Dark.
It's so dark.
It's like my closet back at home, I just close the door and the whole world goes away.
I hug my knees tighter.
Home.
I'm not home.
I'll never be home again.
Mommy's gone.
I heard them talking about her when they took me here. She was gone and I have no one.
"Mommy."
I muffle the sobs using my arm.
I miss my mommy.
But I can't cry here.
They told me not to cry.
Footsteps echo in the hallway and I wipe at my eyes.
The footsteps stop at my door.
I recognize Dr. Brand's voice, she's using her fake sweet voice, "She's seven and she's been here for one month. Her mother passed away due to cancer."
She tsks, "She's all alone."
I remember Mommy telling me she needs to leave me but that I will be okay and that I am stronger than I look - that I can transform like a butterfly. I wonder why she said that, I never went outside. I've never seen a real butterfly except for the ones in my books.
"Why is she locked inside?" it's a man's voice.
Dr. Brand says softly, "She's not locked, the door's always open but she prefers it closed. She has a condition. She can't be exposed to sunlight."
Another woman says, "Well, that's not gonna work. We want to adopt a normal kid."
"Sssh. She might hear you," the man chides.
The woman says, "No. I can see the pity on your face. You want this one."
He says, "She needs a family. She needs us."
Dr. Brand says, "Yes. She might have an allergy but she's as normal as any child."
The man says, "Its fine Doctor. Can you give us a few moments with her?"
She's not going to let that happen because he will find out that she's lying.
I'm not normal.
Dr. Brand finally says, "Of course. I'll be down the hall."
The door opens a crack and the light comes in the room.
I see a tall man with broad shoulders. He's like a giant and I flinch as more light comes in.
He sees my reaction and he pulls the woman behind her so he can immediately shut the door.
They stand against the door, not coming closer.
He finally says, "Hello. I'm Tim and this is my wife Layla."
I don't say anything.
He tries again, "What's your name?"
I throat is dry it's been days since I last talked to anyone.
"Grace," I croak.
He says, "Hello Grace. That's a beautiful name."
I smile. My mommy gave me my name.
The woman whispers, "Just take her so we can go home. This place gives me the creeps."
I look at Layla, she's not happy to be here or to see me.
Tim says to Layla, "God Layla she needs to warm up to us, we can't just take her and go."
Layla huffs, "Fine. I'll wait in the car."
She opens the door wide and I flinch again. Tim quickly closes the door.
"Sorry. She's having a bad day. But she's really nice once you get to know her," he says while sitting down the empty chair by the door.
He looks around and says, "Why is it so dark here? I can't see anything. Aren't you afraid?"
I tilt my head to the side and I say, "No. I like the dark."
He smiles but not looking at me, "You're very brave."
Mommy used to say that too.
I like Tim.
I ask him, "Are you taking me from here? Like she said?"
He sighs and leans his elbows on his knees, "I will never take you if you don't want me to. But I would like to ask you to come home with us. We would like to take care of you."
That sounds nice.
Better than this place where no one wants to talk to me.
No one wants to be my friend.
Tim can be my friend I think.
"Can I be your friend?" I ask him.
He smiles and looks at my direction, "Only if I can be yours."
He has a nice smile, straight white teeth and blue eyes.
I like the dark.
It's quiet and peaceful.
And everyone acts differently when they think no one can see.
But I can.
In the darkness, I see everything.
I take a deep breath, smile to him and say, "You can turn the light on now."
+++
Note:
This was supposed to be a full story but I got stuck in Chapter 1. lol.
Inspired by PadrePio's "The Boy With The Red Cloak"
It's so dark.
It's like my closet back at home, I just close the door and the whole world goes away.
I hug my knees tighter.
Home.
I'm not home.
I'll never be home again.
Mommy's gone.
I heard them talking about her when they took me here. She was gone and I have no one.
"Mommy."
I muffle the sobs using my arm.
I miss my mommy.
But I can't cry here.
They told me not to cry.
Footsteps echo in the hallway and I wipe at my eyes.
The footsteps stop at my door.
I recognize Dr. Brand's voice, she's using her fake sweet voice, "She's seven and she's been here for one month. Her mother passed away due to cancer."
She tsks, "She's all alone."
I remember Mommy telling me she needs to leave me but that I will be okay and that I am stronger than I look - that I can transform like a butterfly. I wonder why she said that, I never went outside. I've never seen a real butterfly except for the ones in my books.
"Why is she locked inside?" it's a man's voice.
Dr. Brand says softly, "She's not locked, the door's always open but she prefers it closed. She has a condition. She can't be exposed to sunlight."
Another woman says, "Well, that's not gonna work. We want to adopt a normal kid."
"Sssh. She might hear you," the man chides.
The woman says, "No. I can see the pity on your face. You want this one."
He says, "She needs a family. She needs us."
Dr. Brand says, "Yes. She might have an allergy but she's as normal as any child."
The man says, "Its fine Doctor. Can you give us a few moments with her?"
She's not going to let that happen because he will find out that she's lying.
I'm not normal.
Dr. Brand finally says, "Of course. I'll be down the hall."
The door opens a crack and the light comes in the room.
I see a tall man with broad shoulders. He's like a giant and I flinch as more light comes in.
He sees my reaction and he pulls the woman behind her so he can immediately shut the door.
They stand against the door, not coming closer.
He finally says, "Hello. I'm Tim and this is my wife Layla."
I don't say anything.
He tries again, "What's your name?"
I throat is dry it's been days since I last talked to anyone.
"Grace," I croak.
He says, "Hello Grace. That's a beautiful name."
I smile. My mommy gave me my name.
The woman whispers, "Just take her so we can go home. This place gives me the creeps."
I look at Layla, she's not happy to be here or to see me.
Tim says to Layla, "God Layla she needs to warm up to us, we can't just take her and go."
Layla huffs, "Fine. I'll wait in the car."
She opens the door wide and I flinch again. Tim quickly closes the door.
"Sorry. She's having a bad day. But she's really nice once you get to know her," he says while sitting down the empty chair by the door.
He looks around and says, "Why is it so dark here? I can't see anything. Aren't you afraid?"
I tilt my head to the side and I say, "No. I like the dark."
He smiles but not looking at me, "You're very brave."
Mommy used to say that too.
I like Tim.
I ask him, "Are you taking me from here? Like she said?"
He sighs and leans his elbows on his knees, "I will never take you if you don't want me to. But I would like to ask you to come home with us. We would like to take care of you."
That sounds nice.
Better than this place where no one wants to talk to me.
No one wants to be my friend.
Tim can be my friend I think.
"Can I be your friend?" I ask him.
He smiles and looks at my direction, "Only if I can be yours."
He has a nice smile, straight white teeth and blue eyes.
I like the dark.
It's quiet and peaceful.
And everyone acts differently when they think no one can see.
But I can.
In the darkness, I see everything.
I take a deep breath, smile to him and say, "You can turn the light on now."
+++
Note:
This was supposed to be a full story but I got stuck in Chapter 1. lol.
Inspired by PadrePio's "The Boy With The Red Cloak"
