chapt 17 • Butterflies & Sketches

353K 8.8K 14.7K
                                    

Not only was Hartford huge on religion, but it was also big on art

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

Not only was Hartford huge on religion, but it was also big on art. Students who applied here for whatever reason were also talented in many arts, which was also the reason the school was heavily funded by rich people across the world.

One person was Grandma, she sent funds to the school as well. Since I learned she worked for the council at the same time mother was forced to study here, I had been reading a lot into the academy's past.

There was nothing about the students individually but there was information on the council during Grandma's time. Apparently, she was the one who began the room inspection rule.

She was truly Hartford's very own devil.

I didn't waste my time and carried on with reading what else terror she had rained upon the academy but I only thought of ways I could find something, a photo, a file, something on mother while she was here but I couldn't find anything.

"Are you going to talk today? Or are we going to have another silent hour again?" The academy's pastor sat across from me, notebook and pen nowhere to be seen as he assured me none of the things I say will be recorded.

"You know, you don't seem like much of a pastor to me" I fiddle with one of the scented sticks sitting in a glass beside me.

"Shouldn't you be shouting at me? And throwing holy water and telling me to beg for forgiveness on my knees right now?" He never responded when I responded with useless questions, he only waited for me to say something that he was being paid to listen to.

"How would you describe your childhood Honey? Or your relationship with your parents" he crossed a leg over the other, sitting there with his cross necklace clutched in his left hand.

"I'm here aren't I? Shouldn't that give you all the answers you need" He sighed, running a hand over his stubbled chin.

"You see Hartford as a punishment, why is that?" I place the stick back in the glass and sit up, seeing that the hour was taking its sweet time to pass.

"Is it not? Unlike all of you, I don't believe in anything you try to teach here. All you are doing is telling us that we are to blame for the way we are, not even taking into account that maybe there's more to the story" He leans forward.

"More to your story? Do tell, what is it or who is it that plays a role in your story Honey? Because there's someone who controls you more than you control yourself, someone who you allow to influence your life, the entire reason why you don't want to tell me anything about your childhood because this person has made you afraid, afraid that maybe someone can help you"

I was stuck, I didn't know why but I was. I hated this feeling, the feeling of someone who was reading me as if I were an open book.

"Your fear is natural, many people fear help, as well as many people, regret not getting help. I'm not here to report anything you say back to the council, believe it or not. I care for the students here, you aren't the first hard-headed one I've come across, you can trust me on that" I was now quiet.

𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞Where stories live. Discover now