The Kids, part IV.

for seven days, and seven nights Paco was lying on bed sick.

tormented by visions of creatures of the night that kept him awake till down. a fever so intense that even siting down in bed feels almost impossible. a pale skin. fingernails of a blueish tone of color with gray edges. red eyes for all the crying.

Paco trembles in the intense fever. too fragile to even eat by himself. Marta the older girl helps Paco eat his meals. at least one good thing in a sea of incidents.

Paco started to feel better. he stands up. he feels the need to use the toilet. he walks slowly as he tries to find the balance in every step taken. for the past seven days he has received help from a number of people, and he feels ashamed about it. Paco's steps are weak. he feels a sudden touch of cold wind. Paco falls on the ground.

Marta is walking around the corner. she looks at Paco in the ground. she runs to him. she helps him to stand up. the two of them walk towards the toilet outside. Marta can tell that the new boy is shy about it. Marta has helped him few times already. she starts to wonder what caused such an intense fever. she looks up at the bright blue sky. the moon so round. there is a howling coming from a pack of wolves at the distance.

Paco looks at the dark hole in the ground. he aims and shoots. for a second Paco sighs as he feels relief not thinking about the horrors. he is done and pushes the wooden door open.

"I am sorry I took too long. I drank too much milk." said Paco as he fixes his pants.

the two of them go back inside. Paco feels shy and embarrassed. Marta tells him that there is nothing to worry about. there is nothing that she hasn't seen before as she helped the nuns washed his body during the entire week, he was sick.

"Do you like anyone?" asks Paco as he looks away blushing.

"To be honest, yes. I do. there is an older boy who used to be an orphan. he was adopted by a kind older couple. and every once in a while, he comes here to help. he is such a kind and sweet guy. so yes, maybe. I do like him." answers Marta with a bright smile.

Paco feels terribly jealous. for a second he forgets about his weak ill body. he takes a wrong step and twists his ankle. it becomes harder to walk. she gets closer to Paco. she helps him to walk all the way to his room. Paco's face almost changes color to red.

once Marta is gone. Paco is left by himself again. Marcelo gets inside the room. there is a second of silence as the two boys acknowledge each other. the two of them may share a room, but they don't talk much to each other.

"Don't go there again. the forest is a tomb for the weak. a hell for the noble of heart. and a trap the innocent can't escape. it is El inferno." whispers Marcelo.

Paco stays silent. he knows he shouldn't get himself involved with the supernatural. his grandma used to warn him against the things men can't understand. the things men can't see nor touch as those are the greatest dangers in the world.

the night threatens in order to become a menace. it enforces the concept of fear. abstract like the art are the dangers of the world. just like that a small world grows aware of horrors foreign to the humankind evil. fear thy God. fear thy kind. fear thy doubts.

Paco stands in front of the old bed. he has found familiarity inside the orphanage. all the kids are friendly and welcoming in their own ways. the adults are kind and sweet of pure hearts as they dedicate their old selves to the kids. everything is perfect, everything with the exception of the forest full of enigmas and dangers.

Paco lies down in bed trembling. he holds the blanket with all his strength expecting that faith alone will calm down the winter. in vain his prayers are surrender as the Gods may be in a calm divine slumber like no other.

for seconds the pain is forgotten, as Paco blushes thinking about the older girl. love is a fake potion that is sell as the solution to all wounds. and just like a placebo the magical effects are a temporal solution.

"The Gods aren't of deaf ears. but no God will listen to a place that stands so far from heaven, and so close to hell." whispers Marcelo as he hides between shadows.

it is obvious that the blind kid knows more than anyone else. Paco feels the need to ask him about the things he knows. but at the same time, he feels deep within himself that sometimes it is better to not know or pretend to not know.

"Was that natural or it came to happened?" asks Paco looking away hardly keeping open his red teary eyes.

"Not the nicest way to ask, but no. I used to see. and then I lost my sight. it would be a lie to say that it wasn't hard at first. but as the forest has become more dangerous, I had come to the understanding that this blindness is a blessing in disguise."

"What is there?" asks Paco as his eyes are focus on the window.

"Something that doesn't belong in our world."

there is a moment of silence. then both kids go to sleep. the rest of the orphanage was calm and peaceful as serene are the promises painted in the sky.

then without a warning the next morning came rageful like a hurricane. the kids will resume their daily routine like always. there is nothing unusual under the surface, but even so in the sky are the omens as a final warning. a wave of crows surrounded the orphanage before departing far away with cries of horror. 

in the forest the wolves will stand in the border of the forest. it feels as if the wolves are guarding something or someone hidden inside. their howling sounds abnormal. there is something vicious about the way in which the wolves stare at living things without moving.

Padre Benedicto Jimenez will walk around the orphanage carrying a shotgun. he will check on the nuns to make sure they are also armed. he tells every kid that going outside is forbidden for the rest of the week. there is concern written all over his face.

Paco wakes up bathed in sweat. he stands up trembling. Paco gets out of bed. he walks into the corridor with light weak steps. he looks around at the faces of concern. Marta is the first one to come to his rescue. she combs his hair with gentle touch.

Paco blushes as he feels her fingers between his hair. he pictures the wedding and all. he even starts to think about how many kids he wants to have. 

"You are recovering." said Marta with a warm smile.

"Yes, maybe is your smile. if you were to sell it, a fortune will follow. a smile that cures all illness is one of a kind." whispers the blushing boy as he stares at her smile.

"Don't say that or I will believe you." said Marta with a wide smile.

"So, do we go out there into the forest." suggests Agustin walking behind them.

"Leave them alone. also, are you deaf? or stupid? the Padre clearly prohibited for anyone, even the nuns to leave the orphanage today." comments Remo as he stands in front of Paco.

another kid joins the group. Emiliano, a tall brunette kid with curly hair. Emiliano warns them that if they go outside, he is going to make sure they get punish. everyone turns around and they walk away from Emiliano. he is screaming at them. warning them.

Paco holds tightly from Marta's arm. he tells the rest of the group that maybe they should stay away from the forest. he can feel it that something calls him. something evil from within the forest keeps calling him every night, and now every morning.

the other kids make fun of Paco. they assume that he is just scared. that maybe he just made up an excuse to avoid the forest out of fear. they can't believe in something that they haven't seen nor felt themselves. Paco is left with few options.

"Don't worry. I believe in you." whispers Marta.

"He is coming back today. big brother is returning today." a kid said aloud.

Marta turns around. she is blushing. Paco notices and feels sad. it seems like he is just another faceless kid to her. the guy she loves is coming back home. he feels wronged as he hopes for a future at her side. now his dreams burn up in flames.