Chapter 2

She frowned, then noticed the light spilling through the gap.

Cautiously, she took a step closer. That was when she heard it - her father’s deep voice spilling into the hall.

She crept closer, heart pounding. Her father’s voice was calm, almost cheerful.

"Oh yes, Mr. Rogers," he said with a low chuckle. "That wretched boy definitely has an organ to spare."

Mia’s heart stopped. 

For a moment, the world went silent. Only her pulse thundered in her ears.

She didn’t need to ask who he meant.

She already knew.

Axel.

Her father always called him that.

Her hand hovered over the door handle. She wanted to push it open, to listen. But hesitation froze her.

What if he finds out about the key? she thought, quickly pulling her hand back.

Curiosity tugged at her, but fear was stronger. She couldn’t risk her father discovering that she had the key to Axel’s room. So, with quiet steps, she retreated to her own.

Later, she told herself. She’d come back when he was asleep. Or maybe early in the morning, before anyone woke up.

Sitting on the chair by her desk, she swung her legs slowly, lost in thought as her reflection stared back at her from the mirror.

"What did Dad mean by that?" she whispered, her small voice trembling.

"I really hope he’s not gonna hurt Axel again…"

The thought wouldn’t leave her mind. It kept spinning around in her head until her eyelids grew heavy. Finally, she decided it was time to put the key back in her parents’ room.

They were already asleep when she peeked in. Moving carefully, she tiptoed to the drawer, placed the key inside, and quietly shut it just like she always did.

But as she walked down the dim hallway, her steps suddenly stopped.

Her eyes widened.

Standing right in front of her was her brother - David.

He was five years older and always suspicious of her late-night sneaking around. 

Being a midnight snacker himself, he often caught her roaming the halls  and tonight was no different.

"What were you doing in Mom and Dad’s room?" David asked in a low voice, frowning.

"Uh…" Mia stammered, twisting her fingers. "I… I just went to give them a goodnight kiss. And a cuddle."

David raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Mia folded her arms, puffing her cheeks a little. "Yeah! And why are you up, huh? You’re not supposed to be out of bed either."

David sighed. "I just came to grab some snacks. You know that."

"Well…" Mia mumbled, brushing a strand of hair from her face, "you should still go to sleep. It’s super late."

She gave his arm a quick tap and smiled. "Goodnight, David."

Then she turned and padded off toward her room, her bare feet making soft sounds on the floor.

David rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he muttered, walking off toward the kitchen.

David and Mia hadn’t really gotten along ever since Axel came to live with them. David always called him the dirty frog boy, and Mia always got mad and defended Axel.

To David, Axel was nothing but trouble. He didn’t like him and maybe he didn’t even know why.

The next morning, Mia didn’t wake up early. She never did because of her secret visits to Axel’s room.

Her mother, Brenda Hawthorne, came in as usual, her gentle, motherly smile already in place.

She pulled the curtains open, letting the soft morning sunlight spill into the room. The light touched everything gently - her desk, her toys, and finally her bed, where her little girl slept peacefully, her face calm and angelic.

The brightness caught the golden strands of Mia’s hair, but she was far too deep in sleep to feel the sun’s warmth on her face.

Brenda smiled.

She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at her daughter with quiet affection. With one hand, she brushed a loose strand of hair from Mia’s face and cupped her cheek gently.

"It’s time to get up, Mia," Brenda whispered softly.

Mia didn’t stir.

Brenda tapped her cheek lightly. Slowly, Mia’s eyes fluttered open, immediately squinting against the sharp sunlight.

Brenda smiled wider and leaned a little to block the light with her body. Mia sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes with tiny fists.

"Good morning, Mom," she murmured, her voice still soft and sleepy.

"Morning, dear," Brenda replied warmly. "Sorry to interrupt your sleep, but you’ve got school this morning."

"Oh…" Mia mumbled, leaning back against the headboard, her hair sticking up in all directions. "Right… school."

"Yes darling," Brenda said, standing up. "So go ahead and freshen up. The bus will be here any moment."

Mia nodded slowly, trying to shake off the last bits of sleep, then smiled at her mother.

Brenda smiled back, but just as she was about to leave, Mia’s little brow furrowed. She remembered the strange thing her father had said on the phone the night before. Her heart beat a little faster.

"Mom," she called softly, her voice small and hesitant, like she wasn’t sure if she should really ask.

Brenda stopped mid-step and turned to her daughter. "Yes, dear?"

Mia fidgeted on the bed, folding her legs under her and tugging at the hem of her shirt.

"Uhm… I hope you don’t get mad," she began,. "But… I kinda heard Dad talking to someone last night."

Brenda’s brow lifted slightly, though her expression stayed calm. "What did you hear, Mia?"

"I’ll tell you," Mia said, wringing her hands together, "but first… promise me you won’t get mad."

Brenda smiled softly and walked back to sit on the edge of the bed, meeting her daughter’s wide, earnest brown eyes.

"I won’t, darling," she said.

"Pinky promise?" Mia held out her little finger, looking up at her mother with a mixture of hope and worry.

Brenda hesitated for a moment, squinting slightly as she thought. What could Mia possibly have heard that would make her say that?

Still, she hooked her pinky around her daughter’s, earning a bright, hopeful smile from Mia.

"So, Mom," Mia began carefully, "I didn’t mean to listen or anything… but I heard Dad talking in your room. It kinda sounded like he was on the phone, and he said something like… ‘that wretched boy definitely has an organ to spare.’"

She paused, her eyes fixed on her mother’s face. "And I know he was talking about Axel. What did Dad mean by that?" She asked.

Brenda gave a faint, strange smile - one that felt too heavy for words, carrying meanings Mia couldn’t yet understand.

"You still like that boy?" she asked softly.

"Is it bad that I like him?" Mia whispered back, her hands twisting nervously in her lap.

Brenda stayed calm, her smile softening as she brought a hand to her daughter’s head, gently stroking her golden hair.

"It’s very bad, my dear," she said quietly. "You mustn’t get involved with anything concerning that boy."

Mia frowned. "But… why, Mom? Isn’t he… a human being like us? I still don’t understand why he’s even locked up."

Brenda’s hand froze mid-stroke, her gaze suddenly sharp and cold. "You won’t say that again," she said, and the way she said it made Mia’s stomach twist with unease.

She hugged her knees to her chest, biting her lip, feeling both puzzled and small.

Then, just as quickly, Brenda's expression softened again. She smiled and withdrew her hand from Mia's hair.

"But tell me something, Mia," Brenda said lightly. "How did you end up overhearing what your father was saying?"

Mia’s eyes widened, her heart giving a quick, nervous jump. But she forced a tiny smile.

"I… I just had a bad dream," she said softly. "I wanted to come stay with you and Dad." She fiddled with the blanket nervously. 

"That’s when I heard Dad talking on the phone, so I just went back to my room. I didn’t wanna bother you."

Brenda’s expression softened right away.

"Oh, sweetheart," she said. "You could never bother us. You know that, right?"

Mia looked up, nodding a little.

Brenda smiled and brushed a strand of hair from her daughter’s face. "If you ever have a bad dream again, you come straight to us, okay? You’re my precious girl. Your peace means everything to me."

Mia’s lips curved into a shy smile. She wrapped her arms around her mom tightly.

"I love you, Mom," she whispered.

Brenda hugged her close, rubbing her back gently.

"I love you more, baby," she murmured.

Mia didn’t like lying to her, but she had to if it meant keeping Axel safe.

"You're the best mom!" Mia said, grinning as she pulled away and sat up straight.

Brenda smiled again, though there was something in her eyes - something unreadable.

"About the question you asked earlier," Brenda began as she stood up.

Mia’s eyes lit up right away, her little face full of curiosity.

"It’s not something you should worry about, sweetheart," Brenda said. "When you’re older, you’ll understand."

Mia’s smile slowly faded into a pout.

"B–" she started, but Brenda cut her off gently.

"Hurry up and get ready, darling," she said, turning toward the door with a calm smile.

Mia watched her mom leave, the door clicking softly behind her.

For a while, she just sat there, staring at the empty space where her mother had stood.

Her chest felt tight. The words she’d overheard still echoed in her head like a whisper that wouldn’t fade.

"An organ to spare."

She hugged her knees close, her little fingers gripping her pajama sleeves.

"I really hope Dad doesn’t hurt him," she whispered to herself.

Then she slid off her bed, her bare feet touching the cold floor as she slowly got ready for school, pretending everything was normal, even though deep down, something didn’t feel right anymore.