Jelly Fall
"Have you found Alisha anywhere?" Alice asked on the phone, sitting inside his car, feeling drained due to his mother.
"No, sir, we are trying. We've already placed everyone on the checkposts of the train station, airport, and bus station, and we've already informed the police."
He cut the call, breathing heavily. He hated it. Now he understood how Alisha felt when Mary chose other kids over her. It was the same thing his mother did by choosing Alisha over him.
Even though she didn't know where Alisha was, she was still delaying him, playing him with her health. He hated that it was his own mother. If it were someone else, the lesson would be taught differently.
He sighed, tightening his hold on the steering wheel as he drove off.
An hour later, he reached the orphanage. They had come here yesterday for an invitation, and Alisha had spent a decent amount of time in the kitchen with Mary. He could dig things out from here for sure.
He got out of his car and rang the bell. After a few minutes, the gate opened. Mary was standing at the door, her smile dropping as she saw Alice, clearly showing her unhappiness with his presence. But did he care? Not at all.
"Should I come in?" he questioned, his voice raspy.
"Y..es," Mary answered, stuttering, seeing him all sweaty and looking pissed off. She knew exactly one thing: Alisha had run.
She knew it. As soon as Alisha fled from the wedding, Alice would come knocking here. No matter how much she mentally prepared for this, it all slipped.
She knew she had to hold herself together. She couldn't just show it on her face. She was both happy and scared, but all she had to do was behave nonchalantly.
Alice came inside and sat on the couch. "Do you know what today is?" he asked as if playing a puzzle.
"It's your wedding," Mary immediately replied, without wasting time.
"And what am I doing here?" he raised his eyebrows.
"How would I know that?" She tried to sound as normal as she could.
Inside, everything was trembling. She tried her best not to let it show on the outside. Her heart was beating wildly as she pretended to be exactly as she should, unaware of everything.
“Your so-called daughter ran away from the marriage, making a fool out of me, and my mother,” Alice lost his temper, as he raised his voice.
‘To be exact, a forced marriage!’ Mary thought to herself, unable to say it to his face.
"What? How?" She sounded shocked, gripping herself.
She had never acted in her life, and she didn't even know how she would pull it off.
But for Alisha, she would, no matter what. She was glad Alisha decided to do this. When Alisha told her about it yesterday, she was scared that Alisha wouldn't be able to do it.
Not because she wouldn't get the opportunity, of course it would be slim, but if someone had the courage, they could make a way through even thin obstacles.
She thought Alisha wouldn't do it because she would think about her and the kids in the orphanage, but she was glad that for once in her life, Alisha didn't think about anything and did this.
Alice's eyes scanned the living room, looking for any sign of Alisha. Mary shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, fidgeting with her hands.
"So, where is she?" Alice's voice was sharp, cutting through the tension.
Mary swallowed nervously. "I... I don't know," she stammered.
Alice leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Don't lie to me, Mary. You know something."
Mary's eyes darted around the room, avoiding his gaze. "I swear, I don't know where she is," she insisted.
Alice's frustration boiled over. "Damn it, Mary! She was here yesterday. You must know something!"
Mary flinched at his outburst, tears welling up in her eyes. "I... I don't," she whispered, her voice trembling.
"You think I'm dumb? I know you know something. If you're not going to tell me, then don't blame me for the disaster that will come on you," Alice threatened, noticing Mary shivering, yet still unwilling to speak.
He was ninety-nine percent sure she was hiding something.
"I'm more shocked than anything. How would I know she would run? She did come yesterday, but you were with her. Why would she tell me anything when I was the one who sent her away by pushing her?" Mary reasoned, biting her inner cheek as she lied.
Alice narrowed his eyes, not buying Mary's explanation. “
I don't believe you," he said, his voice cold and sharp.
Mary shifted uncomfortably, avoiding his gaze. "I... I don't know what else to tell you," she replied, her voice trembling slightly.
Alice took a step closer, his frustration boiling over. "Listen, Mary. If you know something, anything at all, now is the time to tell me," he urged, his tone desperate.
Mary's eyes filled with tears, torn between her loyalty to Alisha and her fear of Alice's anger. She knew she had to choose her words carefully.
"I swear, Alice, I don't know where she is," Mary insisted, her voice breaking.
Alice stared at her for a moment, searching her face for any sign of deception. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, realising he wasn't going to get any more information from her.
"Fine," he said, his voice weary. "Then you all need to die. I'm going to burn this orphanage down."
Mary's eyes widened as she heard Alice's words. "Burn everyone down?" she thought, unable to process it all. Her legs turned to jelly, and she collapsed to the floor, her breath caught in her throat.
"I don't care. Usually, I don't harm kids, but if you won't give me any information, I won't leave a single kid or even you alive. Alisha is mine. If I can't find her, everyone needs to die," Alice declared, his eyes blazing with anger.
Mary looked at him, seeing how crazed he looked. "Please don't do anything. What's our fault? We don't know anything about Alisha's whereabouts."
"Then nobody needs to know the whereabouts of this place. Even the bones will turn to ashes. I would love to see it," Alice said coldly.
