The Scarlet Knife

Hope for an Orphan

Have you ever felt hopeless? Depressed and dreadful. Like you're mourning something, but you have absolutely no clue what or whom you lost. That was me. It felt as if there was a void in my heart. A pain that ached so incredibly bad that all I could do was fight back tears.

I was lonely.

Sure I had Romeo, but that's not enough. I missed my family, or at least I think I did. To be completely honest I barely remembered them, their faces, just my momma's cry. And that's a horrible thing to remember.

Romeo was asleep, it had been a long night and we had just finished our latest job. For once someone had come after us. He took a trip to the store and a coatman jumped him, apparently an old friend of his back at the facility. Friend indeed, he nearly chopped Romeo into tiny bits. Too graphic? My apologies, but you should be used to that by now.

I take out a pen, and a sheet of paper. I start to write; a letter.

Dear Mom and Dad,

It's been a while. Quite a while actually. I'm all grown up now, and I'm just as strong as you'd wish me to be. Did you know what they would do to me? Did you know all of the pain they would put me through? I'd assume not, otherwise you wouldn't have done it. Mom you promised I'd be okay, but I guess I am. I'm despised by the world, they think I'm a cold blooded killer. But I'm alive. So yes Mom, I guess I'm okay. I met a boy. His name is Romeo. He's a coatman, or he was, now he's my partner in crime... literally. Don't worry, I'm safe with him.

How's home, I don't have one now, but maybe I will one day. I'm not too sure yet; how I'm going to end up I mean. Could I find my happy ending like in those fantasytales you used to tell me before bed? Or am I destined to die a monster?

I'm not a monster, but I guess that's hard to believe. Do you know it's me, do you know that I'm The Scarlet Knife? Do you understand why I am? Or maybe you're scared of me. Scared of your own daughter. But would you be scared... if you knew it was me?

Would you think me a disgrace? Would you try to kill me like everyone else has? Could you ever truly understand?

"Where are they?" I jump out of my seat, grabbing for the pen as if it were a knife. Romeo stood still, not flinching. I taught him well.

"You should know better than to sneak up behind me." I dropped the utensil.

"You wouldn't hurt me." He moved, taking a seat besides mine. "It's not too late. You can go find them. That is if you know where to look."

I thought for a moment. Could I go back? Could they forgive me, and understand?

"They're your parents. It's their jobs to forgive and understand." Had I said that out loud? Oh well, he's right. Maybe It's time for a family reunion.

I got up without a word walking into the bedroom, Romeo following curiously behind me. I dumped our box of gizmos onto the floor, searching. Cable after cable, piece after piece, until I found the one item I had saved all these years, but never used.

"What is it?" Romeo asked, looking over my shoulder.

"It's a tracker. Enter a name, find the person. Simple as that." My hands started to shake. I can do this. I typed my mother's name into the box.

Genifer

Is it hot in here? My fingers kept moving, as if they had a mind of their own. A last name was entered.

Payne

Now Dad.

Dixon Payne

I had to retype it twice as my hands were so shaky I kept pressing the wrong keys. Was I that nervous?

"No need to be scared Aura, I'm here for you."

Scared. I was scared. Yes I admit it, I was absolutely terrified. I hit enter, heard a few beeps, the machine screeched "searching" but to me it sounded like a mumble. All I could hear was my heart in my head. At least it proved that I have one. The gadget buzzed, I peered down. An address. Only a few miles away.

"No turning back now."