The Assailants

19. The Righteous One: One above All

My name is Bonny. I'm twenty seven years old. I was born outside the Arcane gates but later on, my life continued inside the settlement.

Auntie Lenie reared me like her own, but inside a basement. She taught me how to read and write every night even if she was tired. She read me some books before we sleep. She manage to bring some herbs to let me master herbal medicines which I am interested to do. I'm locked inside of a secret basement she made from her small house. I never have seen the world outside of that room. I always wonder how it looks like.

I never asked my auntie where my parents are. The thoughts of them sometimes crossed my mind but I never asked her about it. All the pain and hardships she's been through from raising me were the reasons why my tongue will always back out.

"Bonny, come over here. I want to tell you something." She called me over after she got home from work.

"What is it, auntie?" I kissed her cheek and embraced her tightly.

"Now that you're ten years old, you can already think on your own. I know that I raised you up knowing that lying is very very bad but I need you now to master it."

"Huh? Auntie, that is bad. You said that liars go to hell."

"Listen to me closely, Bonny. I locked you up in this house and from everyone else because I wanted to protect you."

"Protect from what? From who?" I felt confused about it.

"Everyone living outside of this house are bad people. They will hurt you. But now that you have grown up, I'm also getting older. I felt weaker and I don't know how long will I live." Her tears are flooding her eyes and we sobbed in each other's shoulders.

"Auntie, what are you saying? I don't understand." I looked at her face and she closed her eyes.

"Bonny, I'm getting old, my body is no longer healthy. I will die soon. If my time comes, God will take me away from you. I will be with your parents in heaven. We will always watch over you." She wipes her tears and painfully looked at the other side.

"My parents?" I would really want her to tell me about them. I wanted to know why they're not the ones raising me. Auntie and I had read a lot of books in that room telling stories about family and children. Why am I so different from those stories? Why did I live without their presence? Why am I alone with my aunt?

"Yes, your parents are already dead. You're too young to understand. I will wait until the right time comes. Now, come over here."

We stood up and she pulled me to sit on the bed. "Are you going to let me learn something now that I'm older?"

"Yes. Little by little." She smiled and placed her palms on top of my lap. "I will be taking you out of the outside world. Before that, I want you to promise me something."

"Promise!" I excitedly lift my arm to assure her.

"Pretend that I am your mother, Bonny. I have been keeping you in this cell for so long. I told my sister that you are my daughter but I never showed you to her. Please, listen to me and do as I say, Bonny" she paused for a moment and peeked at my chest. "Don't show this seal to anyone. Never, ever show this. Do not ask any more why I forbade you. Do not show this even to my sister and her kids. Did you understand?"

I nod at her. I have to trust her because she's the only family I have. The only one that cares about me. I really love her.

The day I'm finally exposed to the world came. It was a terrible sight that I no longer want to get out. It was very different from the books I have read, the fairytales, Gods and Godesses, adventures and others.