The Killer I Love

Chapter 2 | THE BULLIES

CHAPTER II THE BULLIES

I kept my eyes open and gazed at the ceiling. There was no trace of sadness, joy, or anger on my face. I didn't move my feet and remained lying straight. From a distance, I could hear the laughter of children, my breathing, and the sound of insects on the ceiling. My mind was filled with curiosity and disgust. The face of the young girl seemed to be stuck in a loop, as if there was something I wanted to know about her. It was frustrating to think about, my body angled slightly towards the bedside. The people here were just the same as before. Nothing had changed, and it was a shame to turn them into art from my work. But then, the image of the repulsive man came back to me. Disgusting. I clenched my fist and closed my eyes. It was just a moment, but I heard the door open and Sister Rose walked in.

"Did you sleep well here?" she asked as she was walking in my direction.

As Sister Rose approached, the establishment's bell rang. It was probably a sign that the afternoon had arrived.

"That's the signal that we'll be eating at the dining table. I was sure Sister Jean had already shown you the way. Come, let me escort you down to the establishment.”

I remained silent, rising from the bed and leaving the room. I felt a touch on my back, guiding me. It caught me off guard. I tried to take in my surroundings and contemplate what would come next. Sister Rose whispered something in my ear, causing my vision to darken.

"Your parents may have left you, but they left behind a gem. Let me be the one to polish and cherish it," she whispered and her warm breath fell on my neck, sending a chilling sensation all over me. Her words were like a siren's call, tempting me to abandon all reason and give in to her seductive allure. But as I stood there, caught in her gaze, a rush of memories flooded my mind.

I remember as I stepped into the first orphanage, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The air was heavy with the weight of lost dreams and broken promises. I looked around, but I couldn't find my artwork. The one thing that brought me solace in that place was despair. I was only there temporarily, and before I knew it, I was adopted by a couple who could barely afford to have a baby on their own.

I had tasted the bitter disappointment of shattered dreams, and I refused to be led astray once more. My desires would be achieved on my terms, not at the cost of my happiness. I squared my shoulders and met her gaze. This will be followed according to my wishes.

"I'll take care of you, and you don't need anyone else." I didn't let her finish what she was saying because I left ahead and went down the stairs ignoring her confused gaze behind my back.

When I arrived at the second floor, the small library in the establishment still caught my eye. I curiously peeked to see if there were people and slowly went there. I hadn't even reached and approached it when older and bigger children came out.

"Hey, there's a new kid here," said the one with black hair. He was tall, with a slender body, and accompanied by three other kids who were also leaving the library.

"HAHAHA," laughed a small kid with a big belly.

"This one has such clear skin, are you a vampire's child?" sneered the one with acne on his face, sarcastically.

"He looks decent, but he's trashy," said another companion with a gap in his teeth.

They laughed loudly, with spit flying out of their mouths. I looked at them unemotional and was about to turn and leave when one of their groups grabbed me.

"Weren't you taught any good manners by your parents?" said the thin one, as he encircled me.

"You're rude, don't you have respect for your elders?" sneered the ugly one, his twisted features contorted with disdain as he approached.

"He has no respect, maybe he wasn't loved by his parents," the one with a gap in his teeth cackled, the sound echoing through the dimly lit alleyway.

The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of their shared pain and brokenness. It was as if none of them had experienced love or a proper upbringing. The atmosphere grew tense, suffocating, as I fought to keep my silence, refusing to waste my words on these repulsive individuals. The scene was a chilling tableau of neglected souls, each one bearing the scars of their past, their eyes reflecting the emptiness of their existence.

The thin one leaned in closer, his eyes glinting with a sinister gleam. "You know, if I were you, I would be a good kid and obedient to everyone," he said, his voice laced with malice.

I clenched my fists, my resolve hardening. I'm only obedient to my parents, no one else, especially not to these idiots, or anyone at all. I only follow my mother, no one else.

The one with a gap in his teeth smirked, his eyes narrowing. "Aren't you going to speak?" he taunted, his voice dripping with contempt. The one with acne chimed in, adding to the tension in the air.

"I can't believe it, poor thing, no parents and can't even speak? How pitiful," he said, his fake sympathetic tone and his voice dripping with insincerity.

I remained emotionless as they looked at me, uninterested in hearing what they had to say. The thin hand still gripped my shoulder, and I was itching to cut it off, but then Sister Rose came down from upstairs.

"What's going on here? James, Jake, Isaac, and Mark? Isn't it time for you to be at the dining hall?" Sister Rose asked them.

I was immediately released from the unpleasant, frail and emaciated appearance. They all smiled when they turned around and looked at Sister Rose with her brows furrowed, and her eyes narrowed at them.

In an instant, they turned to Sister Rose and responded, "We were just reading for a moment at the library and extending a warm welcome to our newfound friend," they said with a smile.

"Is that all?" Sister Rose asked them again, then looked at me and spoke, "Are you okay? Don't hesitate to tell me what they did to you because they will face a severe punishment," she said to me with a firm tone in her voice.

I shifted my focus to the unruly children before me, studying each of their faces with a discerning eye. They just smiled at me as if we were close or they hadn't done anything wrong.

I didn't speak and walked ahead of them. As I silently made my way downstairs, the sound of their voices drifted up from the upper floor, but I was focused on finding Sister Jean and asking about Seraphine. The hushed tones of their conversation faded into the background as I strode ahead, and I didn't pay enough attention to it.

As I walked down the stairs, I saw a crowd of children entering the dining area. The children streamed inside, each moving at their own pace. Some sauntered, while others dashed in with urgency, and a few had already settled into their seats. I couldn't help but notice the distinct cliques forming as they collected their meals and congregated in groups of five, or smaller clusters of two or three. The boys stuck together, as did the girls and even our seating arrangements were segregated by gender. Despite the division, the style of our dining area was still the same.

I got a food container, a plate, and a plastic spoon and lined up with the other children. I also heard the loud laughter of the skinny one and his group heading towards my line.

I heard his voice when he was approaching. "Maybe we're destined to be friends," he said behind me, his voice cutting through the noise like a sharp blade.

I could feel the weight of his words, heavy and meaningless, hanging in the air between us. I just stood in line, the clinking of the cutlery and the smell of the food filling the surrounding space. The sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting long shadows on the floor as we waited in silence, the anticipation of what was to come hanging over us like a heavy shroud.

I remained silent.

"I consider you my friend, please let us go ahead in line," he said, forcefully nudging me to the back so that his group could go first.

I could feel the weight of his entitlement pressing against me, like a heavy burden I couldn't shake off. I clenched my fists, feeling the anger bubbling up inside me, but I held back. I didn't want to cause a scene, and I certainly didn't want to put dirt on my hands with their disgusting appearance. So, I reluctantly let them pass.

"Thank you, friend. You'll have a gift from us later," he said with a sly grin, exchanging knowing glances with the rest of his group.

I resisted the urge to punch their faces, keeping my composure, I averted my gaze. The place was teeming with young souls, abandoned and discarded, much like this ragtag group. My eyes continued to scan the crowd, searching for the young girl I had spotted earlier, as well as Sister Jean. I made a mental note to track them down later, opting to satisfy my hunger for now.

As the misfits received their meals, I trailed behind to collect my own. The girl with decaying teeth and a sickly yellow hue to her smile placed a serving of rice on my tray, followed by a banana and a bowl of chicken soup. I took the food without meeting her gaze, trying to ignore the unsettling sight before me.

As I made my way towards the empty seat in the corner, I couldn't help but notice the feet of those ugly individuals sitting at the nearby tables, seemingly trying to trip me up. With my keen observation, I managed to avoid any potential mishaps and calmly took my seat. Despite the curious stares from the other diners, I focused on my meal, silently enduring the less-than-pleasant taste. Just as I was about to take another bite, a young girl approached me, her eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of mischief.

"Excuse me," she said, her voice soft but full of intrigue, "I couldn't help but notice you,” she added and continued talking.

"Hey there, you must be the one who arrived earlier? " She greeted with a warm smile, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"I'm Julia, 11 years old," she introduced herself, her dark hair framing her face and her eyes peeking into those thick glasses. She seemed eager to connect, but I remained stoic, focusing on my meal and avoiding eye contact. The air in the room suddenly grew heavy, as if a storm was brewing just beneath the surface. The clinking of silverware and the distant chatter of other diners seemed to fade into the background.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked, her enthusiasm undeterred by my lack of response. I continued to eat in silence, uninterested in engaging with someone so young, feeling as though my time would be better spent elsewhere.

A moment later, she left, and I heard the faint echo of her footsteps, the rhythmic tapping of her shoes against the polished floor. It felt like her gaze was on me as she settled at a separate table. Just as the tension in the air was beginning to dissipate, the silence was shattered by the forceful impact of a hand slamming onto the table before me. With a sense of foreboding, I watched as someone confidently took a seat on the opposite bench, their presence looming like sheep begging for attention.

"You don't have good manners, do you? You also make girls cry?" he said, his voice laced with a smirk.

I kept my head down and kept my gaze fixed on my plate, continuing to eat. At the table the clinking of silverware and the murmur of voices blended into a distant hum. I ignored him and the rest of his group as they took their seats in front of my table. I could sense their presence and their eyes like lasers burning into the back of my head. But I remained resolute, determined not to give them the satisfaction of seeing me flinch or acknowledge their presence.

"Ugh, if I were you, I would have at least offered the girl a seat. She's quite attractive," he purred, his voice filled with longing, dripping with desire, making my skin crawl.

"Did he do the right thing, didn't he? If they sit together, they'll surely cause a commotion-" the familiar male voice trailed off, and I recognized it immediately. It was the one with acne on his face, yes, the unattractive one. Before he could finish his sentence, someone swiftly covered his mouth, silencing him.

"Mark, could you please lower your voice?" the man who had been speaking earlier interjected, his tone firm but polite. He continued talking, "We wanted to express our gratitude for letting us cut in line," chimed in the man with a gap in his front teeth.

"Yes, indeed. We have a little something for you," added the slender figure among them. I raised my gaze to meet their smiling faces, each one exuding an air of secrecy. Then, the rotund man produced a small, exquisitely wrapped box with the words ‘For you’ elegantly inscribed on top. "We took special care in wrapping it just for you because you mean a lot to us," he said with a mischievous chuckle.

"Yes, that's our first gift for you, and there's more to come," he said with a small, sinister laugh at the end.

"Here, take it and hold our little gift," said the skinny man, his voice a low, menacing whisper as he approached and handed me the small box.

It was wrapped in tattered brown paper, and as I took it, I could feel a strange, unsettling energy emanating from it. I placed it on the side of my plate. My appetite was suddenly gone. However, I picked up my spoon again, about to eat, when the ugly one spoke again.

"Open it first, since we're all here and excited to see your reaction," he said to me with a very sly smile on his face, leaning on his big, bulging belly. The room seemed to grow darker, the air heavy with tension as I hesitantly reached for the box. It felt cold in my hands, and I could hear the faint sound of whispers coming from within.

To stop their teasing, I reluctantly fulfilled their request to open their little gift. As I slowly peeled back the paper, the room seemed to hold its breath, and I could feel the weight of their anticipation bearing down on me. The paper fell away, revealing a small, ornate wooden box with intricate carvings and a lock that seemed to glint malevolently in the dim light. The room seemed to pulse with an eerie energy, and the shadows danced ominously on the walls. I couldn't shake the feeling that opening it would crackle an unspoken threat, and I knew that whatever lay inside would change everything.

As I pried open the box, a putrid stench filled the air, and my heart raced with anticipation. What I saw inside made my blood run cold - a large rat and cockroaches greeted me. The cockroaches flew out and landed on my shoulders, face, and head, their disgusting touch making my skin eerie with disgust. The children who were eating in the vicinity saw this and fled in terror, leaving only a group of skinny onlookers who found amusement in my distress, their laughter echoing in the air.

In a fit of rage and disgust, I seized the rat in a swift motion, its size dwarfing my hands, and without hesitation, I crushed its head again, banging on the table before the incredulous onlookers. The sound of its skull shattering was drowned out by the gasps and horrified expressions of the bystanders, their faces splattered with the rat's blood. A twisted sense of joy overcame me as I reveled in their fear and revulsion, relishing the sight of their wide-eyed terror.

With a deliberate effort, I contorted my face into an expression of feigned innocence, masking the dark satisfaction that pulsed through me. The air crackled with tension as I sat amidst the macabre scene, my senses heightened by the thrill of my deceit when Sister Rose, Sister Jean, and others entered the dining area.

"Marco... my rat," I heard the frail figure utter as Sister Jean ushered her to her feet. The other ORPAN Caregivers followed suit, guiding the other. I didn't resist as they also hoisted me up and escorted me out of the room.

Mocking me was their biggest mistake.

And now, they will pay for it.