Cora returned to whatever she was doing after carrying the last half of the papers. She is a gorgeous and cheery lady. And a gentle one at that.
I'm not sure what events led to her parents forsaking their child. Adults claim it is because of the lack of finances. However, I disagree. Her mother would have aborted Cora during the first months of her pregnancy if it was actually because of the financial crisis. Cora's mother gave birth to her and then deserted her. She desired that her kid be born and see the light of day. She wished for something better for her child. Her intentions are nearly palpable to me. My mother would feel the same way. I know even if I was abandoned in front of the orphanage... I can still feel...my mother's embrace. My mind still wanders back to her warm and welcoming womb. No mother would want to forsake their child. At least that’s what I feel.
It might be connected to relationship problems. I exited the orphanage, rubbing my tears from falling.
I came to a halt beside a pole while searching for Elle in every alley I passed through. There was a similar piece of paper... or a poster stuck to the pole. I peered intently as I took the poster bundle from my armpit, shifting my sight from the pole to the posters in my palm.
They are identical. I thought to myself.
“Axel!!” I was glancing at the poster on the pole to read more words when I heard a familiar voice call out to me.
My gaze met with theirs as I looked around for the source of the voice. She was not the one I was searching for.
"Good day, ma'am." With a bow, I addressed her.
"What are you doing outdoors, Axel?" Madam Madison inquired as she approached me.
"I'm just here to give these to Elle," I responded, waving the posters in my hand.
"Well, you came just in time; I needed a hand anyhow." Her eyes were drawn to the small two-folder bag she was holding.
Not this time, please. I prayed.
Attempting to flee an unanticipated situation "I suppose I'll leave now, ma'am," I muttered, turning on my heel.
A large hand grabbed my shirt collar and stopped my advance. I knew what was going to happen soon, and that didn't sit well with me.
Her stare met mine, peering inside my brilliant brain via my dazzling eyes like a puzzle she was almost finished solving.
“Ma’am?” I mumbled.
"Where do you think you're going, young man?" She continued, her gaze fixed on me.
Why are people mistaking me for a kid? I know I am, but why do they constantly keep on reminding me of it? Is it something that should be exploited? Or do I just act like a toddler around other people? Whatever the cause, I simply want to retire to my room, have some time for myself. I've been doing various chores since this morning, and as they say, I'm just a kid. And a pretty smart one at that. If it's an orphanage, I simply ugh… Let it be, I'm too exhausted to even debate with myself any longer.
Let's get this out of the way.
Madam Madison handed over the small bag she was carrying. I stowed the remaining posters in the bag and left the place. Along with the posters, there was a glue bottle and a white broad brush in the bag. Madam Madison told me which streets I should put them on. I moved further away from the orphanage as I adhered them to the walls, poles, and gates of houses. Even though I wanted to get the heck out of here as quickly as possible, I stuck them properly.
At one point, I noticed Ava caressing a cat on the sidewalk.
Approaching her "Are you done for the day?" I inquired from behind.
"Ah!" she jumped back, astonished. "You fool, you made my heart skip a beat," she rubbed her back.
"Am I so charming? I don't believe you're my type, though. You know, I adore ladies with a huge upper body." I motioned to her.
"Axel, you filthy pervert!!" She covered her paper-thin chest while yelling at me.
"Why are you concealing yourself, Ava? Is there anything visible to even gaze at?" I coyly teased even more.
Ava is the closest in age to me of the three helpers, excluding the other children. She is much older than me, yet her infantile demeanour makes her appear even more immature than a three-year-old.
"Damn you, Axel. You're a jerk." She cursed me as she stood up. "Right, blame me for being as straightforward as a bland rice cake." Before walking alongside her, I fired one last counter.
The cat she was caressing was nowhere to be seen.
"Did you also come to paste the posters?" Ava inquired, her gaze fixed on the empty bag I was holding. "Yeah... how about you?" I knew she was here for the same reason I was, but I asked, regardless.
"I finished my duty a long time ago. I was just going about in the evening, looking at things as I passed." Ava stated as she fiddled with her hair.
"What are these posters about, anyway? I forgot to inquire with Madam Madison." I questioned, still attempting to decipher some words I remembered.
"Poor Axel, I see you're still a kid learning alphabets," she mocked.
"You do realise I'm six years old, don't you? However, a sm-"
"A smart one for your age? Yes, I am aware. You told me, like, what? , A million times over?" In a cynical tone, Ava interrupted me.
"Because it's true. And even if you don't want to tell me-"
"It's a poster asking for donations for our orphanage," she said again.
Damn you, woman.
"So, um, it's like that. At the very least, I did something meaningful. I thought they gave me something to keep me busy."
"... there's that as well," she chuckled as she walked by me. "Let's go kid, I'm hungry," she said, turning on her heel. She turned to face me.
Grrr~ "When you say it like that, I'm kinda feeling hungr- '' My words dangled in the air, halfway caught in my tongue. A shiver of unfamiliar terror surged through my spine. My grin contorted into a mixture of disdain and bewilderment. The world froze in front of me, and I could hear my heartbeat in my brain. Sweat beads appeared on my brows. My ragged breath was scorching. It was hot behind my ears. My underpants, which were tightly clinging to me, became drenched in sweat. I tried to use my right foot to leap forward, but it ignored me. It was merely sticking in the ground like a pole. I suppressed the impulse to pass out and forced a strained scream with every speck of breath I could muster-
“Avaaaaaaaaaa!!”
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