Oddity 5

"Callus!"

Mira called for him, Callus slowly put the book down and glances at the figure. She was holding a bag of Jollens with doll-like features her soft loving eyes contained a soft light that made him tremble a bit. He hated those eyes; she resembled that woman in a way.

Mira observes the child in front of her; she sighs but put the jollens to his lap. She wanted to put his guard down just walking down to her room and grabbing the nearest toy, surely a toy can soften a child? Much more are young curious boy like him.

Callus observes the strange colorful small glass balls; he frowns for a moment and continued to observe it.

"Pretty aren't they? I'll give them to you as a welcome gift." Mira smiled sweetly at the young boy that barely reached her neck. The boy lifts his head and frowns at the girl

"Why are you giving me these strange balls? Aren't these cheap decorations"

"No... Haven't you played with this?"

"Why would you let someone play with strange-looking orbs? This isn't a prank isn't it?"

"Stop addressing me with "you"! I have a name you know...Call me "Big sister" and lift your head to the side, like this." Mira demonstrated.

Callus frown further, black lines slowly forming on his forehead.

"Why would I do that? You're a strange Cactus."

"Cactus? I'm a Cactus?"

"Yes."

"Why am I a Cactus?" Mira looms over him.

"And why not?" Callus continued to read unbothered.

"What?"

"What?"

Mira stared blankly at the bored stinky kid quite a bit lost.

"Big sister!"

A small doll barges through the room, looking at both sideways before spotting her elder sister near the fireplace.

She shoots herself like a cannonball falling to Mira's arms making Mira stumble a bit; Mira balanced her foot while looking at the small radish that launched herself to her arms in questions.

"Sister! Sister! Dad called for us!" Stella coltishly said while tilting her head up and down to Mira's chest like a kitten asking for affection. Mira felt an incoming nosebleed quickly tilting her face to the side; she removed her gaze from Stella.

'Out of sight, out of mind.' She thought.

Callus watched the warm scene with his cold dull eyes, his eyes turning darker every second pass; he stood up with a book on his hand and he left without looking back.

"Sister... I don't like him, let's not play with him" Stella innocently said with naivety flowing through her eyes.

"Stella, we talked about this. You can't say things like this, his family." Mira said slowly to the child as he slowly pats her head in affection.

Together they left, hand in hand; Stella hums sweetly a song her mother sang to her as Mira enjoyed the baby's childish mutters.

When they reached their father's office, they knock the door and opened it slowly greeting their father who stood in the middle of the room waiting for their expected visit unexpectedly they meet a familiar-looking man, he had a soft subtle face with a blond clean-cut hair, he wore a butler's attire. His lips were turned upward as his eyes gaze on them with a soft look.

"Ah, Mira and Stella finally you have gratified us with your presence." He scolds them dotingly

The pair of sisters looks at each other and said their apologies, then proceeds to glance at the man next to their father.

"Ah right, this is John, the family's trusted steward. He will be responsible for you 3 while your mother and I are away. I expect no trouble okay?"

"Hay!" Stella yelps bubbly.

Vernon pats her head and chuckled at her childishness.

Mira ignored the warm scene at her side only observing the butler named John. It's odd she swore she saw her somewhere before she just couldn't put her finger to it. Noticing the little girl's gaze, John smiled at her warmly making Mira turn her gaze to the side with a frown.

While they are busy with their own thoughts, they heard a scream outside. Quickly with no hesitation, they all dashed to the origin, once they arrived they saw a woman sprawled on the stair groaning in pain, she held her foot with a grimace.

"Claudia!" Vernon sprang on his feet and quickly ordered John to call the healers.

"Vernon my foot, I think I sprained it." Claudia slowly said pain evident in her face.

"How did this happen?" Vernon darkly asked.

"I was only going downstairs when I step on a bunch of this." She said and pointed at the Jullens that scattered around the stairs.

Mira stood still in shock as she recognized this Jullens she had given to Callus. Stella cried in her arms from fright, on the side Callus came in time and saw the Jullens on the staircase. He looked around wide eye quite surprised.

"Sister isn't that the toys I gave you?" Stella's raspy voice called out.

Mira surprised with her sister's claim, she indeed gave it to her as an apology gift but she had given them to Callus to play.

"I gave it to Callus to play..."

"I." Callus started but hesitated.

"Enough with this, your mother needs help. We will discuss this later." He said deeply with a dark expression forcing every word.

"Vernon, it was my all fault." Claudia immediately pulled her husband collar, forcing him to face her small dainty pretty face.

The man only shook his head, carried her off and left with no other utter.

Mira cast a glance at Callus who stayed put with hands clutching his shirt with a dull empty look on his eyes; it was hard to guess the young boy. It was a look no child should ever portray.

"Callus, Stella come over you two took quite a fright."

"Aren't you scared?" Callus whispered but Mira was close enough to hear.

"Of what?"

"Of me." Callus spoke with no emotion; he looked at Mira as if he was merely looking at a wall.

"No, because I know you didn't do it." Mira shrugs carelessly

Callus keep his gaze on her with a curious glint passing through, he finally smiled genuinely.

"I like you; I think I'll keep you." He said and left.

"He scares me, sis you shouldn't associate with him." Stella finally spoke with fear and dislike, hugging her waist tighter.

Mira ignored her murmurs, keeping her sight at the place where the boy once stood.