Chapter 2: The Scar

“Eliana!” I opened my eyes to hear Risa’s loud voice. Her face was pale, and she gave me a frown. “How come you slept on the floor?”

“Huh?” As I stood up, I uttered. The girls in the room were all staring at me and shaking their heads. “What transpired?” I inquired. Risa and Mary assisted me in getting up on the floor and directing me to my bed.

“We found you unconscious on the floor.”

“Do you have a fever?”

In the sudden gust of wind, I clutched my blanket and shivered. “Hey!” Mary exclaimed.

“I’m cold,” I mumbled, adding, “Could you please close the window?”

They exchanged glances as a line appeared on their forehead. “The windows were closed, Eliana.” When I looked out the window, memories flashed through my mind—blurred faces of a girl running and a boy chasing her. They were content to enjoy the beauty of the forest while watching the sunset. “Eliana!”

The glimpses faded as I focused on my friends. They appeared concerned and handed me a cup of hot coffee. “Drink this; I’m going to sleep next to you from now on,” Mary announced as she gave me a blanket. Our room is large, with six beds and a table with lamps. I nodded to Mary because I was unsure what was going on. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced my shoulder.

“Ahhhh!” I gasped.

“Eliana!” Both Mary and Risa said it at the same time.

Headmistress Martha went inside while fixing her robe. “What is going on here?”

All of the orphans pointed at me. To keep my screams at bay, I pursed my lips. “Another problem, Eliana!” She screamed while massaging her temple. She stormed onto my bed and snatched my shirt.

“She’s feeling ill.” Mary objected. Miss Martha came to a halt and confronted her.

“All right, she’ll sleep in the clinic near Headmistress Lalita's room.” She responded. All of the orphaned girls quipped, and I could hear their whispers.

“Wishing her luck.”

“It’s a shame for her.”

“She deserves it.”

“She pushed Diana earlier in the corridor.”

I covered my ears and refused to listen to them. For me, having unusual abilities is a curse. I desired not to have this ability.

“I’ll accompany you, Eliana,” Risa remarked.

“Really?” Miss Martha raised her brows at Risa.

“No! I’ll be fine at the clinic. You should rest here.” I insisted, trying to force a smile. Before Miss Martha pulled me outside, my friends hugged me. “Don’t cry, ssshh.” I caressed their hair and whispered to them. It is what I will miss about them. Miss Martha drew me outside and shoved me.

“Go to the clinic!” She yelled and walked away from me in the hallway. I blinked my eyes after she shut the red door of her room. When the light went out, I started walking to the clinic.

“I completely forgot that our lights turn off automatically at 10 p.m.,” I muttered. I tipped my toes and touched the wall when I heard another growling. Here comes the noise again. We’re not even close to a forest. The Safe Haven is on Scottsdale’s west side, and people always walk outside, even though it is already dark. The sounds disappeared when I noticed a light on the corridor’s edge.

“I need to walk fast,” I mumbled. Suddenly, someone directed the flashlight at me. “Ahh,” I shouted when I saw a woman wearing a mask.

“Eliana!” When I realized it was Miss Lalita, I stopped, “Can you tell me what you’re doing outside?”

“I am—”

“Headmistress,” Miss Martha appeared and bowed her head to Miss Lalita. “She was making too much noise in their room, so I decided to let her sleep in the clinic.” She explained abruptly. My mouth gaped, and I averted my gaze.

“All right, let’s go!” Miss Lalita locked her gaze on me, grabbing my hand. I sighed, following her—she was wearing a facial mask and a curly pin in her hair and holding a flashlight. She is tall and has wrinkles on her forehead. “Stop staring at me and come inside.” I nodded and opened the clinic’s black door. No one ever wanted to sleep here because it was a stinky place filled with various types of medicine. As I walked inside, I coughed. “Use it.” She said, throwing me a face mask. I put it on my face and moved the green curtain. My eyes widened as I noticed how filthy the bed was. “I’m going to leave now. You can clean up first before going to bed.”

After she left, I took a deep breath, looked through the large wooden cabinet, and, thankfully, there was a clean bed sheet and blanket.

I stared at the wall after cleaning the clinic. The clock has already struck midnight. My birthday is tomorrow. Fortunately, I had already planned my escape—a letter to my friends and Headmistress Rosie. I’ve been here almost 18 years, and I don’t want them to suffer. I closed my eyes and gave thanks silently before lying down in bed.

“Are you certain about it?”

“Yes, Headmistress, we informed Miss Martha that Eliana is sick.”

“Why did you leave the child alone in this room? Look at her; she’s been unconscious for 12 hours.” Loud voices surrounded me. When I opened my eyes and saw them staring, I blinked, and my jaw dropped.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled as I stood up, realizing it was already noon.

“See, Headmistresses, she’s not sick; she’s just oversleeping!” Diana remarked.

“What a fantastic reason!” Cali commented, “I arrived early, even though my house is a long kilometer away.”

Josh was about to punch Cali when Mary and Risa grabbed him.

“That’s fine, Eliana. After your meal, take a bath.” Headmistress Rosie gave me a gentle smile. I nodded and walked out of the clinic.

Susan obstructed my path to our room. “What?” I inquired.

“You looked pale, so let me color you.” She responded by pouring me a bucket of black paint. I gasped, and my wrath was queasy.

“What exactly did you do to Eliana?” Miss Rosie appeared out of nowhere before my rage exploded. “Right now, go to the detention room!” She yelled at Susan. It’s the first time I’ve seen her get angry, and her eyes change color in a split second.

“Your eyes, Headmistress!” I uttered. She blinked, and it was gone. She held my hand and led me to the girl’s room. “After you’ve cleaned yourself, stay here and wait. I’ll bring you some food. Take a break for the time being.”

I am fortunate to have her here. I entered the bathroom and turned on the shower. I turned off the shower button because it was cold. It warmed up, and the pain pierced my scar.

“Argh,” I sat on the floor, trying to catch my breath. A sudden intense movement in my veins into the scar causes me to quiver until a glimpse of a woman flashes through my mind, and everything goes black.