1 CHAPTER 1

One rainy day on summer, a stranger knocked in our house. The man asked if this is the residence of Dellila. At that time, I was scared. Dellila is the real name of my mother but she said that no one knows her real name except for me.

I stared and observed the man, his looks are average for an adult man.

Fair skin with no beard and his body isn't that big but not that small and the only thing that stand out from him is that he wear a brown cozy cape that cost up to twenty gold.

Feeling that something is not right, I smiled at him and shook my head

"No sir, this is the residence of Delly" I said

Hearing my response, the man raised his left brow and took a paper in his pocket.

He glanced on it and hid it back, he then looked into my eyes and smiled

"Kid, I'm not here to cause trouble" he said "my name is Louie and I just want to know the living condition of a friend, and also, please let me in for God sake"

I don't know if he is lying or not but when he showed me that he doesn't have a weapon and because the rain is pouring heavily, I let him in.

He then removed his brown cape and sat down comfortably like this is his own house.

"So kid, where is Dellila?" he said

"Sorry mister but as I said before there is no Dellila here, I think you have got the wrong placed" I answered

Of course, even though I let him in, that doesn't mean that I will tell him what he want to know. Besides who the hell trust a stranger anyway.

"Kid you are not that good in lying" he said "and I already saw the mark on your door"

Our door doesn't have style, and it definitely doesn't have a mark, it's just a plain wooden door

"No sir, this door is just ordinary door and I personally bought this on a timber shop and this are so common that almost all house around here have it" I say as I check our front door

"I'm not saying that the mark is on that door kid" he said while smirking devilishly

He then point the door on my mother's room

"Look at those black patch" he said with firm voice "I think she is on a great pain that she need to lean her shoulder on the door just to open it, that char like thing on her skin is really useful in identifying her"

I flinched, when my mother go out, she always wear something that can cover all of her body because she said when they see these mark they will catch and torture her.

I don't even asked mother who they were and why she have those marks on her body.

All I know is that, I need to protect her little secrets for the goodness that she showed for me.

I move backward then quickly get the bolo that is lying on the corner then point it to Louie.

"Who are you and why are you looking for my mother?" I said

Contrary to my expression, Louie is just relaxed and he even crossed his feet while sitting

"I already said it" he said "I'm just here to see a friend, so can I see him now?"

I walk sideways without averting my gaze on him. When I arrive on my mother's door I shook my head

Louie then started to rub his chin then smirk

"Come on, you and Dellila are not even related with blood" he said "and I guess she always tell you harsh words for every little mistake you made, so why do you bother to cover her?"

"No, I'm the son of mother and she only do that because she care for me" I said seriously

"Haha, you are not his son kid" he said "Judging by the appearance alone you are far from being his son, and knowing her, I bet that she doesn't call you son. She only call you by your name"

My eyes got big and my hair stood when I hear that. Not because all he said is true, but because I feel like there is something pressuring me while he is speaking and this thing is definitely coming from him

"I guess she is really sick for she doesn't come out on her room while feeling my aura." He said after sighing

He get up on his sit then motioned his hand for me to go away from the door.

But this time I don't flinch. I stared at him ferociously and gripped tightly the handle of the bolo.

He just smirk then continue to walk towards me.

As he got closer the feeling of getting pressured increased, I can also feel the beads of sweat forming on my forehead and even my nose feels runny.

I rubbed my forehead with my forearm then swipe away my runny nose with the back of my hand.

Only then I realized that what is dripping in my nose is not a mucus but blood.

And while I'm looking on my blood, I feel like the surrounding is spinning, and my consciousness is slowly fading. And soon, my vision turned dark.

***

I opened my eyes and stared blankly on an open door with black patch around it.

It is the door of mother's room. The floor is cold and my body feels heavy.

I don't know if I am dreaming or not but the throbbing pain coming from my head tells me that I'm awake.

"Urghhhh"

I couldn't move my body but I can feel my right hand gripping the bolo tightly.

Unable to comprehend what is happening to me, I sighed.

"You're up?"

At that moment, a voice rung out, it's the voice of the man who make me look like this now

Being shocked from his sudden question, I mastered all my strength to force myself up, my body trembled from the intense pain that followed after my movement but I endured it, then I point again the bolo in his face

"What have you done to me?" I said

"No idiot" he replied "you did that to yourself, and before you asked me more things, I think we should eat dinner first"

He then pointed to the table full of foods.

It took me a moment to gather my thoughts, the moon stones that scattered around the ceiling of the house is sparkling with some insects flying around it and sounds of crickets can be heard outside the house. While I'm thinking all of this, the throbbing pain from my head got worse, I put my left hand on my head then glared on Louie

"Don't worry, that's normal" he said "you need to eat to recover your strength"

I look at the table, foods are place over it almost to the point that it looks like a feast.

But what gathered my attention is the scarf on a chair that belongs to mother.

"Where is mother?" I ask

"She is just meeting someone right now but I think she might be here soon"

As he said that, footsteps can be heard and the front door opened.

Mother then comes in with a bottles of ale in both of her hands.

"See, she is here" Louie said while smiling

"Oh, good, you are already awake Gabriel, come let's eat" mother said

As Louie said earlier my mother is a tyrant and she always say some 'words of wisdom' when I did something and not hearing some of it this time, makes me more nervous. And to not make any more mistake, all I need to do is obediently follow what she is going to say.

I put down the bolo, then carefully sits then we eat.

As I'm chewing on a beef steak, I took a glance on mother. She looks healthy, her brown eyes are full of energy and her brown hair that is frisky the last time I saw is now smooth. The black spots on her skins disappears especially the one around her neck, And she is full of energy.

I never seen her before as lively as now.

And it is all thanks to this man

Feeling my gaze landed on him, Louie smiled

"No kid, don't be thankful for me" he said "I think you should resent me"

I flinched, of course, who the hell won't be shocked when the words forming on your mind was suddenly answered by someone. My eyes got big then looked again on Louie.

"No, I don't have ability to read peoples mind, you are just too easy to read" he said while looking at me

This time I avert my eyes on him and focus on the steak that's in my plate.

'He is saying that he doesn't have the ability to read people but why he can read me,

Am I that too easy to read?' while I'm contemplating things in my head I side glanced him.

He is enjoying eating a chicken, he then turn his head towards me,

And with a smile, he nodded firmly.