CURSED: The Last of Five Kingdoms.

Episode6-Where it all began(A)

My name is Anderson and you all answer to be henceforth. Mess up and your use will be bleeding like his," pointing at Henry. Grabbing Henry's collar, "you'll be a good boy and turn yourself in when Mr. and Mrs. Wales get home."

Struggling to talk through a bleeding nose, he is still holding his nose up. His shirt is stained with droplets of his blood. "And if I refuse?" He questions.

Chuckling, "you will be the next to visit the clinic." Holding his collar a bit too tight, "I won't just put you there, I'll make sure that you lose a tooth or two and I'll make life so miserable for you that your only wish would be for death to claim you."

Fear and discomfort are written all over his face. Not just Henry but the other kids are trembling in fear. I was trembling in fear. I am pretty sure that his threat has sunk deep and wouldn't be forgotten in a hurry. What a kid. He is even worse than Henry. Because Henry threats don't come with such venom and darkness. The undertone of Anderson shows that he means every word that he spits. There is no humour or joke to what he says.

"Get out of here!" He screams at Henry.

Henry scrambles out from the boys quarter almost slamming into the door on his way out.

"Do we have any other bully?" Anderson asks.

Everywhere goes into solemn silence. No one spoke or came out and it marvels me. What about Henry's group of bullies? Have they given up so easily? I thought that they would be bold and step out but they didn't. That makes them the biggest circle of cowards. I would never want friends like them that would leave me hanging when I need them the most. They couldn't even defend their friend or be with him, they just turned against him so fast. This is showing me the more that you are alone. These are people that and justify his ill-treatment and others.

"I didn't think so." Anderson scoffs 

Everywhere is crawling with everyone in the foster home. News of what Anderson did has gotten to everyone by now. The twenty-three of us were present. Minus Truce who is at the clinic or in a better hospital, hopefully, and, Henry who might be eating his shame in a corner, we had four older kids, two male and one female. Then kids get added and removed but the twenty-five is the ones I've counted so far and is familiar with. Adding Anderson that would be twenty-six. It feels good to have someone new, someone, who is here to stand up to bullies. I am so happy or would I say, happy at the moment until Anderson reveals his true colour. They all do.

"Listen up," he begins, "my name is Anderson and from what I am told, I am the oldest kid here that puts me in charge naturally. I would not want to have the likes of Henry here or else, I am making it clear right now, that you will end up with a lot of broken bones. Don't be an i***t and go against me, you won't live to tell the tale. That would be all. There is nothing to see here any more. Get back to whatever you were doing." He orders before walking to one of the boy's rooms. 

Kids begin to mumble, girls gossip their way out and the twins follow Anderson into the room he walked into. It is obvious they had gone to switch sides. Always trying to stay with the strong and at the top. I remember that I have not finished with the cleaning that I was doing earlier on and if Mrs. Wales, who is returning anytime soon, sets her eyes on an unfinished cleaning, the day would get worse than it is already. 

I rush to the toilet and finish with my cleaning. Making both the toilet and bathroom sparkle. I gather the cleaning supplies and place them back in the storage. Looking up the storage, I hear kids running past me in excitement. That could only mean one thing, Mr. and Mrs. Wales, are back. I equally make my way to the entrance where we receive them with warm greetings.

"Mrs. Wales?" A voice calls out. That voice belongs to Henry. What is he up to now? Maybe to cause another problem. Of course, nobody would ever dare discuss what happened in Mr. and Mrs. Wales absence to them. We never do that. What happens in their absence stays absent from them.

"Oh My God! Henry, what happened to you?" Mrs. Wale asks. She looks alarmed and terrified seeing Henry with a blood-soaked shirt and a broken nose.

"Son, what happened?" Mr. Wale asks, inspecting his nose, "he needs to see Veronica immediately."

Looking down, "I've something to tell you both." He blurts out, his voice low. That isn't Henry's usual voice. His voice is always bold, loud and intimidating. Is it the threat from Anderson that tamed him? If that is the case, I am over the moon because he did has saved us all.

"What is that, Henry?" Grabbing a tissue from her purse, "be fast. We need to examine you and make sure that you are okay."

Mr. and Mrs. Wales are a lovely couple and parents figure. They make sure that we are okay and have some of the things that we need. They try as much as possible to make us comfortable. Apart from that, their marriage is beautiful. They love and cherish each other and us too. I would have said that I don't regret being here if not for the awful kids that makes here terrible and undesirable to stay.

"I am the one that almost drove victorious to commit suicide. I was responsible for triggering her asthma attack. Today I beat Truce to a pulp. He is currently in the hospital." kneeling, "I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I know that I've been bad but I promise that I've learnt my lessons and would turn a new leaf. Please..."

"I am not having this conversation with you, yet. Get up." Turning to Mr. Wales, "Dear, let us go down to the clinic and understand what is going on." Reaching for the door of the back seat of their car, she pauses, withdraws and turns to us, "everyone will be punished if learn that this is true. Someone must have seen something and yet, you all decided to keep quiet. What if Victorious or Truce died? We are not raising you to be timid. We encourage you to speak up and come forth but you choose not to. That means you are taking part in all these and I won't have kids like that." She ranted. "Get back to your quarters and everyone to their rooms. I am so angry with you all and can't stand your faces!" She yells. "Not you, Henry. Get back here. Others, go."

Fast forward from that day to a few years later, precisely three years later, I am fourteen now and it has been hell as always. Henry got tried and punished, Truce got well and was adopted by a lovely couple a few months later, Anderson wasn't bad as I had thought. He made the bullying minimized but of course, he can never stop it. The strong kids still find a way to walk all over us but not as harsh as they did when Henry was around. Mr. and Mrs. Wales punished us that day for keeping quiet and we had to write an apology letter and promise letter to always speak up.