Chương 11: Chapter 11: A Survey

Looks at the patch-up tent the two kids call their home, Agnes observes the surrounding. Cans and bottles litter up everywhere; it is a complete mess. But that is not the reason why he checks around. There is a smell of rotten flesh nearby, and he can't quite point out where it is.

The smell is far too familiar to him, and he knows that this is not from some stray cats or dogs. It is too pungent to be. Only humans can execute such terrible smell upon their departure from this mortal realm. Looks back at the patch-up tent and the two kids, Agnes starts to interrogate the two kids.

"Is there where your mother is?"

"Yes, but you must be quiet, big brother. Mother is sleeping."

Slowly pulls the curtains, Agnes can see a woman sleeping quietly in a sleeping bed. By her side, there are two other sleeping beds in smaller sizes, and after observing the tent a little, there is nothing much in it. A lamp could be seen hanging on the roof of the tent. A heater was placed at the center, and some clothes were scattered around and used as a carpet. Other than that, there truly is nothing much.

With a single glance, he knew the mother of these two children was dead. No human sleeps so soundly that they do not even make a slight sound. Even he, a man trained to an assassin level, makes sounds when sleeping. Other than that, her body is deflated with no breathing action. If she is not dead, that will be a miracle.

"Have your mother slept for a long time?"

"Yes, she has not woken up for two days now."

"Two days...what two of you eat for those two days?"

"We don't. We try to ask people for help. But no people seem to want to help us. Even uncle Ben ignore us. That's why we go to the street to ask for help, but..."

Amy stopped in her words, as her expression down a little. Look at the little girl, who tries hard to not cry; Agnes pats her on the head, and surprisingly, he can touch her.

"Don't cry, Amy. You are a strong girl, a brave girl. I will feed you and your brother any food you want. Now tell me, who is this uncle Ben? But before that, tell me, do both of you not feel hungry for not eating for two days?"

Now back to her previous self after Agnes's slight encouragement, the little girl Amy answered him as she rubbed the tears off her face.

"No, I don't. I don't know why. But I still want to eat. Do you feel hungry, Jez?" Asks Amy to her brother as she looks at him, questioning. But seeing him merely shaking his tiny head, Agnes then continues questioning the sister.

"Is that so. Then, do both of you smell anything weird now? Something that does not feel right?"

"No, we don't. You Jez? No. No, we don't smell anything, big brother."

"Hmm...okay. Now let us not bother your mother sleeping anymore and bring me to this, Uncle Ben, you talk about."

"Okay, follow me; he lives just down the street."

Look at the two siblings' mother's corpses for one last time, Agnes exits the tent and follows the two children down the street. He felt no sympathy for the kids for losing their mother, but he will not tell them for the current moment.

It is not a matter of principle, as he simply wants these two kids to be in their best states of mind. As if they are not, he convince he will not get any information out of them. He doesn't want to be left in the dark, as he hates being a person who is ignorant, unaware of the current situation.

As for the matter of these two kids' mother, he, of course, will tell them. But it will only be after he has extracted every bit of information from them. As they and the information have no more value to him, what is the use of keeping them?

Dealing with kids is indeed more troublesome than dealing with grown up. Patience and tolerance are greatly needed, much so with these two kids. With a grown-up, one only needs to torture his body or break his spirit, and he will spill everything out from the beginning until the end.

Find himself back in the urban area of the town; Agnes looks at the house where Amy points her finger at. Sees there is someone in the house; he probably is Uncle Ben, that helps these kids in need.

*Knock* *Knock*

Hears somebody knocking at his door; Ben glance at the window to see who it is. But unable to see anything from his angle, he stands up from his couch and drags his frail body to the door. Opens the door to see who it is, and he is surprised to see the town celebrity standing on his porch.

"Are you, Ben?"

"Yes, yes, that would be me. What honor do I have for you looking for me, Mr. Luther?"

Only smiles at the question, Agnes ignores it and asks. "May I come in?"

"Uhh...yeah, you can come in. Sorry if it's a mess. There's no one living here except me."

Step into the house after being given permission, Agnes discreetly glanced at every corner of the house. Sees that there is nothing suspicious in the house, Agnes sits himself on the couch after Ben asks him to. Look at the wrinkled fill face man; Agnes begins with his interrogation.

"How old are you, Ben?"

"I'm 55 this year."

"Do you have a job?"

"I'm already retired. But I do own a small shop downtown."

"Hmm." Afterward, Agnes asks him a bunch of questions related to him.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting, Mr. Luther. But is this some kind of survey?"

Hears this question out of Ben's mouth; Agnes places down his pen and tablet. Look him in the eyes, he replied. "Let me be honest with you, Ben. All the question that I ask you is indeed a survey. I want to fund a project that helps the elderly and the homeless, and you are the first person I interview."

"You do this by yourself?"

"Of course not. I only survey this townlet while the rest of my team survey others, and while we are talking, do you know any homeless person that I can interview?"

"I do not know many of them, but I know some. A single mother. She is a pitiful person. A year ago, her kids died in a car accident."

"I am so sorry to hear that."

"No, it is alright. It's not your fault."

"This single mother you talk about, how is she?"

"I don't know. I did not go to see her for two days now as I'm busy. But I know where she lives. I ask her countless times to live with me, but she refuses every time."

"You have a kind heart, Ben. May the Celestial God protect you from any harm."

"Thank you for your kind word, Mr.Luther."

"Then where can I find this single mother, and where is her two children's resting place? I want to pay a visit."

"Oh, she lives not too far from here, just across the street below the bridge. As for her two kids, we have buried them at this town graveyard."

"Okay, thank you for your cooperation, Ben. I will be going now."