The Serpent
[Every great evil
has a humble beginning]

5th January 1927
Wednesday

When Tom awoke, he looked around.
White walls came into view and the baby relaxed.
The bleak, bare walls indicated that he lay in his bed, in the room where he slept.

He held out his arms with the expectation to be lifted up immediately.
Nothing happened.
He was still laying in this damn bed!

Tom was angry.

The boy struggled, restlessly punching and kicking on the mattress with his tiny hands and feet, his cheeks glowed literally!
But no one came to fetch him from his prison.

This went too far for Tom, he was used to being immediately lifted out of bed and to get something to drink.

Tom took a very deep breath.
And he cried.
He let all of his anger out.
The anger of being ignored, the anger that he wasn't given what he wanted straight away, the anger that he was still a baby, and was dependent on others.

Tom's voice broke briefly.
He took another deep breath and shouted the hell out of them!
But still no one came.
Now Tom's eyes glowed as well.
His whole face was red, but his cheeks stood out, as they were on fire.

Tom took another few minutes to catch his breath and then started yelling with all his might.

Some children stormed into the room and looked into the cradle, which brought the baby even more into a rage.
They should stop staring at him!
He wanted the was responsible for him!

Suddenly the door was flung open frantically, and a woman with wet hair walked into the room.
"Can't I even take a bath without something happening?"
She yelled into the room and scared the children.

Miss Penny walked towards Tom and lifted him out of his crib.
Tom fell silent.
He looked at her angrily with a bright red face.

Tom stretched out his arms as usual.
A firm stance.

Miss Penny vowed that she would never tolerate something like this from other children.
He was just a tiny baby for now, do she couldn't do much about it, but she wouldn't tolerate such behaviour when he's older.

She grabbed a bottle and then went over to the kitchen with the boy in her arms.
The milk was warmed on the stove in a pot and then filled into the bottle.

Tom watched everything very closely and his dark eyes devoured every detail.
Everything had to be perfect!

Miss Penny let a few drops of milk fall on her arm to measure the temperature before she gave Tom the bottle.

He drank it eagerly, but his eyes remained directed to Miss Penny.
She felt uncomfortable when he stared at her like that!

Sometimes Tom reminded her of the devil.
The way he looked at her or the other children was highly uncomfortable.
He was so pale, which made quite a contrast to his dark hair and eyes, and made him look slightly spooky.
Nevertheless, even now one could see that he would be very handsome wine he was older!

Miss Penny sighed when Tom had finished and took his hands from the bottle.

****
The next three days passed quietly.
Miss Penny didn't leave Tom out of her sight anymore.
She had already determined that if Tom's cheeks were red, it was better to get him away from the children, or to look if she herself had done something to upset him.
If he stretched his arms he wanted something, when he started to kick while she held him she had to loosen her grip and when his eyes flashed red, it was better to do what the boy wanted!

Miss Penny was so very glad when she heard the horse carriage from the window, and immediately took Tom from his bed.

Katherine had just gotten out of the carriage as she suddenly got Tom pushed onto her arms.
Perplexed, she watched Miss Penny which had her gaze slightly spiteful on the boy.
"What an got you so angry, Director?" Katherine asked, and ran her fingers through Tom's hair.
"This boy is a son of the devil!" Miss Penny snapped then and greeted the remaining employees.

Katherine couldn't understand it.
Her little Tom, a vicious child?
Never!
Tom still had his eyes fixed angrily at Miss Penny.
This woman had fallen into deep disgrace with him!
His poor voice barely worked from all the screaming!

Katherine carefully held Tom in the air so that she could muster him.
He had grown in the three days that she was gone, his hair had become thicker and longer.

Tom stared back at Katherine.
He realized that he would be rid of Miss Penny and Katherine would be taking care of him again.
Tom was pleased that Katherine was back. However, he showed no emotion.
He didn't think of Katherine as mother, she was more of a medium.
She ensured that he was well taken care of.
And all that without him having to scream like he had to do with Miss Penny!

"You've probably made a bad impression on Miss Penny, what Tom? What did do?"
Tom still looked blankly at Katherine who sighed in return.

If only Tom would smile at least once, or show some emotion!
Well, except rage of course...