They brought hell upon the orphanage as soon as they could walk.
Snakes were attracted to them, they'd wrap their coils around the children's arms, legs and necks while the other children of the orphanage shrieked and ran.
Ms Cole watched them warily but whenever they were disciplined by being separated and put in isolation the two of them would always end up in each other's cells in the morning.
Ms Cole had sent for a priest when they turned 5 and their power seemed to emanate from them, and if wronged there would hell to be paid. Children would be found with their favorite books or rag dolls torn to pieces, if they so much as said a mean word to either child.
One instance, though, forever chilled the bones of all in the orphanage.
She didn't like him. Stubbs.
"Why don't you ever talk?"
"You are stupid aren't you?"
Her mismatched eyes turned downwards as she waited by the tree Tom and her would always meet by if they were seperated.
The man in black with the white collar had taken Tom in Ms Cole's office and still hadn't come out.
A sharp pain from her left caused Nova to tumble to the ground and skin her knees.
"Hey I was talking to you!"
She didn't even look at him, he wasn't worth her time. She was starting to get worried about Tom. The arm that shoved her, yanked her up from the ground.
"Are you deaf?"
"Get off." She whispered it and started to pull away. She needed to check on Tom, he'd been gone too long.
Stubbs grabbed at her again this time a fist of silver hair in his grasp.
"Hey freak…"
He stopped in mid sentence as he saw Nova glance up into the tree and smile.
Nefertari spun her body around the limb of the tree and stuck her head and hissed into Stubbs face giving him such a fright that he screamed and fell backwards.
Nefertari, be careful. You don't want to get hurt.Young one your mate is in trouble.
Tom… Nova knew she shouldn't have left his side but he said to meet him at the tree.
Nova left the yard running to the backdoor of the orphanage, not even bothering to open the door it flew open as she approached it. She ran past the children playing in the parlour, past the children in the library having their lessons, past the matron who sat across from the door to her office and straight into the matron's office where Tom was all alone with the man.
"Get away from him now!"
The man was holding him down onto the chair, ropes were tied to him as the man in black muttered over him his neck extended towards Tom's face.
"Nova…" Tom whispered under his breath but did not open his eyes.
The man in black paused in his muttering to turn toward her, "Ah, this must be the other lost soul Ms Cole spoke about."
"I said get away from him!"
Ms. Cole came in and blocked Nova's view, "Nova, that is enough. It would be best for you to leave now."
"Have her stay, after all, what you told me she should be next." He smiled but it looked more like a grimacing snarl. Before he could move back to Tom, the little girl had jumped on his back and beat against his back.
"You will untie him now!"
Tom was scared, she could feel it in her heart now that she was in the room. Why had he blocked it from her?
She was thrown against the wall as the priest tried to pry her nails from around his neck, it hurt but she didn't let go.
This man was going to do something bad to Tom she had sensed it as soon as she came into the room, before Ms Cole had rushed in.
The smallest whimper escaped her throat from her aching back, and Tom's eyes flashed open his own growl responding back.
What has he done to you?
The priest winced from the hiss in his ear.
Ms. Cole in shock watched the scene unfold.
Tom's eyes were clouded like he was trying to wake from a dream.
"Tom!" Fear for him turned to anger, "What did you do to him!"
At this exclamation it was as if Ms Cole woke from her stupor and dragged the fighting Nova from the priest's back and peered at Tom with a furrowing gaze.
"Father… his eyes?" Ms Cole turned toward the priest.
He had straightened up and corrected his clothing, "Are you doubting me? Are you doubting the church?"
"No I just…"
Nova had had enough if no one would send the man away then she would do it.
From the top of her lungs she called to all their friends.
Come, come, friends of the grass and the trees. Your speakers are in danger. Come to us. Nefertari, Seti, Alexander, come help us.
"Dear Lord…" Ms Cole gasped dropping Nova to the ground as hissing filled the orphanage and not one or two snakes, slithered into the room toward the children in the center, but what seemed to be hundreds.
"We said get out and leave you disgusting thing!"
Nova shouted in the face of the priest and for the first time fear flitted across his face. "You dare to suggest you have power over us, dare to speak of doing what is right. Get out before we rain justice down upon your head!"
The priest ran from the orphanage not even bothering to grab his things.
