Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
We are one united front, or at least, that’s what Anima wants to let them believe. The parents, family, friends or caregivers that decide that House of Anima is the best place for their children are fooling themselves.
Because look at all the nature and the modern looking building. Who wouldn’t want for their kids to be treated here?
It’s all a facade. They explain that the fences around the domain are to keep the wild animals away. It’s for our safety, what a joke.
The parents leave their child at the fences and wave their little ones goodbye.
Ami tugs on my pinky. “It’s time.”
The children - eight of them this time - look like scared little birds too afraid to take their first flight. “I hate this,” I sigh.
“I know you do, but you know there isn’t much you can do right now,” Ami whispers back.
One of the guards pushes a small blond haired boy a bit too hard in my opinion, making me take a step forward. A hand lands on my upper arm. “Don’t, Maily, you’ll get in trouble if you intervene.”
She is right about that, but I would risk it if only to comfort those poor souls. “They don’t have to be so hard on them, they’re just children.”
My teeth sink into the inside of my cheek, biting on the skin there. The blond boy falls to the ground and although I can’t make out the words the guard is saying, the tone is cruel and harsh. Heat courses through me. How dare they —
“Ah, damn it, Mai, that hurts.”
Shock washes over me and I immediately loosen the grip I had on her fingers. “Shit, sorry.”
“Since when did your hold become that strong?” She looks me up and down. Twice. “Have you been working out or something?”
I look at my hands, noticing they look a little red. I clench and unclench them, but the red hue remains.
Ami turns me around by my shoulders. “Hey, I’m kidding. I’m fine, really.”
An image flashes in front of my eyes.
A house burning down, flames spreading like wildfire. Someone’s screaming. It might be me.
I shake my head. It’s been a week since I had that daydream or vision, or whatever it was that I saw in the lounge area. I look at Ami, the expression on my face making her smile slowly fade away. “Are you okay, babes?”
I take her in, my beautiful Ami. How do you tell your best friend that the place you are both living in has finally taken your sanity? “I-I’m not sure.”
The new arrivals have disappeared inside and I start moving.
“Mai?”
I keep walking, but look over my shoulder as I say, “I’m sorry Ami, I need to go to the infirmary. I’ll see you at lunch?”
She murmurs something I can’t hear, but I keep walking. I need to contain myself so that I don’t start running. My appointment with Miss Sophia is not until tomorrow, but I’m not sure if I can wait that long.
The infirmary is busy on days like this and my edgy attitude would not help the scared children that are already near the point of breaking. So I take a couple of deep breaths, somewhat calming down, and walk in when I feel like I have everything under control. Sort of.
As per usual, the infirmary is divided in three sections: the waiting area where tears roll down cheeks and hearts beat way too fast, the examination room where Doctor Herbert examines every child and the third and last room, the one they all dread the most; sweet Mary’s room and her electric razor.
She is the last one they see and they leave as a ghost version of themselves. My task is to distract the poor souls, talk to them, tell them stories. Anything to keep them from thinking about the horrors some of them will have to go through.
Every time Mary turns on the machine, shoulders move upward, and I get it. I really do, because even at the age of sixteen the sound scared me. It’s too loud, echoing against the white walls and it takes a little piece of what is familiar away from us.
“No need to worry, nurse Mary will give you a haircut similar to mine.” I run my fingers through my short, curly locks and I see some of the tension leave their tiny bodies. “It’s an unfortunate but necessary precaution, all the boys and girls here have a haircut like mine.”
I do my best to ease their fear, and talk about the pretty, snowy landscape and the frozen pond and how kind the Doctor is. I wish I knew a childhood story on days like these. But all I know is steamy romances and I’m not creative enough to create my own story.
And although my mouth doesn’t stop moving, the little blond guy that fell outside is visibly trembling. He sits at the outer side of the bench and I grab a chair and sit next to him. I do a quick overall scan, see how his hands are bleeding, and notice there is a tear in the left leg of his jeans.
“Hi there, my name is Maily,” I say softly, but he keeps his gaze cast down on his fidgeting fingers. “I see some blood on your hands, are there other injuries I cannot see?”
First, I don’t think he’ll answer but after a couple of seconds he shakes his head once.
“Can I take a closer look at your wounds and clean them if needed?”
He nods.
I stand up and enter the spare examination room, he follows a couple of seconds later. I lower the table so it’s more on his height. I grab the stool and sit in front of him, pulling the cart with equipment closer to me.
I lay out my hand and patiently wait for him to lay his on mine. His palm is grazed slightly, and although I don’t see any visible dirt, I disinfect the wound either way. “This might sting a little.”
He doesn’t flinch or pull back, or even look up for that matter. He isn’t even repulsed by how I look, doesn’t draw back as my scarred hands near him.
I continue with his knees, those obviously took most of the hit, but they aren’t in the worst shape. After a couple of minutes I throw away the dirty gauze and lower the table again. “There, all done!”
He seems reluctant to get off the table, but follows me as soon as I stand up. In the doorway of the examination room, he halts and finally looks up. “Will you…” his voice sounds raw and he scrapes his throat in the hope it will steady. “Will you come with me?”
“Of course I will.”
I walk towards Mary and surprise fills me as tiny fingers curl around mine. I assume he’s going to let go as soon as he’s seated, but he only holds on tighter. “It’s okay, little one. Your hair will only be a tiny bit shorter than it is now, it will only take a second.”
At the sound of the machine being turned on he squeezes his eyes shut, but remains seated. Mary’s steady hand moves over the boy’s head in smooth strokes.
“There you go, love. All done.” She says, whilst brushing away the hairs that fell on his shoulders. He is the last one in line, so Mary cleans up, swiping all the locks of hair into a pile before leaving to get the trashcan.
He still holds my hand and I’m about to tug him along, when his soft voice stops my movement. “Maily?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you for helping me.”
“No need to thank me, it was my pleasure.”
I nod to Doctor Herbert and guide the boy towards the cafeteria. The other newbies wait in line to receive their first of many poor meals here. Ami’s already sitting at our habitual table, looking at me with an expression that screams ‘Another one, really?’ I stick out my tongue. ‘Always.’
I look at the little boy, who was apparently watching our little silent conversation. His freckles make his brown eyes pop, eyes that look a little less heavy. “My name is Soren.” And with one final squeeze of his hand, he lets go and joins the others in line.
I go to Ami, who got me some food already. She takes a bite of what I can only assume are carrots. “You just can’t help it, can you?”
I shrug, because no, I really can’t. “You were there for me after a week, Ami and I love you for it. But those first days were awful. So yes, I will continue with what I am doing, help in every way I can just to chase away some of the fear they have.”
She sighs and gives me an understanding smile. “I know, you’re right. Just…don’t get yourself in trouble, okay?”
“Pinky promise.”
“Mhm.”
In the five years I’ve been here, I’ve got into trouble for a lot of things I didn’t do, but never for helping others. “Look at them, they still look like scared little birds, but less intimidated. It’s not like I’ll help them escape or something like that, I pr—”
Ami presses her finger into my lips, interrupting what I was about to say. “Babes, please, don’t finish that sentence, don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
I stick out my tongue, because when push comes to shove, we both know I would do anything to help someone in need.