Down the Road

CHAPTER 1 Year 1997 “My baby! Give back my baby!!!” In the middle of the night, a woman screams. Her hair is messed up, and a section of her dress is ripped. “I have to kill it first hihi,” the woman then abruptly alters her mood. She was just crying helplessly a moment ago and is now acting as if she desperately wants to kill someone. She was in the middle of the woods, chasing the other woman who had taken her baby. The bottom of his dress was drenched in blood, as were her legs. It was a little dark in the area, and there were only a few street lights to help illuminate it. “ahh!” The woman carrying the baby tripped and did not notice the rock in front of her. She almost dropped the baby, but she was able to react quickly. *baby crying* “shh. It's all right baby.” The woman said while calming the baby. "There you are!" the insane woman was able to locate the woman who had taken the baby. "This isn't your baby," the woman carrying the baby said as she took a step back. "And who are you fooling? Me? Hah!" exclaimed the insane woman then her eyes turn to the baby and said, “Come to mama! Or I'll kill you!!" She was sweet at first when she talked to the baby, but then she became aggressive. *baby crying* “stop it, Imelda! You're frightening the baby!” the woman said and stepped back. *baby crying* “Please… G-Give back my baby,” Imelda said then cried. The woman carrying the baby has no choice but to secretly grab a piece of rock and suddenly stroke the crazy woman's head, knocking her unconscious. “I’m really sorry Imelda, this is for your own good and the baby's safety,” she said then left Imelda behind. The woman who took the baby from Imelda is Melanie, her friend. She couldn't afford to leave the baby to its mother since Imelda is mentally unstable and it's not safe for the baby. As a result, Melanie decided to entrust the baby's care to a trustworthy individual. She couldn't find a place to leave the baby because she didn't know if these people would take good care of the poor baby. But then she noticed an orphanage not far from where she was. Melanie sighed and placed the poor baby inside the basket, saying, "I'm really sorry baby, I promise when your mother is now okay, we will get you back, we love you." She puts on the necklace she's wearing and kisses her brow. She placed the basket behind the door, inserted a note, and left the baby alone. Melanie glances at the orphanage's name, which reads "Bluebird Orphanage," and returns to where she left the Imelda earlier. •••• Mother Superior and the other Bluebird Orphanage caregivers were awakened at midnight by the sound of a baby crying. “Did you hear that?” one of the caretakers murmured. Then one of the caretakers opened the main door and was astounded by what they saw behind it. “Mother Superior!!!” he called the Mother Superior then she approached him. The people gather around the main door when the Mother Superior grabbed the small basket with a baby in it. “It's a baby!” one of the caretakers exclaimed. Mother Superior then noticed a piece of paper inside that says, “Please take good care of Elisse. We will get back to her when the time comes.” As they went inside they noticed the baby keeps on crying endlessly. No matter what they do, the baby won't stop. Then one of the nuns noticed the small wound in the upper right corner of the baby's forehead. It appears to be fresh wound but with no more blood coming out of it, but it still appears fresh and a little deep. A newborn with a wound is unusual unless it was cut during labor. They suspected that it was cut by mistake just as the baby was about to be born. “Poor baby, don't worry in Bluebird Orphanage we will treat you like a family,” sister Linda said as she and Mother Superior went to the nurse's room to clean the baby. “Another baby?” the nurse asked then she placed the baby after she cleaned her beside another baby who was already sleeping. “You know that we can't just leave and ignore them outside, I'll go back and you take care of them,” Mother Superior said then she went back to her room to have a sleep. “Look at these two, they look so cute together,” Sister Linda said giggling while looking at the two adorable babies. “How could they just leave these little angels? I feel so bad for them,” Nurse Kim said looking at the babies who are both already sleeping. The baby beside Elisse was also left in the orphanage just a week ago. Nobody knows who abandoned them and who are these orphans’ parents are. But as months passed, the nurse noticed Baby Elisse’s disability. “Did you always check the food you gave to her?” Mother Superior asked. “Of course Mother Superior. I think… this is inborn,” the nurse replied sadly looking at Elisse who is sitting on her lap, playing with her finger. “Here,” Mother Superior is holding a piece of toy for Elisse but the baby wasn't able to get it because she couldn't see it. “Poor little girl,” Mother Superior said. They couldn't believe what Elisse went through at such a young age who is still innocent and doesn't have any idea what's going on around her. They even bring her to an eye specialist. “Do you happen to know what her mother did when she was still carrying Elisse in her womb? Like taking unprescribed drugs or anything advisable that could affect the baby?” the specialist asked Mother Superior and the nurse. The two just look at each other like they have nothing to answer. “She’s an orphan and we don't know who are her parents,” Mother Superior answered straightforward. “Perhaps all we could do is to wait for an eye donor,” the doctor said.