Because he could not pursue or even see the old woman outside of the restaurant, Liam preferred to just walk away from the restaurant, and he was buried in his thoughts about the man who fed him called Lazarus. When he realized how far he'd come, he sat on one side dark hallway near the squatter's area where Casey lives and took a big breath, remembering the times he and Casey had spent together.
He had hoped that the old woman would be able to address all of his questions and that he would be able to track down and see Casey again, but perhaps now was not the opportune opportunity. He couldn't hold back the tears as he remembered the circumstances that would plague him for the rest of his life.
Two years ago...
"Who's to say you are going to play when it's eight p.m. and bedtime!" A loud shout of an orphanage caretaker, Liam was only eight years old at the time, he grew up here when he was young, he didn't know his real parents and just assumed that they wouldn't be able to raise him, so he was left on the street, fortunately, the authorities in that area saw him and took him to an orphanage. He was only a baby at the time, and he couldn't recall even his parents' faces, which he couldn't identify or even see.
When the children heard the woman's voice, they ran to their rooms and slumped on their mattresses, although Liam sat silently on his bed, pondering how he will be able to get out of there without anyone noticing.
"You have been really mischievous, kids! You'll have to get up at six o'clock tomorrow, so go to sleep." An elderly woman yelled again, her face solemn when looked at, and the five children promptly followed and entered the same room with six beds, including Liam, who was not usually silent.
When the woman noticed Liam was still seated and looked to be thinking, she approached him and inquired about his problem. However, the boy remained silent and sat down on his bed. Liam is boisterous and naughty, which is what they recognize inside the orphanage, and it attracted her eye that he was not interacting with the kids, which astonished her.
"Liam, go over to sleep." When Liam realized that the old woman had come out, he sat down on his bed again and saw that the children in the room remained silent while attempting to sleep perhaps they were also afraid of the old woman who had become enraged before, that instead of sleeping, they considered playing.
"What am I going to do? So that they won't notice that I am leaving?" Liam remarked as if he was still questioning himself and it appeared like he was still having difficulties deciding what he was going to do.
He truly wanted to be able to leave because he knew someone was waiting for him outside, in the real world. He could not deny that he was truly delighted to stay in that area for eight years; he developed a relationship at a young age who accompanied him, and he could declare that he was not alone, but something appeared to be missing. He knew he'd be filled only when he got out of the orphanage and discovered his parents; he did not know how or where to begin, but he was convinced he'd be able to accomplish it once he got out.
"I wish I had a doppelganger, so they wouldn't have to look for me by the time I am gone." He repeated it with his eyes closed, his voice full of solemnity, and you couldn't tell if he was kidding or serious with every word he spoke as long as the only thing that was evident at the time was his will to get out of there.
He took another deep inhale while tightening his fist, desperate to see what he wanted to see. He opened his eyes and almost shivered in terror at what he saw.
"Who are you?" He tries to speak quietly so as not to wake up the children in the room with him. The child could not really believe what he saw, he was next to a man who looked so much like him that it was nearly difficult to tell who he wasn't. He wasn't sure if the delight of having what he stated come true or the terror of how it transpired would win out.
Even in attire and behavior, they were identical, and he had no idea how that had happened. Despite his panic, he stayed seated close to his lookalike on his bed he didn't want to be disturbed since he was confident that what he desired would never happen again.
"Who are you?" When Liam's doppelganger replicated what he had said, his emotions were heightened his eyes expanded and his lips opened in surprise at the same instant, they possess the same voice, and it will be difficult to tell which is the genuine Liam, regardless of whether it can be seen.
"Liam, don't be loud. Miss Ava will surely get angry." Steven's voice, he was the same age as the child; it was one of his orphanage friends; the child's eyes were closed, so he didn't notice that two Liam's were there at the moment.
"Liam, don't be loud. Miss Ava will surely get angry." Liam almost fell out of his bed when he realized that his doppelganger was repeating what Steven said; it was the first time he realized that anybody was imitated by him; he reasoned that if he left, they would not be searching for him as intensely, so it made him smile for a while.
When it occurred to Liam that he had turned out to look like someone as a result of his demand, he understood exactly what he intended to happen, and he was confident that his doppelganger would follow his commandments as well.
"I order you to act normal, don't make it noticeable that you're a fake. Play with my friends here, replicate what they're doing as if you are a real person." He muttered something, and when he saw his doppelganger nod as if he understood what he said, he nearly smiled. He was even more delighted when he saw it reclining on his bed, imitating what the kids in the room were doing, and it also closed his eyes.
He left that room as soon as he noticed the person imitating him was closed and asleep; the door was always open for emergency time so they could get out instantly, so that night he was able to get out quickly; the only problem he had was the safety feature behind the orphanage, which he thought had passed because there was so much closed-circuit television there and he could be seen immediately. He knew it would be impossible to escape out of that area because the orphanage's caregivers were usually awake, and there were also two guards on duty, but he just brightened himself up and ignored whatever was disturbing his thoughts.
Liam is one of the orphanage's smartest and most mature children considering the speed with which his brain develops for unknown reasons, and even the caregivers are astounded by his ability and brilliance.
He did not even know how to unlock it, but he did not wait any longer to seek for the key; by this time, he was standing outside the gate, he felt practically hopeless at the moment since the barrier was too high and hard for a child like him to climb.
In his head, he was practically shrieking at himself about how he could get away. He had to close his eyes for a few seconds since he needed to think of an excuse to escape out of that fence but as he opened his eyes, he couldn't believe where he was now; he turned to face the barrier and realized he was accurate in his assumption that he'd been out for no explicable reason. His mind was racing with questions about what had happened, but he opted to reject them and focus on being content instead, that he was out of that location and his problem was already solved.
He was so pleased that his eyes practically shone from the vehicle horns and street lights that adorned the surroundings, but now that he was out, he did not think it was as magnificent as he expected. He often merely looked out the orphanage window, dreaming of stepping onto the ground like a typical child. They are not permitted to leave the premises and must spend the entire day there, so he can't help but be inquisitive about how a regular person and child live.
He has no idea where he is heading and is simply wandering about like a beggar. He had no idea where he could go because he had never made friends outside of the orphanage or even gone out before. Eventually, he came to a dark corridor in a squatter's area where the commotion of people could still be heard even late at night; there were still children playing outside their house, people singing and dancing, and shouting that if expressed in a word is chaotic though fun. He didn't know why, but he was pleased since this location is distant from his birthplace, which is peaceful and uninteresting if summoned.
He rushed inside the gate, where all the dwellings constructed of wood and perishable materials were lined up, he is overjoyed. However, he was unable to enter because someone obstructed him, they were two men, both of whom were drunk, leading Liam to walk away in fear of what the two guys may do to him.
"Just stay; I just noticed you here; who are you?" A tall, skinny man inquired, his right hand still clutching a bottle of champagne.
"Yeah, maybe you're a thief?" A short, dark-skinned man stated that he was still smoking a cigarette, which caused Liam to cough, the tall man agreed with what he said right away, so he stepped up to Liam and yanked it to the collar of his shirt.
Liam was unable to speak or even breathe because of the man's firm grasp on his collar, and he was also unable to move due to what he was doing to him. He was likewise up in the air for a few seconds as the man held his collar, regretting his escape from the orphanage in his head.
"Raul, let go of him; you have no mercy; even innocent children are harmed by you." He was starting to catch his breath due to the strangling on him and it was stopped when they were approached by a mystery woman who was the reason why the man with the liquor release him.
"Casey, are you coming home, how are you?" As if nothing had happened, the guy shifts the conversation's focus. Casey is well-known in their community as a law student, and practically everyone recognizes her. Casey approached the child, who was now holding his chest, then she took his arm and guided him through the gate to the inside; however, before leaving with the young person, he first looked at the two guys.
"If this occurs again, I am going to tell the police about it; don't test me." she claimed that he was able to highlight that phrase such that the two men could simply look at one other because they realized the lady had a stand and just had one thing to say. Casey had also imprisoned a guy who had harmed his wife and children, as a result, the two were concerned that they would be seated close to that man.
"Thank you." With a smile, Liam remarked something that made Casey smile as well.
"Call me 'ate,' which corresponds to 'big sister.'" Casey said he immediately complied, and that day he welcomed him to their home and considered him a family member. However, because he wanted to live alone and was also looking for his parents, he only sleeps in an abandoned house, and even if Vera and Yael want to take him in, they can't because no matter what they do, they can't persuade Liam.
Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that Casey and Liam have grown closer since that day, and the woman still appears hard to believe that the boy she is dealing to is only eight years old every time she speaks to him.
End...
Liam brushed away his tears, believing he'd never see the old woman again, suddenly he was abruptly handed a handkerchief and required to look at who had given it to him. He had already spent a few minutes in that area, and because there were few automobiles and people going by, he subsequently decided to leave and search for the elderly woman elsewhere.
"Are you alone? Why are you crying?" The old woman's voice tracked the intense worry as to why Liam was sobbing as she offered the child the handkerchief she was carrying to wipe away its tears.
Instead of accepting the handkerchief provided by the older woman, Liam hugged her out of excitement.
He finally discovered what he was looking for.