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.“Um.are you okay?” The secretary asked cautiously when Lexan did not speak for a minute but she already knew the reaction.She has seen it hundreds of times before.She looked at the boy, worried about him.He simply stood there, wide-eyed.Mister Raki put a hand on the boy’s shoulder, reassuringly, “It’ll be alright.You’re in good hands.”Lexan heard them, both of them, but he felt too conflicted to answer.On one hand, he would live normally, to some extent, and live in a normal house without bullies, without Leo, without Nangern’s poisonous remarks.On the other hand, he would live without Alary but perhaps she, too, would find such sanctuary.He did not wish to leave his friends, but he knew he could not stay at the orphanage forever.It was a prison of sorts, bad food, no new video games, terrible school; he would have seen the past five months as torturous be it not for Alary.“Sorry, I was just surprised for a while, but-that's great!” He lied through his teeth, and he knew it.The boy smiled while he tried to hide his sadness of leaving his friends and Alary.Though he contemplated running away, the boy knew better.He knew he would live a far better life with this man, unless he was crazy, which he did seem to be.Something led the boy to keep his head and not break down.He heard a voice but he did not see a face.“Lexan, you will be in good hands,” the voice said, “You and Alary will be together once more.Leave with this man, and he will take you on a journey.Then, you will prosper.”Lexan did not know where the voice had come from but it continued, “This man is not as he seems.He is far beyond his appearance.He will lead you forward but be wary.”The boy nodded to himself and the secretary took it as a sign of approval.“All right then, you'll be leaving tomorrow,” the secretary said.“What?” Lexan responded surprised.“Yes, tomorrow, Mr.Raki filled out the paperwork few weeks ago.” she said and Lexan left the office.IVThe day disappeared quickly as Lexan spent his time both deeply thinking and trying to enjoy it as his last.The same night, Alary told the boy about her own adoption.They kissed and went to sleep.Alary softly cried because she knew they would go their separate ways and never return.Alexander promised Alary he would look her up, and try to find her.She kissed him again and agreed to do the same.They wished to stay together forever and not leave each other’s side.But being adopted is good for me, the boy thought.He closed his eyes and fell asleep.Lexan suddenly jerked awake in middle of the night.He had a disturbing nightmare.Alary had already left, “probably packing,” he whispered to himself.He jumped down from his bed and packed his things over the few hours left until dawn and had about an hour left until he had to depart to the office.He looked over his luggage and experienced a peculiar Déjà Vu.He had done this before; it was the first day in the Orphanage.Depressing thoughts occurred to the boy: How will this continue? He pondered, Will I stay at the man’s house? Or will he kick me out later? Some last thought included Alary.Will I ever see her again? The boy sat down and felt like crying but he did not.I’ve cried enough, he thought and flexed his muscles, trying to keep the feeling inside.He kicked his bag, annoyed at the situation, and walked outside.The orphanage “guards”, as the others called them, let him through; he could break almost any rule on that day, they were the “leaving-privileges.” He could walk around the complex through the morning, which still seemed as night.A fog obscured the boy’s vision and cold droplets soaked his thin coat.He shivered and tightened it.How could it be so cold, it’s not even the fall, he thought and walked on through the thick morning fog.With each step, Lexan saw the buildings disappear; he saw the vague shapes and with every step, he saw new objects appear and come into focus.Life, he thought, an amazing set of instances that I or no one else can control, but he wanted to control it.He pondered on life and what has happened to him.The events flashed through his mind, burnt into his memory forever.It would haunt him for years, and he knew it.He wished these feelings to go away but they would not.Death, separation, a new parent, it was too much.A sound ripped through the air, slicing the fog to reveal its contents.Someone was crying, or weeping in the gray matter.Lexan moved closer to see who the noise came from.A boy sat on a bench close by a swing-set.It was Nangern, the boy realized and moved in closer.Nangern looked up with tears flowing down his face and eyes red.“You know, it’s all your fault!” He yelled across the distance,” you could not listen to my advice, could you!? You had to go behind my words, the words of your friend.Now she’s leaving and I couldn’t even spend her last moments with her!” He seemed to have yelled out his energy, “It’s your damn fault.” The boy cried even more.Lexan’s blood boiled, “It wasn’t my fault; you just couldn’t see us together!” he yelled back, bringing the old conversation back to life.He did not try to assuage Nangern’s pain; he elicited even more of it.Nangern seemed lurid at the response and sprang to his feet.With incredible speed he ran up to Alexander.He drew back his curled up hand and punched the soon-to-be-adopted boy in the face.Nangern did not wish a fight; the punch was a prerogative to him as a revenge.Alexander felt the steel hard knuckles bore into his cheeks and force themselves against his jaw, tearing the tissue.The dark blood came pouring out from his cheek into his mouth and down his throat, spreading the metallic taste.The tiny droplets were enough to make the boy sick.Surprised, Lexan stood there for a moment, spitting the blood out.The content did not amount to much but both boys knew an imaginary line had been crossed.During other fights, Lexan and Nangern were even, but Lexan always felt he had the upper hand.When he fought Leo, he could dodge any of the attacks.He could feel them coming, predict his moves.It was the same with Nangern but not now.The sense had left the boy, for the time being.The fist hit him and he could not see it, feel, nor sense it.He could not fathom of a defense, his reflexes were shot.No one had ever attacked him and bore through his natural instinct to defend this way before.What happened? Alexander thought.He could not understand.Then it came to him, his best friend, or at least he used to be, punched him because of Nangern’s own mistake, his own jaded, provincial thoughts on how only he is right.He could not discuss it without thinking only he’s right? He stood frozen and looked around.Nobody was there.VIt was past eight when Alexander returned to his dormitory.He spit out the remainder of blood in his mouth and massaged his cheek again, still feeling the force behind Nangern’s knuckles.He said his goodbyes.He said goodbye to Taylor who playfully punched him in the arm, “Oy, you’ve been ‘ere only a few months and yer gone already? No fair.” He laughed, “Enjoy yer life, Lexan.”“Yeah, you too.Let me know how it goes with you and Tanya, eh?” the boy grinned and held up his pocket wireless device.“Yeah, sure.Just send me one of those pocket wi-fis, and I’ll let you know,” Taylor answered [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]