((IC journal of Reese Alexandra O'Roarke, age 11. Stored in her backpack. Written in an almost illegible scrawl. It looks like someone kicked it around, and the first four pages are scribbled out shopping lists, addresses, and math calculations. Figured I'd give this a shot.))

Dear Journal,

Or however the heck you're supposed to start these things.

I found this journal under some bench. Says it's some lady named Mary's. Whoever that is. There's a million of those in this dumb city. It didn't have anything important written in it, and I bet she can just get another one if she wants. People like to throw away perfectly good stuff. So it's mine now.

Hi, I'm Reese O'Roarke, and I'm eleven years old. I'm not sure why I have to introduce myself to you since this journal is secret, but that's how they do it in books. And I guess it would be nice to have somebody to talk to that won't ask weird questions or just tell me to go away.

I live in Hathian right now. I've been here almost a year, which is the longest I've ever stayed anywhere besides where I was born. I used to live in Chicago with my Grandma because my parents tried to drown me I guess. I don't blame them. I'm not sure I would have wanted a baby at 14 either. But they're in jail forever. I don't remember them at all. My Grandma is in jail, too. She got into a lot of trouble for making meth. That's a type of drug that kind of looks like rock candy, but it's NOT candy. She never was very nice to me, so I don't miss her much.

I became a foster kid when I was seven. I've been to about ten different homes. Some of them were with families, and some of them were residential centers or whatever. That's the nice way to say orphanage for kids they think need "help," and nobody wants. I was in one in Mississippi before I came here. I don't want to ever go back. I've only ever had one sort of good foster home, but then they wanted to have a baby and got rid of me. The rest were as mean as my Grandma.

The ones I got now aren't very nice either, but they don't care if I'm around. They just like the money they get for having me to use on drugs or whatever. Or so Edith can pay the bills because George gets mad when some other guy pays her to kiss her or whatever. So I don't ever go home unless I have to. Which is usually when people ask too many questions. Otherwise, I sleep wherever I can. I still go to school so people don't get too suspicious. I just tell people we're very poor, and that seems to get them to stop talking.

This school is okay. Some of the teachers and stuff are completely nutso, but there's nice ones, too. And there's some pretty cool kids. I really like going to school and learning about all sorts of different things, but I pretend that I hate it so none of the kids make fun of me. And I really like to read. I borrow books from the school whenever I can. Harry Potter is my favorite. I didn't turn eleven until December, so I keep hoping that next year I'll get my letter. And then I can go far, far away from here.

I would love to be a wizard when I grow up. But if I'm just a muggle, maybe I can be a scientist or a writer or a vet or something. Or maybe I can just travel the world.

I'm not sure.

Well, I guess that's all you need to know. I guess I'll write you again to tell you about stuff that's happened.

See ya,

Reese