Whispers After Dark

Chapter 6

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door, fidgeting with my hands while waiting. It wasn't long before I heard footsteps from the other side of the door, and it creaked open. Through a little gap, stood a glimpse of the towering body of Mr. Chamberlain. His mouth formed a frown like usual, and his receding gray hair stood out like he had just been shocked.

"Charlie, come in." His voice sounded fatigued, carrying a hint of strain, but still possessing a commanding presence that demanded attention and action.

I followed Mr. Chamberlain into his office, realizing it was my first time there. Sunlight glowed through the windows opposing the door, which tied up dark red curtains restricting nature's light from encasing the wooden bookshelves on both sides of the wall. Thick folders covered the right side with names hidden in the shadows. The left side bore books of all kinds, some philosophical, psychology books, mathematics curriculums, and even some children's novels. In front of the window, stood a dark wooden desk covered in papers, with a folder from the shelf open. The office was very tidy, several buckets stacked perfectly beside the door, The folders neatly in their place, none sticking farther out than they should. Moving towards the door, the book's height progressively grew shorter, intentionally ordered in that sequence. I presumed the colored stickers on the spine of the books indicated their genre. The wood aesthetic ran through the interior of the room across all the walls, dust settling on the ceiling, evidence it had not been cleaned in a while.

"Charlie." His voice broke my gaze of awe towards his office.

"Yes, sir?" My voice was nervous. I could not anticipate what would happen next. Would the falsified stories prevail over the truth?

"Come here."

My body followed his orders and stood next to him as he stared out through his window. As evening descended upon the orphanage grounds, a serene ambiance enveloped the surroundings. The fading daylight painted the sky with warm hues, casting a golden glow over the endless landscape. The leaves rustled from a gentle breeze that complemented the delightful scenery. The fields, adorned with towering trees, previously vibrant with children's play hours ago, now rested peacefully. The trees, now shrouded in shadows as the evening set in, stood still, becoming a realm of enchantment for the wildest nightmares of children to come to life. The sky was a canvas, embellished by the diverse shades of colors creating a breathtaking backdrop that stretched across the horizon. The clouds caught the last rays of sunlight for the day, casting wisps of gold and crimson in the sky. It was an astonishing view, one worth hours from the beholder to admire its beauty before darkness descended on the velvet sky, and the moon bathed in the landscape, deceiving the people that the shone light was its own.

Mr. Chamberlain's eyes did not stray as far as the magnificent scenery. He was staring at the field in front of him, where the events earlier today took place. I looked down at my feet to hide my shame.

"M-Mr. Chamberlain, I'm really sorry for what happened earli-"

"Had the poor crow been fighting for its loved one, would it be considered free followin' its death?"

I glanced at Mr. Chamberlain in confusion. Was this not about the fight earlier? He elaborated on his question.

"The bird on the field. Had it been fighting for its loved one, would you say it was unconstrained after it died?" His head turned to face me, the same way he looked at me while we examined the bird's body. I hadn't anticipated this turn of events, but it was definitely better than questioning my actions from earlier.

"Nuffin' was holding the bird back in this world, so yes, the bird was unconstrained." I stood beside Mr. Chamberlain now. Taking a glance at his facial expression would be too obvious. I continued to stare ahead at the splendid scenery.