Chapter 3
I dropped my utensils on the potatoes, the carrots and the half-eaten steak. It made a sound, that attracted attention around the tables. Heads turned and whispers were exchanged, the cafeteria hall then grew silent. I glanced at everyone including Jake and Jenna, that both sat next to me. I pulled my dirty blonde hair back and rubbed my eye, holding back a tear beneath it. It was nine-seventeen, just about forty more minutes until curfew. I stood up from the bench, then grabbed my skirt up, to level my waist. I went over the red plank, then primly exited the hall.
I walked pass a couple of sisters, that opened the door for me. They knew that I wasn't in the best mood; I just needed time for myself. The orphanage looked empty, there was no colour that represented happiness. Everyone was inside the cafeteria hall, no soul was found outside.
The tall stained windows that lined up on the walls, blasted the blurry moonlight shining between the hallow trees out on the grass. My feet was stepping into cold light, then returning to darkness after a second. The breeze that chilled my arms flowed around the atmospere, not leaving one corner dry. It didn't seem like a place that held children, it seemed like a place that kept them.
Finally after a walk from end to end, I found my room beside me. I instantly pushed the blue door and entered inside. I saw my bed on the right side, and 'O12' on the left. I sat on my bed and stared at 'O12's' bed across me. Then I imagined him. Talking to me, comforting me, and telling me everything will be fine. Just like how he did it when we were kids. Just like how he did it when he became deaf.
We turned five on the very day. Sister Marissa took me and Ben to the public zoo, because I loved trees and Ben loved 'The King'. He liked lions, he would walk down the halls roaring and pounding his chest. He believed that one day, The Jukery would have to face him. He was a silly person.
The man who handled the animals, shared a small conversation with Ben about 'The King'. Ben was so fascinated that he followed him to 'The King's' den. The man didn't notice the tiny toddler that followed him, so he left the den after dropping the lion's food, and left little Ben. Sister Marissa and I were panicking. Ben's lost, and he was nowhere to be found.
Then we heard sirens and alarms. I could see flashing lights above the fence, and then men in white uniforms came inside the zoo. I remembered clearly, when they opened the lion's den and had Ben coming out on gurney. I let go of Sister Marissa's hand, and ran up to the men. They pushed me away from him, but I still got up and tried again. I fell a numerous times, then I got tired and stopped.
A few hours after the incident, in the orphanage, I finally had a sign of Ben. I saw through the open window, a car that stopped in front of the doors, and then I saw Ben being carried out by the sisters. He had his eyes open, he was conscious. I yelled out his name, running to the doors. I reached the point, where the sisters had their back to me. I yelled out his name again, and roared out like 'The King'. He would've responsed a roar too, but he didn't.
"Ben?" I quietly said,"Ben?" I repeated with a shiver. I thought he'd forgotten me, then I saw Sister Marissa come up to him, holding a piece of paper and a black pen. The sisters settled him down onto a seat. "Ben? Can you hear me?" Sister Marissa asked him,"What?" he asked back. "I can't hear you" he said. Sister Marissa teared up, then wrote down on the piece of paper 'It's Okay'. She showed him, and the five year old sobbed, as quietly as he can, resting his little head on Sister Marissa. I broke down in tears right in front of them.
My sight was unclear, but then I felt a soft touch on my arms. It was Ben, hugging me. "It's okay, It's okay" I heard him say. I couldn't believe the fact that my best friend, wouldn't be able to hear me again. He tried to be brave for both of us, he held back every tear that would've came out his hazel eyes. "Terra promise me, you'll still be my queen once I become king. Once The Jukery gives up. Promise me, you'll never leave me" he softened his voice, whispering it to my ear. I faced him, and held out my pinky. He looked right into me, then locked his pinky around mines. I went closer to him and said,"I promise."
I needed him again. I needed my king with me again. Then I thought 'how?', how can I see him again? Living in Caspur to a family of Jukes. How do I know he didn't change? There was only one way to know.
I had to leave.
