Sin of Lust

CHAPTER 43

“Kim!” Mildred the others shouted at her, meanwhile Max is still, confused, and shocked from what just happened, “What's going on?” he asked under his breath.

Blanche on the other hand went to follow Kim, she thought that she's going to find her on the girl's quarter, but instead she found her in the bathroom. Blanche decided to open the door however, when she turned the knob, she found that it was lock. But despite the fact that it was lock, she can still hear her cries behind the door.

“Kim…” she spoke so gently.

“Go away, sister.” The kid insisted, “I don't want to talk with you, I don't want to talk with anyone else. Just go away leave me alone!” she said in between sobs.

However, even though she does want her away, she didn't leave her. She just stays there in front of the door, “I won't leave…” she gently persisted.

“What do you want? I told you that I don't want to go with you, so what do you want this time?” she grumbled.

“Do you really want to know what I want?” Blanche asked her, but she just answered her own question. “I want you to go and apologize to your siblings.”

“Why would I apologize to them? Because you hurt them?”

“That’s not it…”

“I didn't hurt them, I just slightly pushed Max away, I’m sure I didn't hurt him.”

“No. That was not I was talking about.”

“Then what?”

“I want you to apologize to them for lying.”

“What?!” she exclaimed. “I didn't lie, I was telling the truth! So, I don’t have anything to apologize for.”

“See, you're still lying, go and apologize to yourself as well.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” she yelled loud out from behind the door.

Blanche can hear the rustles of hear her footsteps she walks back and forth, “I can tell that you're lying, if not, if you are really telling the truth come out here and tell me that you don't want to be with them and look at me in the eyes as you tell me how you really feel.”

Kim can feel the tug in her heart as she heard her, “of course I don’t want to go away who wants to go away with the person who will eventually kill her or worst.” There's nothing she can do about it, if escape by herself someone will eventually go instead of her, I don’t also want that.

“Please just go away she whispered I just don't want anyone to suffer because of me.”

“But everyone will suffer because of you Kim. If you go away their hearts will be perished, they will suffer for a long time, every second of every night they will think of you, thinking to themselves that they could have been done something.”

“What if I won't go, they will—” Kim was cut off when Blanche interjected.

“Kim, can you see they are doing all they are doing their best so they will never have to let you go. Please don't give up on yourself, they are not giving you up fight for yourself as they fight for you. If you can't honor yourself just honor the efforts to your exerting for you.”

By this time Kim’s tears and snots are mixing together on her face. She then slowly walked towards the door, unlocking it in the process and finally she came face-to-face with the Blanche who wears a simple and gentle smile. Kim couldn't stop herself, and lunge forward. She buried her face on her bosom before crying so loud.

“I don’t want to go! But this is all my fault! If only I didn’t agree with the mayor, then this wouldn’t happen!” she wailed.

“Agreed with the mayor?” Blanche asked in bafflement, “what do you mean?”

“She said that she knew something will come up, and the three will be the one who will start all of it, that’s why she talked to me saying that I will be granted anything I want if I managed to tell her anything regarding to that.”

Blanche can feel her blood boil in that instant, “What the f*cking hell, she really would stoop this low just to get everything she wanted.”

“So, I’ve been sneaking letters through the boxes of things that are coming here for the supply.” Her cries slowly died down, “Do you… sister… do you really think that I should stay here?”

Pats her shoulders and said “It's alright to cry, we are not going to leave you, and you should never leave us.”

“But what are we going to do to the mayor’s order? we need a child to go there.”

They were in the middle of their conversation when all of a sudden Lino arrived and said, “Sister, Nunna is calling us, there’s something you need to know.”

The three of them immediately nod their heads and rush towards the common room for all of them are still waiting.

“The child who will be the next shipment will be Stephen,” Mary Jane spoke, everyone was shocked.

“What? what does that mean?”

“I thought it's all up to us? I thought we're going to choose who will be the next one will get adopted?” Kim asked in panic.

“That's what I thought too, before but things have changed the mayor send us to the letter the next shipment will be Stephen.”

“There's nothing we can do anymore; we have nothing to do but to sit here and accept our fate. Why don't we just run away right now? Why is this happening? We are so close to escaping but now things are not going in our plan!” Lino grunted.

“It's ok guys, we can still make it through,” Stephen said to them however, concern is still evident on their countenance, “I have a plan so don't worry about me.” Although he said those words, most of them can't believe that he had a plan.

“What's your plan then? tell us how we can help you.” Mildred told him.

“No, it's a secret I should be the one who should do it and you are not supposed to join me or else this will not work.” Stephen retorted back with a sheepish smile.

All of them have no idea that he has a plan. However, none of them believe that he has one. But even so, they didn't speak of anything.

"You don't have any plan, do you?" Mildred asked suspiciously.

“Of course, I do." Stephen chimed as he held her hand and looked at her. Trying to make her believe. "You just have to believe in me."

"Are you sure?" Lino asked, suspicious as well.

"Of course, I am." Stephen smiled at him, however his eyes darted aside. "When was the last time I am not sure."

Although Mildred and Lino are silent. They still didn't believe him. They look at each other and shared the same glance. “He’s definitely lying.” Lino nodded his head.

"We demand you to tell your plan to us." Mildred insisted.

"What? I told you I had a plan, but it won't work if I tell you." Stephen said, stepping back as he hesitates to tell them his plan. “Come on, guys. You just have to trust me on this and you go on.”

"A plan will not work as it isn't supported." Lino grumbled, slowly losing his patience again. "We know you don't have a plan. If so, then go ahead and tell us." He demanded.

Stephen began to hesitate since he knew that these two will not stop until he said what his plan is. But he can’t just gave them a half-baked lie or else they will see through this, especially now that Blanche and Mary Jane’s attention are on him.

"Come on, we're waiting." Mildred crossed her arms on her chest as she taps her foot.

Stephen finally let out a sigh from the pressure and tell them, "You're right, I don't have a plan."

"That's what we thought so." Lino stated nonchalantly.

"So, one of us really have to go?" Max asked in the verge of crying.

"No one has to go." Mildred firmly stated. "We should escape at this moment."

"No, that will not work." Lino immediately contradicted her.

"And why is that?"

"Because as you have been said. One will be shipped out by now or tomorrow."

"So what?"

"It all means one thing; they will be waiting for us. And we can't escape if they are watching over us."

"But are we just going to sit here? Stephen is going to get shipped out."

"I don't think that we should just sit here, but I think that we should do something about it." Lino bestowed her a grin.

His grin sends the rest of them in bafflement and alarm. a

" What are you getting at, Lino?" Dean inquired.

"We are high quality shipments. Our buyers are wealthier than we can think of. So, that means that we will not be both if we are damaged." Lino's words brought enlightenment to Mildred but not Dean.

“What? I don’t think I get it.” Dean scratch the back of his head.

" I see!" Mildred exclaimed and hastily. "Stephen, come with us!"

"Why--” Stephen wasn't able to finish his words since Mildred immediately pulled him with her. “Woah, where are we going?”

"Children. Where are you going?" Mary Jane asked as she saw them going to the bathroom adjacent to the linen area.

“Hey, hey, hey, what’s going on?” Dean asked in confusion.

"We have the damage the item in order for it to be illegible to go to the market." Lino simply stated.

"What? What do you mean you're going to damage the item?!" Blanche immediately went after them since the very idea is damaging. “Don’t do something reckless, kids!” However, they didn't even bother to answer her question.

Instead, they just showed them a bucket filled with water.

"What are you going to do with a bucket of water?" She asked hesitantly.

"We are going to damage the item." Lino and Mildred smiled mischievously, then all of a sudden, they poured the bucket of water on Stephen, earning them a shriek from him.

"What the hell? It's so cold!" Stephen Yelled as he hugs himself trying to warm himself up.

"Oh my God!" Mary Jane, who followed them as well exclaimed when she saw Stephen wet head to foot. She then immediately run toward his side and tried to dry him with her apron. "What's going on?"

"Any damage item will not be sold." Mildred stated as a matter of fact. "And Stephen is already a damaged item in three, two, one..." after the countdown Stephen sneezed.

" What the?" Blanche wasn't able to articulate her thoughts when she realized what they meant. "A cold!"

"Cold?" Mary Jane raised her brow in confusion, but soon her eyes became enlightened. "A damaged item will not be sold..." She whispered to herself. "That's it! Stephen, you should get sick. Stay like that for weeks!"

"For two weeks?!"

"But what's going to happen after two weeks? He's going to get shipped out because he's the one they've been waiting."

"If that's so, then... Let's break his bone afterward." Mildred chimed.

"What are you insane? What about you?!” Alli shrieked.

“True, even if Stephen will not get shipped out because of fractured bone. You two will be the next one, that's for sure!" Pand roared in panic.

"If that's the case, then... Lino, you're not afraid of breaking a bone or two, aren't you?" Mildred asks with sick grin on her face.

But Lino only responds with a scoff, "The only thing that scares me is height." He smiled back.

"That settled. We are going to break a bone and that would take two months to heal, isn't it? After that time, we will be able to escape. But during that, we will prepare everything."

"Are you sure you're up this? breaking a bone or two will be really painful." Blanche told them.

"Of course, sister. We are more than ready."

"OK, I will help you with that." Blanche gave them a reassurance.

"Really?!" all of their eyes sparkled at the thought of Blanche helping them.

“Yes, breaking a bone of a child will not be a problem to me." Pointed her thumb on herself with a proud grin.

"You're really guys are insane." Mary Jane shook her head but she has a smile on her lips. "Wait for me. I will go and get the bandages." She said and this made the children smiles widen.

"I will help you with that, sister." Pand said as he runs after her.

"Everyone..." Kim let out a sigh as she saw them doing everything they can, even if it means hurting themselves just to get everyone out of here. “You don’t really have to do this; I can just go with them and everything will follow smoothly.”

"We will escape together. All of us." Mildred stated with the firm smile. “We are going far away from this hell hole.”

Blanche can tell that even though they were just children, but their resolve is much stronger than most of the adults, because they don’t think they are going to fail, all they think is that they are going to try it until they succeed.

“Let’s do it.”

Because of Stephen’s weak body, he immediately got cold and is now bedridden. He couldn't even lift a spoon for his own sake. And he still needs someone to feed him. Meanwhile, the other two oldest children have their arms broken and is now bandaged with cement and cloth.

And this is something that the mayor has not expected, and so she went to the orphanage to check them herself. As being spoken to the letter, she found the three oldest children that would be shipped out are ill.

"What the hell? What did just happen?" She asked as she couldn't believe what she's seeing. "How did this happen?" She bombarded the oldest nun with her questions.

"Sorry, mayor, but..." Mary Jane pause a bit to give a dramatic effect, "As you can see, Stephen has a fever, it’s been going that for few days and we don’t know when he will heal. And Mildred and Lino both have their arms broken when they played. This is a bit sad, but I think the family will not be pleased if they see their sons and daughters hurt liked this."

Esther wanted to yell and hurt everyone else in the room from frustration. However, she couldn't do it because of that she just clenched her jaw and grind her teeth. Even though she knew that Mary Jane knows all of it by now, and the children know something about what's going on. However, she still doesn't want to make it obvious. And because of that, she told them that the adaptation will be postponed, "I will have to cancel the adaptation. I will tell the parents that they won't be able to meet their children for as good as..." she looked at Mary Jane demanding her for time where they can be good to go.

"Think they will be good to go for about two months?"

"Okay, two months from now on, you will be able to meet your new parents." Esther simply said before she finally got out of the orphanage. “At exactly two months from now, I will comeback here for them.” She whispered on Mary Jane’s ears as she walked passed by her.

When she's finally gone along with her security guards, everyone in the orphanage started to cheer.

"Yay, we have done it. We can escape from now. We just need to wait for them to heal for two months." Pand chimed as he bounced up and down from excitement.

"No." Mary Jane looked at him with a smile. "You will not have to wait for two months just to escape."

"What?"

She nodded to Blanche as if they were confirming something together before Blanche stepped up and told him, "The kind of fracture I gave to these two will just take a month and a half to fully heal."

"Is that true?! Then we should start packing everything and just wait for the right moment!"

"Yes. So, while they are waiting for themselves to heal, you go and train yourselves. We need every day to make you stronger." Blanche told them.

Everyone from now became eager to get themselves even stronger and smarter. Every day they are training themselves, to every various thing they could improve themselves, until the very day, they are finally going to do it. They have been preparing everything they need, foods, clothes, some medical kits, and everything they can be used during the run.

Everyone is having the day of their lives, after they played, they went to hit the shower, and while they are in shower, the elders of the house went to prepare their foods. “It’s going to be a rough road from now.” Blanche started the conversation as she chopped down some ingredients.

“Blanche, this whole road is already rough.” Mary Jane replied while stirring the pot of boiling, hot meal for all of them. “This journey will be going to its climax.”

“But what if I failed?”

“Don’t hesitate now, Blanche. I know your capabilities; I know what you can do.” The older nun said and put the lid on top of the pot. “And I can see you’re going to pass it all.”

Blanche stops from chopping the onion as she heard her, she felt her eyes crying from all the support so she decided to rub her finger on her eyes, but then she suddenly felt a burning sensation in her eyes, making her yell in pain, “Ah! Nunna! My eyes!” but her reaction only earned a boisterous laugh from the older nun.

And that’s when they realized the same thing together, “Why don’t we cook for them?”

“You mean…” Blanche trailed with squinted and teary eyes.

“Yes!”

On the other hand, Mildred is rubbing the water out of Rani and Max’s hair, “Okay, both of you are done now, go ahead and go to sister and Nunna to help them!” she beamed at them.

“Okay!” they shouted as the response before rushing to the kitchen.

“Mildred! Me too!” Alli’s loud voice immediately reaches Mildred’s ears even though she’s still far from her.

“Come here,” Mildred stretches the towel so Alli can go inside and engulf her with a hug.

They are all busy drying themselves, when all of a sudden Mary Jane came up to them and chimed, "Everyone, why don't we just have a simple and little dinner? What do you think?" She asked, holding a tray of food on her hands. With Blanche behind her back, following closely behind her with the same wide grin. Their eyes began to sparkle when they heard about foods and shouts of excitement roared across the room, "Yay, we are having a dinner!" They cheered.

"I'm starving!" Dean sighed with a light growl of his stomach. " I think I could eat a whole pig."

"Please cook the pig before you eat." Pand snickered at his small joke.

"What are you laughing at?!" Dean hollered at him and they began to run after each other. “I will roast your behind and let pigs hog it all!”

“Oh yeah? then do it if you can catch me!” Pand yelled and started to run away from him, but then he was immediately chased after.

“Come here you little snot!” Dean screeched as he runs after him.

“Oh my god! an angry monkey is chasing me!” Pand retorted with a loud insult.

“Who are you calling monkey, you lizard!”

Ladi and Choi saw the other two chasing around thus they shouted, “Nunna! Dean and Pand are running in the corridor again!”

"Please no running in the corridor!" Blanche told them from the dining table.

"It's… it's Dean's fault, sister. It's not my fault!" Pand retorted.

“What?! So, you’re playing victim now?”

"OK, OK, whoever's fault, it is just don't run." Blanche sighed but her frown immediately turns into a huge simper when she brought down the tray of food she's holding on to the table. "Go ahead and eat to your heart's content!"

She caught everyone’s attention from what she just beamed, and the children began to run towards the table.

"Wow, sister, why is there so much food in here? Is there any occasion? A birthday perhaps?" Mildred exclaimed as she saw the different types of food laid out in front of them. From their favorite dish to their favorite dessert. " Is it your birthday?"

"No, it's no one's birthday, and there's no occasion." She replied to them. “We just wanted to make sure that there’s enough for all of you.”

"Every time you cook for us is just exact for the rest of us, so why are we having this so much food tonight?" Lino asks as he went on his seat and starts to get his own plate. "There should be a catch here.”

The nuns Just look at each other, sharing some thoughts. Before the younger nun replied with a fake pout, "Why? is it wrong to give you this much? Is it wrong for us to show our love to you this way?"

Lino was taken back from their response making him blush in the process and stutter, "T-That's not what I meant. It’s just that…” everything after that just became a mumble.

"Come on, hurry up. Just forget about anything and just enjoy your food!" Mary Jane cheered, "But before that we have to give our thanks."

Blanche heard the last word of her sentence and this made her think a bit. "Prayers, huh?" She mumbled under her breath. As she closed her eyes and pretend that she's praying, even though she's not. "There is no one out there who will listen to our prayers anyway, so why bother?" She asked in herself, yet still had her eyes closed.

"Bon Appetit!" They all cheered together and began to dig in.

"Hey guys, come down. The food is not going anywhere." Blanche told them as she saw how they are excited to eat every food on the table all at once. Dean almost spat out the food in his mouth when he choked, luckily, he managed to refrain himself from spilling all his mouth’s content on Lino's face.

However, few crumbs managed to spill on Lino who has now small grains of rice sticked on his face, "Dean!" he groaned. “You better wipe it of off me.” He threatened him.

“Oh, sorry…” Dean apologized quickly and handed him a rag to which Lino yanked from his hands and wipe his face, however when he thought he was done, Dean and some of the children around them starts to snicker.

“What are you laughing at?” he asked them. “Is there something on my face?”

“They weren’t able to answer since their laughter began to get louder.

“Lino, what’s on your face?” Blanche asked as she was about to get another set of food from the kitchen when she saw the child.

“Huh?”

“You got a coal dirt all over your face, come here let’s clean that up.”

Lino looked at the rag Dean gave him and saw that it was dirty, “Dean!” Lino screeched and rub the rag on his face.

“Oh—wait! Lino I’m sorry!” Dean apologized, but before he could take his revenge Blanche went in to stop them from doing further by stepping in between them and pulling each of their face from each other.

"That's enough, guys. Just enjoy your food and don't spill anything!" She pleaded, "Your sister and Nunna’s effort will be wasted if any food will be wasted as well." She pouted for an effective drama effect which seems to be effective to the both of the boys.