Orin groaned as the sharp pain sank into his being, the pain was excruciating. He was suddenly thankful for everything he had been through, else he won't be able to scale through this moment.
The pain spreads over his chest, blurring his vision and spiking across his body.
*Spurt!*
Blood poured from his nose and his vision darkened, he fell, collapsing on the cold floor.
Few minutes later, the lock outside the door was being moved by someone. And it was Scar, he was hurriedly trying to open the lock.
Grit yanked him back forcefully. "What are you doing!?"
"Get back! I'm just checking!" Scar retorted, his voice cold.
He managed to open the lock and he dashed into the room, meanwhile, Grit turned around and left.
"Boss!"
He looked around, only to see Orin on the floor, lying in a pool of blood. "B-boss!" This time, his shout was one of panic, he quickly rushed over to Orin, trying to shake him up. But the kid wouldn't budge.
Scar suddenly paused, staring at Orin's silent face. Feng was only seventeen...he didn't deserve this.
"What do you think you are doing!?" Scar paused, feeling a cold chill run down his spine. That voice, that shrill sound...it was unmistakably the Matron.
Scar slowly turned around, he looked at the Matron and quickly looked away, her gaze was piercing his soul.
He took another glance at Orin. "Boss... I'm sorry."
Scar looked away, then he suddenly seemed to gain unnatural courage and he looked up, speaking to the Matron. "He's really sick..."
"Shut it!" The Matron shouted, cutting him off.
Scar paused, then slowly, he shook his head. "He's... he's just a child...a sick child."
The Matron furrowed her brows. "What...?"
Scar bit his lip, his confidence was gone. He stared down at his toes, but the Matron was having none of that, she walked towards him. "What did you just say? Let me hear that again."
Scar stared at her. "I said he's just..."
*Slap!*
It stung.
Scar involuntarily closed his eye as the pain burned his cheeks. She had quite the slap!
The Matron gave him a cold glare, then turned around, walking away. She stopped at the door, then spoke to a few of the boys, "bring the kid." Then she walked away. The moment she did, many other boys whom Scar and Grit had tagged junior enforcers walked into the room, cracking their fists, some of them holding sticks.
Scar clutched his face, his heart beating rapidly as he stared at the scene that was unfolding. They were coming for him.
Scar was quiet, somehow, his mind still managed to rest on Orin, who was lying unconscious there.
Orin had pushed too hard, so he had passed out. However, he had unknowingly triggered a motion, allowing the spirit vein unblocking to continue, even without him doing it willfully. The downside was that he was going to be unconscious for as long as the process was still ongoing.
Scar was all alone.
The boys stopped when they came to a few feet in front of him. They parted and someone walked through their middle. It was Grit.
Scar's eyes widened as he stared at his friend.
Grit stared at him coldly, then he spoke to the boys behind him. "Don't kill him."
"Yes sir!"
With that, he turned and walked away. Scar was dumbfounded. In that single moment, he realized that the orphanage wasn't safe, it was an evil place and had to be exposed. But in the meantime, he had to find a way to survive this first.
Few of the scurried over, an apologetic look on their face, they grabbed Orin, carrying him out of the room.
The other boys started closing in on scar, flexing their muscles and wagging the sticks they carried.
The Matron stared at Orin's unconscious body. "What's wrong with him?"
Grit shook his head. "I don't know, I have done everything I can to wake him up, but he just won't budge, I have beaten him, splashed ice water on him, he still didn't move."
The Matron raised her head, surprise all over her face. "Is he dead?"
Grit shook his head. "I don't think so, he's still breathing."
The Matron peered closer at Orin, then she moved closer, bending to touch him.
Seeing this, Grit immediately spoke. "You don't have to touch him—" he said as he bent down, trying to stop her.
The Matron didn't reply, she simply gave him a glare, and Grit got the message.
"Y-yes ma'am." He stood upright and stepped away.
The Matron looked him over, then she started untying the cloth that was on his palm.
Shortly after, she was done. She stepped back at what she saw. There was a black tattoo, a blackened injury, it looked scary.
"What's that?" She asked.
Grit bent down, peering closer at the injury. "I think it's a tattoo..."
"A tattoo!? The Matron shrieked. He has the mind to get a tattoo while under the care of this orphanage!?"
However, Grit wasn't really paying attention to her. He even disturbed by the blackened wound on his palm, he traced it with his eyes, and he was even more shocked by the fact that every vein in Orin's body seemed to covered with this black mist too. And it was spreading...fast.
Grit suddenly pulled away from Orin, jumping with all his might. This startled the Matron as she too, jumped.
Realizing that this was no lady-like behaviour, she glared at Grit, slapping his back.
"What's the matter, you fool!?"
Grit didn't care about the insult, something bigger was going on here.
"He's... He's possessed!"
Just then, a voice broke through, "I heard he has a trick... let's see it!"