章 5: No tears , not for me

" Sister Cali , " Henric said as the old woman put a bandage on his arm .

" I heard news of your departure . Is it true , are you leaving ? " he asked and the old woman gave him a sad smile .

Henric sat on a small bed in the infirmary . It was a large room , with two huge windows on the far side overlooking the gardens where a single fountain stood alone .

The floor was a drabby grey brown , the walls a moonlit grey . There was a smell of disinfectant in the air along with rosemary . Sister Cali liked this room , though heaven alone knew why . Henric liked to think it was because she liked helping the injured and sick .

" Yes ... I am departing . Tommorow in the morning ." she said , " My health has deteriorated very much and the Reverend father has told me to go to a place where I can be warmer . This cold weather never did agree with me ."

" Oh , but Sister Cali ... I ... I well , " Henric thought about what to say but found it hard to express himself .

" I know , Henric . You not saying anything makes it simple for me to know what you mean . I've taken care of you since , I found you by the orphanage steps as a small babe . " She said and Henric felt sad .

" No tears now , not for me . " She said wiping the moisture on his eyes , " I'm just going away physically but I'll still be here in heart and spirit . You won't be alone ."

But he would be alone . He had few friends and none of them really knew him . Nobody knew each other well in Pearl Orphanage . You couldn't trust someone not to report a crude sentence to a Sister and leave you to trouble .

Sister Cali was the only real friend that Henric had . She cared about his welfare more than any of the other sisters and he knew it . She knew it too but was trying to keep his spirits up .

" You know , since I am leaving and may not know when I'll return , I would like to give you something . " She said , " It's something my mother gave me when I left to join the convent school and I've had it for years . I never use it , and it will just stay in a trunk where ever I go , just as it did here . Would you like to see it ? "

" Yes , if you please Sister ." he said happy to receive anything from the woman who was like his mother .

" Well , come after benediction to my quarters . I'll show you then and you can tell me if you'd be willing to keep the old thing ." she said and he nodded his head .

" Yes , Sister Cali . I will ." He said and looked at his arm , " And thank you for fixing me . "

" Fixing ? I think not . Only the almighty can fix anyone or anything . " She said ," Or the little things in the night."

" Like fay ? or the little people ? " he asked with a smile but Sister Cali wouldn't fall for it. She knew that smile , it was directed at her when Henric wanted to hear a story about magic and magical things .

The boy had a passion , a dangerous thing it was too . Magic and magical things were not spoken off in the orphanage . The only reason Henric knew about such things was because Sister Cali had told him stories of magic when he was young . She couldn't have done this with the other children , the risk of being found as blasphemous was not worth it .

She had grown with these stories and sharing them to a young child had been one highlight of her time in the orphanage for all these years . It was wrong to inspire such passion in the mythical and fantastical but she didn't have it in her to stop , she never had .

So she'd raised Henric to have faith in the almighty but to also have a belief in magic and mysterys . The boy was obsessed though and would often ask her about this creature or that magical place in the world and she'd do her best to answer him but still be firm about where he places his faith and where he places his belief .

" Later Henric , " She said to him ," Later when I give my special object to you . "

" Special ? How is it special ? " Henric asked and she looked at him with a small smile .

" It is something I recieved from my mother before I came here and left my home . A long time ago , when I was just a young girl ." She said and looked out the window , " I hardly remember anything about it anymore . Atleast nothing good or bad . The price of old age , I assume ."

" You are not old Sister Cali . You're wise and knowing ." Henric and the Sister gave him another small smile .

" Thank you Henric . Now be off with your work . " She said and he nodded his head before leaving the room . Sister Cali watched him until he was gone .

....

" Chop the stalks precisely ." Sister Miria said to the boys in the garden .

The garden was a large square with flat grass and four paths that led to a fountain in its centre . At its edges were small square basins where roses had been planted a long time ago . The roses had grown faster than anyone had anticipated and spread to the walls around the garden , making a beautiful canopy above and around them . But it had to he tended regularly or the roses would consume everything , including the grass .

Sister Miria was incharge of the gardens and the fountain . She was a woman with a sharp nose like a hawk but wore glasses whenever she was outside ( this was most of the time ) . She was impartial , but a very tough perfectionist when it came to the garden . Everything had to meet her standard , from the roses , to the grass and the fountain .

Presently boys were spread out , fourteen of them , each doing a particular task . three boys were each at the roses , cutting of winding vines and making sure the roses did not go down . The remaining two boys were cleaning the fountain , scrubbing it's exterior surface slowly and as Sister Miria said repeatedly ; precisely .

Henric was one such boy , he often volunteered to clean the fountain and Sister Miria consented . It was not because she saw any favour for the young man , no ,she saw all the boys as equal to each other but Henric had one thing in his favour ; he cleaned the fountain precisely .

He took his time , cleaning each facet of the pool until it could gleam . Sister Miria did not wish to stay with other boys who did not have Henric's attention to detail and repeatedly tell them to clean it again precisely . So Henric was the unofficial fountain boy and it was not without reason that Henric liked the fountain.

The fountain was round , with a wide flat base , full of water . In the centre sat a figure of a young man holding his hands outstretched like a beggar . It was a intricately carved statue , with the most impeccable details . At night , when. the moon was obscured and darkness fell ,one could mistake it for a real person . The statue looked like it was wearing a robe , that reached to his ankles and had a slight cut by his chest .

Water spiller from the statue's hands and filled the fountain . The statue had a look of sorrow on its face , as if it was remorseful for an action done wrong and Henric often found his eyes drawn to that face . So sad , so patient , so fair , he always thought . And because the statue's eyes faced downward , Henric often cleaned the base thoroughly , as if to make the image smile at him in gratitude for his deed . But the statue remained what it was ; a figure of stone .

" All is done for today ." Sister Miria finally said and the boys stopped their work . They looked at Sister Miria expectantly .

" You have all done your work ... precisely ." She said and the boys nodded their heads . They didn't want the praise , but if they did not wait for it Sister Miria would have taken offence . They would have received a punishment for such an act .

" Now , off with you all . " She said and they all went out from the garden in a line . She would have called them back if they had left in disorder . When the boys went inside the building , they went to the storage room , and each of them returned their tools .

" Henric , would you like to go to town with us tomorrow ? " A boy with wheat brown hair asked Henric as he layed away his cloths .

" I am yet ordered to leave , Christan ." Henric told him .

Every boy in the orphanage had to be ordered by the Reverend father to be able to go beyond the grounds . To gain this permission , a boy would have to be spoken off by a Sister favourably and if the Reverend father approved of what he heard then the boy was called in and given permission to be able to go to the outside world .

Henric had never been called in all the years he grew up in the orphanage. He often stayed behind when groups were given assignments outside of the orphanage . He didn't resent it , he had his work to do when they were gone .

" I have chores to do today . I will see you when you return and you may tell me of your journey ." he said and Christan nodded his head solemnly . He had heard that sentence many times and would not even bother to argue. What would be the point ?

" Very well , Henric ." he said and he left along with the other boys .

When they were gone , Henric gave a deep sigh . He may not resent them for being able to leave the orphanage but he did have a weariness inside him . He had lived in the Pearl orphanage for his whole life and knew nothing beyond it's walls .

This was his home but sometimes ... it felt like his prison .

Henric started at the turn his thoughts were making . He put a hand to his head and offered a prayer of pardon. He had no right to think such horrid thoughts . He quickly put his implements away and left to look for Sister Cali .

" I'm sorry , I did not come sooner Sister ." Henric said as he found Sister Cali in the corridor .

Sister Cali looked down on the young face , with a straight nose and dark hair .

" Oh , it is no matter . You are here now , are you not ? " she said and signalled him to follow her .

" I was hoping to come after chapel but I was called out to the garden ." Henric explained and Sister Cali raised a hand .

" I said it is no matter . You are here and I am happy to see you . Truly ." she said softly and gave a cough , " I'll be happy to be gone when I arrive in warmer weather ."

" Do you think you will return often ? " Henric asked her but she just gave him a small smile and they walked the rest of the way in silence .

Pearl Orphanage had three floors above ground level , and a lower floor underground . The first floor held classes , workshops and the dinner Hall . The floors above and below it , held the children rooms and kitchen . Finally the last upper floor held the rooms of the Sisters and Reverend father Agner's office .

Sister Cali and Henric walked up two flights of stairs until they reached the upper floor . Like the rest of the orphanage , it was a depressing sight of grey brown floors and plain walls . But the smell up there had a tang of moisture in it , like a shower of tears . Humid and yet salty .

" What do wish to give me ? " Henric spoke at last .

Sister Cali paused a moment and looked around the corridor . No one was around . But she didn't dare say it , even walls have ears .

" Come inside and I'll show you ." she said indicating a door of great oak . Henric and Sister Cali entered the room .

Sisters , it should be noted , slept five in a room . There were five beds inside the room they entered . The room was wide and had a low window on the far wall . It was clean and impeccable , as it should have been . Next to each bed was a small dresser and separating each space were sheets hung on ropes . They were for privacy .

Sister Cali made sure no one else was in the room before going by her bed . She opened a draw and rummaged inside until she found what she was looking for . It was an object covered in creased cloth and a substantial amount of dust .

" Sister ? " Henric said anxiously and it was with good reason . Boys were not allowed inside the Sister's rooms without supervision and even then a proper explanation would be needed for Henric being there if someone came .

" It is alright . Here , take these ." she said giving him two books and placing the object in the cloth . Henric held them , and nodded his head understanding her .

" Henric ... I will miss you . You know this ? " she asked him and he nodded his head again .

Sister Cali smiled softly and put a hand on his cheek , " No tears , I said . Not for me , my child . If fate is willing and God kind ... we will meet again ."

Henric nodded again , ignoring the tears on his cheeks . This was farewell , they both knew it . Sister Cali would most likely never return and Henric would lose one of the few people who showed deep empathy for him ... Sister Cali smiled at him and wiped her cheeks , she had gotten sentimental aswell . This wouldn't do .

" I think ... before I leave , I will have a talk with Reverend father ." she said ," I have never done it before because I feared you would be lulled by the pleasures of the world . But , I think you have matured enough , now ."

" Do you mean ... ? " Henric asked her and she nodded her head .

" Yes , I'll speak in your favour and you'll finally be allowed to see the outside world ." she said and gave a cough , " But promise me this ; You'll be as good as you are in here , when you go out there . Do you promise ? "

" Yes , Sister . I promise , I'll be good ." he said and she smiled again .

" I know you will Henric . You're a good boy ... I know you are . Don't let anyone tell you otherwise . " She said and gave him a quick hug .

" Now , you best be off . I wouldn't want you to get into trouble on my account . " she said and he turned around , " Oh and Henric ? "

" Yes Sister ? " he asked.

" Won't you miss me too ? " she asked and he nodded his head .

" I will . " he said and she nodded her head . Then Henric left the room with the two books and the object in cloth between them . In the morning , the next day , everyone was told that Sister Cali was gone and Sister Irene would be taking on her responsibilities .