Side Story: Enariss

The seemingly endless desert road stretched out into the distance, and the rumbling of the outdated engine filled the interior of the old, rented car. The dark-skinned driver hummed as he stepped on the pedal, a bandana wrapped around his head to shield him from the direct gaze of the sun. Mr. Zarke was lying down on the front seat that was slanted back, a large hat covering his face. This was one of the few moments of rest he would be able to enjoy, and he had to be in perfect condition to greet the children.

Though the car was outdated, it certainly wasn’t low in specs. A Zanados BX435 that bragged of its intense yet durable horsepower, fueled only by the sunlight that the car absorbed. Yet because the car’s good days had passed, the noise it created was comparable to that of a wagon. Its low rumble was somewhat calming to hear—if one ignored the occasional screech of metal.

The car created a trail of dust on the empty road, and Enariss, chin on her hand, stared at the barren scenery. The only sights that the place held were some mountains in the distance. Perhaps some shrubs and dead grass. Or insects.

Her red eyes calmly looked at the road in front. She used to enjoy these trips, but now…

She didn’t know. She had thought one thing, but her time with Demund had made her doubt her beliefs. No, she wouldn’t change. She knew what lay inside the minds of the lacking.

And yet…she had agreed to come on this trip.

She sighed softly and buried her head inside of her arms. The air conditioner was working properly, but her palms were sprinkled with sweat.

She hadn’t visited since the incident. But now, she was back at the western edges of Zone 9. This time, with one less missing person. Perhaps two.

One of them didn’t matter.

The car rumbled on, and its shadow grew longer beneath the sun.

〄 〄 〄

“We’re here,” said the driver.

Enariss rubbed her eyes and brushed aside her hair. Then retrieving a hairband from her pocket, she tied it into a simple ponytail. Her father was already awake, and he opened the door for Enariss and helped her out.

“Nice and cool,” he commented. “But make sure to drink lots of water. Do you remember the drill?”

“Of course, Dad. I lived here.”

Her father smiled. “Just making sure.”

The sun was weakly fading into the mountains in the distance, so the place didn’t feel as hot. However, Enariss could feel the heat lingering on the concrete floor.

They had entered a large village, so the roads were developed. All of the locals knew of Mr. Zarke’s identity; he had been the one to lay the roads and renew the buildings. To attract less attention, using a worn-out car was always preferred. Mr. Zarke didn’t enjoy too much attention.

“Let’s go inside,” he said. “The dust is tickling me.”

Enariss stretched her back. “Mhm.”

A modest house for a modest village, but still considered somewhat lavish compared to the locals, nevertheless. They had insisted on the person who had reconstructed their village to live in a good house, and he had agreed. It was usually unoccupied but always ready to accept its residents, cleaned once every two days by a designated maid who was paid a generous sum.

She wasn’t here today, the maid. Enariss wondered if the same maid who had taken care of her still worked here.

Mr. Zarke opened the doors of the house after unlocking it with a key. A minimal amount of security was still required. While the house held no notable valuables, it would be a shame to find the place wrecked.

A small, one-story house. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a large living room complete with a kitchen. Nostalgia filled Enariss. The place still smelled the same as ever.

“Go ahead and unpack your things,” said Mr. Zarke. He moved the bags into the house and went outside to pay the driver.

Enariss carried her bag into her room. After opening it, she took out her clothes and stored them neatly inside a nearby drawer. Just like the old days.

Later, the maid came to the house and doted on Enariss, saying how big she grew and how beautiful she had become. Enariss was glad she was still the same as ever. Energetic, cheerful, talkative. It reminded her of her childhood. They had a short conversation after dinner, and Enariss kept her usual smile on her face.

“How are the kids?” she asked.

“They’re all rowdy, they’re all the same,” said the maid. “You should’ve seen how sad they looked last year when you didn’t visit! We waited for a long time. Cleaned the place, waiting for you to come home. I’m glad you’re back.”

“…me too,” said Enariss.

That night, Enariss lay inside of her blankets and stared out of the window. The clear sky was full of jewels, the mystical view that she had always looked forward to whenever she visited. In fact, they seemed to glow even brighter that night. Like a breath of the atmosphere, away from the pollution and painful thoughts.

She closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.

〄 〄 〄

The orphanage was burning. Enariss stared at the orange flames in horror as the screams of the children filled the night sky. She couldn’t move. Her legs trembled and she was frozen in place like a statue.

“Enariss! Don’t come near the fire! Do you understand?!” shouted her mother. Burn marks were seared onto her arm, yet her eyes showed no signs of fear. Only determination.

She nodded furiously, tears forming on her eyes.

“Wh-where’s Dad?!” she forced out through trembling lips.

Her mother gave her a hug and reassured her. “He’s getting the children out. Hurry, go join them.”

Enariss calmed her shaking hand and inhaled a deep breath. She flinched as something exploded in a blast of fire. Her mother nodded and got up, heading to the house.

“Where’s Rayn!?” cried Enariss.

Her mother didn’t hear her. She vanished beyond the smoke.

Enariss regained her senses. She ran into the darkness. She ran and ran and ran—

〄 〄 〄

“Hah!”

Enariss woke up in an instant and instinctively activated her power.

She was greeted by the quiet morning of the desert and the rays of sun that permeated into her room.

It had been a dream. Why now?

She undid her power and wiped her palm on the blanket. Enariss tightened her fist and let out a deep sigh.

There was no use in regretting. She had gone over this already numerous times.

Her heart ached.

〄 〄 〄

“You don’t look too good,” commented her father while slicing an egg.

“I had the dream again.”

Her father became silent at Enariss’s words. He applied some sauce onto his egg and chewed on it slowly, finishing it with a cup of tea that had been prepared.

Enariss sighed internally. It was always such a sensitive topic. She knew why though. After a moment of silence, she decided to speak again.

“When will we be going to the orphanage? I can’t wait to meet the kids.”

Her father raised his eyes from his tablet and cleared his throat.

“You can go any time you want.”

“...I'm worried that I'll feel out of place. They won't recognize me.”

“Oh yes, they will. They haven’t removed our family photo.”

Enariss nearly spat out her breakfast. “Still?”

“No. The directors said that the children protested when they were about to take it down.”

That was embarrassing. While she was sure to see some familiar faces at the orphanage, there would be those who recognized her when she didn’t even know who they were. In short, a really awkward atmosphere.

But she was used to that. After all, everyone at TISE High knew her. Compared to all of the unbearable, cringey confessions she had received, this would be a walk in the park.

“I’ll go after breakfast,” she decided.

Her father nodded. “They will be glad to see you.”

〄 〄 〄

While Enariss referred to the place as an orphanage, there were actually more children who had parents than those who did not. In fact, children without parents were the minority. The place had been set up around the time when Enariss had been born, and over the course of a decade and a half, the orphans had all gone out to experience the world for themselves with the help of Mr. Zarke.

So the children there were those whose parents lived too far away or those that were separated from them. In a way, they were orphans.

The orphanage provided everything. Food, education, and social interaction. Modern technology. In the land where society’s influence didn’t reach as far, the village that the Zarke household had set up was something comparable to an oasis. The orphanage was a part of it.

Of course, it wasn’t the only orphanage that the Zarkes had set up. There were a couple. But as the only orphanage that had been built together with a town, it held more significance in Enariss’s family than any other orphanage, excluding the one back at Zone 13. They had spent the most time here, so they were regarded as one of the founders of the village. There had even been a vote to name the village after Enariss’s father, but he had adamantly refused on it.

Adenium. That was the name of the village. Named after Mrs. Zarke’s beauty, life in the middle of a desert.

And to the side, also the second-largest building in the village stood the Home of Adenium—or the orphanage.

“It’s Miss Zarke!” cried one of the children.

“It really is her!” shouted another child.

“Really? Let me see, let me see!”

In an instant, the children who had been playing games amongst themselves crowded into the front of the large building, watching the noticeable girl with red hair approaching them.

“She really was real…”

“Of course she’s real, you dummy.”

Enariss could already hear the excited murmurs from the gates, so she put on her best smile and approached the door. She giggled internally after seeing numerous children’s faces pressed against the windows.

She was back. After gripping the door, she swung it open and peeked inside.

A multitude of little boys and girls burst out of the entrance and swarmed around the girl whom they had only seen in the big picture that hung at the front of the hall.

“She looks the same.”

“You’re pretty,” said a little boy around the age of seven.

“Why thank you,” replied Enariss.

“Her hair really is red!”

“Guys, you’re being too rude, get away from her.”

“You’re the one who's pushing!”

So it had begun. The first few days of constant attention and kids who didn’t know how to stop speaking. Well, not that she wasn’t used to it. It just…had been a long time. That was all.

“I brought candy,” she declared. Grabbing a handful of candy from her bag, she tossed it into the room. Like bees to nectar, the children all dispersed from her and ran after the candy, laughing and tumbling while doing so. Enariss too laughed with the kids and continued to toss candy in random directions. Then while the kids were occupied with their treats, she quickly snuck past them and headed towards the Director’s Office.

It worked every single time.

She arrived in front of the door and knocked twice.

“Who is it?” said a familiar voice beyond the door.

“Tia, it’s me. Can I come in?”

“…...Enariss?”

She opened the door and went inside. A dark-skinned woman with neat, straight black hair looked at her with surprise as she got up from her table. A sheet of paper fell to the floor.

“I’m back.”

“My little girl!”

The middle-aged woman quickly approached Enariss and enveloped her with her strong, solid arms. They shared smiles as they embraced each other like a mother and daughter.

Finally, the lady let Enariss go and held onto her shoulders. “Look at how much you’ve grown!” she exclaimed. “You look just like your mother.”

“You haven’t aged at all, Tia.”

“Nonsense. Come, have a seat.”

She motioned for Enariss to join her on the sofa. After both of them sat down, the lady levitated a box of snacks from her desk and set in in front of Enariss, along with some drinks.

Enariss reached for some wrapped chocolate and plopped it in her mouth.

“I can’t believe how much you’ve grown,” said the lady again.

“I didn’t grow at all. Only a few centimeters.”

The lady shook her head. “No, the look on your face. You’ve grown so much.”

She wrapped her hands together, and a look of sadness filled her face. “And become so mature.”

Something struck Enariss’s heart. She knew what Tia meant.

She had changed.

After seeing Enariss’s expression darken, the lady clapped her hands and came to sit next to Enariss.

“But you are still a child in my eyes. Come, tell me about your life.”

Enariss smiled. She could finally ramble to Tia.

〄 〄 〄

“Enariss, hurry up!”

Enariss laughed and followed the group of children through the streets. While she had been disappointed as everyone she knew had left, it was great seeing new, kind faces that were happy to have her company.

She had warmed up to them, and they had too. She spent the days singing or teaching the kids about basic subjects or helping them draw and playing tag. Nothing special. Away from the drama, away from upper-class things. Just living life carefree.

She had been afraid that she had changed.

No, she had changed. But she had nothing against the children’s smiles. They were innocent.

It wasn’t good for her to think about it.

Her moments in Adenium should remain free.

〄 〄 〄

Enariss ran through the night, the glow of the flames decreasing with distance. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, and she wiped her soot-touched arm on her white shirt. She was heading to the parking lot.

She stopped and looked back.

She ran back towards the burning building, and the intensity of the fire warmed her cold cheeks. Even from a distance, she could feel the waves of heat.

With a crack, a part of the blazing building collapsed upon itself, and Enariss instinctively raised her arms to her eyes.

“Mom!” she yelled at the top of her lungs. She coughed. The smoke was descending on her. “Mom!”

The only response she received was the roaring of the flames.

“Mom—!”

“You won’t find her.”

Enariss jerked her head back—

〄 〄 〄

She blinked twice.

And let out a deep sigh.

Why had the dreams returned? She had finally been free of them. No; this time—it was worse. Like some scripted movie, each scene had played in her head right before she awoke in painful detail.

She ran her fingers through her dark, crimson hair.