Gray stayed seated for a while. The shaking in Eli’s body had stopped now. Aside from that, Eli told him more of the truth. A terrifying truth that he couldn’t believe was real.
Eli had told him that this wasn’t a single incident, but a cycle. He revealed that it was the older caretakers who would hurt the kids whenever they "ssed up". They would hit the kids with a stick, kick, or grab their wrists too hard.
Their punishnts were delivered in a different room or out here behind the center where no one can hear them. New employees were also warned to keep quiet if they wanted to keep their jobs.
So tried to help, but fear made them look the other way. Eli heard that it was done behind Lita’s back, though he was not sure.
While listening, Gray does not know how to react. He wanted to burst in anger, but he controlled his reaction and kept his face gentle for Eli. The boy kept watching him to see his reaction, so he had to be careful.
"I... I didn’t do anything wrong," Eli whispered. "I just dropped a bowl one ti. I didn’t an to. But they said I had to clean outside so no one would see cry." He rubbed his arm with his small hand. His eyes were starting to beco teary again.
"Sotis it happens to the others, too. When no one’s looking."
Gray exhaled slowly.
"Thank you for telling ," he murmured. "You did the right thing, Eli."
Eli shook his head as if he didn’t believe that.
"Listen, Eli. I want you to co back inside with ." Gray softened his tone.
The boy stiffened. "W-With you?" His eyes widened. Fear flickered on it again. "But... if they see ... I don’t..." His breath turned quick again. "They’ll be mad! They’ll... they’ll hit again."
"They won’t," Gray answered him. He made his voice firm as if telling Eli to trust him. It was the tone of voice he used whenever he was talking to Lily when she was scared.
"I won’t let them hit you, Eli."
Eli’s eyes darted to the building, and his small shoulders trembled.
"You won’t be alone, Eli. I’ll be with you the whole ti. And no one is going to touch you. I promise. No one will hurt you again, even if I leave today." Gray moved closer to him and showed a determined smile.
Eli bit his lower lip, thinking hard while Gray patiently waited on the side. He didn’t push him. He wanted Eli to decide on his own, to see whether he was comfortable or not.
After a long mont, Eli finally lifted his eyes.
"Y-You won’t let them hit ?"
"I won’t."
With that answer from him, a small and shaky breath escaped Eli’s mouth. After a second, he gave a small and hesitant nod.
Gray gently took his hand. It was cold and damp with sweat. The boy’s fingers curled around his tightly, like he was afraid Gray would vanish if he didn’t hold on hard enough.
"We’ll go together," Gray said.
Eli swallowed hard before nodding again. "Okay..."
They began to walk back toward the building. Eli stayed close to him throughout. Every step they took made the boy’s grip tighten around his hands, but he didn’t stop. Gray just let him be.
When they reached the entrance, the voices from the people started reappearing. There were laughters and light casual conversation.
However, the mont Gray and Eli stepped in, the conversation of the people imdiately halted. Two staff mbers standing near the hallway froze mid-turn. Their eyes widened at the sight of Eli. Real confusion flickered across their faces, before it beca fear.
"O-Oh!" One of the older won forced out a laugher from her mouth. "You found Eli! Haha. Yes, um, he likes going to the backyard. Hiding sotis. Kids, you know how they are." She rubbed the back of her neck. "We apologize if he worried you."
Another employee chid in too quickly. "Yeah, he wanders off a lot. He shouldn’t, but... we remind him all the ti."
Their smiles were obviously stiff.
Gray didn’t respond to any of their words. He stepped forward, positioning himself slightly in front of Eli when one of them moved to reach out.
"Don’t," Gray said.
The man’s hand froze mid-air.
"Call Lita." Gray’s gaze stayed hard.
Mara, who just arrived to say sothing to Gray, blinked in confusion. "Gray? What’s going on—"
Gray simply glanced back at her, signalling that he didn’t want any questions right now. Mara’s brows drew together, worry forming in her eyes, but she didn’t push it. Instead, she stepped beside Gray.
"S-Sir, is there... a problem? We can help you. Lita is busy with the morning errands. She might not be available now." The employees shifted uncomfortably. One of the senior caretakers swallowed, trying to keep her shaky smile.
But Gray didn’t blink at all. "I. Said. Call. Lita."
Silence surrounded everyone. For a mont, the lively atmosphere beca heavy. Even Eli’s breathing beca subtle and tense behind him.
The younger staff, the ones whose faces had earlier looked genuinely surprised, exchanged frightened glances. One of them stepped forward nervously, clutching her phone.
"S-Sir," she said quietly to the older caretakers, voice trembling, "we should call her. He’s asking nicely."
The older woman shot her a glare. "We can’t bother the coordinator for every little thing. Eli just wandered—"
Gray’s patience finally thinned.
"I don’t want to repeat myself again or else..."
His voice remained calm, but sothing in it made every person in the room straighten. Even Mara flinched a little. The older staff backed away, fear flashing in their eyes clearly now.
"I-I’ll call her! I’ll call her right now." The younger employee panicked and fumbled with her phone.
She stepped aside and hurriedly dialed, while the others stood stiffly, as if bracing for sothing that was soon about to happen. The older staff mbers, the ones Eli had described earlier, remained frozen.
Their faces suddenly beca drained of color, their eyes flicking nervously between Gray, the boy, and the exit as though calculating the quickest escape.
Eli squeezed Gray’s hand again, as if telling him to stop already. But Gray just smiled.
"You’re safe with ," he said softly, only for the boy to hear.
Eli nodded shakily.
Mara, who still confused, leaned closer to Gray and whispered, "Is soone hurting the kids?"
"Yes."
That answer made Mara’s eyes widened. She beca speechless for a secong.
The younger staff mber finished the call. "L-Lita’s on her way. She said she’s coming right now."
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