ManyWriters

Five months pregnant, eight-year-old Tina pushed me down into the ten-meter-deep snake pit again.
Blood flowed from my body, pooling into a stark red puddle.
This was already my seventh 'forced' miscarriage.
"You killed my mom and brother, and the bastards in your belly don't deserve to live either!"
Dozens of snakes swarmed over, greedily lapping up the blood on my body, leaving bite marks deep enough to see bone.
Tina showed no remorse, her eyes as cold as her Snake Charmer father's, her tone mocking:
"Only my mom can give birth to my siblings. You disgusting homewrecker, you'll never replace her in this lifetime!"
"Go ahead and keep having my dad's babies if you dare. Sooner or later, I'll make sure you die in a pool of your own blood!"
Looking at this little girl I had cherished and lovingly cared for over eight years, I suddenly felt exhausted.
"Don't worry, this will be the last time."

Strangers on Different Paths

I shook my newly reattached hand with its oddly-angled fingers and laughed:


"What family? I only have enemies now."


Time flew by. I had been at the orphanage for over half a year already. Levi and I had grown closer, working together more seamlessly in caring for the children.


The kids would always yell "Daddy Director!" quickly followed by "Mrs. Gevano."


Several times, people coming to adopt assumed we were a married couple.


On this day, another child was adopted.


I wistfully watched their car drive away, then turned to see two familiar figures.


Dashiell still had that otherworldly aura about him. He spoke coolly:


"You've been away from home long enough. It's time to stop being rebellious and come back with us. I have a meeting to attend later."


After all this time, his condescending tone hadn't changed one bit.


He glanced disdainfully at my orphanage uniform, then surveyed the surroundings with thinly veiled disgust.


Chapter 8