3/4
Gone Forever
Chapter 10
Elsie sat on the couch, her fingers gently pressing against her knee he looked up and signed, “Where are you taking me?
Bruce smiled softly, his tone gentle. Somewhere you can relax. It might help with your treatment too.”
Elsie was quiet for a moment, her eyes downcast as her fingers unconsciously rubbed the back of her hand.
Finally, she nodded slowly.
Three hours later, the car came to a halt in front of a tranquil sanatorium, surrounded by dense woods. The air was filled with the mingling sounds of birdsong and the fragrance of the foliage, far removed from the clamor of the city.t The building wasn’t grand, just a row of low houses, but the windows were clean and bright, exuding a rare warmth.
Elsie followed Bruce out of the car, walking slowly along the cobblestone path towards the courtyard.
The morning light at the sanatorium was soft and serene, with large patches of sunlight filtering through the tall trees into the courtyard.Elsie walked behind Bruce, following the cobblestone path into the quaint yet cozy building.
“There are many patients here like you, each with different experiences, Bruce explained softly.
“But they all have one thing in common: they all want to live like normal people.”
Elsie was slightly taken aback. She turned to look at him and signed, They’ve all experienced psychological trauma?”
Bruce nodded, his gaze gentle.
“Yes, some of them have started to learn how to heal themselves, while others are still struggling.”
“I brought you here hoping you could find a place to resonate with them.”
Bruce led Elsie into the courtyard.
A thin figure slowly emerged from the shade of a tree, his eyes cold and distant.
Elsie’s gaze fell on the scars on the boy’s wrist, faintly red.
Those scars were like glaring brands, piercing her heart.
Elsie glanced down at her own hand, her fingertips brushing over the small scars on her wrist. Those marks seemed to ache faintly.
“These kids‘ lives are different from ordinary children,” Bruce’s voice was soft, as if afraid of disturbing their world.
“Most of them have experienced severe psychological trauma. Some have mutism; some have autism.”
Elsie’s gaze fell on a boy around seven years old.
He sat alone on a swing, his head down, his toes lightly touching the ground, the swing swaying gently in the wind.
Bruce pointed to the boy. “Three years ago, a car accident took his parents. He hasn’t spoken a word since.”
Elsie’s hands tightened slightly, and she inwardly felt a tender sympathy for the boy.
Her gaze then fell on a quiet child in the corner, a sudden pang of sorrow welling up inside her.
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Chapter 10
It was a six–year–old girl holding a Barbie doll, standing in the corne
She looked at everyone timidly, yet seemed especially wary of everything.
“Why is she here?” Elsie quickly signed.
Bruce continued, “She’s autistic. She was abandoned by her parents down, and she was taken in here.”
Hearing the backgrounds of these children, Elsie’s heart ached again
a young age. The orphanage that took her in later closed
As they walked into the hall, Bruce suddenly spoke, “Ms. Forbes, there’s something I need to tell you about Cedric.”
Elsie stopped and turned back, signing, “What is it?”
Bruce hesitated for a moment, then said, “Cedric’s medical records mentioned that he had depression.”
A flash of shock crossed Elsie’s eyes, her fingers pausing before quickly signing, “He never told me.”
Bruce nodded gently, his voice low. “He didn’t want you to worry, but he carried a lot. From the moment he found out he had cancer, his mental state gradually deteriorated.”
Elsie’s breathing quickened as she lowered her head, her eyes slightly red.
“He said you were his only support, his motivation to keep going,” Bruce’s voice was soft, with a hint of a sigh. “But he also regretted that until the end, he never heard you call his name.”
That sentence was like a sharp blade, piercing Elsie’s heart.
Her hand unconsciously tightened around the necklace on her neck.
She opened the pendant, revealing a photo of Cedric inside.
Her fingertips gently brushed over the photo, and tears finally fell from her eyes.
“Ms. Forbes, I know you’ve carried a lot, but Cedric’s death wasn’t your fault,” Bruce’s voice remained gentle. “Maybe here, you can try to let go of some things.”
Elsie didn’t respond, just lowered her head and closed her eyes.
The next morning, Elsie walked into the sanatorium’s music room.
She stood in the middle of the empty room, her gaze falling on the white piano in the corner.
Bruce walked in and asked softly, “Do you want to play?”
Elsie nodded, slowly walking to the piano and sitting down. She lifted the lid, her fingers gently resting on the keys.
The first notes began to play, soft and slow, like a gentle stream after a rain, gradually filling the room.
The music flowed through, the open window into the courtyard, drawing the children’s attention. They stopped what they were doing
and moved closer to the music room.
The girl from yesterday stood at the door, tiptoeing to peek inside.
2/3
Chapter 10
The boy from yesterday, holding a Barbie doll, timidly moved his feet finally stopping at the door, his eyes curiously watching the individuals inside the music room.
Elsie’s fingers danced on the keys, the melody shifting from slow to lively, like a spring breeze brushing over a meadow, bringing a gentle warmth.
The children walked into the music room, gathering around the piano. One of them even quietly moved closet, reaching out to touch the piano lid.
Elsie glanced at him, a gentle smile in her eyes.
Ms. Forbes, would you be willing to stay on as a volunteer and spend some time with these children? Bruce’s voice resonated softly in her car.
Elsie looked up, her fingers pausing on the keys..
She thought for a moment, then finally nodded.
“Let’s give it a try, Bruce smiled softly, his eyes full of relief. “Maybe being with them will help you find a new direction.”
In the days that followed, Elsie played the piano for the children every day.
Her music was gentle and healing, gradually opening the children’s hearts.
The boy from yesterday began to try communicating with her through gestures, even approaching her on his own.
The girl from yesterday no longer always hid in the corner but would sit by the piano with her Barbie doll, listening to Elsie play.
One evening, as Elsie was playing the piano, she suddenly felt a gaze
She looked up and saw the tall, thin boy she had first seen.
He stood in the shade outside the music room, his hands in his pockets, his cold eyes fixed on her.
He stood there for a long time, without speaking or approaching.
That coldness and distance made Elsie’s heart tremble slightly.
She didn’t know who he was, but in his eyes, she saw a familiar loneliness.
The music continued to flow, and the boy didn’t leave, his gaze remaining distant and cold.
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