Help from the OtherSide

59. Prophecy

Deccan's POV

My pain, my life, everything was summarized in minutes for the sake of a prophecy. Anger washed over me. The memories I tried so hard to supress all my life, were made into a short film for everyone's pleasure.

I felt vulnerable and furious at the world. Most of all at the lady who did this to me.  Wasn't Anarzia's confession enough for the blockage to clear? 

Almost everyone hates my existence and now I  should be the selfless one and turn in my dead family as  scapegoat for these elves.

Why?  

What have they ever done for me?

Irony is that I  will be called selfish for not readily sacrificing myself for the creatures who would love to see me suffer.

I was simply one among the five people to get thrown here against our will; yet the massive importance showered on me when it came to life stories was absurd.

 Everybody present, threw me pitiful looks. Just the thing I wanted to avoid.
 The damaged and unfortunate property of a man that I am, was now a common knowledge. 

"I don't even know much about Humans, and yet I feel sorry for you." The tattooed girl, Toni eyed me strangely.

I felt strangely suffocated. Remembering that  hands were still held, I dropped hers and Liam's. My feet got a life of their own and ran out the cave, taking me with them.

The straw door blocked the exit-- but I didn't care about protocols anymore. I shoved the door aside and ran outside. Couple meters away from their home, I dropped to my knees and breathed heavily, making up for all the air I had forgotten to take in.

After a while, I head multiple footsteps behind me, much to my dismay. Someone put a hand on my head and stroking it gingerly.

Liam knelt beside me and guided my head to the crook of his neck. "That girl is right. You're the bravest and the kindest person I've ever met." 

"Only if I could get my hands on the bastard who kicked you." Grant spat. "Why did you lie? You let him tear your picture! You're forgiving but if it were me, that guy would have--"

"It's all in the past, Grant. He was a troubled child, like the rest of us. At least I had the fortune of spending few years of my life with my parents. That boy was left at the doorstep of our orphanage a month after he was born. . . Unlike me, he never felt a mother's embrace." I got up, my fingers slowly feeling my chest of all the kicks I've ever gotten.

My friends said their condolences and left me alone with Yumiko.

"I'm terribly sorry Deccan. . ." She trailed off.

"Don't be. You did nothing." 

"No but. . . Liam and the girl are right. I have always admired you, for your calm and patient self but today you showed me a side, I never knew was under this tough exterior-- But I guess that's what you wanted all along."  She closed the distanced; held my face with her hands and kissed the tip of my nose.