Eleven

Silla still remembers it as clear as daylight. Her lifeless eyes, her cold body, and how her blood dried on her skin. Soon the days turned into weeks and weeks into months. Over the constantly passing days she had thought of death; to just end the pain and loneliness. The nightmares she had at night were almost unbearable. The violent beatings from her father- the agony and mental tortures blending together in her dreams to create a dark monster.

Her stepmother; the one thing she fought for tooth and nail until the end was gone. She had failed her and the gruesome details of her death replayed in her mind. The one thing she wanted in life was gone forever. Silla felt she no longer had any purpose. What was the point of her living anymore?

She never got closure but now without all her pain and sadness she felt empty. She had cried all the tears she had and now was left with the after affects of exhaustion.

Today, she walked along an old path, she needed to go to the market place and barter to get food. It was late into the night and if she didn't head home soon she would be in danger. Not that she really cared. Everything that was wrong with this city tended to happen at night. Pacing down the sidewalk towards her new apartment rain started to pour more violently. Her hair started to stick to skin as she was drenched. Whilst Silla ran and almost reached her apartment; she heard a groan.

She stopped. The girl wasn't sure where it was coming from.

It sounded again. This time she got a clear hint as to where it was coming from. Slowly she crept into the alleyway. What was she doing? The pained noises were obviously coming from another being but what exactly would come of her helping them? Nothing. In fact it  probably was a trick to harm her.

She turned to leave but then paused. It didn't matter that she was soaked and that the acidic rain continued to burn into her skin and drench her. As her mind was in conflict with itself. Logically she should've kept walking but something kept pulling at her insides.

She turned to the pitch black alleyway where the sound suddenly went quiet as if whoever was in the shadows knew she was there watching. Unknown to the young woman behind a large pile of trash was a little boy around seven years old sitting on the ground, his back against a wall. He had dirty matted hair, to the point his natural hair color was indistinguishable. Underneath the dirt however, were unearthly solid black eyes that were darker than the night sky. He was wounded and so thin that his eyes were slightly sunken in but they still held enough life in them that one could see the desperation on his face.

The boy knew that whom ever was coming closer having heard his fake pained gasps was foolish and therefore deserved what was coming to them. His face showed hunger and cruelty that a child his age should not have as he slowly took a sharp shard of glass out of his pocket. The boy had planned to cut the person until they bled out and take any of their belongings to sell or eat for himself. If he had it his way he would walk out of this alley, leaving only a corpse behind.

He awaited the moment the person peered above the garbage to stab them quickly in the jugular. However, too caught up in his thoughts in a moments hesitation he lost his focus and the next second a hand was harshly gripping his shoulder. Slowly turning his head his eyes met two endless soulless blue eyes glaring back at him as if possessed.

This strange woman's sudden appearance startled him and caused him to fumble for the sharp glass he was planning to cut her with. It was then that the glass was so quickly ripped out of his hand that he would've missed it if he blinked. Despite cutting herself in the process as she snatched the sharp object, the palm of her hand bled profusely and ran down her arm as she angrily clenched the glass before flinging it onto the other wall causing it to shatter into a million pieces.

Going over to him, Silla swung her arm back and with her finger firm and hard, she brought it forward. The slap hit him directly across the side of his face and it knocked his already unsteady posture over. Tumbling to the ground, he flinched and touched where she had slapped him in shock. It had happened much to fast for him to process. Pleased that her hand had struck him hard, for once she didn't hate the cold, terrifying hand of her original mother that had somehow taught her how to slap someone.

He looked shocked for a moment before angrily grabbing his red and swollen cheek looking back at the strange woman who had hit him.

"Come."

"Wha-" He didn't even finish speaking when the woman yanked him up by his collar and proceeded to bring him with her to whatever destination she had in mind. Though his mind was racing he did as he was told and went along with her. After all he was originally paid to find her and trick her and since he didn't get to stab her, he would go with the first option. After all the man who paid him was a rather dangerous looking man. He knew better than to disobey once again. Yet he did wonder just what they wanted with this peculiar woman. What was so special about her besides being naive enough to help another person? She must've at-least known it was a ruse.

The woman despite being so kindly malicious, easily noticed what kind of condition he was in. It was obvious that the city had caused wear and tear on his young body. Marks and bruises were visible on his skin. He was dirty, and his hair almost looked like it was going to fall out any second. He was an orphan living on the streets. Without a home. Few orphans could survive on their own. Seeing as hundreds of years ago all orphanages were shut down as they had no government to fund them. The city spared no one, even children. If she left him here, he would eventually die.

Not that it was her problem.

Inside her dry apartment she looked back at the boy as if expecting something as he stood confused, still in the doorway. Jyn was busy at work and still hadn't come home to their shared apartment yet, so it was just the two of them. Her original place that she signed a lease for, was destroyed in the attack by Black Sun so at the moment they were staying together. During the terrorist attacks majority of the lower ring was destroyed and everyone was fighting for food at the moment.

Sadly for her, she technically no longer had a job since, the bar she worked at also got destroyed. They also had no power or water and could only rely on what sunlight they got. The lower ring and all it's citizens had been plunged into the dark ages since the attack five months ago and she knew it would only get worse from there.

Taking out what she stol- borrowed from the market, she put it on a cracked flimsy plate and handed it to the small boy who looked at her even more confused than before. "It's not poisoned." She spoke looking back at him with the plate in his hands. He didn't even look down at the dish and continued to stare at her like he wasn't sure what to do. Taking a good handful of bread she stuffed it into her mouth and swallowed.

"See. It's safe to eat." She too was rather hungry but that was all she had at the moment.

Gazing back down at the plate he slowly took a tiny piece with his fingers and ate it rather wearily. Though after a few bites he quickly started to gobble it up in a vicious frenzy and even got crumbs stuck on his face. Rather rude and unmannerly for a house guest. But she supposed he didn't really know any better. After being in the streets for so long he was no more than a wild animal.

"You never told me your name." Sills stated trying to figure out what to call him.

"Raizel." He whispered almost too quiet to hear.

"Hmm?" She voiced not hearing him.

"My name is Raizel." He spoke more firmly this time.

Opening the door she ushered him out as looked a tad bewildered and then she shut the door, leaving him outside once again. She fed him and then let him back out into the world. The boy almost felt disappointed, he was glad to be free of this deranged woman though once he knew the feeling of warmth he seemed to miss it a bit. He had also failed to do what he was supposed to do.

Raizel was lurking in the shadows like he always did when an older man approached him. At first he thought the man came with nothing but devious intentions but instead he came to the boy with a proposition. All he asked was that he sneak into her home, act pitiful, and form some sort of emotional bond with her. Attach himself to her like a leech. Why? He didn't know nor did he care. All he wanted was the promise of a reward.

But now that he failed, there was no point in it. The man would leave him alone and he would go back to what he was best at. And he would never see her again.

At least, that was what he thoughts.

For some reason unknown to him a week later, in the middle of the night no less he found himself wandering near her apartment. And before he knew it, he had curled up at her very doorstep and felt himself close his eyes in exhaustion. He didn't know why he went there, because he had originally failed, he was getting nothing by being close to this strange woman. Yet he fell asleep right on her doorstep.

______________________

Sunlight flooded through the curtains. Since it was early morning and still dewy outside, the boy is asleep. A bundle of Cain's belongings, which were only his ratty clothes, were neatly folded on the couch, and scissors sat on the bathroom counter, with a few errant pure white curls in the trash can. Amazingly when the dirt was finally wiped off the boys head, his pure white locks were revealed from underneath.

The boy sleeps in the biggest pajamas no doubt that Silla had, and she lays awake with the boy beside her sharing the only bedding she has. The lanky kid tucked himself into a fetal position, curled under her neck and against her stomach. He smells fragrant and his hair is shining with a neat more refined shape with bouncier curls. She cut his hair and gave him a bath with dish soap and a rag while he was asleep. It was surprising to her that during the whole ordeal he didn't once wake up.

She used majority of the water she had collected in a bucket from outside in order to clean him and wash his head. It was hard to collect too, plus the water purification process, which she did herself took much longer than collecting it. The sad rusty bucket was the only water source she had since her home was decimated, but it was all she had.

To say the least she was a bit surprised to see the boy asleep at her doorstep when she went out to get more water. At first she thought about just leaving him but his small peaceful face appealed to her better nature.

Ultimately she had gotten no sleep and since it was now early in the morning she began planning and listing things she would need for the child that currently occupied her living room. In the kitchen she fixed the best of what she could feed him.

Any time now he would wake up; very confused as to why he was inside and not out.

At about noon instead of being sprawled out snoring on her bed the boy rubbed his tired eyes and looked around confused. For reasons unknown to him, the woman he knows as Silla had picked him up and brought him inside her apartment. Not only that but he was clean, something he hadn't been in a very long time.

Raizel slinked around, smelling and touching objects, stealing curious glances at the girl. Throughout the day she stopped by several pawn and clothing shops, selling all items including her older communication device. She had so little. But she paid this no mind as she exited the pawn shop and pocketed her new money, having even sold her purse now. Though the most interesting part was when Jyn came home and found the little stranger sitting on his couch. It took longer than she thought it would but the man and the boy eventually relaxed around each other.

Then once the sky had darkened once more she heard a rapping at her door.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

As soon a sound was heard at the door, she flinched a bit. None of her friends told her they were coming over. Did Julith forget her keys? It was odd as neither Julith nor Clovis rarely forgot their things. Jyn was now home with them but he never said anything about having guests over. Perplexed she decided to check through the peephole to see who it was.

The small glass hole in the door seemed to mysteriously beckon her to look through it and as soon as she did the glass in her hands dropped from her palm shattering on the floor upon impact. Pure terror flooded across her system. On the other side of the door a man with icy gray hair and vivid blue gray eyes looked through.

"Hello Silla." His chilling voice spoke.

Again his fists banged on the door.

It was indeed her fathers voice.

But why was he here?

"Silla? Please open the door. I know you're home." He said from the other side.

"I can wait until you open the door."

The only reason he would be here was if he wanted something. Jyn knowing nothing good would come of it stayed silent and wrung his hands nervously. Silla gritted her teeth and yelled, "Leave! I don't want to talk to you!" Her eyes showed with pure rage once they pushed past the fear she felt. He was stunned. His daughter had never yelled at him like this. She always glared and threatened, but she still remained passive. He assumed she would just outright forgive him just like her mother Selena did.

"I know sweet heart. I noticed that you moved out of the house." He disgustingly apologized. He sounded genuine but that was probably far from the truth. From under the door a white thin package slid underneath.

"Silla, I'm very sorry. What I did was wrong." He sweated nervously.

Picking up the envelope she cautiously opened it to reveal what she had thought would never return. It was lower ring currency and a lot of it. "In the package, you can find the money I took from you. Please understand I never intended to keep it. I just wanted to ensure you'd make the correct choices for your future, honey. I know my method was wrong. But please understand, everything I did. I did it all out of...

"Love."

She froze on the spot. Shills going down her spine as her eyes widening on the last word. For her love was a word painted in blood, tears, and pain.

"Y-You... Terrorized me and took everything I've ever cared for away. You probably killed my mother and yet there you stand telling me it was all done out of love?" Her voice started to shake and towards the end she started to shout and her hand crushed the entire envelope out of rage.

He stood shocked and then sighed tiredly massaging his forehead. "Look sweetie. I know you're upset. You have every right to be. Can you just open your door, and we'll talk about it? I promise you I never hurt your mother. It was an accident. You know deep down that she was attacked and killed by one of those terrorists."

He does this.

She clenched her fists.

He always does this.

Her mind suddenly flashed to past memories of her childhood. She was in her childhood house as she watched him violently grip Selena's arm. He'd picked a fight with her mother out of the blue just because he could. His yelling and her screams reverberating throughout the walls. She watched him storm out. Vanish from home for days. Each time breaking the door off its hinges as he slammed it. She would hear Selena her mother in hours she thought Silla was asleep...

Sobbing until daylight.

Laid out on the cold tile floor of the bathroom her head buried in her knees.

...Then he'd finally return. With his expensive gifts and sincere heartfelt apologies.

Beautiful bouquets of flowers.

She forgave him.

Every. Single. Time.

He did that on repeat for years until Silla asked the question that always bugged her. "Mom... Why do you forgive him?" A smaller much younger version of herself would ask.

She would turn around unique bouquet of flowers in hand. Red lips whispering one unsettling word.

Love.

At that exact moment, she knew love was the most disgusting thing to ever exist. If that was love... She would crush it under her foot without mercy like one would a bug. Even if she wanted to leave, a woman could never leave her husband. It was legally, culturally, and financially impossible.

Her fathers tone cracked as he began tearing up, "Silla! Please forgive me! Everything I did, I did out of love for you!" She couldn't handle it anymore, and she harshly covered her ears so she could only hear his muffled voice. She just wanted him to stop. The other two being in the apartment and whatever they were saying to her was being drowned out by her thoughts. Even as Jyn held her as she curled in a ball on the floor all she could hear was the other side of the door.

"I'M YOUR FATHER! JUST OPEN THE DOOR! LET ME IN, SILLA! I JUST WANNA TALK!" He screamed even louder scaring her. He was doing to her what he did to her mother for the past nineteen years.

He hurt her and then apologized.

And he does not stop until he gets his way.

After a brief pause of silence, he spoke again but this time in a much calmer voice. "Well, if you never want to see me again... I'll respect your wishes..."

"But if you want to sever ties then hand the boy over."

She stilled her crazed eyes moving alertly. "I don't have him."

"Oh, Sweetie. How do you think I first found you? The slave boy has a tracking chip."

"You- Bought a slave? Why?"

"To lure you of course. I just knew you wouldn't be able to resist helping an innocent child."

"It doesn't matter. He's inside my apartment."

"Tsk... Tsk... Have you learned nothing? My name is still on the record as the official owner for the boy. You have technically stolen my property by taking him without my consent. I can take you to the lower city court. Would you like to know the penalty for taking personal property?"

"Perhaps, it'd make you sad to know that I planned this. Well- the boy had his part too. I paid him rather generously for getting into your home." The woman stilled, hands still pulling at her scalp. Her eyes shot to the boy who now looked frightened and a tad guilty. The only relatively calm person left in the room being Jyn, who under the surface was seething with rage. How come he had never known just how crazy this man was? Why didn't his friend at least tell, him? He knew she probably just wanted to protect him and was embarrassed but he was a grown man who could handle his own shit. Yet she still babied him. He felt sad that she took on all the burden by herself.

"Well, sweetheart. Open this door and hand the boy over... Or I can have you arrested for theft and confinement of property."

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why do you even want him?! He's just a child!" Jyn screamed enraged.

"Oh- have company do you dear daughter. Tsk... Tsk. What a little whore."

"Maybe I'll just let the boy starve in the streets. Who knows? Point is, he's none of your concern, sweetie. You want me gone? Give me the boy." He paused causing her anxiety to shoot through the roof.

"... Or, you can open this door and we can discuss this like adults. Can you do that Silla?" He spoke like to her like he was talking to a small child and not a grown adult.

That's it then.

Raizel is all her dad had over her now.

If so she could just hand him over...

He was a stranger. Why should she care. A stupid boy who came to her with nothing but deception and ill intentions. She would be liberated from her fathers grip forever. He always told Silla to stop living in the clouds. She'd have to take that advice and face her reality now. Raizle looked up at her blank remorseless face with fear. He dug his heels into the floor when she grabbed him by the arm and started to drag him to the door.

And...

Without another thought she pulled out her phone and pressed it. A thin blue hologram popped up showing a video. Once the volume was turned up to full capacity, the sound of the voices became clearer. Along with the words from their previous conversation. His own words playing, "Maybe I'll just let him starve in the streets? Who knows?" The recording repeatedly played the voice becoming more and more distorted each time,

She hit it again.

"Maybe I'll just let him starve in the streets-"

It rewinded again.

Maybe I'll just let him starve in-"

She pressed the button.

"Maybe I'll just let him starve-"

The screen cracked with how hard her hand clutched it.

"Maybe I'll just let him-

"Starve-

"In-

"The-

"Streets-"

"Who knows right?" She mimicked the last part as her father froze outside the door.

"Do you recognize your voice?" She held a darkly numb look.

"I recorded our previous conversation. Normally endangerment and one time use of a slave isn't a big deal but there's also something you don't know."

"I thought it odd that a small child like himself had survived so long on his own. And, despite being so frail he was quite able bodied and strong. I had long suspected, with his unique hair and long limbs that there was more than what caught the eye. A trans human. I'd never seen one before yet for some reason I recognized it right away."

"It's even a capital offense in the Upper ring to kill such a rare specimen... Who would've thought?" She laughed.

"You want to take me to lower ring court over his custody? I'd gladly comply. In these circumstances a slave goes to next of kin. Which guess who that is? Me."

"Let's see what the officials think of this recording."

This was it.

There was no going back after making these threats in retaliation. Behind her Raizel looked surprised that she had found his secret so quickly, and gently clung to her sweater peeping out once there was no reply.

It was quiet.

Until loud malicious hysterical laughter filled the air. The kind of noise you would only expect out of a mad person. Then loud banging began. Harder than ever before. The door knob rattled as he tried to open it from the outside. "I JUST WANT TO TALK! OPEN THE DOOR! OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR, SILLA!" At this rate he was gonna break the door down.

"Gods what a psycho!" Jyn whispered in fright as he put his back against the door, keeping it from breaking down.

"You ungrateful, selfish, fucking child. Is this how you repay me for raising you?" Hopefully the chair Jyn wedged under the door knob and the floor could prevent the door from breaking and swinging open.

Because... If not... He would certainly... Kill her...

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to be continued...