One day pass;
I was stuck in the bright room with five other kids with me. The bankers' beds were set up there in rows and columns. From the window the sun was lighting, bright.
I am lying in bed with my cozy blanket and soft and fluffy pillow.
What happened?! Let's go back;
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After mommy and daddy left. The bushy man slapped me on the face to control me and said, "Be quiet and follow what I say, little Allen." he ordered.
I fall into a group. The bushy man stared at me with annoyance. He finally sighs after two minutes watching me struggle to sit.
I was trembling there. In pain? In despair? Or in depression? Why did my parents leave me? They don't even look back? They really never care about me at once? Once is enough for me? I got just one day? Only one day? And it was good? Right?! Yeah it was? My mommy was talking to me and daddy too? Isn't it amazing? Amazing!!
"He he" I laughed. I laughed in sorrow, in happiness, in despair, in emptiness which was prepared from my own parents.
The laugh broke into hundred pieces then into thousands;
The voice broke in every breadth, "WHY—why… does things–always SOB~ SOB~ happens to me." crawling into a cocoon, talking to myself.
"Do they… SOB~ even thi—think of me as their… own son."
The bushy man passed in front of me, he kicked me on my stomach, "Stand up, little Allen." The man's voice is deep in exhaustion.
"Don't be cocky and cry for your parents. They are useless. I am going to take care of you from now on."
The kick was not even that brutal; but it was rough enough to make me roll.
I threw up on the ground. My breath was hitching, difficult to breathe. I look at the old man with tears. The old man's expression was weird. His features hardened with absolute conviction like remembering something. He narrows his eyes, anchoring me with his gaze to make sure I understand. His face tightened, every line of his expression screaming something.
I was stunned from the panic; staring at the strange emotion displaying over me the bushy man was crying.
I keep staring at him in tears, in agony;
The bushy man said but this time in his words carrying sincerity. Does he really want to help me? Why ? He was the one who ruined my life? No… who ruined my life? My parents? Me? Who? WHO? WHO??? WHO???? Why is he crying? The emotion? strange?
The bushy man wiped his tears from his sleeve. Finally gave up and sat on his chair, viewing the other reports—ignoring.
I sit and move my iris to the old man whose pretending to viewing;
The bushy man noticed me instantly and threw the pages on the table without any care. He came to me with a grin shining on his face.
"Wow! Little Allen woke up." the smile is not removing from his face.
I confusedly look at the blurry figure from my teary eyes. I confusedly tilt my head.. Woke up? What does he mean?
"Why do you look so clueless, little Allen? You can ask me anything."
I didn't answer anything;
He stood up, turned his back and lifted his left arm as saying 'follow me' then he started walking.
On the way I became silent. My cheek was numb in pain. I cannot even sense it. My hands and legs were bruised, becoming purple. My stomach was hurting;
The bushy man takes a few turns then goes straight; I look around the surroundings. The surroundings were different from when I entered the building. It was neat and clean and there were cartoons and animals printed there.
My legs start to hurt now because of walking, covered in sweat. I blurted out without any consciousness, "My legs are hurting."
The bushy man glanced back from his shoulder, stunned. He was shocked that I really say a word after thirty minutes of silence.
"You are talking to me?" The old man wants to confirm that I am talking to him.
I nodded. The man grinned, taking me in his arms, "You are cute! Little Allen." I pout and turn my face like who asked you, I already know.
The man turned his hand, looking forward and scanning the door number.
Ten minutes later. He stopped at the elevator taping the twentieth floor button on it;
The lift starts leveling up—one minute of wasting. The elevator became brighter in the moonlight.
The elevator was made of glass and metals with safety caution. The rain was taking place in the sky. The environment was gloomy, dark but still the moon was shining. Is it not beautiful?
I start observing the moon and its brightness like falling into a deep dream.
But the silence didn't last long. A ting ding~ ring and the elevator finally reach his journey, stopping in his spot and also taking me out of my delusion.
The bushy man glance at me and pass a smile;
He takes ten steps and two terms and stops at the door number chi–457.
He opened the door with a grin and shouted, "How are my children going? Today! See what I take with me."
I was already set behind the bushy man's back;
The room starts becoming cheerful. The laughing voice and chatting. A soft and little deep voice finally spoke up, "Guys!! Stew is here."
The bushy man laughed, "Finally someone noticed me. Come here my child." he kneels down on his knees, hugging the kid who noticed him. "You are my favourite. Everyone learns from our little Retro."
Others only answer in unison, "It's not fair. Stew you always favour retro."
The bushy man made a shocked face, playfully, "When I ever did."
The other kids shouted, in unison, "don't trick us. We are not fools anymore."
"Ah! Little retro is more intelligent than you all. He takes care of you all right? Then take an example, little mina have you learned the alphabet I have to learn since the past two days."
The little girl in the fork, beamed brighter than any light coming forward making the ground tremble, thumb! Thumb! She places her in the chest with confidence she says, "Yes. I remember all of it beyond what you give me."
The man let go of the little Retro, his focus on little Mina with surprise and excitement, "Upto?" He tilted his head. The little girl clenched her hand, "Upto P." she chuckled.
He pulled his ears forward, "Them miss can you tell me." the little miss grin and start saying, "A B C D… hm.. E F G H" she tilted her head toward the ceiling, forcing her brain to remember. "Ya! I J K L M N O P that's it."
"Woahhhh!! You were telling the truth, little Mina."
forgetting about everything he was going before just enjoying the kids play which he likes the most!
The little miss rolled her eyes and spread her fingers in front of the bushy man.
The first—bushy man looked confused, tilting his head a little and his eyebrows unequal, "...?" his face lit up and he take out something from his pocket.
"Here~ your reward, miss Mina."
"I told you I will never lie." she smirks at the other kids especially at the little Retro. The little retro was unable to control his anger and spoke up, "Why are you smirking at me."
The little Mina smirk widened, her eyes playing, "Oh~ because you got nothing, Retro~"
The little retro only can clench his teeth in anger.
The bushy man noticed the situation. He takes more candies from his pocket and gives two candies each.
The little mina just looked at the old man with a wide smile and closed his eyes in pleasure giving 'her' reward to others in pain, her jaw had fallen to the ground.
The little Retro mock her by mimicking her expression. She turns her face and goes to the bed, silently, jumping on it. Fumb!
The bushy man looked at her, worriedly, "What happened, little mina."
"I am tired." the little girl replied, tugging herself in the blanket. The bushy man sighs and looks at the right wall, the watch hanging there—ten pm.
"Then I have one more thing for you, children."
The little mina ears perked out from her blanket, listening to the conversion.
"I have a new friend for you all."
I finally came out from his back carrying tears, bruises and tiredness. The other kids look at me—staring at my soul, I guess.
They smiled and were a little worried; the little mina had already come toward me first, "Are you alright, kid?" she asked with concerns;
I ignore her, silent.
The bushy man sighs again, landing his gaze on little Retro, "Take care of him. He's not feeling well."
Instantly the other kids understand and don't ask further and go to their bed. The little Retro grabbed my palm and lifted me on the bed and covered the blanket on my frail body.
"Sleep, my friend for now."
The little boy's voice was calming, drifting me into sleep. He started patting me too.
I finally fall asleep in the warm atmosphere that I never find in my own home;
All kids deserve parents but not all parents deserve kids. And sometimes kids had to be mature enough to maintain themselves on their own—a safety mechanism which they develop in themselves.
TO BE CONTINUED…