Chapitre 19: Const Orphanage 15
Elvira carefully avoided the Care Workers and Georgewill, scaling the wall at the back and stepping into the small woods.
He observed the footprints throughout the woods, noticing there seemed to be more than before. Could it have been that person?
It was evident that his pace was slow and steady. Had he also encountered a wild animal attack?
Elvira pondered as he walked.
Who was this person? He likely weren't from the Orphanage if he needed to leave this way.
Elvira walked down the mountain on foot, took the shuttle back to the city center, and after a few transfers, finally returned to his apartment around noon.
He took out two packs of instant noodles and a can of beer from the cupboard. After boiling some water, he prepared two bowls of noodles for himself, eating and drinking beer heartily.
Finding the room too quiet, he turned on the TV, and the news broadcast made the room feel livelier:
"It is reported that this year our Star Sea City has reached a new high in the quantity of blood donations and sales..."
Elvira devoured the instant noodles, truly famished. From noon yesterday to this morning, he hadn't eaten anything while at the Orphanage.
Preparing for his evening visit to the Orphanage, Elvira planned to bring along extra cookies. He also thought to pack some ice packs and snacks for Blair.
Digging under the table, he pulled out a bag of chocolate, popping several pieces into his mouth until he felt revitalized.
The sweetness spread through his mouth, immersing his mind in a blissful sea of sugar.
After a full meal, Elvira felt tired and sleepy. Thinking back to curling up on Teacher Ginger's bed last night and being spied on by a little pervert all night long, he couldn't sleep well at all.
Rubbing his temples, he slowly walked to the bed, carelessly stripping off his clothes, then plunged into bed, quickly enveloped by the blanket and falling into a deep sleep.
In the distance, a massive blaze shot up into the night sky, turning the pitch-black night into daylight, with thick smoke billowing like tumultuous waves across the heavens.
"The Orphanage! It's on fire!"
A desperate scream tore through the night—a boy's terrified cry.
Elvira, disregarding all danger, dashed into the inferno, the blazing flames licking at his ankles. He moved through fire after fire, flames wildly leaping around him, yet he found no trace of a child.
Suddenly, a monstrous creature with a human face and the body of a dog plummeted from the sky, lunging directly at Elvira! With a swift sidestep, Elvira rolled on the ground, but his clothes were ignited by flames. Just as Elvira was about to counterattack, the creature, seemingly oblivious to his presence, fled in panic, as if terrified of the fire.
"Help—Ah—" The boy's cries for help rose and fell, making Elvira frantically look around, stomping in agitation. All he could see were raging flames! Blast waves carrying sparks rushed at him, and stones ignited and splintered in the explosions.
A swift silhouette of a woman with flowing hair dashed by. Elvira hastily grabbed her hand—
"Excuse me—"
The moment the woman turned, Elvira was horrified to see she had the ferocious face of a monkey! Her red eyes were filled with malice, and her yellow fangs glinted with a chilling cold light.
He stepped back abruptly, instinctively reaching for his dagger at his lower back, only to find it missing!
Where was the dagger?
Elvira searched in vain! He watched in dread as the monkey-faced creature charged at him! Two meters—one meter—he could even see the sharp hairs on its face and the foul-smelling saliva dripping from its fangs!
His eyes widened, bracing himself for a confrontation. Yet, the monkey-faced creature leapt over his head, landing on all fours, and quickly scurried away.
Fireballs rained from the sky, nearly engulfing Elvira! Thick smoke blurred his vision, and the smell of charred materials choked the air.
"Where are you!"
The only responses to Elvira's calls were the crackling of flames, the snapping of charred wood, and the collapsing of floors. Amidst the flames, the Orphanage turned into ruins, falling like a torrential downpour.
On the edge of his vision, four individuals dressed in blue Care Workers' uniforms huddled together, their actions eerily unnatural. Elvira shouted at them, but they seemed utterly absorbed in an intense discussion, oblivious to his cries.
In desperation, Elvira quickly picked up a stone from the ground and hurled it at them. The stone struck one of them accurately. The sudden disturbance seemed to trigger a reaction, as all four individuals stood up in unison. Their bodies moved like controlled puppets, turning towards Elvira in a stiff and bizarre posture. Even more chilling was the Care Worker facing away from Elvira, whose body arched backwards as if pulled by an invisible force, looking up at Elvira from below.
Their faces were covered with copper masks, and their eyes were entirely black, devoid of any whites!
Elvira kept retreating. Those four, as if a switch of evil was flipped on, straightened their arms and charged towards Elvira.
Run!
Without hesitation, Elvira turned and fled. The hot waves of fire roiled under his feet, pebbles scattering as he agilely dodged. Crumbling stone walls collapsed with a thunderous crash beside him, the air seeming to twist and warp from the heat of the flames.
"Help—," the desperate cries cut through the inferno, that boy was still alive, his screams heart-wrenching.
Elvira ran with all his might, the sounds close at hand! The howls were filled with helplessness and fear.
At last—he found traces of the children!
—Their faces were unrecognizable, their small charred bodies curled up together, forming a small mound!
Had they... already died?
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone