All Is Found

Chapter 6: Changes

WARNING: Some gore and abuse in this chapter. Proceed with caution
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    That had to be the best shower of my life. I could rarely take them as hot water was often around at the orphanage and everyone was quick with cold water. It seriously took five minutes to get one in cold water done, that's how much we all hated them. I had towel dried my hair after squeezing the remaining water before slipping on some old clothes Delbert had and let me borrow. An white long sleeved shirt and red pajama pants. After slipping on my glasses I looked at my reflection. The silver and gold stud earrings seemed dull in the bathroom's light. Fawn pierced my ears when I was six and I was lucky to have no infections while others weren't.

I gripped my long hair as a memory resurfaced. One I would rather forget but couldn't and never will. I was five or six years old when it happened. I don't remember exactly what I was cooking but I put it in the oven. I left it in for too long and it was burnt to a crisp. The punishment I got for that is the worst one I've received in my life. Mistress had grabbed my wrist and dragged me into a room. She tied my wrists to a metal pole before leaving for a moment. She came back with a whip and lashed out on my back. The back of my shirt was torn to bits and I was in horrible pain. I screamed and cried throughout it all, apologizing for what I did. She went at my back for some time before leaving, intentionally leaving the door wide open. Vincent and Maven had found me soon after, weak from it all.

   Maven worked on untying my wrist while Vincent went and got his sister and some of the other older kids. The older kids brought long piece of wood to carry me to the Medical Room. It was small and only held a few boxes and a cooler full of medicine and bandages. I managed to lift my head to look at the mirror on the roof and the quick glance was forever engraved in my memory. My back was a mural of red. Blood dripped from the wounds onto the wood piece. I thought I saw some muscles but I can't be sure. I do know that I saw bits of my shirt stuck onto them. I remember groaning in pain from receiving treatment and the bits of cloth being pulled free from the marks. Just as they started wrapping bandages on them, I fell asleep.

     I didn't get infections but my back ached horribly for a while. The wounds have faded but scars remain. I turned around so my back would face the mirror and looked over my shoulder at it. I lifted the shirt a little and saw part of the scars that haunt me. I still wonder a lot about that day. Why was the punishment so severe for something so minor? Could I've died if she didn't stop when she did? Why is there a mirror on the roof of the Medical Room? I pulled my shirt down to hide the scars. I won't think about those days any longer. I'm in a new world now, and she can't get me here.

I left the bathroom and started opening drawers in my room. It had a desk, a bed with a nightstand next to it and a bench next to the large window. It was in a desk drawer I found what I was looking for— a pair of scissors. I went back to the bathroom and grabbed a chunk of my hair. I brought the scissors to the chunk of hair and cut. I continued cutting my hair until it was shoulder length. Some strands were longer than others but I didn't care. I threw the chunks and whatever strands that strayed into the trash. I turned off the light in the bathroom, leaving the scissors on the sink before climbing into bed.

I took off my glasses and put them on the nightstand and tried to sleep. I couldn't because Bones's warning for me echoed in my head. It seemed like he remembered me before but I know I've only seen him on a screen. Question after question rose in my head and I couldn't sleep. I took the duvet and walked over to the window seat, being careful not to trip over anything in the dark with my blurred vision. The window bench had cushions and throw pillows on it which I am thankful for. I laid down on it and looked at the stars as best as I could.

    Sleep thankfully came soon after that.