Sinless Storm

Chapter 1: Sinless Storm

When the storm didn't use to be a swirling pool of hatred and revenge, they were alike any other child of the wind out there, mirroring the placid southeast monsoon, and enjoying the earlier five months with zero precipitation.

They were scribbling the formula to solve the trigonometry they recalled from an open book by the living room. The book was probably owned by one of those College students ready to graduate from Clemente, one must have forgotten to take it with them. They did what they can make use of and had found a trusty long twig that turned into a pen in no time, the dusty soil served as their paper.

"Happens to be a nice day outside. We can go for a walk."

Their eyes looked skyward, expecting to get blinded by direct sunrays coming from the sun, only to be obscured by a towering figure wearing a nurse uniform. "Is it really alright, Madeline?" questioned the child of the wind, the Sinless Storm. "I heard you hate Winter, it's cold, chilly, slippery, snowy, slate-ish--,"

"I get it, I get it. But I would be graduating soon and the least I can do is to tour one of the sweetest angels in Clemente." pouted nurse Madeline.

Madeline is a college student in her 20's, she has fair skin, her hair was brunette with an 80's curly vibe, probably not one of the most modern hairstyle out there - but she was like an incarnate of Manilyn Monroe – only thinner with forest green eyes.

"Are you even prepared? How about winter coats? Mittens? Scarves? Bonnets--,"once again Madeline had to prevent the little kid from talking too much by poking both cheeks with her fingers.

"Of course, despite the fact that I detest this particular season, you should at least enjoy it." Madeline then chuckled before offering her hand to help them stand up, before leading the storm out of the land, to begin a memorable journey out to the faded cemented pathway.

Clemente Orphanage is surrounded by high-cleanly-trimmed hedges that are almost close to a ferocious green of thickets, if only its thorns weren't edged out weekly. And surrounding those hedges are iron fences painted cream, nearly like a pale yellow or a piece of cheese butter. The fences are over three feet in height and had pointed arrow-like tips to prevent intruders from coming into the orphanage.

In addition, there are also security cameras attached to every nook and cranny of the establishment with professional computer engineers piloting its surveillance. There would be no way in hell that this institution would allow the children they were taking care of become unsafe especially when the night raids begin.

"Here, a little something to help you remember me after graduation," the older woman mused handing the child of the wind an iridescent transparent silvery cube about the size of an infant's palm.

Storm took it the moment she handed it to them, raising it upward, for the amble shower of sunlight to reflect on it. Just like they suspected, it works like rainbow prism, and it was no wonder a unique gift. Shortly, Storm place it inside their short's pocket.

One hand was still holding the twig from earlier, and the little child has no plan of letting it go, another hand holding onto the fingers of Madeline. She was smiling back to the kid, who was at that time, was only six years old. The two of them went past the noisy playground and the little Storm showed no interest to join the others, "I guess, we're going to try another place," exclaimed the nurse, her smile unfading.

As they begin to walk away from the crowded yet wintry recreation spot, Storm couldn't help themselves, but to slightly shift their bodies as they watch the other orphans throwing snowballs at one another. Some are even tugging each other's scarves while laughing in a merry manner. How they wish they were part of that, but the other children just can't meet them halfway.

Storm was the kind of child that had their head always sticking out like a sore thumb, the odd child, albeit their gifted intelligence.

"Deary, what do you want for breakfast?" Madeline tried to initiate a conversation with the silent genius.

What followed was silence, but it wasn't like the little kid was not hungry, but rather they were contemplating what kind of food was best for their body.

"Scrambled eggs, broccoli and a glass of cold milk." They spoke as if they were ordering from a restaurant.

Of course Madeline won't be able to give the special kid the exact kind of breakfast it wishes for, the only reason she did so, is because she learned that adults should let children talk more about what they want in life, despite the fact that they would still need to control them from time to time. It's like a free buffet with limited choices, ironic but true.

"That's an amazing set for breakfast, but the magical cooks already prepared bacons and pancakes for everybody." Revealed Madeline with a half-hearted smile.

"I don't think they're beings from some mystical restaurant Madeline." Retorted the kid as they snap the twig in half, to quarters, before throwing the pieces into a nearby bin.

"They're…. well they're not." She soon gave in and told the child the truth, if it can even be considered as revealed truth when the little storm had already figured it out.

"Well, that was a stupid attempt." Spoke the child of the wind, before looking over their shoulder after seeing a vehicle park across the street.

"Yes, it actually was." Replied the nurse grimly.

"You must have been through a lot lately." Sinless Storm murmured under their breath.

Unfortunately, Madeline was not paying attention anymore and had not heard what Sinless Storm was saying. Her green eyes drifted to the car that appeared from the curve about twenty meters away from the main gate of Clemente Orphanage, the same vehicle Sinless Storm saw first.

"Yeah… yeah," the nurse nonchalantly nods before starting to carry the smaller figure in front of her into a careful cuddle, there was no problem with carrying Storm since they were not as heavy as they look. She was still looking at the vehicle, this time warily.

"Madeline, you should have accepted Sister Lustitia's suggestion. You're a college student doing part-time job here at Clemente Orphanage, but I heard you also had to finish your thesis before March." Storm remarked in a matter-of-fact tone, knowing that there were only seven days left before February ends.

"I'll take note of that sweetheart." She said, scarcely above a whisper now, as she slightly brushes Storm's forehead to shield their skull as if a simple dust could graze it in a flash, Madeline felt a motherly-instinct to keep the child safe.

Her heels reverberated across the pavements, avoiding small puddles of water despite the fact that they were gaining speed, they were now power walking after all – or more specifically only Madeline.

"You know, if you're such in a hurry to complete your thesis. You can just leave me here, because I know my back to Clemente Dormitories." said the kid, while giving Madeline a nonsense kind of look.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Storm finally questioned, and with that Madeline's heart dropped due to her building anxiety.

Had the cloudy skies fooled Madeline? Or had her watch been tampered for her to lose her sense of time? Surely, there was no time for breakfast or even lunch, she worriedly glanced at the neutral poker face Storm was wearing. Why hadn't Storm corrected her when she asked about breakfast? Then a thought crossed her mind, it was because Storm was too nice of a child.

"Madeline, why are /we/ in such a hurry?" echoed Storm, repeating their recent query to the nurse.

"Because… because I know you're hungry. You didn't eat breakfast." Claimed the panicking nurse, who almost trip on a pile of hardened snow, but was lucky enough to hold onto the fence of Clemente. They were still approximately three-hundred steps away from the entrance of the orphanage.

"No, that's wrong. I already ate breakfast." corrected Storm, tilting their head to the left.

Madeline could only feel trepidation running on her spine from top to bottom, the nervous and fearful feeling of uncertain agitation that kept her from looking behind, her body screaming to keep on running forward, "I KNOW THAT!"

No, Madeline doesn't know that.

Storm had to shift their body to the right in order to be able to understand why the brunette nurse were such in a hurry, their interest was piqued and now they needed to get an answer. There was no one behind them. Was it the car? Storm tried to analyze their situation, but now they could only see Madeline as a beautiful caretaker that had lost her mind – perhaps because it's winter?

"What are you doing? Stay hidden and remain quiet." Hissed Madeline to the younger one, shaking Storm up lightly, so that the kid would return wrapped safely in her arms- under her winter coat. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry [redacted]."

Storm found themselves cloaked under the warm coat of nurse Madeline, with many questions remaining unanswered, but at the same time was following the older woman's instruction to remain silent.

Soon enough, they finally reached the entrance to Clemente and a smile was plastered on Madeline's face. It was as if she had achieved one of the greatest feats she could in her age – which is basically an exaggeration of her feelings right now, but the two are yet to cross the arch that acts as the boundary between Clemente and the outside world.

Totally futile.

A flying bullet soon pierced through Madeline Hawksley's chest, grazing Storm's left cheek, still alert before her senses completely flails away Madeline pivoted her body in order to fall towards the arch while lying on her back.

Then the blaring security system followed and about five security personnel rushed out from their barracks while holding their pistols. "Someone triggered the system. Did someone try to leave Clemente when it's already six o' clock in the evening?!"

It took the security five more minutes before having successfully found the dying Madeline Hawksley who was still protectively embracing Storm in her arms.

"There! A woman! Wait, that's no intruder. She works here." says one of the employees of the orphanage recognizing the brunette lying on the snowy pathway.

"Save her! Goodness!" shouted a worried nurse, a friend of Madeline.

There's also a doctor that works at Clemente, she was the one who checked the woman's pulse, but soon shook her head confirming the brunette's tragic death, "it seems that she's been shot and the bullet accurately pierced through her heart."

The crowd gasped. Mostly other nurses, while those who had guns with them became more alert.

"Wait, her clothes are moving?"

The buttons of the winter cloak flew open when Storm had forcefully tried their best to free themselves, with the child of the wind yawning, their graze cheeks still oozing with fresh blood. "Good heavens! Storm!" exclaimed the nurse beside the doctor, she immediately picked up the kid, who was already on the verge of tears.

"No doubt she's been targeted by those randos walking freely during night raids." Scoffs one of the guards.

Quick small steps came from behind the group, it was none other than Sister Lustitia. The old woman was holding her uniform's skirt upwards to make it easier for her to walk and upon arrival on the scene of the crime, she quickly pan her gaze around - although her reason for doing so was vague for the other employees of Clemente.

"Sister Lustitia, please go back inside, you may be targeted too." Worriedly spoke by the doctor who just finished checking the body of Madeline for other wounds.

"Nonsense! What nonsense! I knew it, one can never trust even those closed to her, not in this world! She was the least expected to get bribed and everything, but no wonder with money anyone can be bought." Lustitia spoke before looking at the nurse holding Storm, "get moving! Everyone except the officers return inside immediately."