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Ten Years Ago
"Quit tussling around!"
Luciel's patience was getting tested. It had been hours past bedtime but Genesis still wouldn't stop sitting up and checking their surroundings. He seemed restless and it was rubbing off on Luciel as well. Luckily, Elijah had already dozed off after Luciel read four whole encyclopedia pages to the enthusiastic little boy.
"I can't sleep," Genesis whined, downing the last portion of milk from Luciel's glass. The latter had given it to him earlier in hopes it would let him sleep better, but it was of no help.
Luciel was 2 years older than Genesis and 3 years older than Elijah who was currently 7. He took it upon himself to take care of Elijah when he entered the ward, and now, he also felt responsible for the jet black-haired newcomer.
He couldn't help it. They reminded him so much of his younger sister.
"What do you usually do to fall asleep?," Luciel inquired in a hushed voice. The last thing he'd want was for Eli to wake up and add to his headaches.
Genesis thought about it as Luciel watched him wordlessly. The faint blue light from the platinum lantern of the night sky shone at them, oblivious to the danger Genesis's next words would bring.
"My uncle would usually come to my room and play with me," he spoke with eyes devoid of any form of malice or uncertainty. He told Luciel of the fun and adventures brought about by his uncle, how he would sneak into his room every night and treat him really well.
Luciel froze. "What?"
"That game," Genesis repeated, chukling at the other boy's reaction. He proudly huffed. "It's very fun to play! But the punishment kinda hurts too. My uncle told me not to tell anyone, but I'll make you an exception, okay?"
Luciel felt his dinner threatening to spill as his stomach twisted and turned. The heaviness of each word sank in only after a minute of silence and Genesis's innocent anticipation for his answer.
He could rack his brain and all sources he could think of yet none could express the revulsion he was feeling in behalf of the guiltless boy.
Luciel might be young but he had his fair share of experiences to know what abuse was. Even Genesis's sunny smile couldn't hide the sinister meaning behind the game.
"Hey. Are you aware of what you're saying right now?" Luciel prayed he was just some kid on his naughty phase, one who had too early access to the internet and probably ventured to dark sites. He had never hoped one was just joking as much as that moment.
Genesis's head tilted sidewards. "Huh? Our games? Of course. Do you want to play that, too?"
"That's bad," a small sleepy voice joined in the conversation. "I think. Because uncles are not supposed to ask us to play with reproductive parts. And the law states that consens-"
"Eli, I told you to sleep already," Luciel rushed to their youngest, pulling the sheets back to his chest.
His chest was pounding abnormally fast. He would never include the kid in that kind of conversation, but he's afraid Elijah was far too smart to not know what the topic was about.
"Is that why you're here, Genesis-ge?," Elijah peeked out of the blanket, innocently questioning the other boy. "Because you can't be here for nothing."
