1 Stigma

The noise will be overwhelming, and I have no desire to be unkind. But my luck, it always bewilders me. My life has undergone a significant transformation; first, I lost my parents,and now it is my uncle, Mr. Canton, who is nothing more than a caretaker in name alone,showing no regard for me. It prompted me to make a decision to change my life for the better, but alas, I am unsure of what fate has in store for me. It is wise to express our desires, yet ultimately, it is God's will that shall prevail. This is my tale, the story of Johnny Carpenter, a fifteen-year-old boy. I used to excel academically at St. David's College in London, but the privileged students bullied me relentlessly due to my modest background. Why is it that luck has never favoured me? Am I burden, a sinner, upon this earth? Do you wish to know the truth of what has befallen me in reality? Then listen closely. My uncle, Mr. Canton,

is of Chinese descent and was once myfather's closest friend. The neighbours consider him odd, as he seems lost within his own eccentric world. No matter who attempts to reach out to him, he never responds. His daily habits are peculiar but inconspicuous. He rises before the break of dawn and ventures off somewhere carrying a small bundle of withered leaves. One aspect that puzzles everyone is his remarkable speed when he walks. Were he to participate in a marathon, victory would surely be his. Yet, please pardon my audacity for likening him to a fool, excluding my caretaker's perspective. Time marches on relentlessly, and so I must endure the harsh words that label my uncle as a beggar and lunatic,while I am deemed an outcast among them. What can I do? I am well aware that engaging in a fight would only lead to my dismissal, and there are rumours circulating that I may be expelled to settle my debts. Change is necessary, and I made a promise to myself that I would confront my uncle and inquire about what course of action to take if adversity strikes. When he heard my inquiry, fury swelled within him, causing me to weep uncontrollably. My uncle was then given a bottle of wine, which he promptly consumed in its entirety. Seeking solace, I retreated to the balcony and laid down upon the couch.

Unbeknownst to me, the sun had already made its presence known,accompanied by the melodic chirping of birds lamenting my tardiness. I proceeded to my uncle's side and discovered him partially unclothed, with drool escaping his mouth. Tenderly, I draped a sheet over his form and prepared a simple meal. In the midst of purchasing bread, I returned to findhim already seated in a chair, awaiting my company.

"I knew that if you knew the truth, you would despise me, so I remained silent. A long time ago,when your parents entrusted you to my care, I had nothing. I

sought help from others, but it was in vain; no one came to my aid. They believed

I was responsible for the death of your aunt,and on mere suspicion, I was imprisoned for four years. I mean, if I couldn't protect you, how could I fulfil the promise I made to your parents?

"It was only Mr. Lucius Hayden, also known as Salazar Slytherine, who came to my rescue and freed me from the cell. I was indebted to him and forced to abide

by his word.ʼʼ

 And who is Lucius Hayden, you might ask?

"He is the wealthiest and most powerful dark lord, as well as the lord of Castle Galvin, who is currently on the run and guarded by the dangerous sorcerer, Darius, a man with devilish powers. Do you want to know what drew Lucius's attention

to me? Well, I used to work under Darius, like him, and for several years, he held

me in captivity, manipulating my mind. But upon realizing my mistake, I escaped his clutches without warning. As a consequence, his vile orcs pursued me

relentlessly. I was at home when it happened. Unfortunately, they killed your parents, and my wife was attacked by a dagger when I arrived. I was apprehended by the police,handcuffed, and takenaway.

"So, who took care of me all this time while you were imprisoned?" you might wonder.

"Mr. Davidson, a beggar, was entrusted with your well-being. He is my closest friend, and I made him promise to leave Hong Kong before I returned. Now, I am working for him so that wemay live in peace."

"You call that peace? No money, no clean clothes, no interaction with the

neighbours. Is thatthe kind of life we deserve?" I replied stubbornly.

That marked the beginning of the greatest battle of my life, one that I could never have fathomed. As a child, Aunt Paula had informed me that my parents had

perished in a terrible accident, but now I was discovering a different truth. Am I

truly such a failure? Filled with despair, I made the decision to disappear, finding

solace beneath a bridge. I cared not for what the future may hold. However, I made a promise to myself then, a promise to change my life and seek revenge against those who took my parents' lives. My hunger gnawed at me, and I pleaded for food. Checking my wallet to pay, I found it missing. My apologies fell on deaf ears as they mocked me, even striking me with a thick stick, causing me to fall on the street. Those who once knew me joined in the laughter, and someone even threw a string of coins at me. All Icould do was cry out in pain. It was then that a girl approached and extended a helping hand.

She scolded the others and reprimanded the shopkeeper. She offered me food

and drink, and inquired about the cause of my distress. As I shared my pain, she

comforted me, advising me to assist my uncle and leave the city for good. She

even pledged to support me financially. Her name was Sienna Martin, a nurse by

profession.

Though her appearance suggested she was older than me by a decade or more,

her kind and friendly nature was incredibly appealing. After discussions and a

shared meal, I expressed my gratitude and left for my home. However, upon

reaching the door, I found it locked. I assumed Mr. Canton must have gone to

meet Lucius Hayden, so I waited until nightfall. Filled with anxiety that he would

not return, I decided to inquire with the neighbours the following morning. As

dawn approached, I headed towards Lord Danny's residence, but to my

disappointment, he was absent.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of hooves approaching. I swiftly hid behind a muddy

pillar and witnessed a mysterious man on a demonic horse, mercilessly

slaughtering everyone in sight. They were questioning the whereabouts of Mr.

Canton and me. Realizing my uncle had devised a plan, I fled from there and

sought refuge with Sienna."

I explained to Sienna that I didn't have the time to save myself and my uncle, and

she couldn'tbelieve that the orcs could kill everyone without anyone noticing. We contemplated calling thepolice, but the whole situation seemed unbelievable, and

we feared that we could get into trouble as well. So we made the decision to

return to that place again.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted with the sight of destroyed huts and a muddy

road. It was impossible to walk to my house, but we adapted and found a way to

navigate through the wreckage.

To our surprise, there was no one there. No one knew what had happened to them at the hands of the orcs. A gentle breeze blew, rustling the torn leaves.

It was then that I noticed apiece of paper among them. It was a message

from Mr. Canton, which stated that he had sacrificed himself for me and had become a slave to Salazar Slytherine. He urged me to run,forget about him, and live a happy life without any disturbances. "It was a fate I had to live with,"

My mind was filled with questions about why my uncle had left without a proper

goodbye and what would become of the promise my parents made. I knew that

the villain had played a crueltrick, and I was determined to save my uncle at any

cost. I expressed my determination, cursingthose responsible for our plight.

Sienna suggested that we should go to Darius' mansion to rescue Mr. Canton.

"It's not that easy," I cautioned her. "We would either meet our deaths or become slaves. We need the help of a powerful spiritual magician if we are to have any

chance of reaching there."

Sienna informed me of a man named Franklin Porter, who possessed some supernatural powers. He wasn't a great wizard, but he could assist us.

However, we couldn't just go and seehim openly. "How do we ask for his help then?

I asked.

"We'll have to try telepathy, send him a message, and if he recognizes us, he'll reply." Sienna replied.

She sat on the ground, focusing her thoughts, and attempted to reach out to Franklin Porter through telepathy. After a while, she stood up and informed me that he had agreed to meet usin a secluded location after dark. We had to wait until then.

Together, we went to Mount Daisy, the street where Sienna was staying, and waited there. In that moment of silence, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I had seen Sienna before, perhapseven as a child. However, my memories were

unclear, and I couldn't piece it all together.

"You seem lost in thought, is there something you want to say?" Sienna asked, breaking the silence.

"No, I was just thinking about my uncle. I need some rest anyway," I replied and laid down on the couch.