Please, Stop

Life is not always as eventful as stories. - miss_polarity

----

A month has passed.

And just as what Doctor Séance mentioned before, Ella regained consciousness.

But since she woke, she has not spoken a word. Her eyes bespoke nothing but blankness. For a week, all she did was stare at the ceiling.

A lot of nurses and doctors, which are mainly psychiatrists, have been visiting her ward. They persistently describe the situation on the night before her attack expecting to see any signs of even the slightest movement of her eyes. But their efforts were all for nothing.

“The darkness inside her, it is spreading.” Said Doctor Cedrick. He was one of the doctors who was with Doctor Séance when Ella’s condition was made known to her parents.

Meanwhile, after their stopover on the very same day, Kenneth and Kim periodically visited the Chances. Mostly, Kenneth stayed longer than Kim. At first, it raised Caber and Sean’s suspicion but, what was there to doubt? Later, they managed to drop their antipathies for Ken. They still had some issues with him staying but, they have been trying to get along with each other lately.

“Sean,” Kenneth called.

He remained similar to the preceding days.

It was past midnight on Sunday evening. Ella has just resumed her slept.

Caber and their parents returned home before sundown. Why Sean was the only one left aside from Malykith was because he insisted on staying with his sister.

“Why did you call for me?” He said after coming back from Ella’s bedside.

After taking a seat, Kenneth began, “I am sorry. I know you heard everything I said a few weeks ago. Explaining to you might sound like an excuse but, I only thought of my gain that day. You do realize that I am against our parent’s plan, don’t you?”

Sean just remained quiet. “I am truly sorry… I thought your sister, Ella, was solely just an act.”

Kenneth’s voice starts to tone down. “I assumed she… she was desperately trying to stop our parent’s agreement through acting sick. But after I heard of your sister’s condition…”

He tries to find the right words once more. But accepting and pronouncing his mistakes alone was beyond what his pride can take. He sighs.

“I—I am sincerely sorry for what I said.”

Sean stands up. He began to take the steps toward Ella’s location. He sees Malykith busying herself preparing Ella’s baggage.

“If you are indeed sorry, do not just say you are sorry. Be a man of action.” He says before taking his seat.

“Sister will be discharged tomorrow—technically, today. If you can make time, that is before sunrise.”

“I say, you go home now. Whether or not you decide to go is up to you. At least you can still have plenty of sleep. You have classes, haven’t you?”

“Yes. Then, I will take my leave.” He says, standing up from his seat.

Sean, too, mounts from his seat to show respect to his elder. “Thank you… for staying.”

“It’s nothing. If you need anything, you can just call me. Accept it as a token of gratitude.”

Right after hearing Kenneth’s words, he says, “You know Alexandra Mille-y, don’t you?”

Kenneth nods. “What about her?”

“I assume you know that she had ‘touched’ my sister’s face.”

“What?” He abruptly interrupts Sean, “you mean she slapped your sister?” His brows crease at the idea.

Sean sighs while shaking his head. “Yes, she did.”

“How come words did not reach me? Do you need me to return her the favor?”

“That’s not difficult to answer.” He sits down in his chair again. Kenneth does likewise. “Of course, Mille-y’s friends handled it as soon as sister left. They must have felt ashamed seeing as Ella had even the score with Mille-y.”

“What do you need me to do? I will, without hesitation, do whatever.”

However much sleepy he is, Sean could not take Kenneth’s word anymore, “Really, why are you doing this?”

Kenneth defensively answers, “I truly want to lift the weight off my chest. Please, what is it you need of me?”

Sean hesitates but otherwise says his objective, “Your respective sections are only one room apart. Just make sure she does not face any obstacle like that ever again—especially now.”

“Your call. When will Ella resume her schooling again?”

“Wednesday.”

“Okay then. I will take care of your sister.”

“Do not promise. Make it a commitment. It is not your duty to do the favor for me—it should be entirely for my sister's sake.”

“Yes.”

Sean hoists. “It is getting late. You should be off now.”

Likewise, Kenneth sits upright. Malykith’s timing was just right. She immediately holds the door open for their guest.

“Thank you,” Kenneth utters.

Maly just marginally lowers her head. She was in reverie and did not realize that Kenneth has gone home until Sean makes a sound.

He smiles upon seeing Ella’s maid, Malykith, blush in front of him.

“I do not think it is right for a girl your ‘age’ to dream of being with a boy his ‘age’.”

“Shut up.” She counters a rejoinder.

Sean even laughs harder at her words but, he somehow felt odd.

But without a second delay, Malykith did a 90-degree bow. “Pardon me for the rudeness, young master. Please, I am sorry. I beg your pardon, Sire.” She speaks even as her voice begins to quiver.

“It is alright. No need to worry,” he voices, sounding sleepy. “I will be resting now. Have a good rest.”

“Yes, young master. I have already prepared your bed.”

“Thank you. Good night.” He said, then went off to the bed beside Ella’s bed.

After making sure her young masters are sleeping soundly, she does her routine check. Upon ensuring everything was in place, she securely locks the door and puts a chair just in case. She then took off to sleep on the nearby sofa.

----

Four in the morning.

Sean wakes from a loud shattering of glass. He sits upright even with his eyes wide yet still dazedly staring at his surroundings.

He steals someone’s attention—Ella's. Ella was fuming in anger. And Malykith was nowhere in their room.

Ella throws another glass—a glass directed in his direction. Openmouthed, if he had not dodged the second the glass was only a handspan away from his face, he could have broken his nose.

His sister was flaring, and he knows nothing of its cause.

Sean carefully slides from the bed and slowly approaches Ella.

“Ella, are—” then, he sees her wrist covered with blood. He instantaneously held it in front of his face to inspect but, Ella pushes her away.

“Sister, you are bleeding. Please, you are not supposed to waste your blood. Let me clean your hand. Please.”

“Please, mademoiselle," Malykith intercepts and diverts their attention to her. She has brought two nurses and a doctor with her. “I was wrong. Please, mademoiselle. Let us clean your wound.”

Unexpectedly, a tear escapes from Ella’s left eye. Her hand falls to her side with another glass splintering after her grip loosened.

Not another tear seeped. She was back to her dismal world.

“Sister…” Tears started to stream from his eyes. Sean could not contain his emotions anymore. Ella, his sister, he could do nothing for her.

On the splinters of the glass, she heedlessly stepped showing no care for the pain it could bring to her.

After losing to her sleepiness, the doctor along with the nurses began cleaning Ella’s wounds.

Doctor Cedrick interrupted the silence, “I called Doctor Séance. He will be here in just a minute.”

“I—I will excuse myself first,” Malykith bids expecting to brush herself off from the scene.

But Cedrick instantly intercepts her from leaving, “Stay. Miss Kith, Doctor Séance would like to have a moment with you.”

Fear clouded Malykith but after a moment, she replied, “As you say, Doctor.”

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To, XOXO