Daybreak, bringing the first rays of sunlight, sweeps floors of blood. Murky and heavy, stenched. It stood in the corner of the long passage, bodies upon bodies. A woman hung lifeless in his hands, knife slitting her throat like bread. A man in his bedroom far away...cut everywhere except his face. Under the piles of dead men lay dungeons, chains broken and rusted.
"Father.." it crawled out of the pit, killing everything in its way.
"Am I capable enough now?"
"Come on," she urged, Gideon, who came to see her after the explosion. His tiny hands clutched together. Head low.
"Was he putting up a fight, Toby?"
At the mention of his name, the old butler looked up, eyes blinking in confusion. She responded with a gentle nod and a smile,
"You brought my son to me. " Odette nodded in acknowledgment, "the least I can do is remember your name and address you properly."
At this, he found himself chuckling. "I feel honored, ma'am."
She reached out to the child. This was when Gideon happily walked over and clung onto her arm, sitting next to the bed, hugging her hand and crying silently. She gently lifted him and ushered a space next to her.
"You don't have to use honorifics, Toby." Odette patted Gideon on his head, and the child buried his head on her chest. Feeling safe and sound.
With a bow and a smile, he left the room.
"Mama..." Gideon looked up. How beautiful it was to see her only hope in life look up. Round face, chubby as it is, brought her healing no one ever could. "Does it hurt?"
Odette nodded a little, pouting jokingly.
Gideon smiled and recited, "Spl...Splendid the peach blossom...scattered at...at the west."
"Oh?" Her eyes widened, and her face shifted into a smile. "That feels like my favorite poem." Her hands cupped his face as she kissed his forehead. "How did you know this?"
"You used to fall asleep..." he played with her hair and sat on the bed lest he burden her and cause her pain. "You read that book, no? with the poems, mama." This gained a satisfying nod from the other.
"I see..." she chuckled and pinched his cheek gently. "You little joy maker."
"Hehehe, I remembered..." he gave a gummy smile and held her hand, feet dangling off the bed. Truly, he was innocent. The pain in his knees has healed because he is finally with his mother. His world was at peace once again.
Day by day, she felt better. Her son accompanied her, and she was able to spend every second by his side. At times, Caius would come across, but her silence was the only greeting. However, he watched her read books brought by Toby, while his brother happily played on the floor next to her bed. She would always have her mind on the pages, but her utmost attention was on Gideon. This made Caius feel envy; it also brought him a strange emotion... he did not know the name of it yet.
Every day he walked past the room, never walking in to break the peace. The words of that man taunted him. "You destroyed everything for her."
"Splendid the peach blossom, scattered in the west. Swaying with brittle breeze, hear the peacocks dance."
Beside her, Gideon giggled.
"For the East to be called the East, he threw plump roses on her fresh young bosom." Odette read a line out of her book. In the meantime of her healing, she was very well used to reading out loud so her child could listen. Often, he falls asleep on her lap. Sometimes she falls asleep too.
"Embracing the cold walls, lining star like snow drops across."
She closed the book and glanced at the other. He wriggled around, fiddling with a toy. At the desk nearby was a platter of watermelon, which she took and kept in front of him.
"Will you promise Mama that you will slowly finish this. I'll go keep this book and come, okay baby?"
Gideon nodded, climbing onto the bed. He held the big platter in his tiny hands. It has been three weeks since her recuperation period, and the doctor who always seemed to introduce himself as the quack for some reason had given her the green light to move around now.
Outside, Toby waited.
He watched as she kissed the child on his forehead and walked out.
"Take care of him for me, please. I'll come back soon."
"Certainly."
There were many apartment buildings behind the simple gates of the Constantine family. From her temporary shelter, which was the infirmary, there was a sweet walk through an inbuilt corridor lined with trees and various flowers. This adjourned into a place of peace for her. It was the library.
A week ago, Toby brought her the books, and she questioned where they came from. Slowly, she learnt of this place. A white room with polished shelves of various books, novels, encyclopedias, and a corner for board games and some toys. There were some couches kept in the corner under a window that opened doors for a sunlit breeze and the feel of a home.
She walked in and started looking through the shelves to keep the book she borrowed. Her eyes wandered up and down all the books that were neatly stacked.
The sound of footsteps and silence, her ears sensed another presence.
"How are you feeling now?"
Odette took a glance at the door and saw Caius. He was dressed in very casual clothes. A dark blue shirt and pants, one would wear to sleep. She can take a glance at the white material and say that it was cotton.
"I am good," she said, looking away. "So...you can let go of me now." There was nothing good that came out of that man for her. Seeing him caused her fear, pain, and loneliness. She was dragged away from her sweet world into a mess, almost lost her life because of him.
"Hmm." That was his response. A dry, low hum.
She did not have the energy or the intention to speak and spend her time with him. Looking back at the shelf, there was good news that cleared the tension, and that was "The House of Doors," a book she loved dearly. And to her surprise, it was here.
"You're not tall enough, Odette." Caius watched her look up with a curious look. She wanted to get the red book. It was something his mother owned.
"I can do it." Her bear feet stood on its toes, and her body slowly stretched up. He watched...amused at the way she confidently risked her wound to grab a book. She was wearing a very loose t-shirt, which was worn out, and he could say that it brought her great comfort. She had paired it with loose pants.
The wound on Odette's shoulder stopped her from putting her best effort; however, she grabbed the book and, with a warm glint, pulled it out. But the second she turned around, she faced Caius.
Her eyes widened in surprise. "I didn't hear you walk over...how?"
There was no one except them in this place. She looked warm...his mind compared her to a piece of warm butter cake. Eyes locked onto his, the tension growing like bamboo shoots after years of being buried under the soil.
"Mhm." That look.
Caius had her backed on the shelf. He never expected them to get this close, but now that they are here, he could not take his eyes off of her. The silence danced along with her round eyes, lined pupils of dark brown, short lashes, and curvy eyebrows. She had a full face, and her cheeks looked soft.
Odette felt uncomfortable and blinked, looking away. "I'm going to go now."
A change of motion, no words, no objections, just his hands being kept on the shelf, ensnaring her in between them. He pressed closer and she moved away, resting her back on the hardened wood. She was not that short to feel like he was looming over her. Her eyes demanded to leave, looking up at him with no fear.
"Caius."
"Yeah?" his eyes gleamed, not moving. The way he could hear her lips, uttering his own name, bringing waves and waves of goosebumps into his body.
"I..." The silence and his breathing getting closer and closer tortured her; she grew nervous because he drew closer, having both of their faces intimately close. The tip of his nose touched her, as if struck by lightning, and she looked away.
He gulped. "You know...I have to be honest." leaning over, one hand reaching towards her lips. The other blinked and began to shift.
"You look really warm and squishy."
She could not believe what she was hearing. The eyes that looked away stared back again. They were breathing onto each other's faces. Odette gazed speechless, watching this man slowly ...softly smile. This was not something creepy; his eyes shone, and it cheered him up when he did that.
"Let me g-" his fingers rested on her lips. Thumb brushing roughly and gently, he was drawing an arched bridge. It rested on the edge of her mouth and slowly dragged down, rubbing circles where he found palatable. In her eyes, it was a confused man who was engrossed and unwavering in the wonder he found. Caicus finally got to sense how soft they were. Without realizing it, he pressed against her, lost in the way he felt.
"No," he whispered. "I don't want to right now." His eyes broke deep into her pupils. The face in front of her tilted gently, his hand that traced her lip cupped her face just as he moved forward to do God knows what. It was at that moment, Odette pushed him away and ran out.
At the door, she stumbled her words out - "Stay away from me, Caius."
He was pushed back hard, but his eyes followed her, broken from the trap he put himself through, like a dream that he was shaken to reality.
"What was... that?" talking to himself.
Exactly. What was that? Why did she leave him in such a mess...God only knew that if time were to stop, he would have kissed her senseless right there.