Little Nightmares: Unforgiving forgiveness

The Orphanage

Mono jumped outside the television set, his vision spinning and his body exhausted. He escaped another horror just to find himself stuck in another nightmare reality. He continued through the forest away from the now uncivilized civilization. He found the dark trees more comforting than the suffocating city, the shadows and uneven terrain giving him more places to hide, the bushes and branches accommodated his small size and the moon provided enough light for him to see the path ahead.

There were bear traps hidden beneath piles of leaves and the unfortunate remains of children that were there before him remained, giving him a warning of where to avoid. He saw this corpse of one child with rags and only a green boot on his left foot, his body mangled and crushed underneath the death traps. Fortunately, Mono was smarter than other children his age and avoided certain areas that had piles of leaves and slowly turned corners where trip wires were waiting to catch fast running children.

After wandering for a few hours, he found a sign next to an abandoned roadway, "Miss Graham's Orphanage." He followed closely next to the broken down and cracked grey road. Surely the orphanage would have supplies he needed if he was going to be a hermit.

The orphanage was far larger than he envisioned. It was like a mansion, seated uphill. It had gothic architecture, bricked walls with tall triangle shaped tinted windows. It's stone foundations were decaying and had plants growing through the cracks and crevices. Surrounding the mansion were spiked fences deterring anyone from getting in.. or getting out.

After circling around the property, he found that a section of tbe iron fence was pried open, large enough for a child to squeeze through..

He found an omnious green boot left behind, stuck between the iron fence. Curious he pulled it off and carried it with him.

Mono noticed one of the windows of the orphange was cracked open and looked inside.

Inside appeared to be a basement.. what's worse was that it was flooded with barely any light. He threw the boot inside and waited..

Something dark swiftly came out of the shadows and pulled that boot underneath the water.

Just then he felt something's fingers tapping him on the shoulder. He gasped and turned around..

There were two other children behind him. They wore clothes similar to the dead children he found in the forest, but these two were alive.

"Don't go in the basement," the one with a broken watch whispered.

"What's in there?" Mono asked.

"One of our caretakers..."

Mono shook his head. "Why didn't you run with the rest?"

The smaller girl looked back to the forest.

"So you've seen .. them.. haven't you? In the forest.. we tried to escape, but after we lost so much we decided to turn back, the forest is littered with traps."

"So brings you here?" he asked.

"Just looking for supplies.. food, water, a place to stay," Mono replied.

"Well you can come inside.. it's safe.. but don't open the boarded rooms, those are where our caretakers are.. but for food..."

"You don't have any?" Mono guessed.

"I didn't say that.. it's just that the food.. it's all located in the basement.."

Mono looked back at the basement.

"It's all flooded.. how do you know there's still food down there?"

"That's where they kept the food. We've been down there a few years ago. There are packed shelves.. we used to get food from the kitchen, but now the cupboards are empty. Oh, sorry for being rude.. my-my name is Liam," the one with the broken watch said.

"My name's Harriet, I'm his sister," the smaller kid said.

"I'm Mono."

"Nice to know, there are others.." Mono sighed.

Mono entered the orphange. Inside there were certain rooms that were boarded up and barricaded with shelves and chairs, occasionally growls and heavy footsteps can be heard behind them. There were other children, some reading books, other's huddled together close to the fire.

"AAARRRGHH!! I'M TIRED OF THIS!!!" One of the kids shouted.

"Nano, please calm down!"

"NO!! WE'RE ALL HUNGRY!!! WE'RE ALL STARVING, THAT'S IT!! I'M LEAVING!!!"

"Sven and Abayomi went in the basement! They're getting food.."

"SVEN AND ABAYOMI ARE DEAD.. YOU KNOW IT.. THEY HAVEN'T CAME BACK!! IT ATE THEM.. I'M SO TIRED OF THIS.. I'M GOING TO THE FOREST.."

"NO! There are traps!"

"SO WHAT? IT'S BETTER THAN STARVE IN HERE!"

He was about to storm off, before this other kid entered the room.

Dreizehn was the oldest kid in the orphanage.. so old he's barely a teenager.

He was tallest kid, towering above Mono, but sadly not big enough to fight the adults.

He had tame blond hair parted to the left and a calm stoic face. He wore a simple brown leather jacket and dark pants and brown hiking boots.

"Nano, please.." Dreizehn gently spoke.

"Dreizehn.. I'm hungry.. WE'RE ALL HUNGRY.."

Dreizehn closed his eyes and sighed.

"Then.. then I'll go to the basement.."

"What?! You'll be eaten before you get to the food."

"Everyone is hungry and we ran out of food a few days ago. I'll go."

Before he could leave his eye caught Mono.

"Dreizehn, we found another kid.. his name's Mono."

"You want to stay with us?" Dreizehn asked.

"Maybe.. I was just looking for food.."

"If you want food, then please.. come help me.. if we can get the food from the basement, we'll be feed.. please.. I beg you, we're starving.."

"Okay," Mono nodded..