Orphan Chapter: 2 - Guilt

Willam stood outside the orphanage, tired and alone. He stared at the blue-stone institution as he waited for his clothes to dry. The clock built into the face of the building ticked and every so often tocked, the rhythmic sound keeping Willam awake to his situation. Even still, he felt drowsy. Tonight had not gone how he had anticipated. Willam had taken himself off for a walk, unable to stomach dinner. He’d gone down to the lake, south of the orphanage. He wasn't sure if he regretted that decision, not yet at least. Tomorrow's Willam could decide.

The lake had been freezing; but he’d needed the swim. It was better than walking solemnly in the rain. The exercise gave purpose to the cold beyond mere distraction. Willam despised the cold. Yet, the fresh water woke him up from his emotional state as it always did. He focused on loosening his tight muscles, lying to himself that the tightness in his chest was only the cold.

Julia had not reacted well.

He winced at the memory and tried to move onto other things. The shouting and anger of the moment had subsided. He shivered in the wind, clapping his hands together trying to warm himself. His fingers were numb and hurt when he clapped them together, but it was a physical sensation he could focus on.

The pale moon hovered above his home of fifteen seasons. Gosh it felt like he’d been stuck there for eons. Sometimes he felt as if he’d never escape when he was honest with himself. The drenched stonework reflected his blue mood. The clock reminded him that he was wasting time. An animal howled in the distance. Willam took stock of himself and found he was unwilling to move right now, even if there were predators out tonight. Willam fought to keep his hands from shaking.

He tightened his scarf under his chin. Some water was wrung out of the fabric and dribbled down his neck. He didn’t have a towel. The rain had stopped during his swim, a decision he made after walking for half an hour. The sun had vanished as the moon emerged to take its nightly watch. Sadly, the moon was not as helpful as the sun in regards to drying Willam’s clothes. Willam had swam fully clothed. Soaked to the bone at night it was hard to remember that Blossom had come early this year. Only a week until the choosing ceremony. Another week and he’d be back in the Headmistresses’ office being told his future.

Willam tried to sigh. The sigh became a cough.

He may have caught a cold.

It was probably smart to walk around to the back of the orphan wing. Less people would see, or hear, him coughing and spluttering to his room that way. He’s missed dinner after all, but maybe Irene had some leftovers he could scavenge if he dropped by the kitchen. Lost in thought he missed the orphanage’s front door opening, illuminating the front lawn which Willam stood.

“Willam? Willam Strange, where ‘ave you been? And by the Mother, why are you soaked?!”

Willam winced. The orphanages double-doors had opened to reveal Carer Georgy. Georgy was a burly man, his belly swaying as he strode towards Willam, a stern expression on his face. He wore a long dark blue cloak, the same cloak given to all of Castoria’s public workers. Emblazoned on it was the orphanage’s emblem, the Wild Mother’s flower in full bloom. Georgy’s version of the flower had only one of its seven petals coloured, or rather stitched in.

Willam retreated a few steps from the man unsure of himself. Before he could decide whether to run Georgy closed the gap. He grasped the young man’s shoulders.

“Willam,” his stern expression shifted to concern. “Why are you wet?” He asked in earnest.

Willam felt his scarf loosen. Georgy had pulled it down to reveal his mouth to give him a chance to reply. After a moment of Willam trying to verbalise a response as to why he was stranded outside, soaked and in the cold, his teeth began chattering. He did stammer out a single word.

“S-s-s-Sorry.”

Georgy bit his lower lip, appraising the young man. He was an inch or two shorter than Willam at full height, yet the young man was so frail in the moonlight. His hair was plastered to his skull, all the blood drained from his face. The chattering of his teeth gave him a ghoulish image, like that of a laughing skull. Willam’s lips were purple from cold but his eyes were puffy and red. They stared down at Georgy’s boots, not meeting his eyes.

Georgy pulled off his cloak with haste, and placed it over Willam’s shoulders. He gave the boy a fierce hug, rapidly rubbing his back hoping to get some warmth back into the boy. Willam went limp in his arms. There was an awkward pause for Willam, bracing for a rebuke or lecture for being out in the cold and dark. The rebuke never came.

“Okay lad, let’s get you inside.” Georgy held Willam around the shoulders. He guided Willam towards the front door but while Willam walked he pushed Georgy to the right.

“P-p-please, could we g-g-go through the kitchen?” Willam muttered. His teeth refused to stop chattering. Georgy assented to his request and the duo moved around the right side of the orphanage.

While Georgy focused on the dark where the two were heading, Willam watched the front door. Within the gaps stood two younger children. They huddled inside peaking out at the duo in the dark. Willam turned away. He hoped word didn’t get out that he’d been so foolish. Missing dinner was bad enough, arguing with Jules had been horrible, but rumours were the worst.

The moon kept watch above. Clouds lazily passed overhead hindering the stars best attempts to shine. The wind was whistling a haunting tune, with a series of howls for accompaniment. The woods near the orphanage were known to house creatures prone to the Mother’s wilder temperament. Willam had studied the tomes on nearby fauna in depth. Castoria’s own Archon had authored many of them, searching for the root of the local Daomine-Fay; but tonight, Willam didn’t need to fight off his inner curiosity. His luster for mystery had been overcome by fear of the unknown night.

“Almost there lad. I’ll even see if I can find you some leftovers, if Irene will ‘ave it that is. By the Mother you gave me a good scare.” Georgy said.

“S-sorry. I d-didn’t have duty tonight. I… couldn’t eat ear-r-rlier.”

“That’s alright lad. It ‘appens,” Georgy quickly scanned the windows facing the duo before adding, “sadly, for me it doesn’t ‘appen enough, eh!”

Georgy slapped his bugling belly and gave a brief laugh. Willam, caught off guard, chuckled. When they stopped laughing Willam found his teeth didn’t chatter so fiercely. Georgy smiled, showing off his dimples.

“Now, let me speak to Irene lad. She’s used to me asking for a snack.” Georgy sat Willam down on a stone, they’d reached the rear entrance to the kitchen. It was a wooden door out the back of orphanages north wing. The kitchen was directly inside, but it was never smart to enter without an invitation. Irene was very particular in how she wanted her kitchen to be. She was very particular in how she wanted the orphans to wash-up before mealtime.

Willam’s soft smile widened as he recalled the last time he’d had night duty in the kitchen. Evelyn had found herself on dish duty after she’d complained a fraction to loudly about Irene’s obsession with cleanliness. He’d finished duty early that night thanks to Evelyn's unwilling help, and Irene had even saved him some desert. It was a shame he hadn’t had kitchen duty since. It had been several rotations since then but it appeared only Evelyn’s friends got that duty nowadays, or Jules; but not since Evelyn caught her sneaking him extra desert.

“Thanks Georgy. But do mention it’s me. I’ve asked for a few snacks in my time as well.” Georgy stood halfway opening the door. He looked Willam up and down. The gaunt expression, lanky limbs, Willam was well aware of how he looked. Georgy tipped his head to the young man and went in search of Irene.

Willam pulled the cloak tight around himself in the dark. The moon was hiding behind the clouds, the stars’ light was dim in comparison. The whistling wind added some rustling bushes to its haunting tune. The worst of the water had dripped off Willam as he’d walked, but the eeriness of the night had finally sunk in.

“Hullo?” Willam called out into the night. A twig snapped. The fluttering of wings could be heard as creatures took flight.

Georgy had been gone a minute, maybe two, maybe more. Willam had lost track of time, unable to hear the ticks or tocks of the orphanage clock over his pounding heartbeat.

He called out again into the night. His voice echoed, “Hullo-o-o-o…”

Willam stood up and lent against the orphanage’s wall. He wasn’t sure, and it wasn’t likely but he felt something listening, watching him in the dark.

“Anyone there?” The trees swayed, a bush rustled, but nothing answered his call.

It’s just my imagination, theres nothing there. Nothing at all, I’m being silly. Plus, it was written that the Fay never come this far south, it’s just a trick of the mind.

Willam stepped towards the tree line.

One step. He scanned back the way he’d come and saw nothing.

A second step. The light from the north wing windows flickered, probably just the wind.

A third step, and pause. The wind died, and the moon was free of the clouds. Nothing moved in the moonlight.

Willam sighed and then a shadow darted behind the tree-line.

That was not a person…

Willam stepped back. The shadow in the undergrowth stood on four legs, its hidden snout aimed towards him. The beast growled.

Don’t turn, showing your back is weakness. That was what was written about dangerous predators, right? By the Mother what is it?

“Hullo, um, I’m just going to back up. Stay, stay.” The growling subsided.

The shadowy silhouette whimpered. Willam paused, unsure.

“What are you-AHH!”

“YAAAHH!”

Willam jumped, as two sets of bodies slammed into his back. He spun around arms akimbo maintaining his balance. He prepared for a beast, a fiendish creature to have pounced on him. What he didn’t expect to see was two giggling children. It was a boy and a girl, twins. They laughed at him.

“Klutzy!” The girl exclaimed.

“Melia, look look! He wet himself, ha!” Said the boy.

“Oh, no! Really?” Melia observed Willam’s damp state beneath Georgy’s cloak.

Willam looked between the twins and then the forest before putting his hands to his temple. The creature had disappeared into the undergrowth, now his heartbeat echoed in his ears. The shadowy creature was an after-thought now, he had two real monsters to deal with. And unlike the shadow he had practise dealing with these two.

“You little monsters are too cunning for your own good.” Willam rushed the twins. Arms cast wide like a net.

“No, stop! You’re-” Willam gave the twins a bear hug. “WET!” they cried in unison.

Melia managed to struggle free, but her brother wasn’t so lucky. Grappling the boys belt Willam leveraged the kid over his left shoulder. The boy squealed.

“Put me down!”

“Yeah put Lain down!”

“Make me.” Willam smiled. They heard the challenge in his voice.

Lain and Melia paused for a moment to take stock. In that moment Willam had invited the monsters to play, and they would not cease until they had had their fun.

Melia ran around Willam, trying to get behind him. Lain began squirming on his shoulder, trying to roll off. Willam held tight to the kids hips with his left arm, trapping him in place. While being a lank being tall was still an asset that Willam had learnt to leverage.

Willam made sure to keep Melia in his sight line, she was the trickier of the two to pin down. Willam kept his right hand outstretched ready to grapple the young girl if she moved in too close. Melia was wary of his tricks. They stood a few metres from the kitchen door; the soft earth around them was wet from the recent rainfall. As such there was a thick layer of mud beneath their feet. Willam considered letting Lain go, but decided it too mean to dump him into the mud. However, that resolve did not hold on for very long.

“Now!” Melia said.

Lain reached under Willam’s arms and started tickling his ribcage.

“Wha-Hahaha. Stop it!” Willam tried to swat at Lain but found his right arm grappled by Melia. She’d wrapped her arms around his hand, then using him as a pivot she leapt. She spun upside down, and locked her legs under Willam’s armpit. She had complete control of his right arm, while Willam held onto Lain with his left. Weighed down on both sides, harassed by tickles and the weight of the kid, Willam was trapped. So, he took the only logical step he could think of; he fell.

“Ooft!” All three of them fell down with a thump.

The muddy soil squelched as they squirmed on the ground. Lain had suffered the worst of it, having been driven face first into the turf. He spat out a mouthful of mud. Melia relaxed her grip on Willam’s arm, she was up the fastest to help her brother escape Willam’s reach. She did also help wipe off some mud with a firm slap on her brother’s face.

“See, it’s only you that gets caught. The plan worked.” Lain’s shoulders dropped, as he assented to his twin’s wisdom.

Mental note: be sure to grab Melia next time… Or at least don’t catch Lain as fast.

Willam chuckled watching the twin’s bicker. They were a cute pairing, Melia always plotting their next adventure together. They were an inseparable pairing. That was not to misconstrue Lain as a passenger in melia’s schemes. No, if anything Lain was more cunning than his sister, as he was always shrewd enough to escape in his plans; even if his sister did not.

“I just wanted to scare him sis’. I knew it was wet after all, and I’d had my bath.” Lain wipe a globule of muck from his cheek and threw it at Melia.

She squealed, but ducked in time.

“Hay, don’t throw mud, not my fault you got caught. What are you a child?”

“If I’m a child than you must be doubly so, I’m the older one!”

“No you ain’t! Uh, ah!”

“Ya huh!”

Willam laughed with all his heart, it was too cute a scene not to. It seemed neither could their silent observer as he announced his presence with a laugh.

“Well, well whats ‘appening ‘ere?” Georgy raised his eyebrow in question. A grin plastered on his face.

“Uhha…” The twins froze.

“Sorry Georgy, I think I got some muck on your cloak. The twins had come to… cheer me up is all.” Willam said. He wasn’t sure if Georgy would report this whole fiasco to the Headmistress or other Carers and so tried to stick to something relatively true. The twins nodded.

“We were, umm, lost in the dark on the way to the loo, is all.” Said Melia. She held Lain’s hand, her head down. She focused on drawing in the mud. On her face was a cheeky smile.

“Yeah, my sis’ was lost and I saw Willam so we-”

“Gave him a fright, did you?” Georgy interjected. “I’ve got to say, Willam, you have a pair of pipes on you, ay! I 'eard your scream from well inside the storeroom, lets 'ope no one else did.They got you good!”

Lain’s face twitched holding back a laugh. Melia dropped her head lower as her smile widened. Willam sighed. It was a good sigh, the kind of sigh that an old lord would give after a banquet with friends.

“That they did.” He conceded.

“Well then, as reward I won’t ‘ave to tell their Carer of their nightly antics; will I now?”

Willam had never seen someone shake their head as fast as the twins did in response. “No, thank you.”

“That’s settled then. Willam are you fine if they join us for supper?”

Willam nodded. He shot the twins a smile. “I think they’ve earned it.” They cheered, giving Willam a group hug. He hugged them back, ignoring Lain’s grin as he coated the two in mud.

“Food’s always better with company, ain’t it lad.” Georgy said. He opened the basket he’d been holding to reveal some bread-sticks and soft cheese, a dried cut of meat and even some fruit he must of nabbed from the enchanted storeroom.

Irene must have been asleep, as the food hadn’t been packed properly. The cheese was melting onto the fruit, and the bread-sticks were somewhat crumbled. But it tasted good.

“Thank you.”

“No worries.” Georgy slapped Willam on the back. “Just make sure you eat your fill before I send you off for the night.”

Willam nodded and dug into the cheese and bread-sticks. The twins started to fight over the fruit before Georgy ripped it in half and then proceeded to have one of said halves to himself. The twins caught on quick and split the remainder of the firm melon-like fruit between them.

Willam continued to smile, tonight had grown on him. It was when his mind drifted to tomorrow that the pressure in his chest re-emerged.

As the twins scoffed down the fruit Georgy leaned over to whisper in Willam’s ear.

“Lad, whatever is weighing on you just remember that I’m ‘ere for a reason. I’m here to listen, and I can kick away the runts if you want me to?”

Willam paused mid chew, the cheese had stuck to his teeth. The wind blew, but from a different direction. Its whistling tune wasn’t so haunting anymore. It was smooth and serene as it blew past Willam's ear.

In the peace of it all, with a caring cloak around his shoulders and a pair of adorable delinquents to share a meal with, Willam felt free. The pressure eased in his chest, his mind bubbling with thoughts and ideas. There was no lingering shadow in his mind, the suffocating cold had left his muscle and bones; there was the inception of an idea that grew into something much more powerful. Willam smiled.

Willam took his smile to bed that night. He did not smile because he had resolved his conflict with Jules, or dealt with the beast in the woods, or defeated Evelyn’s rumours, or confronted the Headmistress, or even come to terms with his stupid, irrational, emotions. Willam smiled for a different reason.

“Actually, Georgy I might need you and the twins to help me with some things. If thats okay?”

“Sure, lad.”

“Yeah, we’ll help you Klutzy.”

“For sure!”

“Thank you. Thank you all.”

Willam smiled because he was finally free to think, to piece together his bubbling thoughts and ideas.

“So, I have a plan…”