Little Orphan SandySadira's StoryBy KarenChapter 1It's A Hard Knock LifeIt's a hard knock life for usIt's a hard knock life for usSteada' treatedWe get trickedSteada' kissesWe get kickedIt's a hard knock lifeGot no folks to speak of soIt's the hard knock row we knowCotton blanketsSteada' woolEmpty belliesSteada' fullIt's a hard knock lifeDon't it feel like the wind is always howlin'?Don't it feel like there's never any light?Once a day don't you wanna throw the towel in?It's easier then puttin' up a fightNoone's there when your dreams at night get creepyNoone cares if you grow or if you shrinkNoone dries when your eyes get wet and weepyFrom all the crying you would think this place's a sinkEmpty belly lifeRotten smelly lifeFull of sorrow lifeNo tomorrow lifeSanta Claus we never seeSanta ClausWhat's that?Who's he?Noone cares for you a smidgeWhen you're in an orphanageIt's a hard knock lifeIt's a hard knock life for usIt's a hard knock life for usNoone cares for you a smidgeWhen you're in an orphanageIt's a hard knock life("It's A Hard Knock Life" from "Annie")Clutching her precious bundle, Sadira quietly made her way up the steps of the old ramshackle building that had been her home for as long as she could remember. She paused a moment to glance behind... Nobody had been following her or had even noticed her... Good.Slowly opening the worn wooden door, the young girl snuck inside. She could see the lamp light from the kitchen, and two barely distinguishable voices were coming from there. One voice Sadira knew only to well, the other belonged to a stranger, a man probably.Creeping past the kitchen, she made her way up the rotting wooden steps to the girls dormitory. The other children, orphans like herself, were all asleep on their thinning cots, underneath their worn blankets. Sadira softly tiptoed past them and stopped at the cot where the smallest little girl lay. She must have been having a horrible nightmare because she was crying in her sleep. "Mama!," she sobbed. "Sadira!."The older girl knelt down and took the child in her arms. "Hush, Aisha, there there." At the sound of her voice, the little one slowly awoke, but she was still sobbing uncontrollably."It's all right," Sadira soothed. "It was just a bad dream, kiddo, nothing to cry over."Aisha nodded, trembling. "I... I... I know," she whimpered.Sadira gently wiped the tears off the child's face. "Just don't think about bad things like nightmares, Aisha. Instead, why don't you think about your parents?."The little girl shook her head sadly. "You're the only one here who really might have parents out there somewhere... Mine... Mine are dead.""No, I mean think about the parents who want to adopt you, because they want a pretty little girl with brown eyes and black hair," Sadira smiled cheerfully.Aisha's eyes lit up. "Really?. Do you really think there's someone out there who wants me?."Sadira grinned, happy to have cheered up her little friend. "I'll bet my life on it," she tousled the child's hair. "But in the meantime, here's a little something to tide you over 'till then."She emptied the sack, revealing a whole load of food. There were two loaves of fresh white bread, and at least a dozen pieces of exotic fruit. "See," Sadira announced proudly, "All for you!."Aisha gasped. "Sadira! You've been stealing again!.""Of course," the thin, twelve year old snapped. "There isn't enough here to keep a dog alive, you know that!.""I know, but the scorpion warned you about what would happen if you were ever caught stealing from the food stalls again."Sadira smirked. The headmistress of the village orphanage had a real name of course, but the children here always called her "The Scorpion" behind her back, mainly because of the stick she carried. It was not very large or heavy, but when she brought it down on a kid's shoulder it stung worse then any insect!."Oh don't worry about me, kiddo, I can handle the scorpion, it's you I'm worried about. You haven't had a decent meal in ages.""None of us have," Aisha pointed out.Sadira sighed, it was just like Aisha to be thinking of everybody else. "I know, but nobody else here is sick. Believe me, you need this food more then any of us do right now." This was, in fact, the truth, for Aisha had always been a frail, sickly child. When she had first arrived at the orphanage at the age of two, nobody thought she would last more then a week. But Sadira had taken her under her wing, just like she had done with all the younger children. At least once a week she came home after curfew with a bundle of stolen food to divide among the little ones, and the now six year old Aisha was usually given some of the larger portions."All right," she agreed reluctantly. "I'll take half of one of the loaves, but promise to give the rest of the bread and the fruit to the others?."Sadira's face fell. "Oh, all right," she finally gave in. She broke one of the loaves in half and gave the larger portion the the child. "Here, enjoy.""You won't be enjoying anything!," a loud, high pitched voice sounded from the doorway.Sadira and Aisha froze in fear as the scorpion charged into the dormitory."I knew it!," she screeched. "I just knew it was you who stole this food from that caravan. Give it here!." Quickly, she snatched the bread from the child and the bag from Sadira."Just look at this!," she screamed. "This food was on it's way to Agrabah as a part of the princesses birthday feast, and now it's ruined! Ruined! Because your filthy little paws have been on it!."Aisha gasped in fear. Stealing food from the market stalls was punishable by the loss of one's hands... But to actually have stolen food meant for the sultan's own table?. Her friend was surly in for It now!.Sadira clenched her teeth, already doing the math in her head. She had stolen that bag of food from a fancy looking caravan, but she had barely managed to escape with both her hands once the guards and the villages chief magistrate spotted her. It must have been one of the guards that she heard when coming in tonight. That must have been how the scorpion knew about it."Please, Miss," Aisha whispered timidly. "Please may we have just a little bit of the food since we have already touched it?. It would be wasteful not to.""No!," the scorpion snapped. "Certainly not!. How dare you suggest such a thing?."Poor Aisha was almost in tears. "But, Miss," she pleaded again. "All we've had to eat today is...""Shut up you ungrateful little brat!." And with that the child was grabbed by the hair and thrown roughly to the floor. The scorpion raised her stick to strike the frail little girl... but Sadira moved between them. Poor little Aisha threw herself into the older girl's arms, sobbing, and trembling like a little leaf."Leave her alone!," Sadira snarled, glaring hatefully at the tyrannical orphanage director. "Can't you see she's sick?!. You'll have to beat me with that thing a thousand times before I'll let you touch her with it!.""That's enough, Sadira!." She grabbed the girls dark arm and yanked her away from the frightened Aisha.All of the other children in the dormitory had long since been woken by the ordeal. Now they were watching timidly from their beds, both interested and terrified at the same time."You're coming with me!," the Scorpion growled to Sadira. "And you," she turned to Aisha and the other children "You had all better get back to bed before I take the whip to you too!."
"This is it," Sadira thought as the orphanage headmistress dragged her, struggling, from the dormitory. "I'm either going to get both my hands cut off, or I'm going to get thrown out to live on the streets. I can probably handle that, but what'll poor Aisha do without someone to steal her a little extra food every now and then?." It was the thought of that that frightened her more then anything else.But the scorpion wasn't heading for the door to throw her out, instead Sadira found herself being forced into the orphanages dirty kitchen. Waiting there, was a middle aged man, dressed in fine robes, and with a sparkling jewel in his turban. Sadira's heart sank as she recognized the wealthy chief magistrate."Well, here she is," the scorpion announced, roughly shoving the girl forward.Chief magistrate Yasir stood up from his chair, giving her his most charming smile, but to Sadira it seemed more like a leer. "So, we meet again, my dear."She didn't like the look in his eyes. "What do you want?!," she snapped, putting her hands on her hips defensively.He laughed, ignoring her question. "She certainly has allot of spunk in her," he remarked, turning to The Scorpion. "How old is she exactly?.""Twelve, almost thirteen.""I see, and her health?.""Perfect, she wouldn't have been able to rob that caravan otherwise.""Yes," the magistrate laughed. "I'll buy that. Tell me, can she read?."The orphanage director nodded. "Yes, not that there's much to read around here, but this one somehow managed to learn on her own.""Clever girl," he smiled, impressed.Sadira scowled. What was going on here?."If you don't mind my asking, Sir, why the interest in her?.""Indeed you might ask," Yasir smirked. "As you know, I saw this girl earlier today, and strangely enough, I liked what I saw. I would like to buy her from you as a servant."Sadira felt a wave of panic rush through her. She didn't want to go with this man. If she did, who would take care of Aisha and the little ones?. Besides, the magistrate frightened her, although she would never in a million years admit that.The Scorpion raised an eyebrow. "Sadira?. Why she's nothing but a common thief, a nameless, no account stray abandoned here years ago.""True, true," he said haughtily. "I know I could easily get a girl with better breeding and proper training, but this one," he pointed a finger at Sadira, "Interests me a great deal. Why, in the right clothes, and with the proper training, this girl would make a charming addition to any harem." Then he turned to her with an arrogant smile. "What do you say, my dear?."Sadira's face grew hot. She clenched her hands and teeth in rage, her fear quickly being replaced by anger. "No way!," she yelled, stamping her foot in a tantrum. "Forget it!.""Sadira!," cried the scorpion, the she turned to Yasir. "You see?," she announced. "She's a wretched, good for nothing little wench, unfit to be a servant to great people like you. She's stubborn, willful...""I'll break her will!," the magistrate interrupted. "I have made my decision. I want her!." Then he handed the scorpion a small bag of gold coins. "Have her brought to my estate tomorrow."Her eyes brightening with a greedy light, The Scorpion eagerly accepted the coins. "Yes, Sir."Yasir turned to Sadira, his face softening and his eyes lighting up. "You will enjoy serving me," he said, then he reached out to touch her face... but Sadira was too quick for him. In one swift movement she roughly shoved his hand away. "Don't touch me!," she growled.Maybe it was the savage, animal like snarl on her young face, maybe it was the raging fire that burned in her clear, blue green eyes, but for whatever reason, the magistrate took a few startled steps back, his arrogant smile quickly evaporating. Though he regained his composure, it was plain to see that she had almost completely unnerved him."Yes, well," he muttered. "You certainly are a wild one, but I think I can tame you in good time." Then he grinned at the scorpion, there is another bag of gold in it for you if you have her at my estate before tomorrow afternoon. I am anxious to begin this girls breaking in." And with that he left.Sadira let out a snort as the magistrate sauntered his way out. "Breaking in", was that what he called it?. Well she was not a horse, and she would not be broken!. She was about to say this out loud when a sharp sting to her shoulder sent her yelping in pain to the floor."That was for stealing!," the scorpion growled.Another blow soon followed."That was for talking back to your superiors!."The next moment there were three red marks on her shoulder."And that," the orphanage director snarled, "That was to remind you of what will happen if you ever behave like that again. Now get back to the dormitory, you leave first thing in the morning. By Allah, I cannot wait to be rid of you tomorrow, you minx!."Sadira grimaced, trying her best to ignore the pain. She squinted, trying to hold back her tears. Struggling to her feet she then scampered out of the kitchen, back to the dormitory, pausing just long enough to shoot the orphanage director one last dark, hateful glare."By Allah," the scorpion muttered as she watched the young rebel leave. She had never before seen a child like this one. The others she could intimidate, command, and she could very easily frighten them into obedience, but not Sadira. No, Sadira had never seemed to be afraid of any authority, least of all hers. Perhaps that came from being the eldest child in the orphanage, or perhaps it came from her origins. Her startling blue green eyes, her thick cloud of smoky black hair, and dark skin, darker then an Arabian's, reminded her of the Gypsies, or Roma as they called themselves, she had sometimes seen, trading from desert caravans, and even stealing from them as well. Perhaps that wild, thieving brat had some Gypsy blood in her, who knew?. At any rate the scorpion was glad to be getting her out of her hair. If she could not break that girl, then perhaps the chief magistrate Yasir could...
Later that night Sadira lay flat on her back on her worn, makeshift bed, her hands behind her head. What could she do?. If she stayed at the orphanage she knew she would only receive more beatings, she was still smarting from the three she had been given earlier, and the scorpion would probably have the authorities after her if she resisted. Should she go willingly? That might be easier, but somehow Sadira was even more terrified of that then she was of staying at the orphanage.She could run away, yes, that was an alternative, then she wouldn't have to spend the rest of her life in either the orphanage or some wealthy man's harem. But who would take care of Aisha and the others?... Sadira bit her lip, she didn't want to leave them... but there were really no other choices...Having made her decision, she got up and changed out of her ragged old nightdress, putting on her worn trousers, tied with a ragged sash, old shirt and vest. Reaching into her pocket, she took out the only things of value which she owned, two golden circlets. These had been in her hair when her mother, the mother she could barely remember, had left her at the orphanage almost eleven years ago, and they were all she had left of her... When she was very little Sadira had often fantasized and daydreamed about the day when her mother, full of regret and wanting to correct her horrible mistake, would return to claim her, taking her far far away from this dark, lonely orphanage to a warm, safe, loving home... It had not been long however before Sadira realized that this would never happen...Shaking her head and quickly blinking back the tears which threatened to from in her eyes, Sadira made two small pony tails in her thick, dark hair, and did them up with the circlets. Then she reached under her cot and pulled out a long rope. She had found it in a nearby alleyway earlier today, and had stashed it under her bed, thinking it might come in handy sometime...Having no shoes, she tiptoed barefoot over to the door and tied one end of the rope around the handle. Sadira then threw the other end out of the window. Now there was nothing left to do but climb down... But something made her hesitate... She turned to look at the sleeping children... Was it right to just leave them like this?..."No," Sadira decided. "You can't just leave them without even saying good bye, girl."She then made her way over to Aisha's cot and stroked the sleeping child's face lovingly. At her touch, the little girl slowly opened her eyes."Sadira?," she asked sleepily, wondering what was going on. Then she noticed that her friend was all dressed and looked like she was going somewhere. "Sadira, are you running away?.""No, kid," she smiled. "I'm running to.""To where?.""Home."Aisha frowned, confused. "But isn't this home, Sadira?.""No," she shook her head. "This is just a building. Home is where you will always belong, and where you will always have someone who loves you, and I'm going to find one out there somewhere.""But, Sadira, what if we can't find a home out there?," the child asked."Well then, you'll have to make your own home, lot's of people do."The little one's eyes grew wide with fear. "But, Sadira," she whimpered. "What if we can't find a place to belong, or someone to love us?.""Then come find me."That was what the child had needed to hear. Relieved, she threw herself into the older girl's arms. Sadira held her close, rocking Aisha back and forth and stroking her hair. They stayed like that for many minutes, until she felt Aisha's breathing grow more peaceful and rhythmic. When she was sure her little friend was asleep, Sadira gently laid her back down into her bed, tucking the blanket securely around the child's small shoulders... It would be a cold night tonight...She quietly made her way over to the window... then paused to look back at the sleeping children... Could she just leave them like this?... She had better go now, or else she would soon change her mind..."Good bye..." she whispered...
Climbing down the rope was child's play for Sadira, as was lock picking and stealing, but she had no intention of stealing or picking any locks tonight. She had to get as far away from this orphanage and this village as possible."But where can I go now?," she wondered to herself. There were no other villages towns, or cities within walking distance of this remote place, that is, except for Agrabah... Agrabah!. All her life Sadira had been told that it was one of the finest cities in the seven deserts. Peaceful, prosperous, and the economy was going well. The sultan was fair, generous, and a popular ruler with his people. Yes, she would go to Agrabah. Maybe there she could find a family who would take her in and love her as her own, or maybe she could find a well paying job, perhaps even in the sultan's palace!. Sadira grinned, picturing herself as a wealthy and powerful employee of the sultan, coming back to the orphanage someday to arrest the scorpion, and rescue Aisha and the others from that hateful orphanage director!.It was then her feet touched solid ground. Hopping off the rope, she started on her way, wanting to waste no time... then she turned to look back one last time at the old ramshackle building that had been her home for as long as she could remember... She had never loved it... but at least it had been a roof over her head... and at least she had people there whom she knew and loved...Was she having second thoughts?...But maybe in Agrabah things would be better. Maybe there she wouldn't be just another no name stray... She could actually see the city in the distance, shining with the promise of a new life...Turning away forever from her old home, Sadira took the first steps out of her lonely past... and into her uncertain future...