Legacy of Aerin - Origination

Chapter 5 - Discoveries Abound

"Can I help you?" she firmly inquired, placing the book down on the table next to her.

"Uhh ... I'm sorry." Aerin, shaking with anxiety, but curious and determined to figure out who she was, kept himself from fleeing. "I am trying to find my old home. You look very familiar. Do I know you?"

The woman stood up, meandered towards Aerin while squinting. Within 10 feet of him her eyes widened. "Oh my goodness!"

"Wha ...What?" Aerin stammered. Taking a step backwards, the sudden desire to flee engulfed him again.

"Wait, don't run. You look like the little boy I took to the orphanage 9 years ago! Is that really you?"

"That's why I recognized you! Why did you never come back to see me?! I felt all alone and it was horrible in there," his eyes started welling up with tears. The feelings of hurt and anger flooding in soon after.

Kilobi bowed her head. "I'm sorry... I tried to but the lady at the front desk said no visitors were allowed. Did they at least give you the supplements I have been dropping off for you?"

"They haven't been giving me anything." Aerin, caught off guard, was in disbelief. Dria and Jayla cut him off completely from the outside world. A new wave of anger rushed through him. "Why would they do that?!"

"I don't know, Aerin. I am so sorry. Please come inside. I am sure you are hungry and thirsty." She beckoned Aerin towards the door. She opened it up when she reached it, turning to face Aerin.

He hadn't moved. "I don't want to accidentally hurt you or your home. I figured out my abilities are hard to control when I am upset."

"Oh no... you poor thing," Kilobi commiserated. "What have you learned to do?"

"I can set things on fire, see with my eyes closed, and control people's minds. It's my fire ability that scares me. I burned an animal that was trying to attack me and it screamed so loud. It was wreathing around. I felt so bad!" Aerin's voice became increasingly rushed and exasperated as he explained.

"It's okay... it's okay, Aerin. I'll risk it, please come inside. I can put out your pyrokinesis fire with my hydrokinesis water." She winked as she reassured him.

Aerin was relieved by the thought that he wouldn't be able to hurt Kilobi and proceeded to walk inside.

It was the same as he remembered, although the direction in which they walked in this time was directly into the kitchen instead of the living room.

"Please sit." She ushered Aerin to the kitchen table. "I'll make you something tasty and filling. I'm sure you are starving. Do you want something to drink?"

"Sure. Can I have water?" he inquired as he pulled out the chair and sat down.

"Sure!" Kilobi retrieved a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water, bringing it over and setting it down in front of him once it was filled.

Aerin peered at the many wall fixtures and decorations. There were a lot of random pictures, symbols, and ornamental embodiments of humanoids and animals. One picture Aerin set his gaze upon was of a young and fairly attractive woman with long, wavy dark blue hair and vibrant bluish cream skin. "Is that your daughter?"

"Huh? Oh no. No that's my granddaughter. Her name is Eshra," she bragged after struggling to figure out which picture Aerin was referring to. "Isn't she gorgeous? She managed to get in contact with me about a year ago and sent me that beautiful picture. She is twenty two years old now. My baby is all grown up. I hadn't heard from her in so long. She says she is doing good now and managed to escape captivity, but she is now working at some beach resort or something like that on the planet Teral. I wrote her back but haven't heard anything from her since. She's probably pretty busy."