Jake Barry
patreon
Chapter 14
🕑 Added 2022-10-26 19:01:36 +0000 UTCI wipe the sweat from my brow as I haul the tenth, and final, stack of timber across town. We ran out while building the fence, so I happily offered to go fetch more. By the third run back and forth I began feeling tired. Now I feel utterly exhausted, panting and drenched in sweat.
Waking up to Jeannine's message this morning was a less than ideal start to my day. It made me quite nervous. Her constant presence all around me has been rather comforting. She reassures me that I'm safe, simply by being there. From what I've gathered, her university isn't all that far away, meaning she can be back home in less than an hour at any given time.
Now she's halfway across the country...
I choose to deal with my anxiety by throwing myself into work. Distractions, distractions, distractions! Anything to focus my mind elsewhere unless she returns.
By the time I meet back with Aurelia and the others, my arms are trembling. They notice me struggling and rush over to me to take the load off my shoulder. Aurelia looks me up and down then gives me a concerned look.
"Don't push yourself, Ori. You've already done way more than what we asked."
"I-It's alright. I'm happy to help in any way I can."
"You sure? I really think you're in need of a rest."
"I'm fine, don't worry at all." I lie, putting on a brave face. "Believe me, I'm tougher than I look."
"Still... You were walking funny just now. Is your leg alright?"
"My leg?"
"Yeah. May I take a look?"
"You may." I lower myself to the ground and pull my dress up to my knee. "Is this enough?"
Aurelia kneels down and gently holds my foot by the heel. She inspects it, growing worried.
"Ori, your ankle is clearly swollen. Looks like you twisted it earlier. Doesn't it hurt at all?"
"Now that you mention it, I did trip on my fifth run. It stung, but I didn't think it was anything concerning. Seeing it now makes it hurt a little..."
"That does it. No more work for you, missy. Come, I'll help you over to the hospital."
She puts my arm over her shoulder and walks me there. Now that I'm conscious of my injury it's starting to hurt. I groan whenever pressure is put on it. Thankfully, Aurelia is strong enough to support me. We arrive at the hospital in no time. I've never been here before. Seeing it now, it's difficult to call it a 'hospital'. It's humble enough to be a clinic.
We enter and check in with the receptionist. Apparently, there's only a single doctor working here. I'm not surprised, given how there are only twenty of us total. We're very lucky to have him--or her, for that matter. Aurelia helps me to my seat until the doctor is available.
"I'll check back with you later. No more work, Ori. Seriously. Got it?"
"Yes. I will take it easy. Thank you, Aurelia."
She gives me a grin before leaving me in the waiting area. Since this is my first time here, naturally I'm curious about the place. I look around for anything interesting, but the room is quite plain. The white walls and lack of decoration give the place an eerie atmosphere. My eyes explore the area until they land on a person.
Across from me is a young boy.
Was he sitting there this entire time? How did I not notice him until now? I glance over at him, which he catches. I give him a smile and a wave which is met with a blank expression followed by him looking at his feet. What a strange reaction...
He's certainly piqued my interest.
I rise onto my feet and limp my way over, taking a seat beside him. He keeps his gaze focused downward, refusing to acknowledge me. I clear my throat audibly which also goes ignored. Something is off about this child.
"Hello there. I'm Orina, what's your name?"
"..."
"I'm here because I twisted my ankle. It hurts when I walk, so I won't be able to do any heavy lifting for a while."
"..."
"Are you here for something specific? I haven't seen you around before. I thought I'd already met everyone."
He remains silent. I furrow my brows as I grow frustrated. He doesn't seem to want to talk, let alone look at me. It's quite rude!
"Young man, the least you can do is look at someone when they're speaking to you."
At last he looks up. Our eyes meet and I get a better look at his face. His eyes are red and puffy as if he's cried recently. A runny nose and dark circles under his eyes tell me that he isn't sleeping well. I lean a little closer to get a better look at his eyes. I expect him to recoil as most people do, but he doesn't. Instead, he continues to give me his blank stare, expressionless and disconnected. He's difficult to read.
How very unusual...
All I can say for sure is that he's suffered, though anyone could have guessed that by just looking at him. Considering he's also here to see the doctor I can only assume he's not healthy either. I look him up and down for any physical injuries and find none as far as I can tell.
"I'm sorry." He says under his breath.
"Sorry? For what?"
"Being rude. I didn't mean it."
"Oh, that's alright. I'm sorry that I snapped at you."
"My name is Louis."
So, he does talk. That's good. Maybe he'll even be willing to tell me about himself? I push my luck and decide to ask him some questions. I do my best to seem unthreatening.
"It's nice to meet you, Louis. Would you mind telling me your age?"
"Six. And a half."
"That's awfully young! You might just be the youngest person in Magna Gratia." I coo. "Where are your parents? Don't tell me they sent you to the doctor alone."
He looks down once more, his expression unchanging. I'm sensing that I should not have asked that. I resist the urge to change the topic, allowing him a chance to speak first, if willing.
"They're gone." He finally answers.
"Gone?" I ask, already guessing what his next answer will be. "As in..."
"Mhm."
"What about your other family? Any siblings or-"
"Nobody."
I gasp, putting a hand over my mouth. How terrible. To be this young, left all alone in the world. I feel my eyes getting teary suddenly. The pain from my ankle must have made me more emotional today. I feel a lump in my throat as I speculate about his past.
Whatever his story is, it's clearly not a happy one. Despite that he's not breaking down or anything. His tears must have already dried up.
"I'm so sorry." I tell him, knowing full well how little my words will mean to him.
I don't know what else to say. What does one say to someone like him? Words of encouragement?While I'm mulling over what to say next, Nick comes walking through the corridor. He sees me and comes over to greet us.
"Hello Nick. What brings you here today?"
"Nothing serious, just wanted to get something for motion sickness." He presents a small bottle of tablets. "Long story, don't worry about it. Ah, I see you've met Louis!"
Nick puts his hand on Louis's head and ruffles his hair.
"Hi, Mr. Nick."
"Come on, man, drop the 'mister' already. I'm not that old." He laughs. "Has the doctor seen you yet?"
"Not yet."
"I-If I may," I interrupt them. "What exactly is he here for?"
Nick's expression turns troubled. He steps over to me and leans in close to whisper in my ear.
"He's got some sort of condition. He gets sick if he exerts himself. You know how Sam and Aurelia got used in medical trials? He was the same. Probably picked specifically because of his condition. He's been through hell..."
"Dreadful. It's simply dreadful." I whisper back.
"The doc says the condition itself is nothing serious, so long as he's careful. Considering he's been constantly running and hiding for days, I'm not surprised by his terrible shape."
"Are you the one looking after him?" I whisper back.
"Not exactly. I set him up with a place to stay and I check on him once a day, but that's about it. He's usually either here or at home resting. Any 'work', even the smallest things, are out of the question."
"I don't understand. How did a child end up alone here? Were his guardians left behind at the pet shop?"
"That's what I was wondering. I found him sneaking around my place when the second group arrived. Figured he was with someone, so I didn't think twice about it. Once I interviewed everyone, I learned that no one had a clue about him."
"Did you learn anything once you approached him?"
"Very little. He mentioned that he lost his parents a few months before Jeannine saved him. Other than that, he's a mystery. He's trying to put on a brave face for some reason. My guess is that he thinks he shouldn't cry. I used to think that when I was little too."
I glance over at the boy. He's staring at his feet again, unconcerned with us. Nick steps back over to him and puts a hand on his shoulder.
"It's gonna be okay, buddy. Listen to the doctor and come find me if you need anything at all."
The boy nods silently without raising his head.
"Wishing you both a swift recovery! Go easy on that leg, Ori."
"I will. Thank you, Nick."
Nick exits the building, leaving the two of us alone again. Again, I find myself at a loss for words. I want to say something and yet nothing feels appropriate. Thankfully, Louis saves me the trouble.
"I'm sorry." Louis whispers. "For being a problem."
I'm thrust into a difficult position. What should I do here? I'm certain Nick would want me to comfort him. What he did was reckless, but he was alone and afraid. He needs to be consoled, not chastised.
"What? N-No, of course not! You are not a problem. You made a mistake, but everyone makes those from time to time. No one is upset with you."
"Really?"
"Yes." I nod. "And hopefully the doctor will get you what you need and you'll be good as new very soon."
"Maybe..."
Suddenly Louis's nose start bleeding. He notices and wipes it off on his sleeve only for more to drip out. He's casual about it, as though it's something that happens every day. I reach for the nearest box of tissues and kneel in front of him, trying to wipe up the blood. I tilt his head back to help stop the flow.
"You're a tough one. The strength it takes to deal with all of this without complaining is very admirable."
"Fank you, Miff Owi." He tries to speak as I hold his nose. It's very cute.
"Don't mention it. I'm happy to help."
Once the flow stops, I wipe off the remaining blood from his upper lip. He stares at me apologetically. I can tell that he's about to say 'sorry' again, the poor thing. On impulse, I pull him into my chest for a hug, effectively shutting him up before he can say anything. I embrace him tightly, and feel my eyes becoming teary. I hold them back as best I can.
To my surprise, I feel Louis's little arms wrap around me, hugging me back. His embrace is shockingly weak, even for someone his age. It must be due to his condition. I'm hardly unwell, and yet he's trying to console me.
It's too much!
My tears being to flow and I sob for him. It can't be helped. Thankfully, it doesn't last long. After letting it all out, I let him go and wipe my eyes, sniffling. I return to my kneeling position in front of him with my hands in my lap.
"I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry you had to see that."
"It's okay. Sometimes I cry too."
"Everyone does. It's the best way to get those bad feelings out. There's no shame in that."
"Mhm."
I take his hand in mine and stroke it with my other. I give him a smile and gaze into his eyes again. There's something there that I couldn't see earlier. It's very familiar. It's the same thing that I see when I look in a mirror. A shyness and something more.
"Tell me, Louis, are you lonely?"
His expression turns sad. I can see his bottom lip twitching, telling me my intuitions were right on the mark. He can't seem to get the words out, so he simply nods his head. I give him the biggest smile I can muster.
"You're in luck! There's no better place to make friends. Everyone in town is exceedingly friendly. Have you gotten to know anyone yet?"
"Not really."
"Hmm. Is it because you're shy?"
"Mhm."
"I see, I see. Well, here you are talking to me. You don't seem all that shy."
"Maybe."
"I bet you'll make tons of friends if you try." I give his hand a light squeeze. "You weren't even trying and now you've got one."
His eyes light up as he gazes at me. It's a completely different look than before; One that's almost cheerful. It warms my heart, even if just for a moment.
"Really?"
"Mhm." I nod, mimicking the way he does it. "I'll be here if you ever need me."
Without warning Louis leans forward and kisses my cheek. I put a hand to the spot where he kissed, the feeling still lingering there. I'm sure the look on my face must be utter shock. More importantly, I feel an unfamiliar kind of joy.
"What was that for?" I laugh.
My tease causes his face to become very red. He covers it with his hands in a childish attempt to hide.
"Don't look so embarrassed, I'm not upset." I say, taking his hands into mine. "Just surprised."
A ding is heard from the receptionist's desk. I nearly forgot that she was here. It's fortunate we were out of earshot all the way across the room. She motions for Louis to come over.
"The doctor will see you now. Are you ready, Louis?"
He nods twice and gets up. Just as he's walking away, he turns around and hands me a small item. Before I can say anything, he heads over to the receptionist who leads him into the doctor's office.I'm left there, still kneeling on the floor, staring at the trinket in my hand.
"It's a locket..."
I pinch the item between my fingers and press on the side to pop it open. Inside I see a picture of what looks to be him with his parents. They all look very happy. It might just be me, but he doesn't look too much younger in this photograph. I wonder how long ago this was taken…
"Why did he give it to me?"
I'm left with many questions and no answers. I'll have to ask him again once he's done. With some struggle, I stand back up and return to my seat. All this kneeling has not been good for my ankle. I give it a rub to ease the pain.
I feel like I shouldn't complain. My ankle pain is but a fraction of what he's experienced in his six years of life. It certainly puts things in perspective. If only there was a magical switch I could flip to make his pain go away.
"What wishful thinking..."
Comments
Jake Barry
It’s coming. I’m still setting up for it later on.
Acrophite
Oh, Ori is such an intriguing character, as is Louis! I can't wait to see both expanded upon. I'm very eager to have Ori get a mental dissection later on, hopefully giving us insight into her insecurities and her trauma. Will be a tough read, but it just makes me fall in love with these characters more. - Acrophite
G
Oh wait just reread it never mind Louis is going to be sorta okay I think I don’t know but nick and ori need to this boys mother and father figure for all times dang it and Jeannine needs be his big sister literally but still great chapter
