8 7— Snitches get Stitches

I've been here in this orphanage for what feels like an eternity, even though it has not been that long. Every day is a never-ending cycle of strict routine that takes a toll on both my body and mind.

The grueling drudgery of study and phys ed is nothing like I've ever experienced before. The caretakers and teachers keep a constant eye on us, with no room for error or slacking off. They are always vigilant and ready to pounce at the slightest mistake we make.

The discipline here is... intense, with no leniency for minor deviance. I've seen some orphans being beaten to within an inch of their lives for what were definitely small mistakes, and the fear of facing a similar fate keeps us all on edge.

The sound of the wooden cane striking a student's back echoes through the halls of the orphanage intermittently, and it sends shivers down my spine.

It's like these caretakers get off on it or something. And the sound of that wooden cane hitting flesh? That's a sound that'll haunt me for the rest of my days.

We wake up every morning to the sound of a blaring whistle, signaling the start of our daily routine. We are forced to do endless rounds of exercises, our small bodies straining under the weight of the physical labor.

My god-touched body was at first an excellent help in the physical practice but the caretakers quickly noticed my ease in which I did it, then they had simply made me do more and carry more to eliminate any advantage I had.

And if we don't do it correctly or fast enough, we are punished. The punishments can be anything from being hit with a heavy wooden ruler in places like fingers and toes to being yeeted into a small, cold and dark room for hours on end.

But the physical punishment is only the beginning. The real torture comes in the form of the mental and emotional abuse. The caretakers and teachers constantly belittle us and tell us that we are worthless. They tell us that we are lucky to be alive and that we should be grateful to the state for every scrap of food we are given. It's as if they enjoy seeing us suffer.

Despite it all, I wake up with a cool & clear refreshed mind the next day as if the trauma the day before wasn't really all that bad. I've since attributed it to my gift of perfect health and it seems to cover both the mind as well as the body.

"Well, the mind is just another extension of the body after all, so no shit."

As I sit here, staring out the barred window of this godforsaken orphanage, I can't help but feel like we're all just pawns in some twisted game.

The caretakers and teachers watch us like hawks, waiting for any excuse to dole out physical punishment AKA an ass whooping. And the worst part? These kids, they're just as bad. Snitching on each other left and right, all in the name of avoiding the wrath of the powers that be.

It's a sick and twisted cycle that we're all trapped in, and I can feel my anger simmering just below the surface. But I know better than to speak out carelessly. In a place like this, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

I can't believe the kind of world we're living in, where even children are subjected to such brutal and inhumane treatment. The worst part is that there's nobody here to protect us or to speak up for our rights. I didn't expect much of either of those knowing where I am, but still.

We are at the mercy of these cruel and heartless caretakers who seem to enjoy inflicting pain on innocent children.

Let me tell you about this kid, who is the biggest snitch in this place. He's always sneaking around, trying to catch us doing something wrong. And when he does, he's quick to run to the caretakers and tell on us.

I swear, if I could get my hands on him (believe me I tried), I'd give him a piece of my mind and a sublime beating. It's bad enough that we have to endure this hellish life, but to have someone like him making it even worse is just unbearable. I hate that kid with a passion.

The snitches in this place make me sick to my stomach. They're like a bunch of fucking rats, scurrying around and trying to save their own skins by throwing others under the bus. And the worst offender of them all is Ivan.

Yes. That Ivan. That kid has a snitching problem that is out of control.

I remember the first time I met Ivan. He seemed like a friendly enough kid, always trying to make friends with everyone, he even warned me of what to expect here. But it didn't take long for me to see his true colors.

It started with small things - telling the teacher when someone forgot to do their homework, or when someone was talking during study time. But it wasn't long before Ivan became a full-blown snitch, ratting out kids left and right for the smallest of infractions.

Was he always a black hearted walking shit stain? Perhaps I had been fooled and he was always this way. I was a witness to his downfall. I think something like half the kids being savagely caned can be traced back to him snitching unneccassarily.

I'll never forget the day that Ivan snitched on me. I had accidentally broken one of the dishes in the cafeteria, and before I could even think about cleaning it up, Ivan was already running to the nearest teacher to tattle on me. I could feel my blood boiling as I watched him run off, a smug look on his face like he had just won some sort of prize.

It's not just that Ivan is a snitch, though. It's that he's a coward. He's too scared to take the punishment for his own mistakes, so he throws others under the bus to save himself. And the worst part is that the teachers seem to encourage this behavior.

They give Ivan special treatment, like he's some kind of hero for snitching on his peers. It's sickening.

They gave him a small badge with a red star with two white wings to mark his exemplary conduct in the eyes of the showrunners here.

But I refuse to let Ivan get the best of me. I won't let him turn me into a sniveling rat like he is. No matter how damn hard it gets in this place, I'll keep my head down and I won't let a fucking kid get the better of me. "Keep smiling Ivan, your days are numbered you little fuck."

I subconsciously clenched my fists at the thought of Ivan and his cronies, the so-called "Alexei's dogs." They strutted around the orphanage with their winged star badges, like they owned the damn place.

How ironic that the same kid who warned me not to trust Alexei is now Alexei's dog.

Their loyalty to Alexei was fierce, but it was born out of fear, not love. They did whatever he asked of them, and in return, he turned a blind eye to their blatant bullying and snitching.

It sickened me down to my stomach to see how much power Alexei held over these little kids. They would do anything to gain his favor, even if it meant selling out their fellow orphans.

I had tried to stay out of their way and focus on my own studies, but Ivan and his gang seemed to take pleasure in tormenting me and others who didn't fit in with their clique.

As I sit here, thinking about those goddamn Alexei's mutts and their snitching ways, I can feel the anger boiling inside me. And Ivan, that little punk-ass snitch, is the worst of the bunch.

Every time I look at him, I can feel my blood pressure rising. I swear to god, if I had the powers of a witch, I'd put a hex on that kid and watch him suffer for all the times he's snitched on me and the other kids.

I curse his entire family lineage and pray to the universe that he gets what he deserves. Amen.

But amidst all the chaos and suffering, there were a few bright spots. I had come to know a little girl named Anya, who had the purest heart of anyone I had ever met. She was always eager to help others, even if it meant getting punished herself.

She once protected me by admitting guilt for something I had done saving me from Alexei, but that detestable Alexei realized what she was doing. He beat us both instead.

And then there was Sergei, an older boy who had been at the orphanage for years. He's been here a long time and with experience he discovered the hidden rythyms of the cane.

He had been beaten more times than I could count and I could count real high, but he never once snitched on anyone, no matter how hard they would flog him, including for my sake.

No one deserves to live their life as a snitch, a rat, a traitor. And yet, here we are, living in this shithole of an orphanage where the only way to survive is to rat out your fellow orphans.

But not Sergei, and not that little girl. They are the only ones who have a shred of decency left in them. Even after all the beatings they've endured, they never snitch. They never betray their fellow orphans. And for that, I am grateful.

But Ivan, that little shit, he deserves everything that's coming to him. I hope he gets what's coming to him, and I hope it's painful. Maybe then, he'll learn his lesson and stop snitching on innocent kids just to save his own ass.

But until then, I'll keep cursing his name and dreaming of the day when I can finally get my perfect revenge on him. But at least I have my flawless body. It's something I've always been grateful for, even more so now. I never get sick or bruised, no matter how hard they beat me.

My gift of talent absorption has been a god send and I have steadily soared past my fellow unwanted kids in tests scores earning Alexei's approval. Which I didn't really want or need mind you. He can rot too.

"Big mistake. You just successfully pissed off a man chosen by god himself!." I say not too seriously as I clench my little hand into a cute ball. My little blue eyes stare out of the window as I contemplate the madness to come.

"I'll wait though, at least until next year. Next year is gonna be interesting. 1939."