The Girl and The Murderer

8. Zack's Memory

Five years ago :

I'm on the landing, before their office. They called some girls again. I wonder what they're doing in there because every time the girls exit, they're in tears. I'm almost sure that they beat them. Almost because some don't got bruises.

Another one exits the room. But she doesn't cry. She moans slowly and that's all. She looks at me, smiling and go away. She's weird. No... She's better than that. She's different.

I think that I never heard her voice. Nor her crying. Nor smiling before today. She never express her emotions. She's so expressionless that I hardly noticed her befor now.

That night :

I laid down on the ground. Like always. I look at the ceiling and I won't be able to get some sleep. Like always. The girl from the landing is laying beside me. Not like always.

She insisted to sleep with me. I don't really care cause I rarely sleep. But she does. And she has nightmares. And she's squirming all over the place. And she hugs me... Wait what ?

I'm not imagining it, she is really hugging me...

-Hey... Er... Hey whatever your name is... I'm not a teddy bear so let go...

She doesn't move away. She doesn't move anymore from the moment she passed her arms around me. What a strange girl...

People must know that I'm considered as a monster here. For both the kids living here and the orphanage's management. Even if they don't say it out loud, they're afraid of me.

-One day, I'll show them the cost of messing with Isaac Foster !

-We'll see Zack. You better get some sleep or you'll be tired tomorrow. You'll have to bury Tom. He's caught a high fever and he won't survive the night.

I look at her, pulling herself closer and closer to me, like if I were a giant teddy bear. She better let go now before I get upset ! What's her problem by the way ? I never talked to her in my whole life !

-You'll see. When my revenge will come, they're all gonna pay for what they did to me...

She giggles lightly and she hugs me tighter than before. That's not as bad as it seemed...

-I'm sure you'll reach your goal one day. But in order to succeed, you better get some sleep.

And she put herself even closer. Don't know that it was possible.

-Can you tell me something ?

-Hum ?

-Why are you here ? Don't have any dorms or something ?

She giggles once more and lays her head on my chest.

-A room for yourself is much better. Now, go to sleep.

Her breathing slows down, become deeper. She's asleep.

I can't sleep. I look at the sailing again and again.

She moves again all over the place. Her dream mustn't be too peaceful.

-Leave me alone... Please, just leave me alone...

She squirms a little more. I shake her shoulder a little.

-Wake up.

-No... Not there, don't touch me there...

I try a little harder to make her open her eyes.

-Wake up.

-It hurts, stop...

I lost my composure and shake her more vigourously.

-Come on, wake up !

She opens her eyes, panicking. She blinks madly before starting to cry quietly.

-What now ? Why you're weeping ? A little bit of bravery for God's sake !

She turns to me, her eyes red.

-Sorry for waking you up, she says. But I'm too afraid to go back to the girl's dorm. They may be there...

I look away. She's making me feel weird when she looks at me like that...

-What are these bastards doing when they bring you to the office ? They beat you ?

She says nothing and cries even more. What did I say ? Are their acts that awful or what ?

After a sobbing or two and a lot of sniffling, she starts :

-It depends... If we don't struggle, they 're just touching us... Otherwise...

She doesn't end her sentence. They're here. But it's still night time. Why are they here then ?

-So that' s where you hid litgle bitch... Can we know what you were doing with that dear Zack ?

She's behind me now. She doesn't cry anymore but she's shaking like mad.

-Tch tch tch... Zack, I'm waiting for answers.

I don't know what to say. If I say that I ask her to come, I gonna be beaten. But if I say it's her, she's gonna have much more trouble than I as I understand it.

-Zack, I'm gonna get mad if you don't answer to me. Hurry up or you'll be both punished.

Why do I hesitate ? I wouldn't have questioned myself if it has been someone else and I would have save my own skin. But this girl... I just can't let her down like that...

-That's me who asked him Sir...

She's trembling like mad. She's dead frightened. But her voice didn't tremble at all. She even put a little bit of confidence in it.

She grabs my hand quickly before let it go and coming to them bravely. A kick in her ribs and my blood beats hard in my temples. I'm furious.