Chapter 18.
Frozen Sun.
There was a bright light obscuring his vision as he tried to open his eyes. He blinked to erase the image but it remained. He tried to lift his hand but it seemed like he had non. The fear suddenly rose within him as he tried to find anything solid. Memories flooded back in an instant as he was reminded of his past but then became hazy and disappeared, like a dream that never happened.
He cried out, not so much from fear but the utter inability to do anything to change his situation. He was helpless, just hanging there, open for attack and utterly useless. The orb of light was cold yet unforgivably white and burning in ones vision.
'I see you have woken up, let me get that for you.'
Suddenly the everything was taken over by darkness as the boy tried to adjust to the lack of bright light. When slowly he began to see again, a kind face came into view.
'Hello there, we were afraid you might never wake up.'
'W…here am I?'-his voice sounded hoarse as he forced his numb lips to move to form words.
'In Mercy Hospital of Archangelsk, the Russian city of Angels.'-the man laughed and stepped back.-'Do you remember anything?'
The boy stayed silent.
'I see…you kept on repeating a name while you were unconscious. You were found on a bus stop, blacked out and all. There are bruises on your body so we think you might have been forced or abused to do something you would regret. We had to pump your stomach dry, seems you took a very lethal dosage of 'pills'. –the man stopped as if thinking over the next part of his little speech.-You kept on repeating the name Kai, does that ring any bell?
Somewhere, at the back of his head memories threatened to come back but he didn't want them and so shook his head. If what the doctor had said was correct then his life must have been one of sorrow, not one that should be remembered.
'Maybe that was my name?'-he didn't know for sure, it didn't seem like it but he had no other sane and reasonable idea.
Alright then, Kai, we checked for missing persons reports but it doesn't seem anyone has lost a boy with bright red hair and shocking blue eyes so we have no leads…sorry.
"Kai" shook his head.
'No no, don't be.'
The man looked like he was going to object but then his shoulders slumped and he laughed merrily.
'I guess you can stay with me for a while, until you find your way in life. You are more than welcome and I'm sure my daughter will love you, she's eleven; Liza. I have no wife so there will be no objection. You can take the spare room downstairs.'
The feeling which the boy experienced was one of safety, to him it felt somehow right to be in this very hospital, talking to this very man.
'Thank you sir…'
'Cherchev, Volodya Cherchev, pleasure to meet you mister Kai.'
The boy smiled.
'You know, you're lucky that we were able to save you, almost didn't make it. Beats me how anyone could have done this to you, such an angel, ironic that you were found on the St. Anhels street in the city of Archangelsk2.'
'Yeah.'
'Well then, let's go Kai, this is the beginning of the rest of your life.'
And it was.
1. He originally came from St. Petersburg, that's where Kai and Rei are.
2. Anhel means angel.