Rheostat

9.Midnight talks

I was surprised when Eveline came back into the dining hall with a first aid box in her hand.

Ezra took the first aid box from her hand, carefully disinfecting my wound before putting a band-aid on it. I didn't talk the entire time and only moved to leave the hall after he was done treating my wound.

I wasn't finished with my dinner, but my appetite was already long gone.

After getting inside my room, I couldn't stop the tears I had been fighting.

They still think of me as a murderer.

'They aren't wrong. And you know it.'

But it still damn hurt.

I heard a knock at my door. Without waiting for my permission, the door was pushed open and Stephen came in.

"Are you alright?" He asked, sitting beside me in the bed.

"Yeah. I'm sorry for dinner. You have been so kind to me by taking me in and I'm being ungrateful, throwing tantrums." I figured he was here to discipline me.

All my years of experience had taught me it's better if you accept your mistakes and apologize for them. That way the punishment is harsher.

"Will you stop apologizing to me?" Stephen sighed, resigned.

"It was insensitive of me to ask you to go to his funeral. But do you not want to go?"

I nodded, "I don't want to."

"It will be the last time you can see him. Think about it. But if you don't want to go, it's fine, too. No one will force you."

"Thanks," I said, grateful he gave me the option to choose for myself. Something that no one else did.

Stephen raised his hand and carefully caressed the bandaged portion of my forehead, "Does it hurt?"

I shook my head. It didn't hurt. I was used to pain in extreme doses. Small scratches like this didn't make a difference to me.

"Noah didn't mean what he said. He was just angry." Stephen reassured me.

But I knew better.

"Liar," My voice was just a whisper, but Stephen still heard it. He chuckled, somehow finding humor in this situation.

What's so funny?

"What's so funny?" I snarled.

Stephen narrowed his eyes at my disrespectful tone, "I just wasn't expecting you to call me out like that. But you are wrong. He was just angry. Eve and Noah still haven't overcome the loss of their parent. They are still mourning. Your insensitive comments ticked him off."

Insensitive comments?

Fucking hypocrites.

"Yes. It was my fault. I will be sure to watch my words next time." I gritted out, looking down.

Stephen sighed, again, "All I want to say is it has been hard on them, too. Seeing their only parent slowly die a painful death."

His statement made me curious, thus, I asked a little hesitantly, afraid it was still a sensitive topic for him, "How did he die?"

Thankfully, Stephen had long made his peace with their father's death, "Brain tumour."

At the thought of him suffering, my eyes glinted with dark happiness. I tried to hide it but Stephen had already noticed. He didn't comment on it but bid me goodnight and left the room.

Was I becoming a monster?

... ... ...

I felt thirsty.