A/N: The children of Wool's Orphanage go to the beach. Riddle Era. I left the events in the cave open since I might write that some other time.
Submission for:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments) - TRUTH OR DARE Drabble Tag:Write a Riddle Era drabble.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Tom scowled as he watched the murky water lap at the black sand of the shore. For some reason, the matrons of the orphanage loved to take him along with them and the other children to the seaside for some "fresh air". Tom scoffed, taking another breath of the chilly, salty air, with just a hint of rotten fish some distance away. This air was far from fresh.
He had been sitting off to the side on a log, away from all the others as they splashed in shallow water, uncaring if their clothes got soaked in the process. Their laughter carried over to his ears and he turned away. This whole idea was pointless and juvenile and he couldn't wait until he could go back on the bus.
"Hey, Riddle!" a voice called out, and he looked up reluctantly. Two of the other children were coming towards him, the wind blowing their hair around their face. Amy and Dennis were two of the more disobedient ones around the orphanage, often causing mischief and chaos for the matrons, and were the only ones who even dared speak to him directly.
"Me and Amy wanna go for a walk but Mrs Cole said to bring you along," Dennis said, avoiding Tom's intense gaze. Amy too was focusing her attention on the sea, her body turned away slightly. Both seemed to want nothing more than to completely ignore him, but over their shoulders, Tom could see the stern matron watching them.
Tom rose from the log and shrugged, dusting off the seat of his trousers. "Fine, but I'm leading the way," he said, beginning his journey along the shore without waiting for them to follow. He knew they would.
A few hours passed, and all the children were loaded into the bus except for three. Eugenia called out the missing children's names as she walked along the shoreline. At first, she thought it would be a good idea to get Tom to interact with the other children (even if Amy and Dennis were known for their own bad ways). Now, she couldn't find any of them.
"Tom! Amy! Dennis!" she called as she stepped over a rocky area in the direction they had walked in. How far could they have gone? Who knows what could have happened to them? What if Tom had done something?
Once she passed the rocky area, she stopped, her mouth falling open as she took in the sight. Amy and Dennis were laying on the ground, their eyes staring unblinkingly into the sky while their mouths moved noiselessly over unintelligible words. Their clothes were soaked, bloody in some areas, and their skin was pale. Standing above them was Tom, his head snapping up and staring into the matron's face.
"Tom, what happened here?" Eugenia asked as she cautiously stepped forward.
The boy watched her for a moment, his eyes calculating, before he said, "They got tired during the walk and I couldn't carry them both back."
Eugenia nodded before she said, "I'll call a few of the others to come and help then." She walked away, hoping when she came back Amy and Dennis would still be there.