chapter28：Tom's journey full

At this moment, the sky suddenly turned gloomy. The fierce wind howled as it swept across, and large raindrops poured down like beads off a broken string. However, this tempestuous rainstorm did not halt Tom's steps. He was like a small boat firmly moving forward in the storm, resolutely making his way towards the bus stop for the suburban orphanage. His figure seemed so tiny in the wind and rain, yet it was filled with an indelible strength.

He arrived at the stop. Rainwater trickled down his cheeks, and his clothes were already drenched, but his eyes remained steadfast. He boarded the bus and found a window - side seat to sit down. As the bus slowly started, Tom looked at the blurry world outside through the window. There was not a shred of hesitation or nostalgia in his heart. He knew that he was walking towards a new beginning, a future full of the unknown yet also brimming with hope.

As the bus gradually headed towards the suburbs, a complex emotion welled up in Tom's heart. He had no idea what awaited him in the orphanage, but he knew that no matter how many difficulties lay ahead in the future, he would no longer be as frightened and cowardly as before. Because in his heart, the seeds of courage and hope had been sown, seeds given to him by Amy, and he would tightly grasp this strength, just like holding a bright lantern in the dark.

...

On the other side, when Tom got off the bus and was less than a hundred meters away from the orphanage, he was instantly stunned by the sight before him. Snowflakes were falling thickly and swiftly, and the road seemed to be covered tightly by a layer of ice - like armor. The cold seemed to seep through the soles of his shoes straight into his bones. And at the moment he got off the bus, the surrounding environment suddenly became pitch - dark, as if the darkness was surging from all directions to devour him.

Just in this darkness and coldness, the dean walked out slowly to greet him, carrying a kerosene lamp. The dim light of the kerosene lamp flickered in this ice - cold and dark world, barely illuminating a small area around. Tom was filled with mixed feelings when he saw the dean. He took a deep breath and then slowly told the dean his wish. His eyes revealed a firmness and eagerness: "Dean, I want to study abroad. I want to see the bigger world outside. I don't want to be trapped in this small place all my life. I know it's difficult, but I really want to give it a try."

The dean listened quietly, with an amiable look on his face. After Tom finished speaking, the dean nodded slightly and then took out an envelope from his arms and handed it to Tom: "Child, I can understand your thoughts. There is some money in here. Take it as financial aid for your study abroad." Tom took the envelope in surprise, his eyes immediately turning red: "Dean, why are you helping me like this? I... I really don't know how to thank you." The dean gently patted his shoulder: "Child, I see something different in you, a persistent pursuit of the future. I hope you can achieve your dream."

Tom was full of gratitude and stayed in the orphanage that night. After all, he was still a minor, and the dean had arranged everything for him. The dean contacted his relatives in NYC, USA, and asked them to pick up Tom. Then, the dean dialed Tom's adoptive parents' phone number and informed them of this matter. On the other end of the phone, Tom's adoptive parents were extremely cold - hearted when they heard the news. They just said a few words indifferently and then hung up.

...

Tom lay on the somewhat shabby bed in the orphanage, looking at the snowflakes flying all over the sky outside the window. His thoughts involuntarily drifted away. He thought of that strange and beautiful sister. It was by chance that he saw her once. The sister's smile was as warm as the sun, and her beauty was like the brightest star in the night sky, deeply engraved in Tom's mind. He thought to himself silently: "If only I could hear the beautiful sister's voice on the radio. Maybe that voice would be like a spring breeze, blowing away all the gloom in my heart."

Tom's mind was filled with all kinds of strange thoughts. He wondered if this heavy snowfall concealed some secrets. Why did he suddenly fall into darkness as soon as he got off the bus? Was all this the arrangement of some mysterious force? He also thought about the money that funded his study abroad. Why did the dean give it to him so easily? Was there some ulterior motive behind it? And his adoptive parents, were they always so cold - hearted, or was there some special reason?

He sat up and looked at the somewhat mottled wall under the dim yellow light. The shadows on the wall seemed to be telling some unknown stories. He decided that he must find out the truth behind all this.

...

Tom began to explore around the orphanage. First, he came to the dean's office and secretly rummaged through the files on the desk, but found nothing abnormal. Then, he came to the basement of the orphanage. The basement was filled with a stale smell. Under the dim light, he saw some old boxes and sundries.

Just as he was rummaging in the basement, he suddenly heard a faint sound of footsteps. His heart leaped into his throat, and he quickly hid behind a box. The footsteps got closer and closer. He peeked through the gap in the box and saw a figure slowly approaching. The figure stopped at a corner in the basement and then took out a strange object from his arms. It looked like a small - scale instrument. The figure fiddled with the instrument, and a faint blue light emitted from it, illuminating a small area around.

Tom widened his eyes. He wanted to see clearly who this figure was, but the light was too dim, and he could only see a blurry outline. What was this figure doing? What was this strange instrument? All of this was full of suspense, like a fog shrouding Tom's mind. He decided to wait until this figure left before going to check that corner. He secretly vowed in his heart that he must solve these mysteries, and then pursue his dream, find that beautiful sister, and explore the secrets hidden behind this world.

At this time, the snow outside was still falling continuously, and the whole world seemed to be buried in endless mystery by this heavy snow.

The mysterious figure stayed in the corner for a while and then left the basement quietly. Tom carefully poked his head out from behind the box. After making sure there was no movement around, he slowly walked towards that corner. When he got closer, he found a strange mark on the ground. This mark seemed to be composed of some complex lines and symbols, emitting a faint blue light, exactly the same as the light emitted by the mysterious instrument before.

Tom crouched down and carefully examined this mark, trying to find some clues, but these strange symbols were like a book from heaven to him. He reached out his hand, wanting to touch the mark. Just as his finger was about to touch the mark, suddenly an electric current sprang from the mark, and Tom was shocked and fell backward. His arm felt numb, but his heart was even more curious about what secrets this mark was hiding.

Tom rubbed his arm, stood up and looked around. He found that a brick in this corner looked different from the surrounding bricks. He pushed hard on that brick, and the brick moved slowly, revealing a small hidden compartment behind it. There was a shabby notebook in the hidden compartment. The paper of the notebook had turned yellow, and it seemed very old.

Tom picked up the notebook and opened it. It was densely filled with words, but the handwriting was very sloppy, and many parts were already blurred. He managed to make out some words. It seemed to be some historical records about this orphanage, which mentioned a special plan related to some mysterious research, but a lot of the specific content had been smeared out and could not be fully understood.

Just as Tom was concentrating on the content in the notebook, he suddenly heard a cough behind him. He was startled and quickly turned around, only to find the dean standing behind him. The dean's eyes revealed a complex expression, with surprise and a tinge of helplessness. "Tom, you shouldn't be here," the dean said slowly.

Tom tightly held the notebook and asked: "Dean, what on earth is going on? What plan is written in this notebook? And this mark in the basement, it's all so strange."

The dean sighed and sat down on a box: "Child, there are some things you shouldn't have known. The original intention of establishing this orphanage was not just to take in those homeless children. Years ago, a mysterious organization conducted some research on supernatural phenomena here. This mark was left by them. And this notebook records part of the research process and purpose."

Tom was completely confused: "Research on supernatural phenomena? Then why choose the orphanage to conduct it?"

The dean looked at Tom and continued: "Because children's minds are purer and more likely to resonate with some unknown forces. This organization wanted to use children to conduct their experiments, but later some accidents occurred, and this plan was terminated. However, this organization left a lot of hidden dangers. For example, some strange phenomena still occur to this day."

Tom was shocked in his heart: "Then the darkness and heavy snow I saw, were they also because of this reason?"

The dean nodded: "It's possible. This place seems to be influenced by a mysterious force, and we have been trying to find a solution."

Tom thought for a while and asked again: "Then the money you gave me to study abroad, is it also related to this matter?"

The dean was silent for a while and said: "Child, you are a very special child. I sensed in you the potential to resist this mysterious force. I hope you can leave here, go to the outside world to learn more knowledge, and maybe one day you can come back and solve this mystery."

Tom was shocked by the dean's words. He hadn't expected that so many complicated things were involved behind him. He thought of his adoptive parents and asked: "Then my adoptive parents, do they also know about these things?"

The dean shook his head: "They don't know. Their cold - heartedness may be due to other reasons. But now that you know all this, do you still want to study abroad?"

Tom looked firmly at the dean: "I'm going. Not only am I going to study, but I also want to find a way to solve these mysteries."

The dean smiled with relief: "Good, child. Then you get ready. Tomorrow my relatives will come to pick you up."

...

Tom took the notebook back to his room. He lay on the bed, looking at the snowflakes outside the window again. He knew that he was about to embark on a journey full of the unknown and suspense, and in his heart, the figure of the beautiful sister and the secrets of this orphanage were intertwined, becoming his driving force.

...

The next day, the sun shone on the snow - covered ground, and the whole world was dressed in white. The dean's relatives arrived at the orphanage on time. Tom bid farewell to the dean and his little friends in the orphanage and embarked on the journey to NYC, USA.

...

On the plane, Tom looked at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window. His heart was full of both anticipation and worry about the future. He didn't know what was waiting for him in NYC, nor did he know whether he could really solve those mysteries. But he knew that he must bravely face everything.

...

On the plane, Tom's eyes were tightly fixed on the blue sky and white clouds outside the window. The white cloud masses like cotton candy were like a path leading to the unknown world, but his heart was filled with mixed feelings. He was full of anticipation for the future, yet also deeply worried. He whispered to himself: "NYC, what kind of challenges have you prepared for me? Do I really have the ability to solve those mysteries surrounding the orphanage?" He frowned, and a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, but soon it became firm again. "Anyway, I must bravely face everything. This is the path I have chosen myself."