Belle Stone

Part 15

A new day arouses. Belle woke up from her calming slumber. It was a weekday so she had no time to search for Mark. The first thing, that was a priority, was making it to school on time. She rushed to get ready and go to school.

In the meantime, Mark wasn't even aware of the time and place he was in. He couldn't even shut his eyes for a second last night. The memories of the day before kept running through his mind. The mysterious woman never leaving his thoughts. Billions and billions of different questions causing chaos in his mind. He didn't feel exhausted though. His brain couldn't concentrate on such a tiny need.

After a couple of hours, he heard his phone ring. That snapped him out of his thoughts. It was work, they called in to see if everything is okay and if he would come today. Finally, he realized what time it was. Just in that time, like it was planned or something, an idea came to his mind. He said he wouldn't be able to make it to work today, that he has some health issues and he will go check if it is anything serious. His advisors didn't seem to mind so he was granted that wish.
As soon as he hung up, he got ready in a hurry and left the house.

He started his search for Juliet and Marcus Lively. He started a search in his local area than he went a little further. The address of the house wasn't known to him, but he couldn't call now to his work and ask for it. That would be rude. His logic is that they can't live a lot further if they dropped Belle in this orphanage. Just as his hope was starting to die out. Next door that he knocked on was the right one, the one he was looking for. A teenage boy, kind of around Belle's age, answered the door. His face showed a blank expression like he was tired of life or something.
"Yes?"
Words fell lazily out of his mouth. Not bothered.
"Um... sorry. I am looking for Marcus and Juliet Lively."
Mark politely asked the boy with a kind smile on his face.
"Those are my parents. What do you want?"

The tone of the boy's voice and the way he pronounced his words showed annoyance. Mark was used to Belle's politeness. This kind of behavior startled him but he continued politely.
"I just want to ask them some questions."
"About what?”
For a second he seemed interested. A little tingle in his gut appeared out of nowhere. As far as he knew he did nothing for those questions to be about him. He wanted to know what they were about.
"Something private."
Unsure of whether or not he knows about the adoption, Mark quickly thought of an answer that unintentionally seems suspicious leaves his lips. He couldn't hurt the poor boy. It isn't really nice to hear that your parents adopted someone and left them.

As the boy peered into his soul questioning his answer he asked more questions. He had to divert the conversation. Just divert it before the guilt gets to him and he actually blurts out the real reason he was there.
"They aren't home? When will they be back, approximately?"
"Don't know. Don't care. I'll take the message if you want."
Again that nasty tone made Mark cringe on the inside. Those carefree, impolite, rude sounding words. How can he even manage to create such a tone?
"No, thanks. I will come back later."
"Whatever."
The boy rolls his eyes and closes the door. His interest faded away quickly. He wasn't going to use his energy forcing this man to speak. It wasn't worth it.

The door closes in front of Mark's face. What a rude boy? How can he act like that to a man older than him? Is every teenager like that? The amount of time he spends with Belle he forgot how people outside of the orphanage act. Belle is very well taught then. He feels proud of himself, as that thought comes to mind.

Minutes after, a man and a woman start to approach the house and Mark encounters them. He stops them.
"Are you by any chance Marcus and Juliet Lively?"
"Yeah, we are. I am sorry but who are you?"
They were undoubtedly confused but they put on a polite smile. Such an opposite reaction compared to that boy. That makes Mark feel better and more positive. The boy's reaction made him fearful of the reaction of these people but their demeanor calmed him. He smiles widely.
"Don't worry, you are not in trouble." Tension disappears slowly. The confusion still remains but the atmosphere is lighter.
"I am here to ask you some questions about your adoption."
"What did Leon do?"

So the boy is adopted. It didn't surprise Mark in the least bit. The way he acted seemed kind of bitter, now it made sense why. He was even more glad he didn't tell him the real reason he was there.
"Oh, no, no, no. Not him. The little girl you adopted 15 years ago. The one you left at the orphanage."
Their confusion didn't simmer down until the last thing he said.
"Yeah, that screaming menace."
The guy answers. His memory of her erupts. It caused him to speak inconsiderably. Mark knew that from the orphanage but he still flinches at the expression Marcus used to talk about his little angel. Mark neglects the gorging fire forming within.
"Her, precisely."
Mark manages to blurt out calmly. Well, as calmly as he could. If you listen carefully you could still hear the falling roar in his voice.

"What do you want to know? We don't know very much about her. We gave her to the orphanage.”
Unaware of Mark's anger Juliet says nonchalantly. A lack of insults directed to Belle calms him and he remembers why he was there
“Yeah, I know. I work there. I don't want to know about her exactly but the one you adopted her from."
The couple nods in unison. They understand his curiosity. The man starts speaking again and Mark prepares himself for the words he might say.
"It was a strange woman. As we said we don't know much about her. She said she can't take care of the baby because she is very ill. We were searching for a kid, so we were glad that we found one. I know that sounds bad but it was nice to know that we finally found someone who was willing to give up their child, especially a baby. Orphanages don't have many of those, at least not here."

Mark intentively listens to Marcus's words as he stares into his eyes. His story was true. There was no reason for him to lie anyway but you still had to be aware. Anything can happen. The man sounded vulnerable. It was apparent that they went through a lot trying to adopt a child. The change in his voice and stance made that visible. Marcus continued on talking about Belle.
"She was beautiful, had an angel-like appearance. We thought we would love her forever but as soon as we got home she started screaming. Not crying, screaming. Not a normal scream either. That would have been bearable. A scream of a demon torturing the innocent."
There was that flame again. Fire raging inside. Mark had to control himself. What he said might be true but it just hurts so bad knowing the kid she is now. Marcus's voice changed again. The memories danced in his mind, he tried to display him to the guy through his eyes. Fear and agony he felt that day. He wanted it to be understood. They weren't the bad guys. They had to do what they did. He seems to have failed to do so.
"I am aware of that, now more about that woman, please."

Before he can bust out into flames, Mark rushed the conversation past the uncomfortable part. He didn't want to hear any more of the demon child.
"Be patient, I am getting to it."
Marcus was keen on finishing his story in his own terms, in his own way. Displaying his experience in a search for compassion. He was about to start talking about the woman anyway.
"So, the unbearable scream led us back to the woman’s door but she wasn't there anymore. Her neighbors said she moved. Some of them said she went to visit her sister. All I know is that none of them knew where she was for sure, so we had no choice but to take the girl to the orphanage. We never saw her again. We heard a long time ago that she died but we aren't sure."
Mark was thankful for the continued story lacking insults. He didn't know if he could take any more of them. He was able to focus better now too because of that.

"Oh, can you tell me at least where she lived?"
He was disappointed in the lack of information. This was going to be harder than he thought. It was just a start he has to do a lot more research if he wants to solve the mystery of that woman. They gave him a detailed description of the place and then they parted ways respectfully. Expectations weren't met. Instead of getting his mind cleared, it was in more chaos than before.
To be continued ...