Perennial Rain

The Past

Tori - age 7

"Mum, Dad, when will you be back? You promised you would be staying with me this week!" I screamed.
They just looked at me with sad eyes and left anyway.
Why did they have to be away from home always? I cried.

Tori- age 10

I looked up at the bearded man who was supposed to be teaching me new things at my new school. Mum dropped me off here. I think it is a boarding school.
It's named Red Scorpions for some reason. Who would even name a school that?
He said he would teach me interesting stuff.
"Where are my books? I asked him.
He laughed. "An eager one are you?"
"Yes! I don't want to stay here long. I wan't to pass my tests and go back home."
He laughed again. A hollow, deadly laugh.
"Very well, very well, lets begin your studies."

Tori age - 11

It's been a year and I've been in this place. This apparent school. But they teach me weird stuff here. They don't teach me about history or the moon and stars. Instead they teach me how to determine co-ordinates. Or how to treat wounds. And vital points in human bodies. Like okay it can be useful.
But isn't it a bit different from normal schools?
And it's been a year mum and dad haven't come to visit. And I was going to find out why, right now.
I knocked at the massive red door called head office for probably the 100th time since the past year.
The old bearded man's voice gave me permission to go in. I barged in, trying to appear confident.
"Where are my parents? Can you let me call them? This time you have to!"
He sighed. "Tori, this is probably the 100th time. I told you I cannot let you call them unless they try to contact you. "
That hurt. Why weren't they contacting me? No, that can't be, just can't be.
"You're lying! They would never stay calm without talking to their daughter or seeing her for a whole year now would they?!" I screamed at him.
Guess that was the last straw.
He stood up abruptly.
"You naive little brat. What do you think of this place? What do you know of this world? Do you think this is some boarding school your parents dropped you off because of their business?!" He literally growled. I cowered. He was scary.
"Come with me" he took my by the arm.
He led me down the hallway to a door. He entered some security code and the door opened.
What was inside, changed my life as I know later on.
It was a huge circular hall with little glass cubicles around its circumference. We walked into the centre of the room and I was speechless.
Inside the cubicles were people. Living people fighting each other. There was blood on the glass. Tears started forming in my eyes. I couldn't breathe. Why were they fighting?
"What place is this?" I breathed out.
He laughed his signature hollow laugh but his eyes were cold and serious.
"This is what the Red Scorpions, is all about. I wanted to tell you this when you were a bit older, but you're a nuisance to handle. We are the Red Scorpions, we work for nobody but us. Our aim is a world without politics and conflicts. And to achieve that, we need to get rid of the good for nothing jerks that call themselves leaders of nations, we need to get rid of unfair judges, that claim to have the rights to judge people. You have been chosen to be one of us since the time your mother left you at our doorstep. Your parents worked for us for a long time. Speaking of which, your parents are no more, your father died in line of duty and your mother's whereabouts are currently unknown. We presume her to be dead. And since she left you with us, I can't let you leave this place yet."
He said all this in a tone so cold. Like it doesn't matter. Like he didn't just tear apart my life. Like it was just a other thing.
I fell to the ground. It was lies. All lies. I had been lied to all my life. It was pain, so much pain. It felt like all my muscles were being torn apart. I refused to believe it. It is a dream. It is a dream. Please let it be a bad dream. Please.
He looked down at me with something like pity "I think you are not listening anymore, well I'll save the rest for another time then" and walked off without a second glance. Leaving me on the floor with the apparent truth of my life till now.
It. Was. All. A. Lie.