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Chapter 4

" This is horrible... too bad... too worst... fucking shit... How can someone be so merciless? I just can't take this. " " Ms Cherry, Your anger doesn't have the power to reverse what has happened. We have to accept what has happened and try to ensure that something like this doesn't happen in future." " What do you mean by TRY? Are you kidding me? You are just going to try? For what the hell you are having this job, Agent Steve? You are just going to sit back and relax while that bastard goes on killing everyone? Is this what you are going to do?" " Ms Cherry, we have done everything we can. Investigated, Cross checked, Interrogated and Scrutinised every single person who has provoked even the slighted doubts in our minds. With the help of Rebecca Stone, we have done lots of investigations for finding the real identity of Black Eye and even tried to trace the next potential victim he would try to harm. But nothing is working. We are breaking our heads trying to solve the case." " Who the hell is this Rebecca Stone? " " Mind your language, Miss. She is the leading freelance Photojournalist and reporter of Miami city. She's been a great help in this case to our team." " Oh... I see. Agent Steve, can I speak with her? I have a few questions to ask and, my instincts are forcing me to help you people solve this case. Can I offer a hand?" " Yes, Ms Cherry. You will be a valuable resource for us. Thanks for the help. Pls, note down Rebecca's number." 

On the cold morning of Freezing February, the bodies of Rosie's parents were buried at the Cathedral.  Rosie's parents, Kathryn and David were both raised at Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children. Kathryn's mom died after contracting Tuberculosis when Kathryn was a little girl. It was a painful death. Her vital organs were 90% Non-Functional and when her body stopped responding to the medicines given to her, she was taken off the life support. While Kathryn's dad remarried just a few weeks after the death of his first wife, Kathryn was unable to accept the death and became a sore in the eye for her stepmom. The Stepmom was really worried that Kathryn would steal all the love and affection from her dad and that her children would never really experience that affection. So, she sketched a plot and when Kathryn's Father left the town for business work, the Stepmom seized the opportunity. With all her sweet talks, she took Kathryn to Minnesota, 500 kilometres away from their town, left her nearby a candy shop and said to Kathryn " Wait for me here. I will buy your favourite Candies and come to you." But the stepmom never returned. Poor Kathryn stood outside the Candy Shop, helplessly waiting for her Stepmom. Her soft, tiny feet started to hurt from standing for a long time. Her stomach started to churn in hunger. Her face looked tired and a permanent gloom was etched in her hazel eyes. With no strength to stand, Kathryn sat under the streetlamp, hugging her knees while the sun set down and the stars started to decorate the night sky. The air started to get colder and colder but her Stepmom never came back. Resting her head against the cold iron pillar of the streetlamp, little Kathryn fell asleep. A while later, a kind lady noticed that a child was sitting in the streets. She took the child to her home and asked about her whereabouts. Kathryn didn't know anything about herself, except for her parents' name. She didn't know the place from where she came nor her father's phone number. She kept on saying, " My stepmom went for getting candies. She asked me to wait outside. She will come. She will come." The Kind Lady knew that the stepmom will not return but preferred not to break the little girl's hope.  Pitying the plight of such an innocent child, the kind lady let Kathryn sleep in her hall for that night and the next morning, she handed her over to the cops. The cops tried to trace her location but were unsuccessful. Hence, Kathryn was sent off to Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children. 

David didn't remember much about his parents or anyone. All he knew was the wide corridors and staircases of the Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children, where he grew up since the age of 1. One day, all the kids were gossiping that a cute little girl had come to their place. Curious to know who she was, David asked his friends to take him to that girl. She was sitting on the wooden bench with her hands tightly balled into a fist. Her head was bent down slightly and her eyes were deeply focused, observing the patterns on the floor tiles. The adults were talking about something. She knew they were talking about her, but her innocent mind was unable to understand what they were talking about. "Poor Child... Poor Child", that's what they'd repeatedly called her. "Left alone in the streets... someone has abandoned her... Such a lovely child she is... how can someone leave her like this?" They talked more about her. Many papers were being exchanged. Someone took a photograph of her. Finally, an old lady cupped her face and kissed her forehead. " From now on, this is your home. We are all a family. Go and join with your friends. Look, they are waiting for you." Saying so, the old lady pointed her finger towards a group of kids who were eagerly watching the little girl. While she pointed towards the whole group, the little girl's mind perceived it like she was pointing to that cute boy who was hiding by the staircase. She rose up and took tiny little steps towards that boy. Seeing her walk towards his direction, the boy felt like all the air in his lungs have dried up. Realizing that she was almost closer to him, the boy's whole body shook in nervousness. The little girl came near him and there was just 2 feet gap between them. She gently brushed away the little locks of hair that fell before her eyes and tucked them behind her ears. Staring at the floor, staring at the boy's feet and then staring at her own feet, the little girl finally said one word in an almost inaudible whisper. 

" Kathryn," she said.

 "David" he replied. 

And that was the beginning of yet another beautiful fairytale where they just didn't live happily ever after. 

"Nothing ever ends poetically. It ends and we turn it into poetry. All that blood was never once beautiful. It was just red."
― Kait Rakowski