Chapter 3

As the blinding luminescence from the windows revealed the walking figure, Ebina rose from her seat. The face of a middle-aged woman came to her view. With youthful vigor, the woman held a large basket with stacked small white clothes on top. Offering the basket to Ebina, she said, "Here you go, Ebby."

"Thank you, aunt Mary," Ebina nodded her head and replied, "I am in your debt."

"Don't mind it, girl. You always helped me out whenever I'm in need of some heavy laborers," smirking, the middle-aged woman raised one of her eyebrows and asked, "Talking about that, how is it between you and that young lass? I remember those times when the neighbors talked about how our ice beauty was swooned by a new rising star."

Frowning, Ebina answered, "Me and Rudy didn't have such a relationship… nor I would plan to receive anyone's romance."

"A shame then. You are already at the most appropriate time to wed yourself. Wait a few more years and you will lose your youth, you know?"

"Uaahhh!"

Damien's sudden cries cut off the conversation and made Ebina shift the newborn to her side and she patted his back. She tied him on her back with a long cloth and made him like a backpack. When Damien heard Ebina's words that kept assuring him, he became quieter as he clutched her.

Watching everything unfold on the side, Mary sighed before she commented, "You are too kind for your own good, Ebby. People are already talking about him. The very first orphan that has been taken by the Havlins. Some even said he would be the source of misfortune for a century to come."

Wiping away any trace of smiles, Ebina lowered her head and moved her sight somewhere else. "He's not an orphan. We didn't know that for sure."

When the middle-aged woman saw her reaction, the former shook her head and said, "Not when he has you. You know full well about it, Ebby. All kids that are left in the slums either have been abandoned by their parents or their parents have died. Besides, no family would take back the kid that has been kidnapped by the Havlins."

"….Why?"

With gritted teeth and clenched fist, she narrowed her eyes and stared at Mary. Her subdued voice rose as she retorted, "Just because others said he would bring misfortune? Because the Havlins take care of him instead of eating him the moment they find him? Such superstitions are called superstition for a reason!"

Mary widened her eyes at the unexpected lash out. Ebina, who a moment later noticed what she had done, bowed her head and spoke out, "I'm sorry…"

"...You really care about him, don't you?" A gentle smile appeared, and the middle-aged woman reached out her hand to raise Ebina's head, "Do not worry, girl. I was wrong as well for being insensitive."

Mary paused for a second, before she sighed again and continued, "Nevertheless, there's also a reason for others' apprehension. Young lady, we couldn't underestimate Havlins and the Dialo. Humanity paid a price to be reminded of such tragedy."

Closing her eyes for a moment, Ebina gave out a faint nod and said in a low voice, "I understand…"

"Good," patting Ebina's shoulder, the middle aged woman moved her chin and spoke, "Up you go now. I bet the boy would be hungry soon."

"Again, thank you for everything, Aunt Mary."

Feeling a little listless than before, Ebina excused herself, taking the basket and putting Damien back to his original position. Her steps became a bit heavier with annoyance and disappointment slithered within.

"Let's go and get some goat milk before the sun sets, Damien," she murmured while she entered the busy street. After a while and she didn't even hear a noise from Damien, Ebina glanced behind and called out, "Damien?"

The baby face was fixated upon a certain direction, which prompted her to follow. There, a narrow alleyway between the buildings on her right side emerged in her view. Seeing through the passing crowd, the alleyway was dark and was quite a bit distance away from where they stood. 

Looking back at Damien, Ebina found him to be still staring at where the alleyway was. Blinking a few times, she was about to walk closer to it before a horse drawn carriage passed with its coachman whipping the horse and letting out a string of curses. 

"Uaaahhh!!"

Hearing Damien's cry had snapped her trail of thoughts as she patted the baby's buttock, turning her sight forward and speaking, "Alright, alright, you are already hungry. Let's get the goat milk in a flash."

Whilst the curiosity inside of her head disappeared and she walked away in haste, not even a minute later, a rat ran through the feets of the unaware passerby and entered the very same alleyway. 

As the rat went deeper, suddenly, something sprung from behind the barrel in front of it and glinted in the air. It's instinct screamed at it while it's body subconsciously moved. 

Yet, the pain already arrived at its neck and it let out a dying gasp. Blood spurted out and the rustic stench drifted before a silhouette moved to grab the rat and threw it into an open maw. 

The beast-like teeth munched the flesh as the blood dripped down to form a scarlet pool. A pair of amber gaze was revealed in the dark, following the direction of Ebina's and Damien's back.

A grating grunt appeared as the small shadow moved back to the darkness. Series of tiptoeing steps echoed while the voice faded away.