She shoved past the masked men like a bulldozer. All she could think about was getting home to her mother. They tried to grab her, but Silla jabbed her elbows into their rib cages. She felt bad leaving Zelan behind but they were only taking women so she knew he would be fine. Clovis, however, would have to fend for herself. Outside in the streets people were screaming and being chased by more masked men. Some were even being executed. Blood stained the sidewalks. It looked like a massacre had taken place. They were everywhere, and gunfire filled the entire lower ring.
Silla rushed home to see the door wide open and felt her heart drop; it seemed like she was too late. Walking inside she saw that all of their furniture was turned over or trashed. All the pictures that they had hanging on the walls were now smashed. She saw suitcases by the front door packed and ready to go but it seemed like no one was here.
Until she heard a loud almost guttural scream. Racing towards the noise she saw Selena her mother laying on the floor in a puddle of thick red liquid. The blood was gushing out of her neck and flooded around her. Her eyes were wide open and her hair had become red of her blood. Her blood shot eyes stared straight at Silla while her face held a look of pain and horror.
Above her body was Silla's father holding a large butchers knife.
Surprised he looked at the small girl when she had caught him red handed. Like the coward he was he rushed out the window and into the night.
Going to her mother, Silla whispered her name and grabbed her hand as she knelt next to her. "Mom... C-Come on Mom wake up... M-Mom..." She whimpered tears starting to slowly pour out her eyes. Her blood was now on the girl's clothes, and her hands were painted with blood as she tried to shake her awake.
Eventually realizing that her mother wasn't going to wake up again she laid there on her knees in shock; covered in her mother's blood she let out a scream. Not a scream of fear, but a scream of pain and sadness. Screaming, for everything that had happened, for everything she couldn't have, didn't deserve, didn't do and couldn't have done.
She was now completely alone in the world.
Without another thought she took all her belongings from the house and left.
Silla still remembers it so good. Her lifeless eyes, her cold body, and how her blood dried on her skin. Soon the days turned into weeks and over the constantly passing days she had thought of death; to just end the pain and loneliness. The nightmares she had at night were almost unbearable. The violent beatings from her father- the agony and mental tortures blending together in her dreams to create a dark monster.
Her stepmother; the one thing she fought for tooth and nail until the end. How Silla had failed her and the gruesome details of her death replaying in her mind.
Days later silla walked along an old path, she needed to go to the market place to get food. It was late into the night and if she didn't head home soon she would be in danger. Not that she really cared. The mafia tended to do its dirty work at night, and she probably shouldn't get caught up in that.
She never got closure but now without all her pain and sadness she felt empty. She had cried all the tears she had left and now was left with the after affects of exhaustion.
Quickly she paced down the sidewalk towards her new apartment as rain started to pour more violently. Her hair started to stick to skin as she was drenched.
When Silla almost reached her apartment, she heard a groan. Huh?
It sounded again. This time she got a clear hint as to where it was coming from. Slowly she crept into the alleyway. What was she doing?
But then, she saw a little boy around seven years old sitting on the ground, his back against a wall. He had snow blonde hair and unearthly solid black eyes that were darker than the night sky. He looked hurt. She slowly approached him, and his eyes snapped to hers in worry. She noticed his hands on his stomach and blood seeping through his fingers and the pouring rain certainly wasn't helping.
"What are you doing here all alone?" She questioned him with a gentle expression. She was very worried about him; marks and bruises were visible on his skin. He was dirty, and his white hair almost looked brown.
"What about your parents?" She pushed.
"I don't have any...." He managed to murmur out as he seemed to look at her with suspicion and distrust. His face held a familiar expression that she recognized and once had herself. He was an orphan; living on the streets. Without a home. Few orphans could survive on their own. Seeing as hundreds of years ago all orphanages were shut down as they had no government to fund them.
If she left him here, he would surely die...
"My name is Silla. What's yours?" She asked him gently.
"None of your business," he spat. It seemed like he was super defensive not that she blamed him. Deep down he was afraid.
"You hungry?" She asked with a smirk, and he quickly shook his head but his stomach seemed to disagree with him. A loud grumble was heard in the alley. If she couldn't move him with words, she certainly could with food.
He was probably starving and definitely needed a bath. She waved him over into her arms and he hesitantly got up and followed her. Knowing he had no choice if he stayed he would starve and die but if he went with the stranger at least he had a chance.
Inside her warm apartment she quickly got some leftovers together and gave it to the small boy and he quickly gobbled it up.
"It's been awhile since I've eaten something editable... T-Thank... You." He mumbled out the last part.
When she ran water for his bath, she made sure to add plenty of bubbles. He seemed hesitant to strip and an embarrassed blush rose up his face, but for his sake she did her best to hold in her laugh. He sank in and she wasted no time in running soap through his locks and making sure to get deep into his scalp. "You never told me your name." Sills stated trying to figure out what to call him.
"Cain." He whispered just about to sink into the bubbles.
"Huh?" She voiced not hearing him.
"My name is Cain." He spoke more firmly this time.
"Well, then Cain... Would you like to stay with me?" She kindly asked him, and he just nodded with the sweetest smile imaginable.
Black eyes looked up to hers. "You promise I can stay?" His large eyes shown with hope, puffing his round cheeks. Silla laughed lightly, he was so cute as she watched him poke the bubbles popping them.
...
The next morning Silla had just awoken the sunlight flooded through her curtains. Since it was so early she began planning and listing things she would need for the child that currently occupied her living room.
"Hey breakfast is ready!" She shouted with two plates in her hands as she made her way to the couch where he sat.
"Oh wow! Thank's m-" Cain suddenly stopped his sentence and then released her hand with worry on his face as he looked at Silla surprised and afraid. He quickly shielded his face like he was expecting to be hit.
"I'm sorry! I won't call you that again! It's my mistake..."
"Cain, you can call me whatever you want." She coaxed the small child before holding him in a hug. She knew how hard it was not to have loving parents after all the hardship she experienced she didn't want this child to suffer the same. Maybe she was too kind and maybe one day it would backfire but right now she knew she was doing the right thing anymore.
Children are so innocent and this somewhat made her jealous but then she was reminded of the twisted dystopian society they lived in. These days there aren't many children around. It's rare they make it to adulthood.
A knock was heard on the door, and she was confused. None of her friends told her they were coming over... Did Katya forget his keys?
It was odd as neither Katya or Clovis rarely forgot their things. Nervously she decided to check through the peephole to see who it was though as soon as she did the glass in her hands dropped from her palm shattering on the floor upon impact. Pure terror flooded across her system.
On the other side of the door a man with icy gray hair and vivid blue eyes looked through.
"Hello Silla." His chilling voice spoke.
Again his fists banged on the door.
It was indeed her fathers voice.
But why was he here?
"Silla? Please open the door. I know you're home." He said from the other side of the door.
"I can wait until you open the door."
The only reason he would be here was if he wanted something. She gritted her teeth and yelled, "Leave! I don't want to talk to you!" Her eyes shown with pure rage once they pushed past the fear she felt. He was stunned his daughter had never yelled at him like this. He assumed she would just outright forgive him just like her mother Selena did.
"I know sweet heart. I noticed that you blocked me on your VR. My transmissions don't go through." He disgustingly apologized. He sounded genuine but that was probably far from the truth. From under the door a white thin package slid underneath.
"Silla, I'm very sorry. What I did was wrong." He sweated nervously.
Picking up the envelope she cautiously opened it to reveal a bright purple crite card. It was lower ring currency and a lot of it. "In the package, you can find the money I took from your. Please understand I never intended to keep it. I just wanted to ensure you'd make the correct choices for your future, honey. I know my method was wrong. But please understand, everything I did; I did it all out of...
Love."
She froze on the spot. Shills going down my spine. Her eyes widening on the last word.
For her love was a word painted in blood, tears, and pain.
"Y-You... Terrorized me and took everything I've ever cared for away. You killed my mother and yet there you stand telling me it was all done out of love?" Her voice started to shake and towards the end she started to shout.
He stood shocked and then sighed tiredly massaging his forehead. "Look sweetie. I know you're upset. You have every right to be. Can you just open your door, and we'll talk about it?"
He does this.
She clenched her fists.
He always does this.
Her mind suddenly flashed to past memories of her childhood.
In her childhood house she watched him violently grip Selena's arm and pick fights with her mother out just because he could. His yelling and her screams reverberating throughout the walls. She watched him storm out. Vanish from home for days. Each time breaking the door off its hinges as he slammed it. She would hear Selena; her mother in hours she thought Silla was asleep...
Sobbing until daylight.
Laid out on the cold tile floor of the bathroom her head buried in her knees.
...Then he'd finally return. With his expensive gifts and sincere heartfelt apologies.
Beautiful bouquets of flowers.
She forgave him. Every single time.
He did that on repeat for years until Silla asked the question that always bugged her.
"Mom... Why do you forgive him?" A smaller much younger version of herself would ask.
Selena turned around unique bouquet of flowers in her hands. Red lips whispering one unsettling word.
"Love."
At that moment, Silla thought love has got to be the most terrible emotion there is.
If that was love... She didn't want it.
Her fathers tone cracked as he began tearing up, "Silla! Please forgive me! Everything I did, I did out of love for you!" She couldn't handle it anymore, and she harshly covered her ears so she could only hear his muffled voice. She just wanted him to stop.
"I'M YOUR FATHER! JUST OPEN THE DOOR! LET ME IN, SILLA! I JUST WANNA TALK!" He screamed even louder scaring her.
He was doing to her what he did to her mother for the past nineteen years.
He hurt her and then apologized.
And he does not stop until he gets his way.
After a brief pause of silence, he spoke again but this time in a much calmer voice. "Well, if you never want to see me again... I'll respect your wishes..."
"But if you want to sever ties then hand the boy over."
"W-What? H-How D-"
"I-I don't have him."
"Oh, Sweetie. How do you think I first found you? The slave boy has a tracking chip."
"What? You- Bought a slave? Why?"
"To lure you of course. I just knew you wouldn't be able to resist helping an innocent child."
"It doesn't matter. He's mine."
"Tsk... Tsk... Have you learned nothing? My name is still on the record as the official owner for the boy. You have technically kidnapped a slave by taking him without my consent. I can take you to the lower city court. Would you like to know the penalty for taking personal property?"
"Well, sweetheart. Open this door and hand the boy over... Or I can have you arrested for theft and confinement of property."
"What the hell is wrong with you? You never even took care of him! Why do you even want him?! He's just a child!"
"Maybe I'll let him play in traffic. Who knows? Point is, he's none of your concern, sweetie. You want me gone? Give me the boy."
"... Or, you can open this door and we can discuss like adults. Can you do that Silla?"
That's it then.
Cain is all her dad had over her now.
If so just hand him over...
It would be so easy...
He was a stranger anyway...
Why should she care...
Then she will be liberated from her fathers grip forever.
He always told Silla to stop living in the clouds. She'll have to take that advice and face her reality now. Cain looked up at her blank remorseless face with fear. He dug his heels into the floor when she grabbed him by the arm and started to drag him to the door.
And...
Without another thought she pulled out her VR and pressed it. A thin blue hologram popped up showing a video. Once the volume was turned up to full capacity, the sound of the voices became clearer.
Along with the words from their previous conversation. His words played, "Maybe I'll just let him play in the traffic? Who knows?" The recording played on repeat.
She hit it again.
"Maybe I'll just let him play in traffic-"
It rewinded again.
Maybe I'll just let him play in-"
She pressed the button.
"Maybe I'll just let him play-"
The screen cracked with how hard her hand clutched it.
"Maybe I'll just let him-
"Play-
"In-
"Traffic-"
"Who knows right?" She mimicked the last part as her father froze outside the door.
"Do you recognize your voice?" She held a feral grin.
"I recorded our previous conversation. Normally endangerment of a slave isn't a big deal but endangerment of a child whether or not they are a slave is a punishable crime... It's even a capital offense in the Upper ring... Who would've thought?" She laughed.
"You want to take me to lower ring court over his custody? I'd gladly comply. In these circumstances a slave goes to next of kin. Which guess who that is? Me."
"Let's see what the officials think of this recording."
This was it.
There was no going back after making these threats in retaliation.
Behind her Cain gently clung to her sweater and peeped out once there was no reply.
It was quiet.
Until loud malicious hysterical laughter filled the air. The kind of noise you would only expect out of a mad person.
Then loud banging began. Harder than ever before. The door knob rattled as he tried to open it from the outside. "I JUST WANT TO TALK! OPEN THE DOOR! OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR, SILLA!" At this rate he was gonna break the door down.
"You ungrateful, selfish fucking child. Is this how you repay me for raising you?"
Hopefully, the chair she wedged under the door knob and the floor could prevent the door from breaking and swinging open.
Because... If not... He would certainly... Kill her...
To Be Continued...