A Remaining Podeshire 1

Chapter 1 (Part 3)

     Neighing horses' hooves thump loudly on the concrete ground as they pull a carriage. The coachman's whip clangs with a slash. As the carriage passes through a hump on the street, it bounces violently.

     Oliver, sleeping in Frederick's arms, instantly has his eyes open. Startled, he looks around as his small gasp fills the carriage's interior. Oliver's body begins trembling as he shakes his head, looking at the outdoors through the noisy vehicle's windows.

"Woah, are you alright, Oliver?" Frederick asked worryingly.

"Erm! Ehh... ermm..."

"I'm glad you're awake, though. We're near our destination," Frederick informed with a kind smile.

     Oliver's gaze swiftly locks on the left window. With his eyebrows furrowed, he squints through the glass. As the carriage travels at a moderate speed, Oliver can spot a few people strolling on the sidewalk.

     Soon, the carriage halts upon arriving at its destination—the adoption centre. The building is so enormous that two families can fit inside its kitchen, and the perfectly placed red bricks on the walls make one's eyes stare. Then, the breathtaking entrance gradually opens, shining like a portal as a caregiver steps through the massive doorway.

     Oliver hops off the carriage. As he steps on the ground, Oliver feels the cool air brushing his shoulders. Before approaching the caregiver, Oliver turns around and faces Frederick, then raises a hand and waves with a timid smile. Frederick waves back with a benevolent grin, and the horse neighs as the vehicle starts moving down the street.

     Life inside the adoption centre is more than a piece of cake. Caregivers treat Oliver like a fragile vase. One meal can stuff his stomach for the entire day. And other children's eyes focus only on Oliver, making him the centre of attention. However, Oliver still remembers losing his family, giving him frequent nightmares that result in him crying.

     Weeks have passed. The routines are nevertheless the same. Couples have begun adopting children from the adoption centre. But, none attempted to bring Oliver as their own.

     As days pass by, more children get adopted one by one. Soon, Oliver is the only child inside the bedroom. He sits in the corner of the room without anyone by his side. Loneliness brings him glistening eyes as he wraps himself in his arms.

     A dozen bunk beds with messy sheets spread throughout the bedroom. But only one lives in the room full of mattresses. It is none other than Oliver, sitting alone in the corner.

     Unexpectedly, the door creaks open. Then, a young blonde caregiver with a black uniform enters the room. She immediately sees Oliver sitting in the room's corner. With a sympathetic heart, she approached him slowly.

"Hello there," the caregiver greeted Oliver with an engaging smile. "Are you alright?" However, there are no replies from the young Podeshire. So, she tried speaking again. "...It's okay. You can tell me how you're feeling."

"I'm fine..."

"I know you're feeling lonely, and it can be sad. But you don't have to hide your emotions, you know?" she said.

"...But, I'm a man."

"You're a young boy, not a man yet. Besides, you must still show your emotions," the caregiver scoffed and stated calmly.

Oliver then lunged towards the caregiver and hugged her as he started to sob. "I don't have any more friends. I miss my f-f-family..." Oliver whimpered.

"Shh... it's alright. You'll find your new parents soon," the caregiver said as she brushed Oliver's hair.

Suddenly, the adoption centre's manager entered the room and asked, "Is Oliver here? Oliver Podeshire?"

     Oliver gazes at the manager with his jaw hanging low. Anticipation causes his blood to pump as fast as a bird's flapping wings. He then bites his bottom lip, not knowing what could happen. His breathing begins to hasten as the caregiver assists him to rise from the floor.

     Oliver stands upright and loops his arms around the caregiver's hands. His breath shivers as he walks forward. They approach the manager in the doorway. Then, they step out of the quiet, empty bedroom.

     Oliver, the caregiver, and the manager descend to the lobby, but Oliver is clueless about the event. He, however, never bothered questioning the caregiver or the manager. Oliver remained quiet instead until they reached ground level. As he stepped on the slippery marbled floor, his eyes began to wonder. Then, he immediately noticed a couple standing at the entrance door.

     The couple, Alexander and Layla Fuers, turn around and face Oliver. The sunlight outside beams through the gaping entrance within their presence like a divine halo. Oliver and the Fuers exchange smiles as their eyes lock on each other.

     A starless space is like Layla's hair, coiled into a high bun with short fringes dangling on her face. Her eyes are brown like a wooden trunk, and a beauty mark lies under her right eye. Light wrinkles begin to envelop her light, pale skin.

     Layla wears a mossy green dress with a slit cut that flows into a long train. Under her green overskirt is a white silk underskirt. Then, a thin white sash loops under her bust, creating a high-waisted silhouette.

     In the meantime, Alexander's eyes glowed like jade, and his short hair appeared dark like a shadow with greyish-white streaks on the roots. He stood slim, resembling a dying bush. Sideburns that stretched down his chiselled jawline gave a contrasting highlight to his light skin tone.

     Alexander's clothes lack bright colour and are as dark as the rainy sky. He pairs a long-sleeved shirt with ruffled sleeves with a sleeveless tailcoat. Finishing his look, he wears mud-brown trousers and unpolished black leather shoes for his lower half.