The boy awoke from an uneasy slumber_or was it a nightmare? He could no longer remember. His body rocked gently_he was in a car. The urge to resume his nap overcame his heavy lids but was soon replaced by feelings of perturb and dread. This was not his car. The car smelt of mint and bleach_his car always smelt like cherries and roses_his Mom loved cherries and roses. The man in the driving seat was not Mom, or Dad. Maybe they were_he couldn't tell no matter how much he peaked from the backseat_they were wearing a black hoodie and a face mask. His tiny palms felt clammy all of a sudden.

His mind was groggy, all over the place. He could not recall why he was in this car_where was he going_and why was he not in his mother's car. His head felt sore_a bitter taste had spread to the back of his mouth like it had when a basketball fell on his head at school. His mother had asked him to be more careful next time as she pressed an ice pack to it.

"Mom?" He finally called out, propping his chin on the corner of the driving seat. He was going to have to ask her for an ice pack again.
"Hi kid, you're up huh?"
The gruff voice did not belong to Mom. It didn't belong to Dad either.
"Who are you mister? Where are we going?" The boy asked. His infantile mind had not developed enough for him to realise the dangerous waters he was swimming in. He didn't realise that with every turn the car took, he was going farther and farther away from his Mom.
A few more turns, and Mom would be out of his reach, forever.

"I'm a friend of your Mom's. I'm taking you to a boarding school, she asked me to take you," the man replied. The boy's chin hit the seat as the man sped up.
"Get back in your seat, wouldn't want you getting hurt now, haha." The man's voice shook a lot. He didn't seem very well. Perhaps when he goes back home from this "boarding school", he'll ask Mom to get her friend an ice pack too.

"What's a boarding school? And why isn't Mom dropping me? She always drops me to school. Also, I'm not even wearing shoes, how will I go to school?" the boy inquired. Had he done something to upset Mom?

"Your Mom had some work to do, that's why Uncle is going to be dropping you. And it's a new school. Your mother doesn't know the way to this school. It's a special school you see. You're special. And the school will give you new shoes, it's a part of your uniform. "
"Really?! What's so special about it?"
"It's a surprise, you'll see. Your Mom sent some sweets for you. Look in the seat next to me. They're all yours," he assured the boy.

The boy's eyes gleamed at the treasures stocked up in the passenger seat, just as he had been promised. Lollipops, peach rings, chocolate bars, jelly beans, jelly bears and what not. He grabbed handfuls of it in childish greed. He did not know that he'd have to pay for every single piece he ate_in blood, sweat and innocence.

The man knew he had appeased the child for a long time. He would not ask him anymore questions. And when he did, he would not longer be his problem.

The boy stared outside, nose and hands pressed to the window as he sucked on a cherry lollipop.
The timid, dusky sun had rose above in full vigour by now.
Shops, buildings, roads had been replaced by mud paths and trees. This school was awfully far away from home. He would have to to wake up with the sun to reach there on time.

He would miss all the friends he had made at his old school. The thought dampened his spirits a little. He was now beginning to miss his mother too. She hadn't even made him breakfast or saw him off today before sending him to school.

"Uncle, will Mom pick me from school?" He chirped hopefully. He had enough of this car ride and it's treats. He wanted to see Mom.
"O-of course she will. Are you missing your mother?"
"Yes..." the boy sniffled, "she should've dropped me to school, not you."
"Aww, come on kid. Your Mom has a lot of work to do. You're a brave kid, you can do this for her cant you?"
He sucked in his tears and snot. That's right. He was a brave boy. His mother's brave boy. He wasn't going to cry in front of an Uncle just because of school.
He had been through so much worse_ like getting stung by a bee on his face or when his Mom took his Batman figure away for a whole day because he didn't finish his vegetables.

The boy lost count of how many naps and sweets he had gotten through by now.
He jerked upright from another nap as the car came to a halt after what seemed like forever. The sun glare down at him with all its ferocity. He shielded his little eyes, rubbing the crusts out of them.
"Are we there?!" He voice came out shrill, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. He told himself to be brave again. The sooner school ended, the sooner he'd get to be with Mom.

The man had already gotten out of the car and was walking over to him. He opened the door and lifted the boy out. He was a nice Uncle. He didn't let him walk barefoot on the grass. It was probably full of icky bugs.

The boy's neck strained as he looked up and down at his new school's building. It was far more prodigious than his old school. It wasn't as colourful either_the grey colour of the walls resembled the the gunk in his Папа's ash tray. The building had three tall peaks stretching all the way up to the sky. The sun's blaze prevented him from viewing where they ended and where the sky started.

This school didn't seem very special to him.

A grand wooden door marked the entrance to the building. The man grunted as he pushed it open with his shoulder, slipping in with the boy cradled securely in his arms.

The boy swivelled his head around in curiosity. It was lot to to take in. He hadn't seen such a place before. It looked nothing like school. Perhaps this was the special part. If so, it was rather disappointing.
Rows of pews lined either sides of the giant hall.

The air smelt of something sweet and woody. Still not cherry, to his dismay. Candles illuminated sections of the hall, leaving others in shadows. The boy shuddered. It was becoming harder and harder for him to stay brave.

The endless walls stretched up and connected above an ancient chandelier that swung from side to side precariously. It was lit up with bulbs and candles a like. Someone must've needed a really tall ladder to light those candle. The mental image made him giggle to himself. When he realised they were standing right below it, it no longer seemed very funny to him.

The man placed him on a pew gingerly. "Wait right here, I'm going to go have a talk with your new teachers," the man patted his head as he strode towards two figures dressed in long black coats that stood in the distance in front of a large colourful window.

They shone technicolor shadows across the floor. The boy defocused his eyes and entertained himself with the overwhelming colours that filled his vision. He was not a difficult child. He never begged his Mom to play with him and please him when she was busy. He would spend hours playing alone when she needed to work. Just how he had obediently came to his new school without her accompanying him. Perhaps it would've been better if he screamed, bit and scratched this Uncle for dropping him to school without the company of his mother. Perhaps it would've been better if just for today, he had decided to be a petulant child like any his age.

The hall was dead silent_ the whispers and murmurs of the three men echoed and bounced over each wall_ yet, the boy remained deaf and oblivious to the conniving schemes they were discussing. He wondered what his Mom was busy with. What work had compelled her to send him to school alone with this Uncle.

The man returned, a veiled woman in a white dress followed him. He did not see when she had entered the hall or where she had came from. The soreness of his head had now developed into a dull ache. When he touched the back of his head, there was a bump. He couldn't remember very well how he got it. What was he doing last night...? Wasn't Mom crying....

The puzzle pieces he was putting together in his mind blew away as the woman in the dress knelt down in front of him. A cloying smell of roses assaulted his nose. His mom smelt like roses too, but the good kind. This one made him want to hurl all the candy he had eaten.

She lifted her veil. Sharp cerulean eyes stared into his. They crinkled as her bright red lips curved into a smile. He fisted his shorts when her lips split to reveal a few missing teeth in the back of her mouth. Her skin was powdery_she had put in as much effort as someone her age could to appear fresh and youthful.

"Welcome to your new life dear child," she said taking pulling his hands from his shorts. Her hands were cold, her nails long and sharp.
"She's err...she's your principal kid, be respectful now okay. Your Mom will pick you up later," he nodded to the child. He mumbled his farewells to the woman and the two men behind her and hurried off. He just wanted to be out of here. He feared that if he stayed here a moment longer, he would repent for what he had done. He could not afford that right now. He had too much on the line.

The boy's neck followed him all the way to the door, he had hoped he would've stayed with him at least till he got to his class. He didn't want to be left alone here with these three strangers.
His face was was turned by a wrinkly hand. He found himself staring once more into those soulless eyes.

"You're so beautiful little one. Such soft skin, such pretty eyes. Makes me want to just eat you up," she chortled. Her voice scraped his ear drums. She ground her teeth together_as if resisting with great hardship from actually sinking them in his flesh and devouring him whole. He trembled as she cupped his face. He wish she'd stop and just take him to his class.

"We will cleanse you, purify you until you are nothing but holiness and innocence," she whispered into his ear. He did not know what any of those words meant but his little heart had began to drum in his chest upon hearing them.

His eyes stung with tears. He bit his lip. There was no way he was going to cry on his first day in front of his principal.

"C-can we go to class now, Miss Principal? Please?" He squeaked.

"Mother supreme."

"W-what?"

"You shall call me, Mother Supreme."

"B-but, you're not my mother."

"I am your mother from now on. Do not disobey me child," she boomed intimidatingly.

"N-no... you're not. Don't touch me," he cried as her nails dug in his wrist. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks. He could no longer be brave. Fear and panic clutched every cell of his little body. Something was very, very wrong here.

"I want to go home! I want to see Mom!" He wailed and struggled against her unforgiving grip. His heart sank as he realised how far away Mom was. They had taken a right, then a left then straight and then....oh no...he couldn't remember at all. He couldn't remember his way back home. He couldn't even remember the way back to the milk shop that was two streets away from his house. That's how he'd know home was close by.

He screamed as she dug her nails in his flesh until he saw crimson half moons in his pale skin. They were deep_his Pororo bandages would not be enough to fix these.

"MOMMY! MOMMY! MOM! MOM! HELP! NO! NO!" His voice cried out for her over and over as he was dragged to a cold, darkened room.
But no one would hear his cries,  for a long, long time.