IV
Bonehead Bullies and Friendly Freaks
"Nuh-uh! My daddy is coming to get me, Tom!" she cried in protest.
Domino spun around to face Tom, flinging loose soil from her hands in a wide arc. Tom glared up from the paper he was reading as a few specks of dirt landed on his pristine, grey trousers. Yes, she took wicked pleasure in the sight - the chance to annoy Tom made her task of digging for earthworms all the more satisfying.
"He thinks I'm still with my Aunt and Uncle," she explained, "When he gets back he'll find me, okay?"
Domino was rapidly realizing that she'd made a grave mistake in thinking a topic of conversation existed for which Tom Riddle wouldn't get competitive.
"Well, my dad is coming to get me too," he said in a bored voice as he returned his gaze to the notebook page.
Tom was supposedly inspecting her work on the snake language, verifying the accuracy of each word. However, she had no idea how he intended on double-checking it, as they'd already determined that his mind automatically translated the hisses.
Domino was more than happy to take advantage of his distraction, however. He'd never mentioned his parents - in fact, he'd never volunteered much personal information at all.
"Really? Where's your dad?" she asked as she shook some of the dirt from her hands.
She might have, perhaps, aimed the dirt spray at Tom, and he might have, perhaps, just acquired a whole new layer of dirt to wipe from his exposed right side…
"Where's yours?" he asked, completely side-stepping her question as he swept a pile of dirt from his shoulder.
Domino sighed. Perhaps he'd require a bit of coaxing to open up. She certainly had no qualms discussing her parents - they would never have left her here.
"I don't know. He joined the Navy, so now he goes lots of places," she said simply.
At last, Tom lowered the "Secret Language of Snakes" list to his lap. Apparently, he'd found no issues with her translations. Instead, he turned to tracing a few cracks in the overgrown pavement with his finger, while somehow managing a gaze that was simultaneously thoughtful and arrogant.
"Yes, well, my dad gave me his name," he declared with a haughty air, "He probably has powers too."
"You haven't met him before?" she blurted out in surprise.
Tom immediately slapped his hand down hard on the rough pavement. With his shoulder, he pushed himself upright, shoving off of the fountain wall on which he'd been leaning.
"No! Stop being stupid, Domino," he snapped, "If he knew I was here, do you think I'd actually be here."
As he glared condescendingly at her dumbfounded expression, his mouth twisted into a bitter sneer. Really, with the amount of time Tom spent glaring, insulting, and just generally behaving crossly, Domino had come to learn that angry outbursts were the true "secret language" of Tom. Was that an angry-kinda-amused glare or an angry-kinda-sad glare or an angry-actually-quite-angry glare? Really, his superficial moodiness rarely told the whole story.
Nibbling on her lip, she mused aloud, "I guess not… Did your uncle drop you off too?"
"No."
"Then -"
"I was born here, okay?" he snapped again, his eyebrows twitching upwards and together ever-so-slightly.
Domino gasped, "You've lived here your whole life?"
"Ten miserable years," he spat.
Tom applying a derivative of the word 'misery' to something other than his personal aspirations for his enemies was truly a wonder to behold. Of course, as usual, Domino felt that his choice of wording was perfect and precise… Living at Wool's Orphanage was grim enough when you had already known something better, but she could only imagine the misery that accompanied being denied anything better for your entire, young life. In retrospect now, his angst seemed perfectly understandable…
"Maybe that's how you got your powers," she exclaimed suddenly, perking up as she finally recognized the familiar pattern hidden in his tale.
"Pardon?"
"Superheroes always have something really bad happen, so then they can be really good," she explained, hoping he'd at least read a few comics, "Like, Buck Rogers fought in the Great War and then got attacked by radioactive gas and then became a hero!"
Tom's brow furrowed, his eyes flitting about the flower beds as he pondered in silence. Finally, he threw himself back against the stone fountain with a huff and snatched up a twig from the grass.
"I haven't done anything like that," he said as he began twirling the twig in that cool swirly pattern he did, "And, all my mom did was die."
Domino crawled closer and leaned next to him. She watched in fascination as the sturdy twig he held wobbled and looped about his twirling fingers. Tom's brooding scowl lightened quite a bit as he caught sight of her entranced gaze.
"That's not all she did," Domino said firmly, "She had you, didn't she?"
Tom's lips twitched to the side, his mouth half-smiling then half-frowning as if it had come alive on his face and it wasn't quite sure what to do with itself.
"I guess," he said at last, when his mouth had finally settled into a tight-lipped, neutral position, "She didn't stick around though."
Domino leaned her head back against the fountain rim and stared up at the pale-blue sky. Sunshine illuminated the courtyard vegetation to a brilliant, healthy green, and only a few white wisps of cloud marred the otherwise unblemished, blue expanse - it was really quite a lovely day.
"Maybe she couldn't…" Domino mused aloud, her brow furrowing as she squinted against the sun's glimmer, "She must've been feeling really, really sick to die like that. But, she still made sure you were safe and had a name and everything first."
Tom laughed bitterly at her side, "If she was so great, she should've been able to save herself."
"Maybe she chose to save you instead," she said, perking up again as she thought of all the comics and radio shows that she'd enjoyed with Daddy, "That's what a superhero would do! What if she gave you your powers? What if she had to die to give you her powers?"
Daddy had been quite good at mathematics and all that mechanic stuff. Since it was just the two of them, sometimes she'd get to watch him work, and then he'd teach her things about machines. Maybe magical powers traveled in the same way that the electrical powers in those machines did.
"You are so dumb," said Tom, who never really seemed to be impressed by anything.
Ugh! Domino had heard plenty about her name being dumb, but she had never been accused of being unintelligent - well, not until she met Tom. Now, he'd practically given her a new name… Thus, she could only conclude that he was bitter and jealous - and probably umbrageous too, because he obviously couldn't keep up with her vocabulary.
After a firm Hmph to show she meant business, Domino tutted, "My daddy says that's the kind of thing people say when they're losing."
"I do not lose," growled Tom with one of his actually-angry glares.
She sighed. Sometimes Tom reminded her of one of those fancy peacocks at the zoo, strutting about with all of their feathers puffed out. Good grief, even Buck Rogers got tricked by the Martians - and he had a rocket gun, a jet pack, and command of an American gang!
"No one wins all the time," she said with a rather obligatory roll of the eyes.
"I will," he shot back instantly, jaw clenched as he hissed, "I'm not no one. Just look at all the things I can do."
Domino felt that his skills were somewhat besides the point. However, she'd come to realize that for some unfathomable reason, Tom thought he was bad.
And he says I'm dumb, she thought with an inward sigh and shake of the head.
Finally, with a soft smile, she said, "I know. You're special."
Tom's nose, mouth, and eyebrows all came alive this time, wiggling about in a confused, little dance. Finally, his features paused and held a dignified pose of reproach.
"Pardon?"
She scoffed, "I said you're special. Duh! Not everyone can be a superhero."
PLUNK!
"Ow!" Domino cried out, warm tears quickly pooling to the brims of her eyelids.
A small pebble had bounced off of her head and come to rest a few inches from her knee. She followed Tom's furious gaze to the far edge of the stone fountain. Then, Tom and Domino peered over the cracked stone rim together at two older boys, who were currently hunched over and snickering gleefully.
The beak-nosed, sandy-haired boy on the left turned and shouted, "Oy! 'Ats for burning Billy's house down, you freak."
"You can prove nothing," Tom replied icily, every syllable delivered as sharp and distinct as jagged glass.
"C'mon Riddle," laughed the taller, oafish looking boy on the right, "we all know it was you."
"Then, perhaps you should learn to aim, Dustin," he hissed at the beaky blonde, before turning his malevolent glare back to the oaf, "I think you'll find that when I throw things, like a stone or, say, a cigarette - I don't miss."
The two older boys shared a knowing glance, and two wide, crooked grins crept onto their respective faces. Beak-boy raised a hand he'd been holding below the fountain rim. He tossed a loose pebble into the air repeatedly and grinned as it clattered back down, ominously clinking against the other pebbles in his palm.
Then, with a wicked gleam in his eyes, he jabbed his chin once in Domino's direction and asked, "Who said we missed?"
For a long, terrible second the clinking of pebbles stopped, the jarring melody replaced by an unpleasant quiet.
PLUNK!
"Ow!" Domino whined again as a piercing pain hit her right cheekbone.
Her cheek was promptly washed by a warm stream of tears.
"Ya think you're all big and bad, but your little, girly friend ain't," sneered beak-boy as the oaf bent over, chortling into the fountain.
Ding Ding Ding Ding
The dinner bell rang and, despite the painful bumps forming on her head, Domino's mouth began to salivate like a well-trained dog. Mrs. Cole stood in the front doorway, ushering the orphans inside for their evening meal. Relief washed over Domino, headache and all - no one dared try anything with the matron around.
PLUNK!
"Ow!" Domino wailed.
"And 'ats what you get for hanging around with the freak," beak-boy jeered, before he and the oaf practically skipped through the front door.
Domino's teary eyes sought the matron and found only a cold stare and pursed lips. After a single glance at Tom, Mrs. Cole simply turned and walked away.
Domino Dewey was slender enough to hide behind curtains during hide-and-seek and not be seen, light enough to jump on a bed and leave only the slightest dent, and short enough to nap in an armchair with her baby blanket. Unfortunately, she was also slender enough for shoves and punches to bruise right to the bone, light enough for bullies to heave and push and throw every which way, and short enough to prevent her from ever retrieving her stolen food or toys when held overhead.
It was only halfway through her first week of public friendship with Tom Riddle, and already her life had become near constant shunning and torment. What's worse was Tom had practically abandoned her as well - if not physically, then at least in spirit.
At mealtimes, bullies would lurk about the long picnic tables like vultures circling a carcass. Every time she sat next to Tom they'd pounce, taunting and tugging and grabbing at her food. And, the entire time, Tom would just sit there, silently glaring at his own plate or straight ahead at the wall. They never touched him, but he never lifted a finger to help.
Furthermore, Mrs. Cole and the adults were useless. No matter how much Domino pleaded, the matron would just tut and say Guess it's all part of the sacrifice! or It comes with the territory! as she glared at Tom and sniffed.
One night, as Domino lay crying in her bunk, Amy Bishop finally took pity on her "new-ish" roommate. She offered Domino a raggedy doll to cuddle, as well as a few harsh words of advice.
"Tom isn't worth any of this, Domino. He's not even nice. Dustin and Bobby say you're actually kind of nice and stuff," she chirped cheerfully as she brushed her golden locks with a doll comb, "Just stop playing with the freak, and you can be one of us again."
"Well, I don't think Dustin and Bobby are very nice either," Domino spat between sobs, "No one here is nice."
"Oh, I'm not nice, huh?" Amy said, jumping up and prancing over, her hands on her hips.
She launched her bare feet into their third roommate's face as she leapt onto the lower mattress and reached for Domino's bunk. With a sharp tug, she snatched her doll away from Domino. Then, after jumping down, Amy tossed the doll back into her personal toy box and spun around, her nose upturned.
"Don't be a freak - no one likes a freak, Domino. If you play with the freak, you're going to be treated like a freak."
Domino promptly buried her face in her pillow and cried herself to sleep.
The noisy dining hall was filled with raucous chatter and the clinking of cheap utensils against cheap plates. It was only breakfast, but already several older boys and girls were eyeing Domino hungrily, eager to return for another helping of their favorite prey. Domino's eyes were still puffy and red after a night filled with sobs, and her weakness beckoned to the bullies, like fresh meat to a pack of wolves.
"Why aren't you doing anything about this, Tom?!" Domino whispered angrily to the boy at her side, "I thought we were friends!"
"And, whatever gave you that impression?" he answered coolly, not sparing a single glance in her direction.
"Are you kidding me? We're a team," she mumbled, her voice breaking, "What about our plans? And, and… the snake… and the training -"
"Keep it down, Domino," Tom snapped as he glared at one bully who seemed far too interested in his food, "Your crying only encourages them. And, I already told you - I don't have friends."
"But, but, you're a superhero!" stammered Domino, her lower lip trembling as she fought back more tears, "You have powers… you're supposed to stop bad people!"
"I fail to see how any of this," he said, glaring around at Domino's personal pack of vultures, "is my problem."
Tom was neatly slicing and ordering the already-meager meal portions into even smaller parts. Domino scowled at the mean, little boy's hand, wishing more than ever that she possessed his powers. Then, she would burn that fork in his hand and force him to turn around and look at her.
"You're a coward, Tom Riddle," she spat, her voice warbling with the pain of an incoming sob.
Tom's fork abruptly dropped and clattered against his plate. Finally, he had stopped his staring around the room.
"Watch it, Domino," he hissed, trapping her in his steely gaze, "Last I checked, you're running rather short on friends."
Domino sniffed, "You just said I wasn't your friend, Tom!"
With an exaggerated sigh, Tom sat back and steepled his hands over his plate. His face wore a rather bored expression.
Slowly he asked, "And, what exactly are you expecting me to do?"
Domino stared at her empty plate. She had barely eaten half of it - the bullies had been too quick.
"I don't know! They're your powers!" she whined in desperation, "You've obviously been taking care of yourself…"
"Why are you still here?" he asked suddenly.
"What?"
Tom sighed, before explaining, "I'm sure it's clear to you by now that they're harassing you because of me. So, why are you still here?"
Domino furrowed her brow and clarified, "You mean, why am I still your friend?"
"Yes, Domino," he sighed again, before adding bitterly, "The simple solution to this whole problem is for you to denounce me and go return to your merry, little friends."
"They're not my friends!" she growled immediately.
"Oh?"
"No! I'm not friends with bullies," Domino declared, fixing Tom with a look of stubborn determination, "You're my friend, Tom, and you're just going to have to deal with it."
This bullying situation had become a completely unnecessary and unacceptable inconvenience. Firstly, Tom had already banned Domino from visiting his pet snake - it was simply too much of a risk with her trailing bullies everywhere she went. Secondly, all those tears of hers were muddying up his secret list pages. Thirdly, his schedule was already plenty full with all of their training and scheming - there was simply no room for therapy sessions. Just the other day she'd even attempted a hug… Indeed, something had to be done.
Of course, Tom didn't buy the girl's "friendship" story for an instant. No, she was cruelly manipulating him, he was cruelly manipulating her, and that was just how life worked. However, these idiotic bullies were now standing in the way of their mutual manipulations - and no one interfered with Tom Riddle's plans and manipulations.
Tom narrowed his eyes, furrowed his brow, and focused on the bully ringleader, Dustin. However, after a full ten seconds of his strained glaring, the bully cohort continued their rowdy approach. Nothing had happened - again.
He'd been trying all week, seething and glaring and fuming, but his powers just weren't working - it had to be Domino's fault. Tom only experienced these issues after Domino showed up and instituted those ridiculous training sessions. Sure, his powers had been difficult to predict and control before, but they'd always kicked in when he was in danger. Now, thanks to Domino, he'd been forced to sit and watch as the likes of Dustin and Dennis and Bobby pushed his… follower around.
Ugh, Dustin, that beak-nosed, bird-brained idiot, was at it again!
"Domino! That sounds like a name for a dog, not an itty-bitty girl. Come here, Domino! Come here, girl! Woof woof!"
All around the courtyard people started woofing as Dustin shoved Domino onto the ground. Tom's follower had been resisting admirably, but as she skid across the pavement, red scrapes ripped along her palms, and a steady stream of her tears descended at last.
She was just so dumb! Any smart person would've left. Any reasonable person would've just renounced the "freak." Where was her survival instinct? Why did she have to be so weak?
"Freak! Freak! Freak! Freak!" the completely unimaginative bullies had begun to chant.
Tom's anger was boiling over, something dark and hot and ugly bubbling beneath his skin. All of his life people had been taking. All of his life people had been casting him aside. And, if they thought they could take the one stupid, weak, little, freak that hadn't left yet, well… Tom Riddle was going to "deal with it."
A beautiful symphony of screams erupted from Dustin and his collaborators. Their warbling wails resonated through the courtyard in harmony, like the perfect hum of several well-oiled bows grating against their respective violin strings. Tom was their conductor, plucking at his instruments' pathetic nerves, guiding them with the energetic thrum of his secret power.
Yes, he was vaguely aware of the five boys' bodies contorting before him, hopelessly scraping their limbs along the rough cement as they writhed in agony. However, he didn't allow his impromptu concerto to draw to close until he felt himself wrapped in a warm, suffocating, repulsive embrace.
Much too soon, the bullies' screams quieted, replaced by a chorus of frantic panting. Pure terror was etched across each and every face as the panicked boys scrambled away from Tom. Finally, this neutered wolf pack turned and fled, their metaphorical tails drooping between their legs.
Of course, as soon as one threat was effectively dealt with, a far more terrifying menace presented itself…
Tom stood paralyzed, rigid as a board. Domino's arms were wrapping his torso tightly, constricting him with such a powerful grip that it was sure to make the grass snake jealous.
"Domino! Release me!" Tom gasped.
But, the sniffling girl promptly ignored him, as well as the pressure on her scraped-up palms, and nuzzled in closer. His neck and cheek were now cool and wet where Domino's teary face had wiped along his skin.
"Tom! You saved me!" she murmured against his shoulder, praise pouring into every note, "See, you are a superhero!"