Chapter 1

“Ey dickhead get off the fucking ground.”

“—eh”

“I said Dickhead get off the motherfucking ground.”

“Yeah, get off the ground idiot.”

There were three figures looming over me and I was planted face up on asphalt in what seemed to be an alleyway.

“W-w-where am I”

“You’re behind the orphanage retard, where else.”

My vision was clearer now, and I could see the back of the orphanage I knew all to well. I could now make out who was looming over me as well. It was those three assholes who bullied me every day, Blake, Demarcus and Tom. The one who was shouting at me was Blake as he had an in-distinguishably deep voice and height. The one on his left was Tom, he talked a lot and had a slender figure like that of a skeleton, although he was surprisingly strong for his build. The one on the right was Demarcus, who was also tall, he has a very muscular build and has beaten every kid in the orphanage in fights or an arm wrestle.

“Do you need hearing aids retard, get up.”

“N-no I don’t”

I stood up, and my vision went a little blurry again but re-focused quickly. My nose was bleeding profusely, and I had multiple scrapes on my knees and elbows. I got into a fighting stance.
“Feisty today ey, why don’t we teach the retard another lesson” Tom chimed in.

“Yeah, knock his ass out again Blake,”

“I should really kill you right now Dante, I really should. But you know what just this one time I won’t, I mean what good would it be if I threw out the punching bag. Instead, though I think I’ll just beat you to a pulp. Really teach you how to take some punches, maybe block a little too.”

“p-please Blake, I gave you all the shit I have.”

“Well, that just ain’t gonna cut it cause I don’t have your life yet Dante.”

I was preparing to get the shit smacked out of me, but in the back of my brain there was a fiery white rage that said to fight back. It said I should kill Blake instead, give him a taste of these two years of hell. I didn’t listen, it wasn’t worth it, or at least not yet.

----woosh

I heard the air slice like butter before Blakes fist. I was all to familiar with the sound.

--Smack

He hit me square in my jaw. There was blood pooling in my mouth, as the air tasted like metal.

---Jab

He hit my stomach next, and I got the wind knocked out of me. I heaved and heaved trying to recover just a little bit before the next blow, but I couldn’t even breath.

--- Crack, Jab, Smack, Crack, Smack, Crack, Jab

All I could do was stand there idly as Blake hit me over and over, because if I even tried to block, he would hit me harder on the next swing. I coughed up a little blood and spat it on the ground. Blake ignored that and kept swinging. I spat more blood the next time. This time Blake noticed. He stopped swinging.

“Finally had enough bud, you’re not lookin to well.”

They all laughed. I was till coughing, chocking on my own blood and spit.

“p-p-please—cough—s-stop I’ve had—cough—enough.”

“Good dog.” He said in a mocking manner.

“Now go get yourself cleaned your mangy mutt. Your smells pissing me off.”

The three of them walked away and I ran back into the orphanage where I had lived my whole life. The lady at the front desk was horrified when I walked in, although she had seen me like this before.

“Oh Honey, were they beatin’ you again.”

I was careful not to spit or cough any blood in front of her.

“Uh- Yes Mrs. Dawkins—but they didn’t hurt me to bad, just a couple scrapes on my knees and elbows.”

I prayed she wouldn’t notice the blood stains on my T-shirt.

“Oh well that’s good Dante. --- Why don’t you get yourself cleaned up, dinners about to start here shortly. Oh, and also, I had a man earlier ask for you. I think he might want to adopt you. Isn’t that great!”

“Uh---yeah sure Mrs. Dawkins.”

“He said he’ll be coming tomorrow to meet you. You better look nice and be ready.”

“yeah—definitely Mrs. Dawkins.”

I walked up the old wooden stairs to where my room was located to grab my towel. No one was in my room, although there were some children out in the hallway. Most of them were younger though. I headed to where the showers were located. I went inside and turned on the hot water even though it was never hot anymore. I kept thinking about what Mrs. Dawkins said, about that man who’s visiting tomorrow. I’m not hopeful though all of them are like this, they come and visit and then never come see me again. The first couple times this happened it was heartbreaking but now I’m just used to it.

***

…Dinner was good tonight. Salad and Baked potatoes are my favorite anyways so it is expected. I can’t get this man out of my mind. I know the outcome of the visit already, so why am I pondering over this so much. Eh whatever.

I fell asleep faster than usual because of my injuries. When I was woken up for breakfast it was later than usual, but the extra sleep is nice.

“Dante. Hey Dante.”

I looked in the direction of whoever was calling my name and It was one of my roommates, Malcolm.

“Oh, hi Malcolm. What do you need?”

“I heard that some guy was visiting you today, maybe I’ll actually get to say goodbye to you this time.”

We both snickered at this, because it was a running joke that we never got to say goodbyes, as no one ever adopted me.

“Yeah—Maybe.”

We talked a little after that, but breakfast was mainly silent for the rest of the time. It wasn’t until tenish that I talked to some one again.

***

“Mr. Dante could you please come to the head office.”

The PA system echoed across the rec hall. I knew that this was the visit I was supposed to attend that day

I walked down the long hall that connected the rec hall with the main building as the head office was located at the front of the building. When I got to the Office Mrs. Dawkins was sitting at her desk as per usual, but across from her was the man. I entered the Office and sat down besides Mrs. Dawkins as I had before so many times.

“Good Afternoon Dante.” Mrs. Dawkins said

“Good Afternoon.”

“This is Mr. Hataru Hato.”

The man Sitting across from me looked to be about 36. He had silk like white hair with eyes tinted in the deepest gold. He seemed quiet and reserved much like I was. His build wasn’t bulky like Demarcus’s but rather lean and strong like that of a manga character.