Despite the fact that he was already looking so frail, someone had still tied his small, thin hands together with a white nylon rope. The red marks and blood-stained rope were a gruesome sight to behold.
Shaun’s legs had also been tied, but he had somehow managed to break free from them. We could see where the rope had dug deep into his flesh.
Still dazed and confused, he croaked weakly, “Water…”
Joseph quickly placed him on the couch and untied the ropes around his wrist. To appease my feelings of guilt, I seized the opportunity to pour him a glass of water.
Recognizing Shaun, Audrey walked over to the couch in horror and started sobbing. Soon, her face was damp with tears. “Shaun… Shaun… Don’t die…”
“It’s okay. Shaun is going to be fine. Be a good girl now. Don’t cry…” Joseph said soothingly. After placing Shaun on the couch, he hurried off to call the paramedics. I pulled Shaun gently into my arms and held the glass of water to his lips. There was no time for me to comfort Audrey.
Unable to stand Audrey’s crying any longer, Emery gave a resigned sigh. She placed her hands on Audrey’s shoulders and spun her around, forcing the girl to meet her gaze. Wagging a finger at Audrey, Emery said, “Audrey, I’m only going to say this once, so listen carefully. The louder you cry, the more painful it is for Shaun. Do you want to see him die from the pain? If you do, then keep on crying. The louder you cry, the faster he dies. Go on then, keep crying!”
The mention of death frightened Audrey so much that she quickly clasped a hand over her mouth, not daring to make another noise.
Emery’s method of dealing with the matter is questionable but effective. If it had been me, I wouldn’t have had the heart to scare a child just to shut them up. I suppose it does take a person of action to get things done quickly.
Emery seemed to read my mind. She straightened up and shrugged. “See that? Certain teaching methods work on both genders.”
I shook my head. Poor Xavier. How many of Emery’s threats and scares has he had to endure these past six years? It’s a good thing boys are tough. If it had been a girl, she would’ve had a rough time.
Nonetheless, it was not the right time to be making jokes, so I did not answer Emery.
After about ten minutes, Shaun finally slowly opened his eyes and looked around weakly.
It was different from the first time I met him. Now, I could see the desire to live blazing in his eyes.
The moment he regained consciousness, he stubbornly struggled to sit up, avoiding my embrace and leaning against the back of the couch.
As his body twisted, it tugged at the injuries on his body. He hissed in pain and clenched his jaw.
I held his arm at once to help him sit up. “Don’t push yourself.”
Shaun did not respond. He did not even dare to meet my gaze. Instead, he stared fixedly at the floor.
His behavior clearly indicated that the Fullers’ rules were still fresh in his mind. He had to respect me and was not allowed to get too close to me.
I reached out a hand to comfort him, but he shrank away immediately. I could only give up on the thought and withdraw my hand. Then, I moved to another couch so that he could sit more comfortably without trying to keep his distance from me.
Shaun was quick to notice my kind intentions. As soon as I moved away, he shifted into a more comfortable position, and the pained look on his face faded slightly.
Nonetheless, his eyes darted around uneasily as if he was still on his guard.
He looked like a little frightened mouse that would be startled by even the slightest movement and sound.
Although the children in the orphanage had no one to rely on, they were calm and steady toward strangers. Whatever it is, we’re partially responsible for the state he’s in now.
As the thought crossed my mind, I began to worry about alarming him once again. Hence, I lowered my voice and said softly, “Shaun, can you tell me how you got those injuries?”
Shaun stared at the floor and was silent for a long time.
I heaved a heavy sigh. Subconsciously, I treated him as an adult. It’s my fault for not carefully thinking things through. In truth, he’s still a child who’s just a little taller than Audrey. We should count our lucky stars that he hasn’t broken down after going through so much. It’d be a torment to ask him to relive the painful ordeal of how he got injured. If an impatient person like Emery can restrain herself from pressing a child for answers, I shouldn’t question him either. We should wait for the paramedics to arrive and get him treated at the hospital first.
