Tragic Happenings
Chapter one: Night one, day one
NIGHT ONE:
Rain poured down from the sky, landing on the surface of Wammy's house, an orphanage for gifted children. It was a dark night for many reasons. First it was a new moon, second, it was cloudy and third, the police sirens on a certain car had just recently been shut off.
The children, who had, until this moment, been sleeping in their rooms, all rushed to one side of the house, looking out the windows at the car that had awoken them. The only person who wasn't there was one boy by the name of Near. Unaffected by the noise, the young boy continued to remain in his room. Another boy by the name of Mello stood quietly at his window, looking down at the scene. He had been awoken, and was only interested in knowing who was at fault for ruining his rest, rest that he needed to study during the day with.
The house was quiet as everyone watched in silence. A large, round, police man got out of the car and walked around to the back. He opened the door and waited. A tall woman in a professional outfit, with high heels and small glasses, emerged and carried with her an umbrella to stop the rain from soaking her. She too waited with the police man. When nothing happened, she reached into the car and tugged on something.
That something soon came out. That something was a small, dangerously small, girl. He legs and arms were like toothpicks, if she wasn't wearing a shirt, you could see all her ribs. The child was young, and severely undernourished. She wore a hoodie and sweatpants too big for her. She stood under the umbrella with the lady and looked up at the house. She made eye contact with a couple of kids who quickly hid or glanced away. The police man started moving, and the tall women pulled the child along.
The boy named Mello heard the children rushing down the hall and stairs quietly, each trying to get a sneak at the new kid, to overhear the conversation, new kids came around so rare those days. Mello too was interested, just how smart was this kid. Would she be in new competition to become number one around here? Mello decided to join the other children to figure out what action to take with this girl.
The door to Roger's office was closed of course, but that didn't stop the children. They each had their different spots to see or hear the words spoken inside. Some listen through vents, others looked through keyholes. Some had built devices that listened through walls. Mellow took up place near an un-manned vent, and listened quietly.
"Are you sure this is the right place for her?" Roger asked.
"Where else is she to go?" A shrill voice, the woman, replied.
"Perhaps a different orphanage," Roger suggested. "There's no proof that this child is gifted."
"And there's no proof that she's not," the woman countered.
There was a moment of silence.
"I'll give her a week," Roger finally said after some time. "If she doesn't show anything by then, you must find a new place for her."
"Of course I will," The woman agreed.
"Now, lets talk…"
Mello turned away from the vent. The girl wasn't special, there was no need to listen any further, no need to study her, she wouldn't be a threat and so she didn't deserve Mello's attention and energy. She just wasn't worth it.
DAY ONE:
Mello walked quietly into the classroom. A couple of students had gathered, Near included, and Mello ignored him, making his way to his own desk. If it hadn't been for the small cough, Mello might have missed the presence of the new kid, sitting all the way in the back, not in a desk, but rather in the corner.
The girl sat with her knees up to her chest, hugging them close. Her dark hair was wavy and hung at her shoulders, covering her face in a shadow. She looked up and her emerald eyes met Mello's for a fraction of a second before she looked back down again.
The teacher walked in and tried to get the girl into a seat. The girl silently refused. The teacher gave up and walked back to the front of the class, muttering about how it was a stupid idea to allow her to be admitted into the house. During the whole class the girl didn't speak, and no one spoke to her. The teacher never asked her a question, and she never raised her hand. When the teacher handed out assignments, she didn't hand one to the girl, and the girl never asked for one. Mello smiled to himself. It was silly to think this girl could have been competition, she was so…beneath him.
After class, Mello joined the rest of the children in the common room. The girl was there too, sitting in her corner, glancing quickly at anyone who looked at her, as if she could sense that she was being watched, that she was being noticed, that for one second, someone might care she was there.
Mello knew what it could be like for new kids, parents just killed, new surroundings, new faces, not too comforting an idea. But still, he had yet to find anyone who met an invitation to play with a stare, with what he could only describe as pitiful and, and silence. Even Near had the knowledge of humanity to answer, even if it was a denial.
Mello was on his way outside to join some boys in a game of soccer when he noticed Linda standing in front of the girl. He stopped to watch, to see what would develop when ever persistent, and completely annoying, Linda met with this stone wall.
The girl was staring up at Linda with her big eyes and simply said nothing, just staring. Linda was talking, and waiting for an answer. The girl just stared at her. Linda took a step back, turned around, and ran out of the room crying. Mello smiled, this girl might be useful to him after all.
Mello walked over to the girl and sat down next to her.
"That was pretty funny," He said. "You might actually be interesting. What's your name?"
The girl didn't reply, but just started at Mello. At this Mello cringed back a bit, it was easy to see what spooked Linda. From a distance the eyes seemed sad and desolate, but up close, they looked angry, almost like they were ready to kill him.
"Look, you won't make it long here without friends," Mello said. "I know you need a skill, I can help."
The girl just continued to stare at him, no change in emotion, if there was ever emotion there in the first place. Now it wasn't scary, just annoying.
"Look, if you don't show something then you'll be kicked out of here and you'll be sent to a new place where the kids won't be so nice and they'll beat you up understand?"
The girl just stared at him. Now it was seriously getting on his nerves. He couldn't help but get angry.
"Look you little…!" Mello had gone to grab the hood of her sweatshirt, when the girl had jumped forward and grabbed his wrist. "Ow," Mello struggled to get loose, but the girl had a death grip. "Let go you freak!"
The girl let go of Mello, who quickly stood up.
"What's with you?" Mello asked. "I was just trying to help," He rubbed his wrist and waited for a reply. The girl just stared.
"That's it," Mello threw his hands in the air and started walking away. "Just don't come to me if you need any help."
With that he left, but the boy named Near had stopped his puzzle and was now looking up at the girl, who looked back to meet his gaze. The two held eye contact, but neither of them moved or spoke, almost like a silent message was being passed between the two of them.
After the message had passed, the girl got up and walked out of the room. Near continued his puzzle, and Mello tried to forget about them both by scoring a goal.
