Maze secrets(Dirge of Black thorns)

Another day of wrenching poverty for Jun’s family, no food to eat, and the necessities could not be met, which for some time had led the father and mother to come up with the conclusion to abandon the eldest child in an orphanage home. Jeff, who walked past his parents' room, could hear their conversation. “I know it’s a sad decision, and I’m equally not feeling too good about this, but I think this is the only option left, Mason is still too young.” Mr Jun spoke in a low voice, almost as if he was whispering. “So you mean I'll have to keep my poor baby, who is only ten years old, in an orphanage home?" "How would he feed? What would he wear?” Mrs Jun spoke as she sobbed and hit her chest in pain continuously. You could see the pain in her eyes as they turned red. “Don’t be so emotional. No one would be pleased with such decisions, and moreover, we don’t have any food to eat. These children are suffering over here. I’m sorry for being an irresponsible father who couldn’t take care of his children.” Mr Jun spoke in a manner that was difficult to tell if he was being empathetic or not. “I wish I hadn’t married you, then I wouldn’t be living in this hell you call a marriage. I hate the life I have with you.” Mrs Jun spoke with resentment. Jeff was filled with tears in his eyes, sobbing and shaking. Jeff couldn’t believe the conversation his parents were having, he began to shake his head in a very fast way, almost like his head was being controlled by a ghost. “Abandon? Why? Where?” Said Jeff, an outraged child who also fears abandonment, hurriedly badge in the midst of the conversation. "What have I done wrong? Have I been a bad child? I try my best to do the chores and why do you choose to abandon me?” Jeff sobs as he speaks with tears in his eyes and a very low tone, as though his soul has just been crushed. “Mum, please say this isn’t real and that there probably is a hidden camera somewhere.” Jeff spoke hoping his question would be validated and that all was just a prank. “No? Nothing? Mum! Please, I beg you to just say otherwise and that I heard wrong.” Jeff screamed. At this intense moment, Mr Jun, who was left speechless by the fact that Jeff overheard the conversation, finally decided to speak. “Watch your tone when you speak to us, we’re your parents,” Jeff interrupted. “Parents? I guess you don’t want to be. Why are you still using that word? Parents my foot and, just so you know I hate you so much dad, you’ve always been absent and insensitive everyday you’re mean to me and my brother and that I would never forgive.” Mr Jun has always despised hearing the word “hate,” it brings back old traumatic memories. Mr Jun began to itch his head in an unusual way which was quite scary to see. “Have you lost it? What?” Mrs Jun asks. “hate?hate? Oh! Wait, I’ll give you one more thing to hate." Mr Jun spoke with his eyes turned red and his voice shaking as he spoke loud and scared, almost as if a vein was about to pop out with each word spoken, he then proceeded to give Jeff a very feisty punch that knocked him out. Mrs Jun gasped. “What have you done? Why did you do that?” As she asked in fear. “Mason is still asleep. This is a perfect time to take him away and drop him off at the orphanage home.I know a very good one that is near the city and I think it’s best we send him far away. Don’t worry, he’s not dead.” Mr Jun spoke with his eyes popping out while fidgeting. On the other hand, Mrs Jun, who had just witnessed her husband knock out her son, started having a feeling of intense fear towards her husband. “ Don't give me such a look.” Mr Jun says to his wife. After the chaotic scene which has left Jeff unconscious, both parents, with so much fear and hurry, decide to leave the house with Jeff and lock the door, leaving Mason with him. They drive hastily on their way to the orphanage home. “This was your idea and not mine.” Mrs Jun spoke in fear. “Like I care what you say at this point, all that matters is dumping him.” Mr Jun spoke nonchalantly as if the situation at hand wasn’t that serious. “Dumping? How can you say that about your own child? You don’t even feel remorseful while I’m here dying of guilt.” Said Mrs Jun. “Well, that sounds like a problem.” Both couples kept on arguing while they were on their way to drop Jeff. “What if we’re stopped by the police?” Mrs Jun asks in fear. “Can you for once not think in a negative direction?” “See who is talking.” Mrs Jun spoke in disgust. While they made it past the highway, they found themselves currently in a very quiet and scary looking place where they could hardly see any cars driving by and just very few people could be seen walking past-suddenly, they saw a police officer a little ahead of them. “Oh no! What are we going to do?” Mrs Jun asks in fear. “Of course, we’re on our way to visit a family member with our child.” They finally made it to their destination. They sneakily left Jeff under a tree in front of The Royals' orphanage home. They left and drove back home. It was already getting a little dark as they left. Mason was left alone in the house, it was raining very heavily and all the doors were locked, there was a blackout on that very night. Mason, a seven-year-old child, was left all alone with so much fear as the thunder continuously sounded with thick strikes of lightning. Mason cried as he called for his mom continuously. “Mom?mom?.” Mason was left with intense fear and anxiety. Anita is a beautiful young child who came from a loving family where everyone loved each other. She is the first child and only girl of three children. Her younger siblings, William is the middle child and Olly the last born. Anita's family owns a pastry business, and they do very well. They are able to cater for everyone. Their basic needs and more. Anita’s family do not suffer financially. “What a lovely day to eat my favorite chocolate bread,” Anita spoke in admiration as she stared at the bread. “I thought girls were supposed to be cute, my sister is just the opposite, who looks at bread like that?like a thief,” William spoke in sarcasm while keeping a very straight face. “What! Thief? Who says that to their elder sister?” “Patience is a virtue," I was going to say, " is a beautiful thief.” William spoke and walked out almost immediately, Anita and olly looked at each other in disgust as they couldn’t believe what William had just said. He was known as the sibling that showed zero emotion and had a beef with kind words. “Uhm I didn’t hear that alone right?” Said Olly “Of course you didn't, we both heard that.” Anita responds as she widens her eyeballs in disbelief. “Heard what? I’m talking about the sound of my chicken in the microwave,sound of food is the best,” Olly speaks in genuine confusion. Anita Sighs and nods her head in affirmation, “you’re really my brother,no doubt,come close.” Anita spoke in a low tone as she summons Olly and then further whispers into his ear, “I think William is adopted.” She spoke in sarcasm,as they both laughed. The Royals orphanage home carry out their regular duty,it’s time to feed the children dinner as Madam Rosee who is incharge of taking care of the children goes out casually for her night inspection,she suddenly sees a young child laying on the floor,she goes close to take a clearer look,in shock she sees the face of a boy looking rough and tattered,that child was Jeff,she took him in and saw a note in his pocket which says “please take good care of him,we’re so sorry but we can’t.” Madam Rosee takes Jeff inside and clean him up.she summons her subordinates “Give him room to stay and some clothes to wear and make sure to throw that rag he is wearing.” Said madam Rosee as she walked out. “Yes ma” Her subordinates responded in unison. Three years had passed since the absence of Jeff,which happened to bother Mason a lot. Mason over these past years had continuously questioned his parents about Jeff’s whereabouts, Mason was only seven years old and Jeff ten years old when the incident had happened and now they were both three years older. Still a regular day in the Juns family. “I still don’t understand how it’s been three years since I last saw my brother and no one is telling me anything about it.” Said Mason. “About that discussion I thought we were done with it, don’t get your father upset.” Mrs Jun spoke in fear as she stole glances towards her husband. “He is dead.” Mr Jun said abruptly then he paused and sighed and proceeded to say. “Or maybe alive we don’t know,all I can say is ever since that very I sent him on an errand he didn’t return, I and your mother have been searching for him over these few years.” Mason began to sob and then burst into tears while calling his brother's name. “Shut it,men don’t cry so you better fix that face yours.”