"I told you so many times, if you didn't give me money, there'd be no dinner for you, idiot! You're useless, dammit!" Corbett shrieked furiously and beat Valeska with his brutal jab.

Valeska collapsed weakly on the floor, the blow she had received causing bleeding in her head. Her jaw was bruised, the edges of her lips torn. It was no use defending herself; Hadeon and Shivani had stolen the money before she returned home. Even if Valeska had explained, Corbett wouldn't have believed her and would have hit her again.

Hadeon and Shivani stifled amused chuckles; they always loved this dramatic sight. The bloodied Valeska, helpless. Even crying, she was unable to do so.

"Leave; I'm sick of seeing your useless face!" Corbett spat at Valeska's face. He finished his beer bottle. Throws the bottle in Valeska's head. "Leave, bitch!"

Hadeon kicked Valeska roughly in the back. "Father said to leave now! Just die! Why are you still alive, huh?!"

Valeska staggered into the back room, blood seeping from her head. As much as she wanted to cry, Valeska's tears had already dried up. She ignored Shivani, who mocked her misfortune.

In the kitchen, Valeska cleaned her wounds; she was exhausted but had to tidy everything up if she wanted to sleep comfortably. She wanted so badly to get away from this hellish Ravenscroft family, but they wouldn't let her go easily. Threatening to kill her if she ran away. Instead, she slept outside all night with the raging storm. The rain fell in torrents, flashes of lightning crawling as if desperate hands were clawing the sky.

"Ugh, that stings," Valeska grimaced, jamming her bloody head with an ice bag. Sucking in every stinging sensation of soreness in her head. She would need more painkillers.

[Brag!]

Valeska jumped in fright; she put down the blood-soaked ice bag. Realizing the back door had been partially broken. Once again the lightning boomed, the wind picked up, bringing in splashes of rainwater that slapped the floor.

What the?

Valeska approached, turned on the kitchen light, and found many tiny muddy tracks on the floor. Suddenly Valeska's lungs collapsed as if a boulder had been jammed into her chest cavity; somehow she could feel her own heartbeat. Just as the biggest rumble of lightning exploded on the rooftops, shaking every room in this house.

"Oh my," Valeska choked up when she noticed a boy cowering in fear behind the kitchen counter.

The little boy, shabbily dressed, his body shivering as if stricken by an annual fever, Valeska knew very well the little boy was starving, his rustic brown hair extending to cover his shoulders, his face bloodlessly pale, his brilliant red ruby eyes like blood intimidating, depressed, but captivating. He wasn't even wearing footwear. 

"You—?" Valeska went pale and swallowed hard, as if an enormous thorn had pierced her throat. If Hadeon, Shivani, or Corbett found this strange boy—he would suffer the same fate as Valeska.

Their abusive behavior is indiscriminate. It's serious if they find this innocent child. No, you can't—what I through.

Valeska's heart pinched with ache. The boy reminded her of Nero, her younger brother, who had died last year.

"You look just like him," Valeska muttered, for Nero's death—Valeska had always blamed herself until now.

The boy was about to scream, frightened by the sight of Valeska's bloodied face, and tried to approach him. Valeska gasped in realization, jolting knees down. Reaching out, cupping the boy's mouth—asking him to remain calm.

"Sssh, it's fine," Valeska smiled miserably, trying to convince him to keep quiet. Many times Valeska peeks over the kitchen counter, hoping that Hadeon, Shivani, or Corbett wouldn't hear this strange boy. "Please don't make a sound. They could find you. I promise, no one will hurt you as long as you keep quiet. You're safe with me."

Taking a long time to get a feel for the situation, he nodded, undecided.

"We good?" Valeska breathed a sigh of relief, nodded her head, and whispered, "Good boy. I know you must be scared to see my face bleeding like this. It's no big deal. Hold a sec, I'll get you a towel."

Moving quietly. Valeska locked the door to the kitchen and went to the laundry room. Grab a towel or some clean clothes. She couldn't bear to see the strange boy shivering in the cold. Valeska muttered. "I still remember storing some of my brother's clothes in the storeroom."

That boy is unfamiliar to Valeska; she has never seen him before in Sparks. As Valeska recalled, she knew almost all of her neighbor's boys well. Valeska returned, wrapping his body in a warm towel—gently wiping his pretty face. 

"What's your name? Where are you from? How did you get in here? Do you have a family?" asked Valeska anxiously. "If you have a family, I can take you home, kiddo."

The boy didn't speak; he had an unusual eye color—red as if bloody Ruby. But now his irises turned dark. His eyes were misty, only nodding and shaking his head; at least he could fathom what Valeska said. As of his reluctance to speak, Valeska thought that this boy was mute.

Valeska examined him with genuine sympathy. She was more pitiful to see the boy's miserable condition. "Are you mute? Can't speak?"

The little boy flinched in confusion, then bowing down to hug his bruised knees.

"So you're an orphan like me, with no family that wants or accepts us?" Valeska guessed emphatically, her voice shaking as if cracked glass. There was raw sorrow in her tone.

He nodded.

Valeska admits in her mind, What a surprise! He is so cute. Maybe he comes from a rich family? How could you remind me to Nero? 

She always misses Nero. Unknowingly, Valeska's hand gently and warmly strokes this boy's head. 

Mystified in silence. The kid actually seems to adore Valeska's genuine touch.

He looked up, observing Valeska intensely. His clear ruby eyes seemed to speak, inquiring about her miserable battered face.

"Don't look at me like that; I'm fine." As if Valeska could read his mind, then she forced a smile. The blood in her head stopped flowing. Valeska sighed heavily. "Sorry. You should hear and see them treat me harshly. Believe me, I go through days of hell like that every day. This is nothing; no worse than any other day."

After Nero died...

The little boy was still shivering; he blanched. He had peeked through the hole in the partition wall earlier, seeing all the abusive behavior of the Ravenscroft family towards Valeska. It made his heart ache with deep sympathy. But the strange silence was suddenly broken as his stomach made a loud noise.

Even he looks down deeply, trying to hide the blush on his cheeks. 

Instead, Valeska cackled, then ruffled his wet hair affectionately.

The boy gawked with flabbergasted—his eyes sparkled—and didn't expect the adorable, bruished lady to have a stunning laughter voice till his cold heart melted like vanilla ice cream.

"Gosh, you must be famish. Where's my manners? How could I not treat you properly?" Valeska thought for a moment, her face turning grim. Realizing the fridge was empty, even if there was food, Corbett strictly forbade her to take food if she didn't bring him money back home. "In this house, I have nothing to give you. But will you come with me to the L&C shop? I work there as a chef and waiter. The owner, Sir Isaac Walker, always lets me cook or make something for myself to eat. Yeah, since he knows how miserable my life is, let's go there. It's nearby, not far. Let's go. I'll cook a lot for you."

Valeska was even happier when she realized the rain had subsided. She picked up the umbrella as well as the late Nero's beloved coat during his lifetime. She's whole face lit up, putting the warm coat on the little boy's body. "I'm guessing you and Nero are in the right size."

He did not resist or reject Valeska's soft, warm hand. In fact, he felt that, stranded in this strange world, it was safest to stay by this lady's side.

***

"My name is Valeska Steel; well, eat up," Valeska stated with a genuine smile, serving a variety of delicious, smoke-filled, freshly cooked menus out of the grill on the table.

After changing his clothes, he viewed the menu before his eyes with his lit up face. Before eating, he sees Valeska's puffy, bruised face. His finger pointed to the empty chair before him, his eyes pleading for Valeska to join with him.

"Eating together, you mean?" asked Valeska, smiling softly against the pressure of the stabbing pain in her cheekbone that felt numb and swollen.

The boy nodded in embarrassment.

Valeska nodded, she pulled up a chair opposite him. "Alright, I'm here. But before that, we must pray. Still we must grateful for this stuff."

The boy's forehead was deeply furrowed, as if he were protesting Valeska's words.

Even if you have a bad life and an abusive family, do you still believe that? Nobody came to help you when you're going through such a sickening life.

Valeska grasped the boy's hand, which was now warm, not icy cold like before. She shut her eyes briefly and opened them again. Valeska rubbed the top of the boy's head gently, laughing broadly. "Don't be shy, finish it all you want."

The boy gasped and continued to gobble it up until his eyes sparkled with delight.

Valeska giggled, "Does that mean you like it?"

The boy nodded with a cheerful face. It pinched Valeska's heart that he seemed so much like Nero. Again, Valeska's hand gently brushed the boy's smooth cheek, leaving him stunned in silence. 

"You know what?" Something glowed in Valeska's silver eyes: "You look just like my younger brother, who passed away. His name was Neo Steel. If he were still alive, he would be about your age now. Do you mind if I call you by that name?"

He agreed, still staring at Valeska.

"Nero..." Yet it's still strange; this boy's presence is warming her heart. "Are you 10 years old?"

He nodded, doubtful, still devouring his food.

"You're from Sparks? You don't remember anything?"

Same answer; he nodded rapidly.

Valeska considered. "Did your head hit on something? Wounded? But I didn't find any fatal physical injuries on your head. Maybe an internal injury? Then we need to go to the hospital to check on your health, huh? Or we should just go to the police station in case any family members are looking for you right now?"

"NO!" He rebuked and protested in panic. Nobody could I trust in this sickening world except you. 

Valeska jolted up from her seat; her eyes widened, not expecting that he could actually speak. His voice sounded warm and authentic in Valeska's ears. "Oh my, now you talk?!"

"I don't want anything or anyone," he replied firmly. He looked down, then his ruby eyes flashed, staring at Valeska intensely. He could clearly see the color of Valeska's soul life for the first time—white light covered in golden stardust.

As Falconer predicted...

He found the only one in this mortal world. Amidst the crowd of other humans who only showed a disgusting black color.

"I just want to stay by your side. Please don't throw me away," he pleaded, about to bawl.

Until death...

***