Point of View Part Two: In her Eyes

Trigger warning: rape, domestic violence

The kids and I are currently picking apples in the market. It was all red and looks tasty making us get excited over Halloween. We are also picking some materials to make their Halloween costumes for tomorrow.

"Ms. Maria!!" The kids screamed as they run towards me with their apples and costumes for tomorrow's Halloween.

"Getting excited aren't we?" I said and smile at them.

"Yes, Ms. Maria. We are very excited for tomorrow's Halloween." Rafael said.

"Yes, Ms. Maria! We hope we'll have more candies and chocolates than last year" Elizabeth added. I smile at them and ruffled their hair. We just finished shopping and now we are heading back to the orphanage.

"Of course you will! After all, I'll help you with your costumes!" I exclaimed.

"I want to be a witch!"

"A monster for me!"

"I want to be a Princess!"

"Alright, Alright! let's go home and prepare for Halloween!" I said and run.

I am Maria Swan and I currently live here at Liberty Foundation. It was an orphanage founded back in the 18th century and I was an adopted child of Mrs. Marisol Liberty, the owner, and my loving mother. I shake my head happily as I exhale audibly.

"How come their parents abandoned them when they're this cute?" I asked myself when my mother touches my back and said.

"People struggle on their own making them decide harshly. Not all people are strong like you dear, Humans break easily" She said. I hug her and whisper my thanks before kissing her on her cheeks.

"Oh yeah, Are you going to Capooli's Bar tonight?" Mother asked.

"Yes, mother. Ced asked me if I could lend a hand and I have things to discuss with him so I will. Why?" Mother look at me and hand me a list of flowers.

"Get this for me, dear, Go to that usual place and pick this for me." She said. I nod at her and get it.

"But why do you have to order flowers from that old flower shop when there are more flower shops that have better flowers than Mr. Walker's shop?" I asked mother, but she just smiles at me.

"I told you not all humans are strong, Humans easily break. You know how the town avoids him just because he's a little different than the rest of us. She used to be my child to 20 years ago so I still have to take care of him...He's sick in mind dear so understand." Mother said. I nod at her and walk my way towards the flower shop. 

Well, It is true that Mr. Walker is a little bit different than the rest of us but in my eyes, he's just a happy guy who greeted almost anything that he passed by. Like that Johnsons Bakery's Grandma Standee...Is that weird enough to be avoided by the people in our town? I just shrugged my shoulder and walk towards the shop and I saw him greeting the Johnsons Bakery Standee once again. I've known him ever since I was in college. Mother always asked me to drop by his store to pick some flowers but I rarely talk to him and to be honest, at first, I also found him weird and want to avoid him as much as possible...but I realized that I cannot be like everyone else. I have to understand him...if no one understands who will?

I walk towards the glass door and saw him greeting the standee of a man laying at the bench. He greeted it and stand it up. I sigh and open the glass door of the shop. The small bell rings as I open and close it. I scan the flowers first thinking of how can I greet him normally after witnessing his weirdness and upon arriving on his desk.

"Good morning Mr.Walker," I said as cheerful as I can. I saw him avoid my eyes and look at standee, standing beside the bench.

"G-Good morning Ms. Swan" He greeted. I nod back at him and smile. I pull out the paper that my mother told me to buy and hand it to him.

"Mrs. Liberty asked me to get this from you" He get the piece of paper and read it.

"O-OH, YES, YES...She already told me about these flowers...Sorry, give me a moment Ms. Swan" He said and stumble upon a pail of water. I stifled my laughter as he clumsily makes his way towards the flowers. I saw him glance and hissed at the standee of a gardener and smile at me.

I look at the standee of gardener with a huge smile plastered on his face. It was just there standing...What do I expect for a piece of advertisement cardboard with a picture of a man plastered on it? Nothing...I wait for him to finish when my phone ring.

I saw a text message from Ced. telling me that we will talk about something. I texted him and said okay since I also have some things to discuss with him. I caress my tummy and smile. I can't wait to tell Ced that I am having his baby.

"Here," Mr. Walker said and hand me the flowers wrapped in old newspapers and plastic.

"Thank you," I said when he suddenly hissed at the standee. I look at my back and saw the standee still a standee and look at him quizically

"Oh, It's nothing just ignore him." He said and smile at me. Crept because of his words I just flutter my eyes and ignore him. I walk outside the store as Mr. Walker said.

"Thank you again, Ms. Swan...Please forgive that guy by the bench" I look back at the standee and I remember mother's words again. Humans easily break. Maybe he was too lonely that he has no one to talk to? and that caused this habit of his talking to objects.

"You've got a happy guy with you! He's always smiling" I said trying to understand him a bit.

"Thanks," He said and smile. I turn around and saw Ced waiting for me in his car. I run towards him and clung to his arms.

"You waited long?"

"Yes?" He said and pinch my nose. We laugh and head towards his bar. It's already afternoon and the shop is about to open so I put my uniform on and get my tray.

"You look as sexy as ever Ms. Swan," Ced said and kissed me.

"And you look as gorgeous as before," I said and kiss him back.

The shop got busier and busier until the time to close it finally came. I clean up and change my uniform as George came on the lockers.

"Hey, I'm changing," I said but he just caresses my bare skin and plant small kisses on my back and neck before finally claiming my lips. I moan in satisfaction as he fondles my breast and put his penis inside me and made a mess.

"No ah! Ugh! Ced!" I moan. He firmly holds my waist and thrust me deeper as we both got drown in the sensation.

"I love you, Maria," He said huskily.

"I love you too," I said as we reached the climax.

We then put our clothes on as he leans his back on the door.

"Mrs. Liberty is still concerned with that psycho?" Ced asked. I look at him and sigh.

"He is not a psycho Ced, He's just a little different than us" Ced snicker at my words and look at me.

"You think he's just a little different? Come on Maria, He's talking to cardboard displayed on that Bakery! Everyone knows he's crazy! So if I were you I will tell your mom to stop getting attached to that crazy man and start to like me" He said making me furious.

"Oh yeah?! Is that why you talk to other children back when we are all still a child to not talk to him?! You're the one who told the children that he's possessed aren't you?" I growl at him. How could he make those rediculous accusations and made his life pitiful?!

"You don't know anything Maria! You don't know why he came to that orphanage!" Ced exclaimed and pulled out his cigarette

"Hey, Stop that Ced!" I said. Ced look at me questionably.

"Why?" He asked. I look at him and said.

"I'm pregnant!" I declared. I didn't want to announce it right after we fight...I plan to tell the news when we are in a lovey-dovey mood.

"What?" Ced's voice pulls me back to reality. I saw him look at me with wide eyes as If he's not expecting the news.

"It can't be!" He said making me dumbfounded.

I went home that night and fell asleep while crying. I can't believe Ced said that!

The sun rises again. I spend the whole night crying and I barely sleep. I wash my face and look at the mirror. My eyes are swollen and I look like crap. I tie my hair and greeted my mother. She look worried and asked me what's wrong but I just shake my head and told her that it's nothing. I can't tell her that I am pregnant and Ced doesn't want to be a father yet. I need to talk to him and understand his reasons why. But mother stops me and ask me to buy some flowers again at Mr. Walker's Flower shop so I said yes and head there when I saw Ced with a woman hugging him.

"CED?!" I exclaimed making him flinch. He nods at the woman and instructs her to go inside his car. I look at the woman whose face is covered with a scarf and she's wearing a pair of sunglasses.

"What do you mean by this?!" I asked. Ced hushed me and drag me on the alley between Mr. Walker's flower shop and Mr. Johnsons Bakery.

"Ced?! Is she the reason why you don't want to be the father of our child?!" I exclaimed but Ced just frowns at me. As if I was the one who is being unreasonable.

"Are you stupid?!" 

"What?! Why?! What do you expect from me after I saw you hugging that woman?! You want me to cheer for you and for that whore?!"

"Whore?!"

"Yes! That's the only word fitted to that kind of woman!" I exclaimed when Ced suddenly slapped me.

"HEY!" I saw Mr. Walker walking towards us with a furious gaze.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He exclaimed and pulled me behind his back. Oh no, It will make Ced angry. I try to wiggle free but he's too strong.

"Don't butt in you psycho!" Ced exclaimed out of anger. I try to stop them but they are both too angry at each other when Mr. Walker said

"Aren't you the one who hurt her?! If you don't know how to treasure a woman with her worth, don't court her in the first place" He exclaimed making Ced lose his cool and punch Mr. Walker. I saw the woman who is hugging Ced just a little while ago gasped but didn't take a step between the two so I did. When I saw Mr. Walker's fist hung in the air I quickly grab it and plead to not hurt Ced. Looking at Mr. Walker deadly glare as if he's someone that could kill a person without batting an eye made my tears quickly filled my eyes as I said in between sobs.

"No, Mr. Walker," I pleaded as I watched the furious Ced walk with the woman and drove away.

I sob at the pain in my chest when Mr. Walkercaresses my cheeks.

"Are you okay? Oh Shit! Your cheek is swollen. Come inside my shop I have Ice to cool that swollen cheek." He said worriedly but I just shake my head and told him that it was all a misunderstanding and have to talk with Ced. So I run to where Ced is.

A few hours after that incident I went to Ced's house and was greeted by Sofia, Ced's cat.

"Hi, Sofia...Where's your master?"

"Meow~" She answered and walk towards the sofa. I followed her and saw Ced sleeping on the couch surrounded by bottles of wines and the new Autumn drink that he made himself. I look at him and walk towards the kitchen and wet a towel. I tap the cold wet towel on his face waking him up.

"Hey" I greeted. Ced look at me and sits up.

"I'm sorry if I said those things to you," He said apologetically and hug me. He also checks my cheek that he slap and hug me tightly.

"I didn't say those things because I don't want to be a father but because I am afraid that I won't be a good father to our child...I mean look what I did to you?" He said while crying. Regret is written on his face. And so we talk it all out, I learned that the woman he's hugging is his stand-in mother back when we are a child...Shockingly, It was Mr. Walker's mother who got jailed because of a crime she never committed. I learned that Mr. Walker was suffering from schizophrenia back when they were both children. He used to be his brother after Mrs. Walker adopted him but because of Mr. Walker's hallucination, he killed his father, and upon knowing what happened Mrs. Walker claimed that she was the one who killed her husband because she's fed up with all of his beatings while drunk. He also said that he was about to testify but their mom stop him and said that he should take care of his big brother which is Mr. Walker. With that, Ced got mad at the guy and did so many mean things to Mr. Walker who is currently still, suffering from that sickness. As the story goes by...My eyes got wetter as I felt more pity towards Mr. Walker and to Ced. At least Ced is more fortunate since he got adopted by a wealthy family that's why he is now called Cedrick Capooli. But for Mr. Walker, no one adopted him because everyone knew his background story. I went home that night with a heavy heart. No wonder why mother is so caring towards Mr. Walker...Though I barely know him and talk to him...I should start to befriend him so that his sickness maybe cure.

Mother once said that only friendship and love can heal a sick mind.

I hug my mother and eat with the kids when I heard the doorbell. I open the door and saw Mr. Walker.

"Good evening Ms. Swan" He greeted. I smile at him and greet him back.

"Come in...I'm sure mother will be happy" I added but he declines. So I just stay there with him. I know now how sick he is so just like mother, I should be his friend and talk to him more often.

"No, No. I-I just came here to ah...um...i-invite you for...for a dinner" He said. My brows were mashed but I keep my smile. Confused about the reason why.

"What for?" I asked but he just shyly scratches the back of his head and said.

"It's for...Ah...actually I have to say something...But...um...May I have the pleasure to invite you for a dinner? Just to...just to thank you for everything." Still confused at his reason why I still said yes to his offer.

We walk around the town but most of the restaurants are already closed so we decided to just buy a take out food and eat it in his shop. We both talk about almost everything, he keeps on thanking me though I don't know why, and eat. Until he suddenly turned serious. I look at him and wait for his words.

"Um...Ms. Swan...I know that you just broke up with your lover" My brows were mashed by his words, confused. Break up? I and Ced didn't break up. Actually, we decided to tell my mother that I am pregnant with his child and ask if mother could let us marry.

"Mr. Walker I think---" I didn't get to finished my words when he continues his sentence.

" but... Um...I want to have the privilege to go out with you as your lover." I said. My brows were deeply furrowed, frustrated with this sudden turn of events. I am planning to be a friend but I think he is misunderstanding my intentions. I barely know him!

"No...I'm sorry...I can't go out with you" I said making it clear to him. I can't plant a small seed of hope in his already broken heart.

"Mr. Walker. I think you got it all wrong. I am pregnant with Ced's child so I can't go out with you. I'm sorry. I have to go" I said. before I walk towards the door

"But...I..." I heard him said when I suddenly felt pain around my head. I saw Mr walker behind me firmly gripping a fistful of my hair and push me down the table.

"Nooo!!! Mr. Walker please!" I exclaimed and look at his eyes but there was nothing. His eyes are empty, no mercy, no feelings...blank. And With that, He tore my clothes off and raped me.

"Noooo!!! Ced!!!!" I screamed but my voice was swallowed by heavy rain. I saw him glance at the glass door and smile before looking back at him

"I love you" He whispered. And the last thing I saw is him slitting my throat with the scissors that he used to cut flowers.

"You're finally mine, Ms. Swan...And forever mine." I heard him say before I breathe my last breath.

END.