Mother Wears Red: Penance

Mother Wears Red Arc

Penance

"Right this way Adonis. The adoption room is just beyond this door." the headmistress instructed.

"Thank you." Adonis remembered his manners. He decided not to hold it against her that she assumed he didn't know where the room was. When he was around seven he snuck out past curfew and listened to an adoption interview, which wasn't really an accomplishment now that he remembers. He was severely punished by the disciniplinary officer and so were his older bunkmates because they didn't watch over him.

Adonis opened the silver door that lead to the adoption room. The room was well furnished and in the center of the room was a large mahogany desk in front of a window. On the walls were several paintings that he couldn't remember the names of. There, at the large mahogany desk were two chairs. A woman with an updo occupied one of them while she talked with the adoption officer.

"By the looks of things she might as well sit in both." Adonis sneered to himself and resisted the urge to cackle loudly at his own joke.

His joke deemed to be true as the woman turned around to acknowledge his presence. She had brown curly hair that was piled up into a ridiculous beehive and her body was the shape of an basketball. She had round spectacles on the bridge of her nose that he could tell she just wore for a fashion statement, but what really brought it home for him was the large mole on her forehead. As he got closer he noticed a long hair on it and nearly shivered. This was going to be very unpleasant experience for him, he could just tell.

"Oh there's the little gumdrop!" the living basketball spoke. Gods above, her voice was unbearable! He could feel his ears beginning to bleed when she continued to gush about how handsome he was. Adonis cringed when the woman brought him to sit next to her rather forcefully and held his hand as they sat. She had no business touching him, hell he wasn't even her son!

"W-Well Adonis, this is Mrs. Bublesworth! She said she's seen you out in the town running errands and decided you were an amazing choice for a son. She says your responsibilty makes you a wonderful young gentleman, so she decided to come here and request an interview with you. Isn't that something?" the adoption officer spoke up in an attempt to break the tension.

"Oh yes!" the obnoxious woman spoke. "After seeing your handsome self walking in the town square I just knew I had to keep you for myself!" she gushed. Mrs. Bublesworth turned to glare at the adoption officer. "Well?! Start the interview oaf!" she insisted, startling the poor man.

"Right! Of course! So Adonis-"

"Adonis?! That's quite a peculiar name! Who gave it to you, your mother or father?" Mrs. Bublesworth interrupted rudely.

Adonis' fist clenched tightly. "My mother, ma'am." he managed to say.

"Well I don't like it. When I adopt you, your name will be something more modern! Like George or Harry. That's it! You'll be Harry Bublesworth!" she cackled to nobody but herself.

Adonis found his self control slipping even more as she spoke. She didn't know his mother, his name was fine! In fact, he loved his name. There was nothing wrong with who he was.

"Why don't you tell Mrs. Bublesworth where you came from? I-If you remember that is." the adoption officer asked in an attempt to clear the air.

"I came from a village not far from East Crest. After the village was nearly massacred by beasts, the Magic Council arrived and took the orphaned children here. I've lived here since I was five." he stated grudgingly.

"How unfortunate. It must've been so hard being poor, I can't imagine the life of poverty! The very idea of it makes my skin crawl!" the privelaged woman sobbed.

''"Stuck -up privelaged bitch." ''Adonis thought to himself. She was obviously not cut out for long walks across towns or walking anywhere at all. He snorted at his private joke.

"Excuse me?!" the woman screeched at him. It wasn't until he noticed the horror in the face of the adoption officer that he realized he had said it out loud. "You insufferable brat!" she stood up and began to nag.

"N-Now Mrs. Bublesworth! I'm sure Adonis didn't really mean it, did you Adonis?" the adoption officer glanced at Adonis nervously, hoping he would play along.

"Oh I meant it." the boy in question smirked. "You have no idea what hard work or labor really is. You just rely on your wealth for everything. People like you make me sick. I wouldn't want you as a mother in any life." he protested.

"Too bad kiddo! You're mine, good interview or not! And once I finally get your bratty ass to behave I'll finally be able to get rid of this ugly,matted red cape of yours. Aren't you a little old to be playing superhero? Give me that thing you little shit!" she screamed as she yanked his red cloak off his shoulders.

"No!" Adonis cried. "Give it back! It's my mother's!" he pleaded. Mrs. Bublesworth smirked evilly at the cloak. "This old thing? It belongs in the trash! Which is exactly where it'll go after I rip it to shreds!" she declared as she began to rip it.

But she found herself unable to.

"What on earth?" she screeched. She couldn't tear it! It was as if some force was holding her back. She continued but her efforts were only in vain. It was as if the cloak had been made of metal. She looked up to find the mahogany desk flipped and the chairs pushed over. The adoption officer was under the desk, moaning in pain. She looked for the boy under the desk, but he was in front of her. But his eyes were no longer the innocent brown she had seen in the square.

They were black.

Consumed by his anger, Adonis forced the woman against the wall by murmuring a Darkness Spell.

The woma quaked in fear against the wall. She tried to scream, but no words came out. Her mouth went dry as he muttered a single word and snapped his fingers.

'"Nightmare." '

The woman was engulfed in the darkness. It was like an ocean swallowing her up and refusing to let her reach shore. It was never ending. She tried to scream in agony, but it was as if her vocal cords were nonexistent.

Adonis smiled as she screamed for him to end the suffering. He would end her here, he would bury her in the darkness forever. He would teach her for touching his mother!

''"I love you Adonis." ''her voice rang in his head. Would she still love him if she knew he was doing such atrocities?

He freed Mrs. Bublesworth from the spell, as much as he didn't want to. He knew for a fact his mother wouldn't approve of him killing anyone for her sake.

The assaulted woman gasped for air as she was freed from her mini Hell. She was deathly pale and shivering as if she had seen the devil himself. Several of the headmistresses burst in the room and stared between Adonis and the traumatized woman.

The adoption officer groaned and managed to escape from under the desk. He stared at Adonis. "A-Adonis?" he stuttered.

The headmistresses held up the hefty woman and consoled her as she sobbed. "It was horrible! Why didn't any of you tell me he could use magic?!" she cried.

Adonis paled. ''"Shit." ''he thought to himself.

The headmistresses glared at him and looked to the adoption officer. The adoption officer's concerned face switched to that of anger. Oh boy, was he in for it now.

"Adonis Cesaire! You have dishonored this orphanage's very name! What do you have to say for yourself?!" the adoption officer shouted, hands on his hips.

Adonis remained silent. It wasn't that he was scared, it was that he didn't know what to say.

"Well?!" the man screeched. With no response coming from Adonis, he huffed in frustration. "Fine, have it your way." he said in an eerily calm tone. "Headmistress Penelope." he said to one of the women.

"Y-Yes sir?" she responded.

"Tell the disciplinary officer he has a guest tonight."