Page XXXI - Crimson Blood

"Lay her on the bed here." The old woman stood up and opened up the curtains on the bed.

"Thanks." Theodore then slowly put Celaine on the bed and stepped aside as the woman stepped in to check Celaine.

After a few minutes, "She's fine. It seems that she just passed out. Thank you for bringing Celaine here."

"Sure. I'll be going now."

"Wait, I just have a few more questions about Celaine. Take a seat." She then pointed at the seat in front of her.

"Hmm." Theodore slowly sat down and looked at her with an annoyed face. But he let out a sigh and loosened up, "What's it about then Ms..."

"Catherine. I'm Celaine's grandma if you'd like to call it that."

"I see. Nice to meet you."

"Alright, just checking... How'd you get in here with Celaine? I'm sure men aren't allowed here. And I doubt that bulky gatekeeper is going to let you in. Hohoho." Her laugh made Theodore let out a broken smile in response.

"I didn't know where to bring Celaine and I thought she'd be more comfortable with a woman as her doctor."

"Indeed. Good choice young man. Well, that's enough of that... Where did she exactly lose consciousness?"

"Library. Bookshelf fell on us in the music room in the library."

"I see... did she hit her head? Or anything of the sort that might inflict severe damage to her head?"

"Nothing of the sort."

"Nothing then... why... Hmm... Did she see any blood?"

"She did."

"Ah, I see. Good thing you came here. She'll just run amok if you brought her somewhere else. So where did the blood come from?"

"Here." Theodore raised his arm and the blood can be visibly seen spreading from his clothes.

"My! I didn't see that." Catherine stood up and took off Theodore's coat and rolled up his sleeve. "Its bleeding badly..." The blood on Theodore's arm was dripping up to his fingertips. "Its not a very large cut, but it must be painful. I'm guessing that you also sprained your arm so you might not be able to use this arm for the time being."

"I can manage." Theodore moved his fingers and swung his arm in air to prove that he's fine.

"You shouldn't be able to move your arm..." Catherine was surprised, but it didn't prevent her from prioritizing his health. She immediately stood up and applied everything that she could to the wound.

"I still have somewhere to go since I'm in the music but I guess..." He looked at Celaine and Catherine noticed it.

"Indeed. She won't calm down until she sees that you're fine. She's always had trouble seeing blood anywhere. That kid has always been weak willed."

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room changed as Catherine let out a sorrow smile. The wind was louder and the sound of the leaves waving outside were louder than usual.

Catherine then tapped his arm, "You should be fine by now." She then began to bring back the equipment she released back to her case. "Any kid your age by now should've been panicking or in pain if they're in the same situation than you. That cut was deep and you should have a sprain right now. But you're moving it like nothing's happening."

"Well..."

~~***~~

𝘚𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳...

It was a cold night and the only thing that was shining in the dark neighborhood was the full moon up in the sky. Theodore looked out the window.

His eyes were looking to the moon but its as if his eyes couldn't see the light that was reflecting off of it. Not a single shred of life was seen in his eyes.

Thousands of thoughts came through his mind like an unstoppable train. Driving him back to the past that he desperately tries to forget. But its always there.

Theodore felt the pen slowly dig through a human's skin as if he's moving in slow motion. The sound resonated within his ears as his father's pleading echoed every second that passed in that slowed time.

No pillows could stop the sound coming in his mind. Not enough hands in the world to cover his ears.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Theodore repeated in his mind like a broken record.

Theodore's gallery appeared in front of him. That was too real. And too broken for a child. Two legs, hanging above the ground. A bloodied blanket with a knife in the middle of it. And a bloodied pen on the ground.

The scene recreated itself again and again. He couldn't take it.

It was a fate too heavy to bear for a child. He immediately grabbed the knife on his drawer, one that's usually used for letters.

Slashed it upon his wrists. At first it was pain. But then it turned into his reassurance. "With this... I'll repay you... mother... father... so stop... bothering me."

It was painful at first but somehow along the road, for him, it became a ritual as his pain receptors didn't recognize the pain that he was inflicting himself.

~~***~~

"Things happen." Theodore replied at Catherine.