"No" a voice echoed around the forest. Amelia felt as though her body had become paralysed, all previous thoughts vanished as if they never existed. Curiosity filled her, compelling the brown haired female to turn around. Amelia spun around as an involuntary gasp escaped her mouth. Her forehead creased, while raising her eyebrows. A look of shock and horror masked her face as she stared down at the child standing by the large oak tree. The child was dressed in ripped clothing, bruises were freshly painted on his body.
An overwhelming emotion stirred inside Amelia, water leaked from her eyes, not wanting to believe what was in front of her. She threw her body to the ground slamming her knees to the ground. She slowly raised her hands to the child's bruised face, stopping when the child flinched. "It's okay" she whispered, gently touching the child's bruised cheek. Providing him with a warmth that he never experienced before.
"What happened?" Her voice croaked. Seconds went by and no response was given. Her eyes scanned the forest to check if anyone was around. Only the sound of the leaves moving with the wind could be heard. Amelia turned her head back towards the child as her anxiety spiked up, alarming her to leave as quick as she could. But she knew she couldn't just leave a child in the middle of nowhere.
"Do you want to come with me? I'll take you somewhere safe" she spoke softly but behind her calm quiet voice was a scared nervous wreck . Amelia knew that she had to keep her emotions in check, it was no time for her thoughts to be clouded.
His hollow eyes met hers, giving a small nod. But unknown to him, whether he agreed or not, she would have carried him away.
"Would you like me to carry you?" Amelia's hands were raised so that child could be lifted up in her arms. Still not opening his lips, the child moved closer, allowing her to lift him up. Amelia's arms wrapped around the petite figure, feeling nothing but bones. The child clearly looked no older than three.
But the curiosity of why the child was in the forest in the first place did not leave Amelia's mind.
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With the child wrapped in her arms, Amelia walked the last few steps back to the entrance of her home. The adrenaline was still pumping throughout her body, to which she could hear her heart beating through her ears. The child's head was rested on her chest, held down by her hand.
Her hand slammed down on the door multiple time.
"Open the door!" Amelia shouted. Behind the door a nagging voice made its entrance "Stop shouting, it too early for this." The sound of her brother came closer, finally turning the lock. "Just open it" Amelia's voice held fear. The door opened to a brown-haired boy rubbing his closed eyes. Amelia stormed past him, pushing him to the side and causing him open his eyes as he was losing balance. Once he had his eyes open, it immediately fixated on his younger sister. "Why do you have a kid in your arms?" He questions in an alarmed manner.
"Mum, dad come to the living room!" Her loud voiced filled each corner of the house.
"What the hell is going on?" Her brother exclaims, following her to the living area, eyeing the back of his sister's head. "What is with all the shout--" The voice of her mother enters the room with her father in tow. She was unable to finish her sentence as her eyes widen at the figure that was trying to burrow into the arms of her daughter.
Silence filled the room, no one was able to stutter out a words with the image in front of them. Amelia's eyes made instant contact with her mothers before she was barely able to stutter a full sentence. "I-I found him in t-the forest, I-I didn't know w-what to do. I c-couldn't just leave him" her body shook as she tried to compose herself.
"It's okay sweetheart, you did an amazing job" A mother always knows what to do. Amelia's mother quickly moved towards her placing her hand on Amelia's shoulder, providing comfort and guidance to the couch.
Katherine crouched down next to the pair sitting on the couch and showed her motherly, angelic smile. "Hi Sweetheart, would you like to come to me?" she asked carefully to not scare him, but it backfires as he clings harder onto Amelia, burying his face between her shoulders. Discouraged, Amelia's mother raises her hands to the child's face, moving his hair away from his face with her fingers. A sudden gasp catches the attention of everyone in the room, as Katherine retracts her hands back in a flash and covering her hand with her sleeve, as though something had burned her.
"What's wrong?" Amelia asked in concern.
"Nothing, don't worry hunny" her mother said, looking towards her husband with a secret signal she's used the last 17 years.
"Okay, let's just leave him with Amelia for now, Katherine lets go and talk in the study and Damien get the child some food" Amelia's father Dominic said.
A few minutes later Damien comes walking back into the room with a plate which had a single bread with chocolate spread. He handed the plate to Amelia and retreating back to his position at the other side of the room. Amelia looked down at the plate before looking at her brother.
"Really, only this?" she knew that her brother barely had a brain but he could have at least gave another piece of bread. Amelia shows the child the plate, holding it for him too see. A small hand appeared between their bodies grabbing the food, which was devoured in a matter of seconds. Amelia looked down at the boy, her dark brown eyes set on green eyes with a tint of ocean blue. Surprise overfilled Amelia as a twinkle of hope had replaced the hollow eyes she had seen in the forest.
"What is your name?" she asked.
"Daniel" his voice was merely a whisper.
"Hello Daniel, I'm Amelia" She said with a smile.