasn't easy at the High Lake Home for orphaned Children, and most times the staff treated us like we should have taken the easy way out and
died with our families. Don't think that thought didn't cross our minds Rizzie and I missed our parents something terrible, and we weren't sure why we were spared. We just happened to be playing down by the ice house when the raid took place. If we'd been with Paul gathering firewood like we were supposed to be, we wouldn't have made it out alive.
The guilt we carried.
Was fierce because of it. Unlike some of the other abandons, we at least knew Mom Paul loved us. Tenderness was in short supply, both in and out of the orphanage, and for the ones adopted out, most were treated little better than slaves. The faces of the men who searched the orphanage for additional farm hands were hard and uncompromising. Our future looked bleak. One night, long after it was safe for us to still be awake, Rizzie and I
sat quietly with our friends. That day, we watched Hiram and Hilda bots handed over to a man who had no business near a child. He gave us all the feeling that Hilda was the prize he was after and that Hiram would be discarded soon after they rode away. We didn't believe the children would be safe, but we were powerless to save them.
What can we do?
We're nothing but a bunch of abandons without a penny between us. Tom Fouche, who was only a year older than ike Lewis and me, shook his head in disgust. What's going to stop that from happening to any of us? We need a plan. I looked at my friends and they sat waiting to hear what I had to say. Next.
What do you have in mind?
Oran? I had Tom's attention. Now, it's only an idea, but it beats sitting here just hoping the next monster doesn't choose us or sisters. Grizzy leaned in closer to me. Delia Bean, who was only nine and who was almost the one chosen instead of Hilda let out a whimper. Her fate was determined that day by one small stroke of luck. The man had simply said I prefer blondes.
With that, Delia was spare for now. Even if some strange man doesn't choose us, or some couple doesn't pick us to be their workhorse, we girls don't have much of a future. We'll end up where some of us started, in a brothel, just doing what we can to survive. Shanny Nelson, who at fourteen was the oldest of the girls in our group, gave us a doleful look.
Well, Shanny, that's.
Why we need a plan. I'm listening, Uren, God knows we need some way out of this hell hole.
Ruby Lipscomb reached out and squeezed Shanny's hand. Tom looked at Shanny with fierce determination. I'll do whatever it takes to keep that from happening. Now. We'd all known that Tom was sweet on Shannon, but this was as good as a public declaration, and that's how we all took it. Tom naturally Shy blushed so deeply we could have sworn we saw his face redden in the moonlight streaming through our curtainless window. Shanny ducked her head and leaned towards
Ruby in a pleased embarrassment. Rizzi had already assured me that Shanny was equally fond of Tom. After an awkward moment, Mike Lewis said, what's your plan?
Orin?
I heard that Brighton Ranch is needing hands? Doubtful Size went around the darkened room. Now wait, I said, I know we're just kids, but Miss Melva said that Brighton is fearfully low on hands. Since most of the men around here are taken off to look for gold up north of Durango, they might be desperate enough to hire us on.
How do we get there?
They don't even know.
Oh we exist.
Ike's voice, barely above a whisper, came out of the darkness. Yes they do, Grizzie's quiet voice said how Ike's excitement made him speak a little louder than he'd intended. And for a tense moment we sat in silence, straining our ears to listen for footsteps. We expected the adults to be on their way to punish us for still being awake past bedtime. When no footsteps made their way to our sleeping bay, Rizzie spoke once more.
Because Orn and I have been talking about this idea for a while. Miss Melva likes to visit with me, so I've been seeing if she could help. Turns out her big brother is one of the hands that stayed on, and that's how we found out they're hurting for help. He's not just a hand either, He's a foreman.
I was pretty sure everyone but me was surprised by Rizzy's good work. A wisp of a girl at eleven, not many people paid her much mind. Same was true for Miss Melva. She looked sort of mousey and usually was just as quiet as well. That's why she and Rizzie talked so easy with one another. Miss Melva had a heart and wasn't like the rest of them who ran the orphanage. We could tell she hated working there as much as we hated living there. Miss Melva likes
Rizzi and trusts us. That's why she was willing to find out what she could to help. Tom spoke once more, so, if we boys do get jobs, there are you saying that we just leave the girls behind. Ruby couldn't contain herself any longer.
Yeah, is that what you're saying?
Because I cut her off.
No Ruby calmed down. This plan is to help all of us. Just hear me out. That satisfied her long enough for me to go on. I have in mind, and I think the rest of us boys will go along with it, is that once we've earned enough money, we'll come back and get all of you. I stared at Rizzy and saw Tom stare at Shanny. We aren't gonna leave anyone behind. This is all ticket out of here. What do you say? I'd barely finish speaking when Ike and Tom both said when can we start? I looked
at my sister Rizzie. When does miss Melville think she can get word to her brother? She's just waiting for us to tell her to ask. She could tell him as soon as tomorrow night if I talk with her about it.
In the morning.
It was all we could do not to jump up and down and shriek with joy. The girls cried, and to be honest, us boys were grateful for the darkness so no one could see our eyes well up with tears too. We all needed this glimmer of hope. Okay, now let's get on to bed before anyone becomes suspicious. We don't need to be put on restrictions or anything
for being up past curfew. You're right, but I'm not sure I'll sleep a wink, I whispered me neither, But we can't let them know we have any plans to escape.
That's exactly what it was.
We were planning two in escape. We were too young to consider that this was a huge risk, but we were also too desperate to care. Thank you for joining me for this episode of the Into the Night Anthology podcast. Written by Caroline Giamanco, narrated by Nari Quak, Theme music by Nico Rodriguez, all other original music, sound design and editing by Omenhawk Studios. You can find our links in
the show notes. Into the Night is on your favorite podcatcher, so make sure to like, subscribe and leave a five star review to help other excursionists to join us. I'll see you next time, and remember, whether in the shadows or in the daylight, all twist to paths lead you into the night. Into the Night Anthology is a creative typo entertainment production.