Capítulo 3: Chapter 2: Sunny Smiles
~ Third Person P.O.V ~
Leo held his bruised arm, as he, Ashley and Piper made their way through the dirty hallway, the walls were lined with mold and cracks, water from the last week's thunderstorm still dripped from the ceiling of the hallway leading to the mess hall of the Orphanage, or as the Nuns call it "The Litter."
"Tsk. I.. told you." Ashley said bitterly, clicking her tongue in annoyance, dragging herself as they walked. Her raven hair a mess.
"Y-yeah... I guess you're right" Piper said, her face bruised.
"No, it's my fault.." Leo chimed in as they entered the mess hall, several long tables lined the room. On one side, six nuns stood in front of a large rusty metal pot. Each filled with the same old bland porridge. The room felt empty, despite the hundreds of orphans occupying the seats.
"You just wanted to help, its my fault for having those... bad dreams.." Leo paused, his thoughts flashed to those dark crimson eyes. He shook his head and clenched his eyelids tightly shut, to snap himself out of it.
"You were just trying to help" He continued as his eyes scanned the room, hard metal tables dotted the large room, Orphans dressed in old, tattered rags ate their meals quickly, despite not having the smallest hint of enthusiasm. This room was one of the few with a lot of natural lighting due to the large windows on the far side of the room.
*Thwack*
The distinct sound of wood hitting flesh seemed to echo throughout the litter, followed by screaming and crying, causing the room to fall silent.
Leo, Ashley, and Piper along with everyone else in the litter turned to look. Sister Nayla, one of the most senior of the convent dragged a young boy by the scruff of his neck, the child kicking and struggling, tears streaming down his cheeks as he begged for her to stop.
"This! My little guttersnipes is what happens when you steal." She said, lifting up the boy by the scruff of his neck, by the looks of it he could be no older than 6.
"This isn't right." Leo said, as he tried to look away.
"Isn't that right? You dirty rotten little thief!" She spat with venom as she hoisted him up higher before dropping him to the ground without mercy, beating him with her cane.
"We can't just sit here, we have to do something." Piper chimed in, whispering to her friends, though her whispers carried conviction.
"And do what exactly? If either of you intervene you'd just anger her more, you'd only make things worse." Ashley said, bitterly her piercing eyes seemed to weaken at her own words.
Leo and Piper stood there, defeated. Wishing they could do something, but alas they knew.. right now they just couldn't. They could do nothing but clench his fists and watch. Wishing they could do more, sadly getting themselves involved would only anger the nuns further.
Sister Nayla beat the boy for a few more minutes before finally relenting, not out of mercy, but merely because her arm got tired.
"Well, your penance has been fulfilled." She said to the shivering bruised mess of a boy on the floor. "Let this be a lesson for you." She said before her eyes found their way to Leo, Ashley, and Piper, her gaze falling on Piper. "All of you". she said, narrowing her eyes.
The nun turned to walk away, her light gray robes trailing behind her as she made her way out of the room. As soon as the rusty hinges of the double doors stopped creaking, the noise resumed.
Leo's eyes softened at the sight, ignoring his own aches he rushed over to check on the boy.
"Mn..." The little boy groaned, before coughing hard and grabbing his stomach.
"Hey.. you're going to be ok.." Leo said, ignoring the weakness and pains in his knees, he knelt down beside him.
The boy remained silent, the feeling of embarrassment and regret washing over him.. as well as pain.. a lot of pain.
"Yeah.." Piper said, resting her hands on her knees. "How about we get you cleaned up, hm?" Piper asked, her violet eyes seemingly sparkling.
"Yeah, we can keep an eye on you for a bit." Leo said with a smile, placing a warm hand on his shoulder.
"Y-you will...?" The boy asked, his eyes were swollen. His vision was blurry.
"Yes. We will." Ashley spoke up, her arms crossed over her chest. "Go sit him down, I'll get us our porridge." She said before walking away.
"Y-you won't hurt me.." he said, before pausing to breath, the pair helping sit up. "right..?" He asked, obviously shaken by the experience.
"Of course we won't!" Piper said, trying to sound happy and cheer him up.
"Yeah, you can trust us." Leo said sweetly, as they helped him to his feet
"So.. what do you say?" Piper asked, her wavy blonde hair resting just below her shoulders.
"Okay.. sure" The boy finally agreed.
"Good!" Piper said, as they walked him to the nearest open table. Strangely enough, it was at one of the tables next to one of the large dirty windows, affording them a rare view of the outside.
"I'm Piper, by the way, he's Leo. The scary girl a while ago was Ashley, Leo's sister. And you are?" Piper asked as they sat down.
The boy remained silent.
"You're new here huh..?" Leo asked, deciding it would be best not to press the matter.
"Yeah.. yeah I am. My name's Gabriel.." He sighed. "My aunt sent me here.. after my mom died." He said, pain in his voice. "She promised me.. they could give me a better life than she ever could..." he said, tears forming. "But I.. I just wish-"
"Poor child..." A voice spoke from behind them in a thick southern accent, as the small boy felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He recoiled instinctively, obviously still being pretty shaken up.
Behind them stood a nun dressed in black, her dark-toned skin much more youthful than any of the other nuns at the Orphanage.
Her face held an expression of great sadness, seemingly being physically pained by what happened, sharing in the boy's anguish.
"It pains me greatly.." she said, her thick accent making itself even more evident.
"To know the other nuns of the convent act the way they do."
Leo and Piper, taken aback by the apparent kindness of the nun, he simply didn't know what to say. For some reason, they just couldn't speak.
"You know.. the goddess we serve. Mother Gione? Under her sphere are the pillars of compassion, charity, and forgiveness." She said, seemingly holding back tears. "All of which seem to be forgotten here.. all they hold now are greed and selfishness." As she spoke, her voice seemed to soothe the small boy, who began to ease.
"Tell me child, what was it that you stole?" She asked him. At first, he seemed reluctant but her eyes reflected that of what seemed to be sincerity and truth.
"I- I stole.. an apple." He said, still scared. "From the nun's pantry"
"Why an apple?" She asked him, unsure if the boy did not know just how badly the nuns treat the other orphans for the slightest of grievances.
"Its.. well-" he began "When.. my mom was still... around" Sister Charlottes eyes wavered at his words "She'd make these apple pies.. and I'd always help her out.. I- I just missed her." He said, holding back tears as he remembered the mom he'll never see again.
The sister's heart broke at the boy's words. "I see.. so the apple reminded you of... your mother?" the boy nodded slowly. "Hm.. well, I think I can do something to make you feel better." she said, a small smile finding its place on her lips.
"What do you mean?" The boy asked.
"You'll see.." she said, opening her arms. The boy climbed into them, the nun wrapping him in a warm embrace. She reminded him of his mom.
The nun stood up, holding him tight. Just as she was about to leave, however, Leo finally spoke up.
"Sister..?" He asked.
"Yes, my child?" She asked, turning to face him.
"What's your name?" He asked her again.
She simply smiled at him uttering her name, "Sister charlotte." before walking off, the boy still in her arms just as Ashley made her way back to the table.
*CLANG CLANG CLANG*
The shrill sounds of a large bell being hit emanated throughout the hall, everyone turning to face the source of the noise.
"It has come to our attention that a number of you have been talking about getting.. Adopted" An elderly nun wearing light gray robes said, standing atop a set of stairs at the fat end of the room leading to the private wing of the orphanage where the nuns lived.
"Now you listen here, and you listen well. ALL of you." She said, narrowing her eyes and pointing a long boney finger at the gathered orphans.
"None of you are getting adopted. Ever. Things may have been different a few years back, but now I am in charge. And what I say goes!" She said. Glaring at Piper in particular. "Your families couldn't care enough to have you. They dropped you off with us because to them, you're garbage. Rubbish. Worthless piles of filth." She said, stressing every word. "Nobody needs you! Nobody wants you." She said, her words cut deep.
"That my lovelies is why you are here, and you will ALWAYS, be here until the day you have come of age and are thrown into that hard cruel world."
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