Chapter 11
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Miranda opened her eyes and turned on the lamp on her nightstand. She looked at her bedside clock.
2:43
Who on Earth? She asked herself as she slipped on her robe over her pajamas.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"I'm coming…" Miranda croaked as she crawled out of bed and shuffled to the door. She fiddled with the lock, opening to find a figure cloaked in white with a silver mask. "Allen?"
Allen nodded.
Miranda noticed Allen's left hand clutching his right arm, blood flowing from between his fingers. "What happened?"
Allen remained silent.
"Allen… What happened?" Miranda asked concerned, fully awake.
"Please Miranda, I don't wish to say."
Miranda felt a little hurt from Allen's secrecy, but she still loved the teen before her. "Come in," She ushered.
Allen limped.
Seeing him limp, Miranda walked up to Allen and helped him to her bed, where he sat down.
Miranda went down the hall for the first aid while Allen removed his mask setting it on Miranda's nightstand.
He removed his white cloak and unbuttoned his white shirt.
Miranda went down the hall for the first aid kit and a wet wash cloth. "Can I see your arm?"
Allen held out his right arm and she washed it off with the wet cloth.
"You should be more careful." Miranda scolded as she began to bandage Allen's arm.
"I know." Allen sighed.
"Alright," Miranda smiled finishing her bandaging of the arm. "What about your foot?"
Allen removed his right boot with ease, but grunted with pain as he removed his left boot.
Miranda examined the ankle. "Sweetheart, I don't know what you did, but you sure pulled one on your ankle. It's the size of a melon."
Allen said nothing as he started off in the distance.
"How did you get so banged up?"
"It was nothing."
"Allen…" Miranda rubbed her temples in frustration. "You have to tell me these things. How else can I help you, if you don't?" Miranda lectured as she wrapped Allen's ankle.
"I'm sorry." Allen hung his head as he spoke. But Miranda could still see a single tear fall.
"This was over Kanda, wasn't it?" Miranda finished her first aid care and joined Allen on her bed. She pulled him into a much needed hug.
Allen loved the feel of her arms; he loved the warmth of another to know he wasn't alone in life.
"You really do love him." Miranda finalized.
Allen nodded.
"I remember when you first saw Kanda…" Miranda smiled.
####
A small 6-year old Allen opened a trap door from behind a door and walked down the hall. He had gotten good at navigating the secret passageways. At night, Allen would sneak out from the underground sewers to steal food, talk to Miranda, or shower.
Over the course of the year, Miranda helped Allen make a room within the empty chamber complete with a bed, and other furniture. In Miranda's spare time, she had made Allen new clothing. Allen wore masks, that he constructed himself, to hide his 'abnormal' features away from the world.
Allen quietly tip-toed down the halls to the kitchen, he snuck into the pantry and found the supplies to make a sandwich. Allen assembled 20 sandwiches and set them in a container, he brought with him. Allen swiped a bottle of apple juice and sneaked back out of the kitchen. Allen walked past the cathedral room and paused seeing a kid with long black hair. Allen watched as the kid light a candle and prayed.
The kid had long black hair. It was lose so it fell around their face, like a curtain.
Allen wanted to see the kid's face to see if it was a girl or boy. He wanted to know.
The boy looked up at a wooden cross and began to pray aloud.
By the tone of his voice, it belonged to a young boy. Allen watched as the boy cried and prayed to god and his deceased father.
Allen left, not wanting to interrupt the boy. Allen hurried down the hall and knocked on Miranda's door.
A very sleepy Miranda answered the door. "Wha…?" She moaned, dazed from sleep.
"Miranda."
"What?" She groaned.
"I need to know something."
"What? Couldn't it wait till morning?" Miranda asked as she was being pulled out of bed.
"I need to know…"
A glow emitted from down the hall.
Allen ran inside Miranda's room, hiding. He looked to see the boy with a candle walking down the hall. "Who is that?"
"That's Kanda. Yu Kanda." Miranda explained quietly. Miranda opened her door and walked to Kanda, leaving Allen in the room. "Are you okay?" She asked the young boy.
The boy nodded.
"Okay. Make sure to get some sleep." Miranda ushered him onto his room.
The boy nodded and walked down the hall.
Allen watched as the boy left.
"Kanda's foster father just died, so he was sent here to live. He has no other living family."
We are both alone. Allen thought. "Miranda?"
"Yes?"
"Is he an angel?"
"What?" Miranda smiled at the young boy.
"Is Kanda an angel?"
"I don't know." Miranda shrugged. "Is he?"
I think so. The Angel of Music.
Immediately, it had been love at first sight.
####
Insisting to Miranda that he didn't need help, Allen limped back to his living quarters in the sewers.
Allen finally reached his room and fell onto his bed, face first with a tired sigh. Allen laid there for a few minutes and turned to his nightstand, grabbing the small golden ball he had since he was a child. He pressed the button on the front and the melody began to play.
As the melody died, Allen set the ball back on the nightstand and laid on his bed looking at the stone ceiling.
"No one would listen.
No one but him,
Heard as the outcast hears." Allen sat up and limped over to his desk, a single white lotus waited alone. Allen sat down, getting off his ankle and held the lotus to his nose, smelling it's sweet scent.
"Shamed into solitude,
Shunned by the multitude,
I learned to listen.
In my dark, my heart heard music.
I longed to teach the world,
Rise up and reach the world.
No one would listen,
I alone could hear the music.
Then at last,
A voice in the gloom
Seemed to cry,
"I hear you".
"I hear you fears,
Your torment and your tears."
He saw my loneliness,
Shared in my emptiness.
No one would listen.
No one but him,
Heard as the outcast hears.
No one would listen.
No one but him,
Heard as the outcast hears."