ricochet || an original story

stella

Monster. That was the one word that perfectly described me. I could've been two words, maybe even three if I hadn't fucked up my entire life as a child. But I did, and there was no turning back now.

I slide on my black leather gloves. I have to do this. I can't back down again. The Fravakin could be in this little boy and there is only one way to find out. I take a deep breath before stepping into the small cottage where this boy resides. "Mindricia's Orphanage" is what the flowery green and orange sign on the inside reads. It's the four in the morning and I'm praying to the gods that everyone here is fast asleep. I can't risk getting caught. I can't risk getting killed.

I step inside, moonlight streaming in through the windows and making things fairly visible. One step, two steps, three, four. Ten steps. Fifteen.

Creeeeeak.

The floor betrays me, alerting any light sleepers of my presence. I hold my breath, waiting for someone to catch me, wishing I would've cased this place prior to now. But I would've been out of place in an orphanage. I'm too old to pass for a child, but too young to adopt one.

But it doesn't matter now. No one comes and I finally allow myself to breathe again before taking another step as quietly as I can.

And that's when a door open.

I turn my head to look at whoever's there. A seven-year-old boy with curly blonde hair emerges from a bathroom dragging behind him a lavender colored blanket. He is clutching a brown bunny plush toy that's missing an eye. I take another deep breath. Alex Townsend.

Alex cocks his head to the side upon seeing me. "Ms. Thornton?" he asks in a whisper, perplexed.

I nod. "Yes, that's me. Come along, Alex. Let's get you back to bed." I whisper in return.

"Okay." He says sleepily, tiptoeing over to me. He drops his blanket and plush toy before wrapping his arms around my leg. "You're not as squishy as usual, Ms. Thornton."

I stifle a laugh. I can't feel for this boy. Either way, I give him a hug back. At least his last moments will be happy ones.

He smiles and hugs my leg tighter. "I love you, Ms. Thornton."

"I love you, too, Alex." I tell him. I pull away from the hug and grab a medium-sized, extra thin pouch full of sleeping herbs from my pocket with one hand, the other grabbing Alex's small hand. I tighten my grip on his hand before shoving the pouch against his mouth and nose.

Within seconds, Alex Townsend is out. I manage to catch him before he falls and gently set him down on the floor. He's fairly light, so this isn't too hard. I set his plush toy in his hand and watch bittersweetly as he cuddles up to it. I then take my dagger from my boot and kneel as quietly as I can, putting the dagger up to his throat. "I'm sorry, kiddo." I whisper before slicing his throat clean open. I squeeze my eyes shut and look away as soon as I'm done. I choke down a sob, horrified by my own actions. But it had to be done.

Or did it?

When I finally open my eyes, I look around the room. There's no blue and purple dragon-esque beast flying about the room. Alex could have lived.

Silent tears stream down my face as I wait for the boy to stop bleeding. I've taken an innocent life. All of these other children shouldn't have to see this.

Roughly twenty minutes pass before I'm certain he's done bleeding. I take his blanket and pull it over him. I then stand up and exit, avoiding the creaky floorboards. The sun is already rising. The village is starting to awaken. I took too long. My eyes widen in horror. My dress is soaked in blood and I'm holding a blood-stained knife. So I do the only thing I know how to do. I run into the forest.

And I don't stop running. I don't stop running until I know I'm at least a quarter mile from the village, marked by the top of the Dravenry Palace coming into view. That's when I collapse to the forest floor, my lungs begging for air, my legs doing the same for rest. I look around, hoping, praying I'm alone. And I am. So I finally allow myself to cry. I didn't know how to feel anymore. I'd just killed another innocent child. Alex wasn't the first, Alex won't be the last. "Monster" truly is the only word that perfectly describes me.