The Heartstone Journey

Book 3 | Ch. 8 - Acceptance

"Do you pinky swear!"

The little boy shouted with a face full of trust and liveliness.

It was sickening to see myself in that state not because the clone was a kid but those who had done that to me to put me in that condition. I could never forgive them now if I met them but right now this boy standing before me.. is so pure. If I'm forced to kill this child just to free myself from this place then it's not possible for me. I couldn't turn away from this boy wearing my features.

"Yes.. I do little one. I pinky promise with my name on the line."

The child smiled showing his pearly white teeth despite looking so ragged and beaten as he raised his little hand up to my stomach area with his pinky extended. I lowered myself to his level clenching my fist into a ball now extending my pinky accepting his request. We shook our hands as the younger version began to sing a song I don't remember ever singing. He began to march along with his tune still keeping his pinky wrapped around mine.

"𝅘𝅥𝅮 Hurry hurry~, scurry for bread. The boys in grey will whisk me away~. Don't be caught or the boys in grey now enraged will wish me away! 𝅘𝅥𝅮"

"𝅘𝅥𝅮 Hurry hurry~, scurry for bread. The men in grey will whisk me away~. Don't be caught or the men in grey will be mad and wish me away! 𝅘𝅥𝅮"

The little boy repeated sounding more afraid than cheerful the longer the song went on.

This time his tone changed now changing the lines of the song to be far more depressing.

"𝅘𝅥𝅮 Hurry hurry! No time to stop! One wrong step and it's bye bye~! Turn around and there they are ready to play with me like a broken toy. 𝅘𝅥𝅮"

"𝅘𝅥𝅮 Piece by piece, sound by sound, crack by crack, they played and played some more! When will they stop? ... They never did until I snapped~. 𝅘𝅥𝅮"

It was heart wrenching to watch this any longer. The boys face was now no longer playful and oozing joyful expressions. It was now filled with constant fear of something-.. no. It was more like the boy was fearful of more than just one thing.

I embraced the little me vowing that things will be better from then on. I reassured him that his struggles wouldn't be for naught.

"You must keep fighting~.. You're strong, you really are. I know things are tough and dark for you now.. but keep on going because.. that light you desperately crave for will show itself soon. Please don't give in."

"The bread you will eat won't be crumbs from the concrete floor but from a steaming oven freshly made just for you. The clothes you wear now will only be a bad nightmare you will forget about. Finally those bad bad monsters you fear of will only be an illusion that you will overcome. 𝒮𝑜 𝓈𝓂𝒾𝓁𝑒 𝓀𝒾𝒹𝒹𝑜~."

The mini version of Royal finally let out tears before wailing out loudly. Royal accepted his sadness and pain he felt holding him close to his heart. The boy wrapped his little arms around his waist as much as he could giving one final smile before slowly fading away into sparkles with a purpose on his face.

"Thank you mister... for being there when no one would."

Royal watched the sparkles fade away into him before letting the flood gates free pouring from his eyes. He tried his best to hold his mouth shut but broke down with saliva now fleeing from his mouth. He wept and woe just as much as the child had and then some. Finally he felt a single presence just in front of him. A baby lying right in from of him wrapped in cloth. The adolescent had purple hair with well defined eyes. It was a tell tale sign it was none other than Royal.

"*Sniff*.. Thank you for giving me a new life to live for Hunter~."

Royal sobbed his heart away wiping the tears going on his knees before bowing his head down in front of the baby lying asleep peacefully and innocently. He gently held the baby with both his palms bringing the child close to him, embracing him with the care and love he should've gotten long ago. He shut his eyes allowing a moment of silence to unfold before realizing the child had already vanished into the abyss.