Nuturing Evil

5- So Quiet Yet So Loud

The next day, I was sleeping, for once indulging in a peaceful lull, trying to disregard my worries in my sleep, not paying heed to the evil forces grasping my soul in it’s possession to do as it’s telling me- kill myself and ease my mind. 

Even I was amazed how I was able to receive such a sleep but it didn’t last long when a finger began to poke my cheek, waking me up from my state of equanimity. Growling in seethe, I yanked the hand away, covering myself with the blanket more, not wanting to open my heavy eyelids.

But then I could feel tiny hands strangling my slumbering form, hissing I grabbed the arm, earning a gasp of fear, my eyes fluttered open as I saw the girl I brought back trembling by my harsh grip. I quickly let her go and sat up, “What do you want?” I asked, yawning, blinking to comprehend my surroundings, clearing my memories from last night while trying to ignore the curse affecting me as of now.

She gulped and pointed at the door, probably unable to open the door. Sighing, I got up, “Wait here for a moment.” I said, getting up, folding my blankets and putting them on the bed, ruffling my hair, finally regaining my senses. “Come, let me show you.” I motioned her to come closer and showed her how to open a door. “That’s how you open it, okay?” I asked as she nodded. “Strange. You haven’t opened a door before?” I asked casually to get out as she held my shirt once again, walking beside me. I stopped and looked at her as she gestured,

“Locked in a cage.” A wry expression came to my face. How can someone cage a child?

“Look who’s saying.” 

Curling my hands in a fist, I inhaled deeply and went down freshened up and let Rachel help the girl. We were having breakfast as she asked, “So… what are you going to do with her?”

Since the curse is on me, she can’t affect anyone so as of now, she is just a normal child. Thinking, I shrugged my shoulders, “I will visit the orphanage.” 

“Sounds great. I barely doubt you can take care of a child.” She mumbled, wiping the counter. “No s**t, Rachel.” I mocked, shaking my head, drinking my tea and getting up, “Hey, get up kid, I am taking you to your new home.” She shook her head vigorously, refusing to come, “Don’t worry no one will lock you there.” I said and picked her up as she tried to push me away, “Hey, brat, settle down!” I hissed, moving my head back while she was hitting my chest. “Damn it.” I turned and threw her over my shoulder, “Shut up, it’s not a bad place.” 

“Rylan, can’t you be more gentle? She is just a child.” Rachel sighed, almost angry at my action. “So what? Besides, she is more than a child.” I mocked, taking her away as she tried to struggle to get out. “It’s not a bad place, kid. I am telling you.” I told her calmly while she was pulling my shirt but eventually stopped endeavoring. Raising a brow at this, I waited for her to do something but she bit my shoulder, I yelped in pain, losing my balance, she pulled away from me and ran in the other direction, “Hey! Come back!” I yelled, running after her, earning weird looks from everyone, thinking I might have kidn*pped a child but I can’t let her run loose in the town, it could be dangerous for her and people around her. 

“Goddamn it, this brat.” I scowled, going after her but she is just damn fast, growling at her stubborn demeanor, I would drag her there. She took a turn, I ran after her but when I reached the street she was not there, I ran through it and ended up in the open market but no signs of her, “Damn it, where did she go?” I muttered and looked for her for hours but couldn’t find her anywhere, she was no longer in sight. 

I was walking down the market, looking for her but then Hays called me, “Rylan! What are you looking for, man?”

“Hays? Have you seen the brat I brought yesterday?” I asked, “May I know what you mean by ‘brat you brought’, Mr Scott?” Officer Robin asked, standing right behind me.

Robin Brown, the head Officer. 

“Robin?” I turned and saw her, giving me a deadly look, demanding answers. “Yeah, I brought a girl to the bar yesterday. Can you help me find her?” I asked.

“You are taking girls to Rachel’s bar?!” She whisper-yelled in disbelief, “What? No!” I yelled back, taking a deep breath. I told her, “Look, I found a five years old girl on the streets yesterday, I took her back with me. She was just fine but when I took her to the orphanage, she ran away. Can you find her? She has long brown hair and green eyes like some gems, she was in a Victorian skirt and white shirt.” I explained the situation to her, she hummed, holding her chin, “What was her name?” She asked.

“I don’t know. She was all fine but when I began to take her to the orphanage she began to struggle and ran away.” 

“Maybe she didn’t want to go to the orphanage.” 

“Then where the hell am I supposed to take her?” I asked back, “Besides, that’s not the main focus, we have to find her. You can’t let a five year old walk around alone, it’s dangerous.” I told her firmly, “Don’t tell me, I know.” She rolled her eyes, “Okay then, I will help you find her.” She sighed, “I don’t care, if you find her just give her to the orphanage.” The moment I said it, someone smacked me in the head, “Ow, What the hell?” 

“Do you have a tiny shred of pity in you, Rylan?!” Hays yelled in ear, “Calm down, man. I can hear you just fine.” I exhaled, rubbing my ear, “You are helpless.” Robin shook her head, “What did I do?” I couldn’t understand why they were infuriated. “Nothing, I will search for her.” She said and walked away. 

“I can’t believe you, Rylan. Just yesterday you helped that girl and not neglected her as if nothing happened.” He snarled, “Yes, Because I have no connections or reason to feel anything.” I replied casually, he gave me a strange look and walked away. I didn’t understand their reaction so I went to search for her again. 

Time passed as dusk fell upon the sky, the sun was setting, she was nowhere to be found. I didn’t get why she ran away in the first place? I mean the orphanage was not a bad place then why didn't she want to go there? 

“Can’t even save her?” Why can’t someone shut these voices!? They are unbearable!

Curling my hands in a fist, I try to breathe properly and clear my mind because of those stressful thoughts stealing my ability to think properly. 

“What have you done in this worthless life, Rylan?” Pulling my ears, I shut my eyes, “Shut up.” I hissed, banging my head on the wall. 

“You have nothing to hold onto.. Pathetic.” Gritting my teeth, I tried to disregard those absurd words, paining my heart terribly as I could feel I am dancing around those fingertips controlling my emotions at will, inducing unavoidable guilt in my mind but I won’t let it because,

“It wasn’t my fault!” I shouted, falling on my knees, breathing loudly, blinking continuously to ease my mind and let this intoxicating perception out.

 As I was trying to earn serenity from this curse affecting my body and soul, I felt an intense tingling sensation of pain in my chest, leading me somewhere. I held my heart, thinking I am having a heart attack from excess consumption of alcohol but it wasn’t, it was something else like a call and without thinking twice, my feet moved on their own. 

Panting, desperate, I sprinted where my feet led me and heard a cry, I was in the middle of nothingness but when I heard this voice, I ran after it immediately recognizing it as that girl’s voice. I reached the playground and saw her crying in the corner, crawling back as some wild dogs were about to bite her but I came put my arm in between as it bit my arm instead, causing blood to flow out, I winced and emit a dark aura which stiff them all as they stopped and ran away.

She was crying, pulling my shirt as I pulled her closer to me, “You okay? You are not hurt, are you?” I asked breathlessly, setting her messy form, tugging her hairs behind her ears, contemplating her form, and she continued to weep, shaking her head. “i***t, that’s why I told you to go to an orphanage, you wouldn’t have to deal with it then.” I scolded her, giving her a side hug. 

“You wouldn’t have to worry, you can live a normal life then. That’s why, stop running away like a brat and go there, you wouldn’t have to fear anything, you can make friends, no one will cage you. Can you not understand? Orphanage is the best place for you.” My voice gradually turned from enraged to a soft one, trying to convince her, she made an almost crying face, sniffing, I wiped her tears and got as she held my shirt quickly, not letting go this time, “Hold it tight, okay?” I told her, she nodded, wiping her eyes as we left for Brandon to get my arm treated. 

“What the hell were you doing?” He asked, wrapping a bandage around my arm, “Don’t ask.” I muttered, watching the girl eating food again since she was starving. “Can I stay here tonight?” I asked.

“Why can’t you go home? Or are you just trying to avoid Sister’s memories?” He asked coldly, putting his kit back, I remained silent, “Take the lounge.” With this, he went to his room. I let the girl sleep on the couch and sat on the small one for the rest of the night. 

Finally after convincing her, she agreed to go as I took her to the Orphanage. She was hesitant when Sister tried to take her away, she didn’t let go of my shirt, looking up at me with a desperate face to the point tears gleamed in her eyes. “What’s your problem, girl? They will give you a better life than I ever could so just go.” I said rudely, roughly yanking her hand away but I couldn’t forget the sorrowful look she gave me for the rest of my life; the power of her shattered eyes- 

It was so quiet yet so loud.