Year 1853
Xander looked at the girl who walking away. As far as he could remember, the girl had just arrived in this orphanage this week. She was escorted by a man with a mustache who claimed to be a policeman.
She was so quiet, well ... it was natural that she's so quiet. Everyone who was sent to the orphanage will naturally be quiet, no matter how cheerful that person was before.
This place wasn't a very pleasant place to live, but at the very least, staying here was better than wandering on the streets.
Xander picked up one by one the trash that was scattered near the furnace, and then threw them all into it. He watched as the garbage was being engulfed in flames.
Parents.
Xander himself never once knew his parents. Miss Yerez said, Xander was found by a drunk near the garbage dump.
Yes, garbage disposal.
Everything that is useless and unwanted thrown in the trash. Including him.
Xander grimaced then sighed. Thoughts like that have run into his days. Xander was sure that the girl thought the same.
***
Thea ran her fingers through her hair. She still frowned slightly as water droplets from her hair fell on her wound. Thea tilted her head slowly. Her reflection in the mirror really nauseated her.
The wounds from the incident at that time were visible. Her skin was blistered and torn, leaving the red color of burning flesh, covering most of her neck.
She got out of there and sat on the edge of the bed, facing the window. The girl looked up, staring at the blue sky peeking through the white clouds. The sky above was still the same.
But the circumstances were not.
Thea thought about what really happened.
Why was all this happening? She felt fine a week ago. She was still joking and laughing with her father and mother. But now...
Thea remembered that a few days ago she saw four people looking for her father.
So what? Nothing, everything's fine.
Lie.
There was something she saw, but didn't want to remember. Something too terrible for a child her age to experience, something she mustn't remember.
Tears began rolling down from the girl. Her chest stinging, tightness with pain. Even more painful than the physical pain she was experiencing.
Thea sobbed loudly.
***
Jane came into the room running. Her movements stopped when she saw the girl sobbing at the end of the bed.
Yes.
That girl had cried a lot since arriving here. Jane didn't really know her herself. She felt that the girl was going through a difficult time.
She was only nine years old and had suffered such burns. The other children at the orphanage were disgusted by the sight.
Jane too.
She was trying to get used to it because the kid will be her roommate — for life, she thought.
Jane went awry. Miss Yerez told her to take the torn sweater for sewing immediately. The problem was, the shirt was under the new kid's feet and Jane didn't want to disturb her crying. She stood there long enough, until finally Thea's crying subsided.
"Erm ... hi?" said Jane, awkward.
Thea realized. She immediately wiped her tears. Her neck ached as she turned her head suddenly.
"Sorry, I don't want to disturb you. But… can you step aside for a moment? I want to take something," the girl pointed at Thea's feet.
"Oh ..." Thea immediately stood up.
"I'm sorry,"
Jane immediately took her sweater and walked away from there quickly. She didn't want to involve with the kid.
***
Thea was scared. She never thought that she would live alone like this. She did not know if she had any relatives - either the family of his father and mother - out there.
Thea's blurred vision gradually became clear. The sobs died down and the corner of her eye caught someone standing not far from her.
Thea hurriedly wiped her tears. The nape of her neck ached as she turned his head suddenly.
"Sorry, I don't want to disturb you. But… can you step aside for a moment? I want to take something, " she said, pointing at Thea's feet.
"Oh ..." Realizing what she meant, Thea immediately stood up. "I'm sorry,"
The woman who was older than Thea hurriedly left as soon as she picked up her belongings. From the first time she arrived, Thea knew that the girl didn't like her. As soon as Jane came out, a little boy came into her room.
"You are called by Miss Yerez. Now is the time to eat together."
After delivering the message, the boy rushed out. Thea moved reluctantly. She headed for the bathroom before entering the dining room.
She really didn't want to go in and repeat the same thing over and over.
"Thea? What are you doing here?"
Thea looked up. Miss Yerez looked at her, surprised.
"Come on, hurry up and eat! Before they clean it up. "
She was forced to follow the long steps of the head of the orphanage into the dining room.
"Now, sit down here," she said, pointing to one of the empty chairs. The surrounding children stepped away. Even willing to sit crammed at another table when Thea sat down.
They looked at her in disgust. Thea knew the wound was disgusting. She didn't like it either. But Thea would rather not have them stare at her that way.
"I don't think I finished my job earlier, miss," she stood up. "So I better finish it first." She ran outside. Ignoring Miss Yerez's screams, calling out her name.
The girl only stopped running when she reached the backyard of the orphanage. Her heart was still beating fast from running. Her chest felt tight. Her hands clenched into fists.
Thea picked up the stone and threw it into the pool. Drops of water flowed down her face.
Shewas pissed off. She's angry.
Why are they all staring at her like that?
Thea also didn't want to have this kind of wound.
Was it her fault that they all had to act this way?
What's wrong with coming out alive and getting hurt like this?
Maybe it would be better if she just died back then.
Year 1863 Thea took off her mask. Her breath was short. She looked at Kay who was smiling triumphantly. "Are you that happy to win over me?" Thea put down her foil, annoyed. When she finished learning in the etiquette class, Kay immediately took her to play fencing. "Yes, that is so." Kay did the same. "I thought you were still stressed about the matchmaking." This time they both took off their jackets at the same time. Thea took a drink then sat by the window first. The jacket shirt earlier made her sweat so much. Thea pushed open the window door slightly. The summer twilight winds squeezed in against her face. Another summer day is almost over again. "Earlier… I guess I thought too much about it. So I thought why should it be? If there's no one I like there then there won't be a problem. There will be no matchmaking." Kay smiled with satisfaction, as if that was the perfect solution. "Are you sure?" Thea doub
Year 1853Xander moved his fishing rod a little, checking to see if the bait had caught the interest of something, but it turned out that it didn't. It wasn't even approached by the fish.It has been more than 2 hours since he was here, but not once has the bait been eaten by the fish. Even he spent lunch here despite threats of being scolded by Miss Yerez for not eating together and if he get caught, of course he would starve until dinner time arrived.Xander put down the rod again, maybe he would get something if he waited a little bit.Pluk!A tremor in the pool caught Xander's attention. The boy narrowed his eyes, staring straight at the surface of the pond, it seemed like something was there.Pluk!Xander stared at it again, it seemed like it was the sound of a rock being thrown into the water. He looked for the origin of the stone throwing, maybe it was the prankster of one of the residents who tried to disturb him but
Year 1863Knock ... knock, knock ...Thea turned around. Without even opening the door, she knew who was standing behind it. The beat was Kay's signature beat. Thea ignored him. She did not move an inch from her place.Knock... knock, knock ...One… two… three… four… five… he counted to himself and a third beat was heard.Knock ... knock, knock ...This time Thea counted to ten and the door opened.***Kay couldn't sleep. He was restless from earlier. He finally got up from his bed and left the room.He hated fighting with Thea.He had to see her and solved this uncomfortable feeling.If the fight dragged on, Kay would not be able to concentrate in the hospital tomorrow as usual. He went to Thea's room and stood in front of her door for a long time.Kay didn't know what to say. He had no intention of apologizing. He
Year 1853Xander immediately pushed her out of the kitchen. He grabbed Thea's small hand and ran as far as possible before returning everything to its original place.They returned to the pond.Thea regretted eating well. Now, all of her guts seemed to be coming out after being dragged away by Xander. Her expression was getting worse.Xander, oblivious to that, picked up his fishing rod and turned around."You have to come back soon. Miss Yerez will inspect anyone who is not present at the dinner table." With that, Xander said goodbye.After Xander was out of sight, Thea ran towards the bushes. Everything she had swallowed earlier came out, she couldn't endure it anymore.'Puke...Puke...'Her body trembled after vomiting all of her guts. She washed her mouth and hands with the water from the pond and fell down on her knees.She stared at her reflection on the surface of the water. She had never felt this miserab
Year 1863The servant opened the door for Thea.She saw her uncle and Kay already sitting in the dining room first."Good morning, Uncle," she greeted him and took her place across from Kay. The Uncle, Blake, just nodded slightly. He did not even glance at her.Thea immediately took the spoon. She was used to Blake's attitude."Don't forget to go home early today. Do you understand, Kyle?"Thea stared at Kay. Blake never called his son 'Kay'. That's just what Thea way to called him."Yes, father. I think Thea also wants to come," he said.Thea glared. For almost two days, Kay didn't come home and met her, which made Thea think Kay would never bring that up again.Before Thea opened her mouth, Blake suddenly opened his mouth and agreed."Well, I don't think that's a bad idea. You too, Thea. Go out tonight with Kyle.""But, uncle ..."Blake looked at her. Thea didn't like being stared at by hi
Year 1853Thea chose to spend the rest of the afternoon sitting by the pond. Throughout collecting the second piece of trash, she avoided the other kids as much as possible, let alone the bunch of knee-length jeans boy and his genk.Thea had no intention of getting along well if they themselves didn't want to befriend with her.She sighed.Thea had nothing else to do, other than what Miss Yerez had told her. Her hands had been moving to throw small pebbles into the pond after her task completed. Without aware of the surrounding where she was not alone.Xander smiled. He found the girl on the same spot like yesterday. Fortunately he didn't go fishing so the pebbles she threw wouldn't make a trouble for him. Xander approched her.Thea stared at the far away scenery. Her parents used to take her on picnics in the summer. Typical hardworking father. During the workday, he would really concentrate and ignore Thea and her mother. Even so,
Year 1863She almost screamed.Thea gripped the perfume bottle tightly behind her. Her body stiffened.Did Kay knew what she's been doing? She never said about her dirty work at all.Never.Was she caught?Thea felt her knees weaken. Blake always said she shouldn't be caught by anyone and Thea agreed. Even though the world was collapsed, she didn't want to look any different in front of them. The one who should not know what her did is Kay, and it turned out that this man ..."Why is your face so pale?" Kay approached her."Ka, you said ... I ... am a murderer?" Thea's tongue suddenly froze when she stared at Kay, who nodding firmly."Of course. You kill me in every game we play. Horse racing. Archery. Shoot. Play chess. Fencing… Oh! I forgot. A few days ago I was—"Thea's body almost slumped to the floor if Kay didn't catch her. She, who suddenly short of breath for a moment, rushed to take
Year 1853Thea's neck was sting and sore when the dirty water touched her wound.Adel's eyes widened. After pushed and splashed her with water, she immediately threw the bucket in her hand. She seemed to have just realized what she had done."My hand slip accidentally! I didn't do it on purpose," she said, panicked. "You know too, don't you, Rose?" she was trying to justify herself when she saw a truly terrifying sight. Then Adel ran away from the place."Adeeellll !!! Where are you going?" Rose cursed. She turned to Thea "A- are you okay?""AAAAAAkkhhh! Help me! Aaaaaa, it hurts! Help me! " Thea was crying. She opened and clenched her fists, not daring to touch her neck. "Call someone. Anyone! Help me! "Rose still stood dazed. She ran looking for someone, when she saw Miss Yerez not far from where she was standing, she shouted."Miss Yereeezzz !!!""Why are you running, Rose? A woman can't–!""You must i