Garden of Fallen Angels {seongjoong} [COMPLETED]

-38-

From the hospital ward, the child was lead by the worker to a car. Waiting beside the car was another social worker, who smiled when he noticed the boy. The woman, who was leading the child, ushered him into the back seats, and then they were off.

Throughout the journey, not a single word was uttered. The car was dead quiet to the point that even a talkative person would hold their tongue so as not to break the silence.

The boy watched the scenery outside flash by. To him, it seemed so representative of his life. It had been so beautiful, but everything that had been worth seeing had passed by so quickly that there wasn't any time to think before it all changed to a completely new view. And the newer view is not always the best.

Nearing the end of the journey was the only moment when someone spoke. The woman, who was sat in the front passenger seat, turned around to look at the child, saying: "We'll be reaching soon." The boy gave a curt nod in acknowledgement, but otherwise showed no other reactions.

It was a few minutes later before the car stopped in front of a rather grand security gate, before turning into a driveway. The building was not very tall, possibly only two storeys high, but it was pretty large, almost constituting three quarters of the plot of land. On the outside, it didn't look like much, just a bunch of white walls with a roof. Hopefully the inside would be more interesting.

The receptionist behind the desk looked up as they entered. She waved at the social worker who was leading the child by the hand, and gestured toward the right corridor, signalling her where the room they had prepared was.

The pair turned down the corridor, passing a couple rooms that had their doors closed before finally coming across one whose door was hanging open.

The social worker led the child into the room, and proceeded to leave, allowing the boy to settle in. He walked to the middle of the room, taking in the four corners of the small space with his wide, doe eyes.

The walls were all white, the paint flaking off in small tears at some places, but was otherwise neat and flat. The cot-like bed was pushed to the far corner of the room, wedged in the edge of the quarters. Other than a small desk and wardrobe, there wasn't anything else in the place. It was plain, devoid of any colour. It lacked a certain energy due to this. On the right side of the room, in line with the door, was a window. That was the second place the child led himself to.

From the window, he could see the front driveway. The car was no longer there, the driver had parked it in the garage. Other than the driveway, he could also see, in the distance, the gate that they had passed through before. Now that he was looking at it more intently, he noticed how the gate also lacked a form of originality. It looked like any ordinary gate, except for the fact that it looked like it would have belonged on a mansion instead. Due to its size, not its appearance.

It was a few minutes later before the social worker came back, informing the boy that it was time for lunch, and that he should join them, get to know some of the other kids here, and possibly make some new friends. The child, not wanting any social interaction for the time being, declined the offer, stating that he wished to rest.

The worker couldn't deny him. The child did look tired, and he had been through a lot, it wouldn't do to force him to do what he didn't want. He lay down on his side on the bed, facing the wall. A few seconds later, he heard the door click and the footsteps slowly fading down the corridor.

As the sound transitioned into silence, the boy sat up. It wasn't that he was tired. He was actually hungry, but he knew that if he tried to eat, all of it was just gonna come right back up. Besides, he didn't intend to know anybody here. They were all strangers, people he didn't know and didn't want to get to know either. And as for the other kids, they have friends here already. He would be the outcast, and to be frank, he was used to it.