Ina?”

                “Secela?”

                Relief swept over Secela and she laid eyes on her best friend for the first time in two months. She ran over to Ina and flung her arms around her neck. Ina hugged her back, crying at the same time.

                “You’re here. You’re here. You’re really here!” she said through sobs.

                After a moment, Secela stepped back and took a good look at Ina. The first thing she noticed was just how dirty Ina really was. She was caked from head to toe in soot and grime, and her tears were leaving streaks on her cheeks. At the orphanage, Ina had always tried to keep clean, even though the orphanage rarely offered baths. She had always cleaned herself as best she could by washing her hands and face. But now, it seemed that something must have happened to her fighting spirit, because she looked the exact opposite of the Ina Secela knew. Her hair had been done up in a bun, instead of falling to her waist like Secela was used to. Her clothes were patched and in tatters, her sleeves were rolled up, her apron had many stains, and she generally looked as though she had been through hard times.

                “Ina,” Secela said, aghast. “What in the world happened to you?”

                Ina sobbed. “Oh, Secela, it’s been terrible! The conditions here are awful! Alorra works us half to death! She doesn’t seem to care about us at all or think that we exist! She has us up at 5 a.m. every morning and doesn’t let us sleep until midnight! She makes us clean the whole house, top to bottom, every day! And then she makes us cook huge meals for her three times a day! And most of the time, it’s just her and the governor there! Alorra doesn’t even have children! Oh, Secela, you have to get me out of here. Please! Alorra doesn’t even pay us or give us beds or clothes! I’m not a servant here, I’m a slave! Oh, please, Secela, I’ve been waiting for you this whole time, I just knew you would come! That’s what I kept telling everyone– right, guys?” She turned to look at her colleagues, who just stared back at her with wide eyes.

                “Is that the girl you were talking about, Ina?” one boy, who seemed to be about Secela’s age, asked.

                “That’s right, Colby! See, I told you she would come!” Ina smiled. “I told you she would come and help us all!”