Outcast

Chapter 13: Our pasts haunt us.

Sam' POV

"Alec." I said as I looked at him, still deep in thought. His face was the picture of agony, which made me feel helpless for the very first time. "Alec, please talk to me. Are you right? I'm such an a-hole. I should learn to keep my mouth shut."

"Sam, I... I think I need to tell you the story of how Jane and I became what we are today." his usual silky voice was now rough and hoarse. I got up from his embrace to face him properly. I put my hands on his temples and made him focus on what I was about to say.

"Alec, I can tell that you're not comfortable with talking about it. I won't push you to tell me. It has to be your own will. You know that I'll always be here for you whatever happens. But I want you to trust me, not feel obligated to tell me. Are we clear?" I asked him. He hugged me tightly and I could almost feel the recent add of negative energy flow out of him.

"You're right but I trust you. You will never fully understand me if you don't know my past. But I shall warn you. It's not a pretty story." he said as he leaned over a tree trunk and pulled us in a comfortable sitting position.

"As long as you'll feel better I'll even go to hell for you. You're the only reason why I don't quit."

"Well, as I told you, Jane and I were born in 1703 in a little village in Germany. When we were born, everyone was amazed. At that time, women lost their babies like flies. It was quite a surprise when our mother gave birth to two health children. We lived a prosperous life full of happiness. My father was hard working and we were slightly richer than the average peasants. Our ancestors were wise and by the time my father's generation was born, we had enough money to live in a comfortable, almost luxurious place. Everything was going smoothly for us until Jane and I were ten. I shall remember that day until I meet my final death. It was raining hard and Jane was at the windowsill, waiting impatiently for mama and papa to return. They had some business to conduct and had to leave home for a week. Maryann, our maid was cleaning up after supper and I was helping her. Then our uncle came and told us that our parents had both died in a flash flood and that everything that our father possessed was rightfully his. He had lost the inheritance since our dad was the first born. Jane started crying and through sobs asked him what would happen to us and he told her that we would end up in a place where abandoned and orphan children go. Maryann opposed him. She said that as long as she's alive she'll never leave us. He hit her hard but she was quite strong for a woman and she tried to defend herself. He griped her hair and pushed her down the stairs. I'll remember forever the sickening crack we heard as her head hit the floor. I tried to restrain Jane from going down the stairs but she managed to get away from me. I ran to catch up with her and I found her with blood all over her hands and nightgown. She was stroking Maryann's bloody hair and crying so hard that I though she would die too. I went to comfort her but she pushed past me and darted upstairs. She tried to hit Uncle but he pushed her and her head hit the windowsill. Then Uncle spit on us and left us in the dark. Jane was not hurt so badly but her head was bleeding. After a while Jane calmed down and we went in our parents room. We said a little prayer so that God would guide mama, papa and Maryann to heaven." he said.

His mind was no longer next to me but in some far away place, I could almost see the little Alec comforting his sister while trying hard not to cry. Trying to be strong for his little sister.

"Oh, Alec." I said and I hugged him a little.

"We managed to smuggle some family heirlooms before they came back for us. Uncle started beating Jane for shouting at him and when I tried to defend her he slapped me across the face. He made me carry Maryann's body outside. When we arrived at the place we were supposed to stay; we were horrified. The building looked more like an ugly prison rather then a place for children. There were metal bars at the windows and many long walls to prevent the boys from entering the girls' dormitories. The trouble began only a week after. Though mass was obligatory everyday for both boys and girls in a room in their own dormitory, on Sunday we had to go to a chapel were both girls and boys could attend mass. That would earn Jane and me a few minutes to talk. Her face was twisted in pain as a nun had beaten her. She hadn't eaten anything for two days and she was starving. Jane always saw the bright side of everything. She told me that another nun was kind to her and she would give her some food when the other nun wasn't looking. That night Jane was awake waiting for the kind nun to bringthe food. After she gave Jane the food, some thing happened and she fell down the stairs. Since Jane was up she went to see what happened and once again she saw the blood and went rushing there. The cruel nun came in and saw Jane, with blood all over her. She started shouting that Jane was a murderer. Everything went downhill from that moment. Jane was beaten everyday, she was starving as no one bothered to give her food except the little something I managed to give her on Sunday without no one noticing. She was not allowed to sleep with the other girls and she had to stay away from everybody. Things for me weren't going great either. I was very weak as a child so I was bullied often. The older boys would steal my food and the teachers hated me as I was the 'witch girl's brother'. I was beat often. In fact I still have a few scars that are still barley visible." he said as he removed his tie and a few buttons and showed me his shoulders.