Chapter Text
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A sense of gentle tranquility hung over the quiet village, broken only by the chirping of birds. The sun gently rose as the village seemed to stir awake. It shone a bright light on the neat rows of cottages lining near a cobble path.
Wildlife surrounded the village silently, almost as though nature itself sought to protect it. Even the neatly trimmed grass near the cobblestone path was dotted with small sprouts of dandelions springing up like a fluffy pile of snowflakes. The villagers called it the ‘Nature blessing’ , while others believed it was sheer luck.
The village wasn’t big by any means, but it wasn’t small as well and to most villagers it was known as a home, a community or even as a sanctuary. They welcomed everyone except Wemmbu.
Sure Wemmbu didn’t really have the time to enjoy the scenery considering he had to take care of Eggchan and himself but he could still call the village peaceful. He appreciated that there were no fights happening and knew of the strong communal bonds stewed among the villagers.He just needed a place for Egg to be safe and as long as it was that, he would take it.
Wemmbu slowly pulled the covers off the bed carefully to ensure not to wake his sleeping companion near the side of the bed. As he glanced over at the unconscious white-hair boy , Wemmbu felt a sense of joy blossoming in his heart. He wasn’t alone like the world wanted him to be , and he cherished the fact that he could wake up every morning beside Egg.
He got up and walked over to the bathroom and started washing up efficiently. Glancing at the tired figure inside the mirror , he sighed. He hasn’t really been sleeping well lately but as long as he can still make it to work he will be fine.
He gazed into the mirror staring at his own reflection. Amethyst eyes stared back at him. Despite their vibrant colour, they seemed strangely lifeless. A darker hue of purple seemed to coat his hair, as violet strands of it fell near his face. He swept it past his face and grabbed a brush to get ready.
As he brushed his hair the root of all his problems came into view. Two small black horns emerged from beneath the curtain of his soft violet hair. Hybrids weren’t exactly a rare sight in the village but a demon one certainly was. If he had known earlier perhaps he would have been smart enough to hide them.
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He vividly remembered the day when his horns had started growing out , everything had happened in a blur. The pain was immense and he had started wailing bringing attention to himself. That was the first mistake he had made. Being a child experiencing two sharp objects piercing his skin for the first time, of course he would cry. The second mistake was letting someone see him. Suddenly a loud shriek broke the trance of pain he was in. It came from the villager who had come after hearing his wails.
She wasn’t just a regular villager as well, she was his Nanny. Perhaps even the closest thing Wemmbu had to a Mother. He remembered the day when his parents had abandoned him and she had taken him into the orphanage. How she praised his speed and intelligence at his young age.
The mornings spent lying beside her as she combed his hair with a smile on her face. How whenever he asked about his family, she would always comfort his sadness away by saying he was a blessing to her and she treasured him. The look in her eyes as she called him her treasure.
All that seemed to shatter as she screamed loudly, “MONSTER GET AWAY FROM ME! ” Wemmbu’s eyes filled with tears as he watched the one person who he had thought care about him ran. She ran out of the garden leaving him shaking in agony. As he watched her leave, that young boy didn’t feel any sadness as he had always known it would be this way. There was always a reason for why he wasn’t normal compared to the other kids who laughed with their parents. People were always bound to leave him. Mistake three was letting her get away.
Word quickly spread and what had once been called a ‘blessing’ quickly turned into a curse. The village had called itself a community, a blessing for those who lived within it. Wemmbu had always found that amusing. Sanctuaries were meant to welcome everyone. Yet he could still recall the cold stares that followed him through the orphanage, the mothers who pulled their lucky children a little closer when he passed, and the guardians who watched him as though he might steal something. Although the villagers didn’t say it directly, their actions told enough to Wemmbu. You are dangerous. You’re a murderer. You will never fit in. Don’t even try.
To make matters worse, his ‘Nanny’ had disappeared afterwards from the orphanage halls. She was the favourite, the kindest one ever. Wemmbu wasn’t dumb like the other kids who believed the adults’s false tales of how she ran away. He knew she was dead. He caused her to die because of his putrid appearance. His blood and his tears all drove her to insanity perhaps. The other kids hated his guts and blamed him for everything and the adults simply ignored him.
He was treated like a ‘problem kid’ afterwards and when he turned 10 he was kicked out immediately. He was only allowed to take a small coat and a bundle of essentials under the stern glare of his new caretaker.
The wooden doors slammed shut leaving Wemmbu standing under the stone archway. What greeted him was a cold and unwelcoming gust of wind and a few specks of rainwater, followed by a crash of thunder. He shivered, and paused looking back. A sense of helplessness and embarrassment filled him.
It was not like he expected anyone to come out. It would be far too much for someone like him. He didn’t wait or wallow in self-pity like a normal child would. He knew no one would come for him. He had already accepted that. So he stood up and left the orphanage out into the pouring rains.
He threw up his coat on his head, the drops of rain soaking his coat. As he trudged down the cobble path, his own pathetic tears couldn’t help but stream down his face. It wasn’t the thought of self pity and it wasn’t the cold treatment of the orphanage that caused him to break. What he dreaded most was the sheer thought that he would be alone , just a like a heartless monster. He told himself he had already accepted it. But the thought still hurt more than it should have.
He knew the children who were taken in by the orphanage normally stayed until they were at least 12, but then again he was never really wanted.
At least they had waited until he had reached double digits before throwing him out to the streets. He swallowed bitterly and continued walking as the harsh storm continued.
Since then, no place really welcomed him. The orphanage was fine, Wemmbu could deal with a few harsh words and slaps but here outside? He didn’t have any protection and the hood was his only saving grace. It didn’t help that his hair and eye colour stood out as they were purple as well.
It had been a few days of sleeping on the streets and his last ration of soggy bread had long since run out. It’s over , forget even living he was going to die of starvation.
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“ I have nothing left to eat.
And nowhere left to go.
If this was what being unwanted meant… then maybe it really was always meant to be over.”
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The thoughts echoed in his head relentlessly as he found himself losing consciousness. Even then he didn’t feel anything anymore , the villagers will only rejoice at his passing, wasn’t that their goal from the start? Wemmbu closed his eyes and leaned back onto the alley wall. He was so tired , it would be so nice to take a little nap.
For once, he decided to indulge himself as he smiled and closed his eyes.