Companion: Warm embrace. 2

“What did you do to her? Why did you bring her here? I told you to stay away from her.” Her voice cracked a bit, like she was trying to hide her fear of me.

Why does she make it sound like I’m out to get them. Like I’m bane to all of humanity. A proven fact that humans, in fear of anything different—even slightly beyond the scope of their normal, tend to mistreat covering up their true feeling towards it, pure abusive discrimination.

I look away from her and look at Blaire who was staring back at me.

This was the second time I saw the intense yearning in her eyes, as if not wanting to leave my side—not counting the subtle ones. First was yesterday under the tree and this right her. Every time she looked at me this couple of years it was more of curiosity and interest yet this two days her gaze felt some more.

Why such a burning gaze after all this years they tried so hard to see her treat me as they did? What reason warrants for such level of attachment?

And yet I can’t help but wonder how she would look at me when she grow. Would she treat me as the orders do, for the devil the think I am? Or with such kind and curious gaze she always had?

I look beside the two to the man behind them, Varden, who looked enraged walking closer, trying his best to not let it show.

“Caela, think it’s best you took Blaire out.”

With a nod Caela turns away head for the stairs. I hear a few grunts from Blaire, trying to look back at me.

Moments later I hear the door creak shut.

“Hey devil…!”

I look over to him. And his expression the look in his eyes, pure unadulterated hatred.

In the moment I couldn’t help but think:

Could all this happening to me at this point—like in many lifetimes—be the Karma that instead of feeling in the Threshold carried over into the physical plane?

Not that that make any difference in how it has always been.

“It’s high time I beat the devil shitless out of you.” He said cracking his knuckles walking over to me.

I could help but roll my eyes, even if he says that now, he had always implied that when hitting me. And it’s not like there is anything in me that needs to me exorcised. Plus I doubt a demon possessing a body would leave just because you beat it senseless—if you’re not rather at the receiving end of that beat down should the so called demon retaliate.

I watched him ball a fist and towered over me, cocked his hand back and brought it down on me.

A sharp pain assaulted my jaw. The force of the hit rattled my brain threw me to the side.

He doesn’t hold back every time he does this.

Sometimes I can’t help but think they just want to hear me scream. But I neither care nor have the time to satisfy their sadism.

How does this scene look to an observer? A grown man beating on a kid. I think that observer would care less as they all think me a devil…

I survived, barely, their beatings all this long and now with the strenuous trainings I put myself through the pain and it feels distance, though it doesn’t mean it wouldn’t draw blood.

My mouth tasted rustic, a familiar taste I would never forget.

I laid there without moving a muscle. Whether I did or didn’t it wouldn’t stop him from beating me up for whatever conclusion he came finding Blaire here.

“Get up”

He grabbed me by the scruff of my rags and with some effort lifts me up.

“What, aren’t you going to smile today, devil?” He asked staring straight into my face.

He pulled his hand back and punched my gut. I had nothing in my stomach, obviously since it was just morning and I haven’t had anything to eat yet, yet I felt the acids inside my stomach try to come out.

Reflexively I held my stomach, he releases me and I drop to my knees. Not a moment later he planted his feet into my chest sending my reeling back.

I lost count of how many times I had a my ribs broken from the beatings—luckily not ones that couldn’t be healed over time—and now I have another, four at that. That was proof of how much force he was using.

He towered over me again goes on a knee and starts pummeling me down, hard.

I guess another day for bruises not that it could get any worse.

So I have to know:

Is it that they care for Blaire or they truly despise every fibre of my being moreso now and are using her as an excuse to do what they do? Well the jokes on them either way. If I am a devil, one that came from them then what are they than devils themselves, the proof being how they treat me.

Did they not consider that? Not that it is of relevance. It’s just words with no base. And I know for certain they are not devils, neither am I. They are just afraid.

Today though he’s not as chatty as he usual is when laying down the hurt on me. Maybe, frustration? So he’s just venting for having thought something might have happened to Blaire.

Someone may think that noble. Caring for his daughter. But should that be the reason to beat on your son, devil or not? Well the fear of me being one is a drive for this as well and also his reasoning might be that I was the cause of what happened, and not finding Blaire in her room. That I may have brought her down here myself, maybe with the mindset of harming her, them or getting to them..

Caela had just walked out the door, Blaire in her arm and free hand closing the door behind her, it creaked shut. She sighed in relief before looking at Blaire in her arm.

Caela wore a from a frown looking at Blaire who bore one of confusion. She could not understand why they did that to him, to her brother, he had always done nothing yet they punished him for the little thing they saw as mistake.

Why?

And today it was her fault yet she knew her papa was in there punishing him for something he hadn’t done.

How cruel.

Caela‘s expression soften up and squat down setting her knees to the floor.

She set Blaire to the floor before her holding her little hands in hers.

“Listen to me, Blaire. I know you are smart enough to understand this. Even if he is your brother stay away from him. He is a demon. Only bad things will come if you go near him.” Said Caela.

Even her childish mind had to wonder: Why? Why do all this to him? He was always to himself. Hardworking so why hurt him?

The perception of a child was a terrifying thing but because they had no voice they could not say out.

Blaire tore her gaze away from Caela looking at the door.

She didn’t understand whatever was happening and yet she didn’t need to understand either.

It was obvious. Them always pushing what they thought of him unto her. So she too treat him like they do. To force a rift between them both.

The force to reject that yearning she had within and that alone bloom obscurity within, shoving whatever budding emotions she had yet to understand as a growing child. She felt a loss. A change set in, a dullness, as if the energy she had was gone, which they found in the days coming.

I spent a few days locked up in the basement. No food until they sent it my way. As for water it was easy to get since I especially kept a pot filled up just in case I was locked in again.

I was hurt all over. Face bruised and swollen. I count five fractured rips, the searing pain in my lungs when I breath. Broken nose and the pain in my jaws. The whole body felt battered. Lucky they were nothing too serious. No dislocated or broken bone so it should heal up soon.

And yet through the pain I continue my daily routine. Exercise and train through the pain. It hurt real bad. Every move felt like my body was going to break apart. But there’s nothing I can do than heal up and train harder.