Enaj always remembered being different. He was born blue, the result of a genetic anomaly. He lived in an orphanage ever since he could remember, but was always excluded from the games and activities of the other youngsters. Even the old masters of the orphanage, professing themselves to be wise and kind to all, distrusted Enaj and tried to never let him out of their sight. He was often given the most spoiled low-quality food, fewer personal possessions, and less personal attention and teaching from the masters than the other, normal, red-hued beings. Over the years, blood-red rage filled Enaj up to the brim, yet he could not do anything about it. Every time he was rebuffed by the other students, he stood by himself in the corner of the main room, shaking. He saw the masters stand by and laugh at the futility of his attempts. Enaj especially disliked master Gnas, who urged the other masters to be ever more strict with Enaj and to use even fewer resources on Enaj than some wanted. Thus, from childhood, Enaj experienced coldness and repulsion rather than kindness and respect.
One day, Enaj decided that he could not take it any longer. The very thought of the orphanage and everyone in it physically sickened him, making vomit rise up to his windpipe and burn it with acidity. He knew that he would never be allowed to leave until he was given an apprenticeship at some respectable place and would be a useful member of society once outside. Yet despite the masters’ dislike of Enaj, they seemed to abhor the idea of his being successful outside the orphanage with the normals, even more than the idea of him staying forever. They never allowed him to take any apprenticeship he would be offered, and even told the potential mentors that Enaj was a liar and lazy. No matter how much Enaj pleaded with them to let him leave, the master’s response was always that he was not ready. So Enaj escaped.
No comments:
Post a Comment