Whenever Sister Agnes has to get involved, Ranboo knows that only God's mercy can save them.
The fourth, the eldest, and the one in charge of everything, Sister Agnes doesn't get much involved with the actual caretaking as she does with legal paperwork and financing and actually taking care of the building, so when something happens with the children and Sister Agnes gets involved, everyone stands with their hands behind their backs and tries to not move.
Even at his age, Ranboo hides his hands. Even though he's only been in big enough trouble once to get Sister Agnes involved, he hides his hands.
He can still feel the sting from the ruler.
Ranboo keeps his eyes down and focused on his book as she enters. Even though it's still summer, the air conditioning keeps the building cold enough to need a sweater, and he wraps the ends of the sleeves around his hands.
He tries to not hear what's happening.
He tries to not hear the sick sound of wood meeting flesh.
He tries to not pay attention to anything except his own book.
Charlie is at his side. She's quiet as ever, but watches with wide eyes. He wants to tell her to look away, but it's her first time seeing Sister Agnes, and hopefully, she won't be on the other side of her wrath.
She flinches at the sound.
As soon as it happens it's over and Christian goes to his room. His hands are red. They look like they're bleeding a little bit.
Ranboo pretends to not see it.
If he tries to stand up, like-- like last time-- no.
No.
He doesn't want to remember it.
He doesn't want to remember it.
He's glad that he doesn't know what Sister Agnes' face looks like.
He closes his book and heads back to his bedroom. It's getting to be lights out soon, anyway. He's collected a few extra blankets from the playroom to help pad the floor a bit more after the previous night, where he ended up hitting his head pretty hard from sleepwalking.
The browser on his phone is no help with the problem. He doesn't think praying is helping much, no amount of confession and reconciliation has stopped the issue, but at least the nuns lock the door at night so he can't hurt himself outside of his room.
"I will be fine tonight," He tells himself, as he lays down and closes his eyes.
Ranboo wakes up on the floor again, in an awkward position. His head is on the ground, but half of his body is in his desk chair. He doesn't remember waking up, or getting out of bed. There's a little bruise on his head, but nothing else hurts.
He's just in an awkward position.
I must've just got up and sat at my desk, then, he thinks, pulling his legs off the chair slowly and pushing himself up. There was a decent amount of blanket around where he woke up, he used a few to pad the corners of his desk and side-table and dresser.
He must've brough the blanket on his desk down with him.
His flower, Amy the amaryllis still stands strong. She's the closest Ranboo will get to a pet in a while, so he named her and keeps her close to the sun, and she's even grown a bit, too. She's a lucky plant.
A jingling of keys at the door tells Ranboo that it's unlocked for him now, and that one of the sisters is up and about to let him out. The morning sun is barely peering through the curtains.
YOU ARE READING
Promised Land
FanfictionRanboo remembers the days when he would kneel at his bed to pray before the nuns turned out the lights and begged God that he'd be the next kid to go. He was a good kid; he was helpful, he was kind, he was humble, he was everything the nuns raised h...
