Chapter 109 - - 109
It had been a while since Leyla had been led limply by the hands of her uncle. She was unresponsive during the whole walk, and now, the cabin remained silent and still even at the break of dawn.
Consciousness eventually bled into her eyes, the glassy look disappearing into a resignation. Her eyes flickered down, imprinting in the back of her mind every crack and crevice on the old wooden table in front of her.
She blinked a couple of times.
Everything that happened was still so surreal. Each scene came in flashes, playing loop by loop endlessly. But the most prominent one was Uncle Bill crying.
She let out a low chuckle, devoid of any emotion. Her uncle was crying because of her.
Sunlight eventually streamed into the cabin, Leyla's eyes latching onto the silhouette of the sun rising through the clouds, parting as though to tell her everything would be fine today.
The birds' flapping their wings also drew her attention.
She vaguely remembered holding back her uncle as he tried to run back to the annex. She was hugging him firmly from behind, holding him in her arms with an iron grip as he yelled profanities and promised to kill him...
She was vaguely thankful they were deep in the forest, no one else would hear their commotion. But it seemed to happen forever ago, and now, she was uncertain what would happen next.
"This needs to stop, Leyla." Uncle Bill finally began, his voice cracking and rough after the long night, "Tell me what's wrong, because, this, this is not right sweetheart. Please, tell me the truth." He pleaded with her, yet Leyla couldn't find any words to tell him.
Bill's heart ached for the girl he raised. This catatonic state of hers greatly reminded him of that little girl who came to him after a few tragic experiences.