Chapter 1: Once Bitten, Twice Shy 1.

Elizabeth’s POV

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Haunted once more, by the flames of that insidious nightmare, I’m thrown into the dangerous streets of Ewon City. A place that’s no home to a lone orphan like me, wandering without a soul, without a direction in the dead of a cold night. Choosing to loiter on the empty streets will only be to my detriment as I come to a pause, the stings beneath my feet reminding me of how freezing the gravel road is.

To think my life would end up like this…after coming to discover that the orphanage had segregated a group of children into the restricted wing of the building I was staying with the others, only to have the Matron cuffing them in shackles and having them taken away by shady men in business suits nearly every night….

The children had revolted against being taken. The Matron had been spooked herself after both explosions went off and as they all got caught up trying to resolve the spiraling matter at hand, a little boy had crept away, crouching over the pool of gasoline on the cemented ground and opening a matchbox.

All I recall was stretching out my hand as I exclaimed in the loudest voice known to me, trying to tell him not to.

Despite how “No!” Had defused so explosively, I couldn’t save him. In the end, I couldn’t do anything for the children at the orphanage as we all got vacuumed in the raging inferno.

I stare down at my feet, ridden with bruises and blemishes over my skin from the flames of the fire. It’s a miracle I only sustained such injuries after being blown quite a few feet away from the explosion. I should be grateful but I feel worse. Out in a world, I do not know about, exposed to all vices and with no shelter to provide me a warm meal and a nice bed.

“I’m better off dead” My voice rattles as my throbbing arms wrap around my body, my feet plunging me further into the lonely street. White, tiny round soft balls begin to drizzle and I raise my head to look up into the dark sky where they seem to be pouring from.

On a winter night with no home waiting for me, no mom to welcome me with a smile nor dad to pat my head and pull me into his arms. All these deserting years, I had forgotten the essential feel of it...it just lingers as bland memories now.

I didn’t understand back then, what it was I was so afraid of, what it was I had lost.

When I woke that day, my aunt and uncle were there to embrace me, consoling me for a loss I was yet to come to terms with. In that unprecedented massacre that night nine years ago, I had lost my family and my friends...no one survived the nightmarish attack. I was the sole survivor, left and inflicted with the pain and regret that would haunt me for the rest of my life.

Metal clanks from a corner have my neck gradually looking to my right to a black cat leaping off the top of a bin and igniting a quick chase after another.

The image of running around with Angie and Zara...I shut my eyes and sigh gently, curtailing the agony. They’re the only two people I hold dear to my heart.

Like magnets, we had grown inseparable and had sworn nothing would ever separate us as we had lived at the orphanage together. Angie should be having a nice dinner being served to her by her foster family, and if Zara is alive and out there somewhere, maybe she would be staring out at the snow and dreaming again.

Sigh, where do I go from here? Looking up at the long road ahead with street lights coming on, the night arrives quickly.

~

Along my sleepwalk, I realize I’ve walked a long distance to get to an awkwardly familiar place. Standing beneath the sunny rays of the streetlight, staring up ahead at the stretch of lush trimmed lawn...the single-family home that had been the encasement of the greatest treasures that was once in my possession; my family.

Moist gathers in my eyes, slurring my vision as my jaw clenches. My chest grows tight as I begin to drag myself in a haste towards the front porch, climbing up the wooden steps to arrive before the door. Raising my hands, I rain bangs against the door, my tears pouring without restraint.

“Mom! Dad! It’s me...your little girl, I’m back home!”

No matter how long I bang the door, no one steps out to welcome me back home as I slide to the floor, clutching my shivering frame and bawling my eyes. The harsh reality of my pathetic situation never fails in its guise to punish me, it seems.

A few cars accelerate past as I sit on the porch, leaning my head against the railing in silence. I know how messy I look as I sit here, permitting my childhood memories as they sear through my mind, placing me in a trance that’s short-lived when something suddenly tugs me out of it.

“Elizabeth! Oh my, Beth, it’s you!”

I flinch out of my trance to see someone running up the walkway that parts the lawn and up to me. Before I know what’s happening, I’m pulled into arms that wound around me, and her voice breaks, “Gosh...I was so s-scared w-when I saw the news”.

‘The news?’ Wait...could this perhaps be…. She pulls away, shaky hands wiping the tears that stain her face and I blink at her, stating flatly, “Aunt Sue?”

She just hugs me once more as I remain still, looking over her shoulder to see a tall man I recognize to be her husband and a girl about my age standing at the foot of the porch.

My heart didn’t get that jitter at all to see them. My mother’s younger sister goes on about her so-called worry and concern for me as I’m practically dragged into the house. What? So they inherited the house after I lost my parents and I was tossed out?

“Emma, why don’t you help her run a warm bath while I get dinner started?” Aunt begins to say to her daughter that’s been staring at me from a remote distance and she just hums and cocks her head in direction of the stairs for me to follow her.

This place has changed so much in nine years. It used to be so warm and rosy, I loved my home so much but now...I feel like a total stranger like I’m intruding.

At the top of the stairs where there’s a corridor, Emma points down as she looks at me, “The bathroom’s that way. I can lend some clothes so go ahead and wash up”.

Something about the way she’s addressing me informs me my speculation is right. She doesn’t welcome me. Being in her favor, however, I nod, “Thank you” and I amble down to the said door. As I’m about to open the door, I catch her voice, muttering to herself.

“I wonder why mom even bothers. She’s better off dead for all I care, tsk”

‘Beth, the day you lost your family was the day you lost any support’ I try to steel myself to get through this moment as I shrug and go into the bathroom. And when I step out after washing up, Emma invites me into my ex-bedroom that’s now hers, and hands me a purple hoodie and black sweatpants.

“Dinner should be ready, let’s go” And she ushers me out with her. We arrive to see aunt setting the table and her husband’s already settled at the head of the oval table. Aunt sees me and smiles but I know that expression too well.

“Hey, I tried to prepare your favorite like your mom used to...” She starts to say to me, hitting a nerve but I maintain my cool expression. “...you’ve been put through a lot so I tried to ensure you feel comfortable at most. Come, sit down”.

“Thanks, aunt” I show my gratitude and she just smiles and begins to serve the steamy baked spaghetti onto the laid dishes. It’s hard not to picture my mom doing it as I would hasten her to hurry up and let’s all dine together. That traces a wry smile onto my lips as I pick up the fork and begin to eat quietly.

All through dinner, aunt mostly speaks to me, asking if I still hurt anywhere so she can take me to the hospital for a checkup but I disagree nicely, telling her I’m fine. I think the facade is making my tummy churn already. I watch as aunt cleans up the table and Emma skips towards the stairs.

Leaving just me and Emma’s father at the table, I don’t know if I should get up. I feel restricted in here as if I can’t move unless I’m told to. So I remain glued to my seat as he gets up and also leaves. His departure permits a calming sigh to flow out my lips and I mix my fingers over the table.

But aunt soon surfaces and leans against the table, “Was it to your liking? If there’s anything I couldn’t beat my sister at, it was cooking”. I know she’s trying to cheer me up so I won’t think about the recent event but I can’t help not feeling the will to be uplifted so easily.

Nevertheless, I convey my impression, “It was nice, I enjoyed it”. She doesn’t speak for a moment and when she does, she tells me, “You must be tired, you should head up. You can take the room next to Emma since Lian won’t be home tonight”.

‘Does this mean when she returns I’ll then be kicked out again?’ I nod, “Thanks aunt”.

Keeping my words simple and short is the only way to stop me from reacting. It’s not my intention to remain here for long either. A night’s rest, so I can set my thoughts together before I hit the road to rebuilding my life, is the only thing on my mind at the moment.

Aunt pats my shoulder and moves away. I do the same too and head upstairs. Entering the bedroom, I’m stricken by a thought and I turn to the door hanging ajar. Aunt followed behind me as I climbed up so she must be in her bedroom. I step out of the room and begin to walk towards her bedroom door when a voice has me halting in place.

“You have to find a way to make her leave tomorrow. You know we can’t keep her with us”.