Chapter Four

Ten years later

It's getting late

Why are they taking so much time? Everything is going smoothly. Today is a celebration day. I know so much discussion happening inside. My eyes were on the wall. Every second is important for me. Outside, heavy rain is falling and winter nights are getting colder. Darkness spreading everywhere. I need to catch my bus. My eyes are on the door and I don't care who's watching me here. My single eye is full of hate on me. It's a habit now. People like roses but not here. For them I'm the shore who hurt every single person.

I don't care

I don't scared

The door opens and a girl comes outside. She's holding a list. Fingers crossed I hope my name is mentioned there. My heart is beating fast.

"Okay everyone I'm going to announce names so whose name I mention please stand with me." Everyone nodded. She starts announcing the names one by one and I hold my breath. Today or never. My all needs depend on this job. It's very hard for me to find a job in this town where people throw you out because you're the worst person born in this world.

She is continuously going on and I'm numb watching every single person. Don't cry please. Everyone stands with her except me.

No

"Excuse me?" I call out when she's going to turn. Turing gave me an angry look. Calm down lady.

"Yes?"

"My interview went very smoothly and they told me I'm the best. Then why?" Hope is broken again. My heart is broken again.

"Rose, you know about yourself very well. Have mercy on us and go away. Just thank us we let you enter our building and we don't know when you found your next target. You're news." News? Yes, I'm the news. This is not the first time someone insulted me. Everyday people insulted me.

Badly

They think I'm the wrong one. But they never know what happened on that day. I'm the only victim but no one listens to me. It's my reality. My eyes were running around and everyone was ready for a strike. Without making eye contact I grabbed my things and came outside.

Well, cold rain welcomed me in darkness. Heavy showers make my skin numb. I have a thin jacket around me. It's the only jacket I have left because of my things.... Never mind. I covered some holes with stitches but still, I feel cold rain on my skin. My broken boots make weird noises after getting wet. My last bus went five minutes ago and it's last so I need to walk fifteen kilometers. It's a habit for me now.

But with an empty stomach, it's difficult for me to walk. Loud noise making a piece of perfect music in a silent environment. It's my life after my dad and mom left me alone. Dad was dead or killed and mom left me for another man. Everything changed after that night. The truth haunted me every day. The voices were still humming in my ear loud but the most horrible thing happened after that and still, I'm suffering. My life was ten years ago and now I'm the person who was called a witch.

Witch

People called me a witch because of the incident that happened in my life. I can't believe I'm still living my life. Thank god they didn't kill me. But my life is more than hell now. Empty, dark, and lost. The Rose is now covered by the shore.

Hope still alive

Walking kilometers I reached my place. Coming home I'm faced with dirty words again. This is a new town for me.

Still

I'm old

Slut, witch written on wall with black paint. Why can't they understand and let the old words fade? My house is covered with lots of grass and trees. People throw trash here. Dirty walls with leaked plaster and broken windows never sheltered me in winter or summer. But I covered them with some clothes. Just a broken bed and only a table where I set some cups and other things. Taking a deep breath I entered my house and the smell of puke hit me. A giggle came out with lots of tears. How funny I'm looking with the name I'm holding?

Rose without smell. Who's unable to stop the dirty smell that makes her life horrible. Before I go for a change there is a knock on my door. I stop on the dead. No one knocked on my door. No one even thinks about it. Suddenly I feel panicked. What if they're coming for me? I have no knife or thing for protection. He found me.

No

"Wh...Who's this?"

"It's me, child." It's Father Anthony. I let out a deep breath and opened the door but he's not alone, mother Kerry with him. They both come inside. Father Anthony is the only person who knows me very well. He stands with me on my bad days when the whole town is ready to hang me on the rope. He saved me. He's like my father but today mother Kerry....something is not good. My mind sends bad signals to my heart.

"How's your interview?" I lowered my face on father's question and he knows how it's gone.

"Don't worry child, one day people will know who's wrong and who's right." I nod but today he's not the father I used to know. Mother Kerry stood silent during our conversation. Her bright face looked sad. Something is going on here. Conversation with father Anthony lighting my mood for a second but my empty stomach pulling their attention towards me.

"When did you eat last time?"

"Umm.."

"Truth child."

"Tuesday." Both gasp. Oh god, help me. Today is Friday and I have nothing to eat. Tears falling from my eyes. God kill me, please.

"Wait here I'll send something to eat." Both stand and walk outside. When I'm going to close, I hear them talking.

"Father Anthony, why don't you just tell her?"

"I can't look at her, she's such a miserable and poor child. My heart never gave me permission for that. We can find a way."

"She's a problem for us now. Today people threatened us and what is the next father? We're going to lose our lives because of her."

"Don't be so selfish. What if she thinks we're doing wrong with her? She just has us. We can't.."

"What about Bella? What happened to her just because of Rose. She's a problem for us now. We need to get rid of her as soon as possible. What if they're all telling the truth about her."

Get rid

Problem

They also think I'm wrong