7. Stitches And Secrets

“Now I’m going to inject you with a little bit of anesthetic before I stitch you up, ok?”

Naomi stood over Ardan, who was lying down on a hospital bed. Dr Maine had escorted him to a ward nearby, an operating room, where Naomi had somehow been magically transported to.

“Uh, ok?” Ardan reluctantly accepted.

Naomi smiled sympathetically and brought over a needle. It was nothing special, a clear body with clear liquid and numbered markings on the side, yet Ardan was petrified. She wiped a small cloth over Ardan’s elbow pit, before sinking the needle. Ardan grimaced a little before relaxing.

“There, it’s all done now. So where are you going after this?” She asked.

“Uh, home? I’m sharing an apartment with someone for now.”

Naomi nodded her head approvingly. “That’s really cool! I’m glad to see you’re such a resourceful person! You know…” she paused, as if wondering whether or not to continue.

“Yeah…?” Curious as he was, Ardan desperately wanted to know what she had been about to say. “What were you going to say?”

“Nothing… It’s fine.” She replied hastily.

“What’s fine? Just tell me!” Ardan craned forward eagerly and Naomi relented with a chuckle.

“Ok, ok. Just relax, alright? All I was going to say was that the mortality rate for parentless elves has risen drastically ever since the ‘Coming of Age’ law was introduced, so I’m just glad you found somewhere to stay. You seem like a nice enough kid.”

Leaning back into the pillows, Ardan frowned. That wasn’t what he was expecting her to say. The ‘Coming of Age’ law forced orphanages to kick out children once they reached fifteen years old.

A few minutes of silence later, she had finished stitching up all three cuts.

“I’m finished. After I wrap it up, please make sure not to take off the bandage for another two weeks. Not that you can, anyway.” Naomi said, pulling out a roll of cloth from a tray of water next to her.

“Why?” Ardan asked.

“The bandage was made with three runes, ‘Fast Recovery’, ‘Hold’, and ‘Element Resistance’. ‘Fast Recovery’ helps with the healing of the wound and ‘Hold’ keeps the bandage from coming off. ‘Elemental Resistance’ makes it element proof, so you can shower without worrying about it getting soggy.” She explained.

Ardan was confused, but intrigued at the same time.

“What are runes?” He questioned.

“You don’t know what runes are?” Noami shot back.

Am I supposed to know?

She looked up in thought. “You’re from an orphanage, right? Which one?”

“Uh, ECO, why?” Ardan answered.

Noami shook her head sadly and sighed. “No wonder. Since it’s government owned, they don’t want you learning magic. Like, at all. It’s a shame that our current government is so strict on magical rules and regulations.”

Ardan realised he hadn’t learned much about politics or the outside world during his time in the orphanage. He was the type to doze off in class and not pay attention, which was causing some problems now.

“Oh… ok?” He replied.

She patted Ardan’s newly bandaged arm and gestured for him to sit up.

“Anyways, enough of that. Do you have anyone coming to pick you up?”

Ardan shook his head and she winced.

“Well, since this is a minor service, you aren’t charged - nor do we need your identification. In other words, you can leave now.”

Ardan swung his feet over the edge and stood up, looking back at Naomi in wonder. “So I can just… go?”

“Yep, because it hasn’t been a month since you left the orphanage, we have those details. You’ll need to update them soon, though. That’s because the government stores your information - information that your orphanage would have recorded. Oh and by the way, you need to come back here to get the bandages off.” Naomi said.

Ardan nodded absentmindedly, not paying much attention.

“Good luck, and I’ll see you in two weeks!” she said with an enthusiastic wave, a signal for Ardan to leave.

He understood the gesture and stood up, hesitating for a second before returning the smile. “I guess I’ll see you around, then.”

And with that, Ardan walked out of the room, wandering through the labyrinth of hospital corridors, following the signs that pointed him in the entrance’s direction. A few minutes later, he eventually arrived at the front lobby.

I wonder if I’ll ever see Naomi again, Ardan thought. He had no intention of returning back to the hospital. This first time had been dangerous enough.

Pushing the thought away, Ardan walked down the porch, picking at the white bandage that wrapped his forearm. The anesthetic had worn off a little by now and his arm felt warm. It was about five in the afternoon now, and Ardan wondered whether Sandria or Pat had returned home.

As the sunset came into view, Ardan picked up his pace, wondering what lay ahead that night.

+ - + - + - +

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Ardan’s footsteps echoed loudly through the hall as he plodded up the stairs. After a ten minute walk, he had reached the apartment, a sympathetic neighbour letting him in. He walked up the stairway to the second floor, dreading what lay ahead.

Knock. Knock.

Creak.

“Hello? Oh, hi Ardan!”

Sandria’s face beamed up at him from inside the doorway.

“Sandria? You’re already home?”

She smiled at him and nodded.

“I get home at three! Dad doesn’t get home until six though.”

Pat wasn’t home? This was his chance! If Sandria didn’t say anything, Ardan could pretend he didn’t leave the house. The only problem now was his injured arm.

The bandages would be hard to hide, and the ripped jumper would raise some questions. His clothes were washable, but Ardan doubted he could get the blood stains out.

“Hey, are you coming in? I’m getting tired.”

Something was up. Ardan had no doubt that Sandria could clearly see the bloodstains. Why was she ignoring it?

Sighing, Ardan stepped into the unit. He had more pressing issues to attend to.

Upon entering his bedroom, Ardan looked into the mirror. Blood spotted a creased white shirt, and his face felt sticky from drying sweat.

Crossing over to the desk, he took a ballpoint pen. It wasn’t thick, but looked durable and was made of hard plastic. Ardan squeezed the pen inside his hand, wondering whether he could break it with his newfound strength.

Crack.

Uncurling his fist, Ardan raised an eyebrow at the pen, which had snapped cleanly in two. He hadn’t expected it to be that easy.

“Ardan! When are you going to shower?” Sandria called from the hallway

“Uh, now?” He replied.

Ardan walked into the bathroom, where he had showered the day before. As he stripped off his soiled clothes, he caught his reflection in the mirror.

Ardan had never been a fat elf. The orphanage’s meal schedule didn’t allow that. However, his body wasn’t one of a bodybuilder’s, either. His arms were lean and weak, incapable of doing more than a couple pushups. His ribs were visible, but a thin layer of fat rested just above his waistline. Thankfully, hair hadn’t grown on his chest yet. Shuddering, Ardan looked away from the mirror. He knew he was out of shape, and there was no denying it.

Turning on the shower, Ardan sighed, feeling the numbing sensation of warm water flowing off his skin. His stomach rumbled, a reminder that he hadn’t eaten lunch yet.

Ardan stepped out of the shower and changed into a clean set of clothes before strolling into the kitchen. Pat said there was food in the pantry, which he could have for lunch. Looking around the space, he found a black wooden cabinet door. Giving it a slight push, it opened up to the largest selection of crackers he had ever seen.

Peering around the room, Ardan decided on a small, red packet resting upon the second shelf. It wasn’t anything special, just some cheese and crackers, but it was the only thing he’d get to eat until dinner.

When Ardan left the pantry, Sandria was waiting for him at the dining table.

“So where’d you go? In the morning, I mean.”

He didn’t know how to respond. Sandria sat casually, her chin resting on her hands, eyes staring straight into his own. She gave off a mysterious sensation, as if she was all-knowing.

“Uh, for a run?”

That was close enough to the truth.

“How are you feeling?”

“What?”

Oh. He was supposed to be sick. How could he explain the disappearance of his sickness?

“I’m fine now.”

Sandria’s expression turned serious, and she looked Ardan dead in the eye.

“Look, Ardan. I don’t know what’s going on around here and around you, but I won’t pry. Just don’t let Pat stress any more, ok? After mum left, he… hasn’t been himself.”

Ardan was surprised. Had Sandria always been this mature?

“I’m sorry. I’ll try my best. Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on either. Ever since I left the orphanage, my life has just been flipped upside down…”

Sighing, Ardan averted his gaze, observing the large lump underneath his jumper. A moment of silence passed.

“I’m sorry too. That was uncalled for and rude. I know you’re going through a tough time now, with the transition into society and whatnot.”

She jumped off the stool and walked to him.

“Just so you know, if you ever need help with anything or want someone to talk to, I’m here. I’m your little sister, after all.”

With that, she stepped forward and wrapped Ardan up in a massive hug.

“I’ve never had a brother before, you know?”

Not knowing what she was saying, Ardan tentatively returned the hug.

“What do you mean I’m your brother?”

Before Ardan could get an answer, the front door opened and Pat walked in, briefcase in one hand and a set of papers in the other.

“Dad!”

Sandria squealed in delight and pounced onto her father. Pat dropped the items and scooped her up in a massive hug, while Ardan took a bite of his cracker, awkwardly watching the family reunion.

“Sandria! Ardan! How were your days’?”

Putting Sandria down, Pat picked up the pieces of paper and placed them onto the kitchen counter.

“Did you get any rest at all Ardan? Have you taken any medication yet? Are you feeling any better? Here, let me see if you still have a fever.”

Pat walked towards him and placed his palm on Ardan’s forehead. Surprised, Ardan forgot to react and just stared.

“Hmm, it doesn’t seem like you do. Can I check your stomach now?”

This man, who had been a stranger to Ardan no less than a day ago, was fussing over him like he was his own son.

Ardan nodded and lifted up his shirt, successfully disguising the large lump in his sleeve. His oversized hoodie probably helped as well. As Ardan exposed his stomach, Pat frowned and tilted his head in confusion.

“W-what? How?”

He was lost for words.

“But this morning you were…”

Pat’s voice trailed off and he backed away, stumbling into a chair. Rushing to his side, Sandria gave an apologetic look to Ardan before attending to her father.

“Dad? Are you ok?”

Pat brushed her off and attempted a weak smile at Ardan, who only felt more guilty.

“It’s a miracle I guess!” Pat said. Ardan didn’t know it, but Pat’s day had been incredibly difficult, having to sort out the adoption and fretting about Ardan’s sickness. Thus, he was just happy that Ardan was cured and relatively healthy. It was an issue for another day.

Then, Pat pointed towards the table, where he had placed some documents a few minutes before.

“Well, I have a surprise for you too. You see those documents over there?”

Ardan glanced over at the papers, shocked to see his name and an identification photo at the top. They were accompanied by large bold words that read: Adoption Decree.

“Welcome to the Hue family, Ardan.”