"Hey big bro?"
Soren paused. He looked at the twelve year old girl trailing behind him,
"Yes?"
Marryanne caught up to Soren, panting, "do you think, Master Elric is gonna be here today?" She says, looking at Soren.
Soren thought for a moment, "he hasn't been here for a week, but we will see." He sighs.
Marryanne thoughts for a while then smirks, "aww darn" she dramatically sighed clutching her books to her chest, "I really wanted to make his white hair pink."
Soren sighs, "you did that to Cyrus and he sulked about it for two weeks."
Marryanne indifferently whistled, "well that's different, you know." There was a slight pout on her lips, "that's big bro Cyrus and that's Master Elric." she leaned in closer, playfully bending her back. "Besides I pulled that on Cyrus two years ago. So it doesn't count anymore."
Soren looked at the vibrant, doe green eyed little girl and sighed, "can I ever win an argument with you, Marry?" He smiled a little bit.
Marryanne chuckled, "in this lifetime?" She straightened her back, "nope."
"I thought so." Soren cracked his neck from side to side.
"Why are you clowns debating in the middle of the hallway?" Soren and Marryanne looked at the voice. Cyrus's hair looked messy and there were dark circles underneath his mismatched eyes.
"Big bro Cyrus." Marryanne grinned.
"Well it's kinda interesting debating in the hallway." Soren glanced back at Marryanne, "isn't it Marryanne?"
Marryanne just grinned at Soren.
Cyrus grumbled, "it's too early for this." He stretched his arms a little, "can't you two debate somewhere else?"
Soren and Marryanne glanced at each other, smirked, then looked back at Cyrus, "no, the hallway's more interesting to debate."
Cyrus sighs, if he argues more. The more his brain would explode out of sheer frustration. So he just stopped.
The three of them walked towards the class. They sat at their destined seats. The temple priest and Wizard, Elric, was absent for one whole week. It was really unusual for him to just bail on the orphans.
Fallin leaned over at Soren, "why is Master Elric absent?"
"I don't know," Soren opened his book, "he is a wizard, probably busy with stuff back in the temple."
Fallon nodded his head. He then sits back down. Cyrus sneered, "he probably doesn't wish to teach some orphans anymore."
"Sunshine," Soren scolded lightly, "don't say things like that. It's quite disrespectful."
"It's the truth after all." Cyrus scoffed, "that old wizard doesn't wanna waste his precious time on some unwholly orphans."
Soren sighed, he is used to this. But right now he doesn't wanna deal with Cyrus's disrespectfulness.
"Hey, the Matron's coming." Marryanne said as everyone who was talking to one another straightened their backs. Maryanne had memorised footsteps of different people in the orphanage and she is good at telling who they are by footsteps alone.
Surely after Marryanne had made the prediction the Matron came in. She was in her original clothing which makes her look like a nun or a really religious person who works for or takes care of saintesses and saints. She had a solemn look on her pretty face.
All the kids looked at her, it was unusual for the matron to come to the class unless something had happened. All the kids looked at her.
"Matron Nell?" One kid in the back spoke up.
"You kids must be wondering why I am here, standing before you, aren't you?" The Matron spoke.
All the kids answered in unison, "Yes Matron."
Soren felt very wrong. As if the air was suffocating him. Why was the Matron here? Why is she talking like that?
"With a heavy heart, I'm here to inform you that the temple went up in flames and there were NO survivors, my dear children."
An array of collective gasps filled the small room.
Marryanne's usual smug smirk drops.
Fallon stilled as if he was petrified.
The twins Raynold and Jayson stopped giggling and their yellow eyes widened.
Soren's breath hitched.
even the smart mouthed Cyrus was too stunned to speak.
"Does that mean, Master Elric…?" one of the twins, Ray spoke.
The Matron looked at the older white-haired twin, "yes," she answered with a heavy heart, "he is also no more."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Soren has suspicions that something is wrong with the Matron's story. He couldn't pin-point what. Siren had noticed that the Matron was acting differently, he noticed this a few months ago. The posture wasn't right, the smile too crooked to be true, eyes that looked like secrets were buried inside them, slithering like snakes. He had told his suspensions to Cyrus but he denied his suspicions.
The other kids were broken after hearing about Master Elric's death. But he feels like there's something more to the story that the Matron is finding from them. That's why he is standing behind a wall from where Matron Nell's office is visible. He hid himself well enough but flinched when he heard the creak of the door as the Matron stepped out holding a candle for light sauce.
Soren peaked at the Matron as she made her way down the hallway, passing down the rooms of the slumbering kids. Soren followed close behind her. It's stupid that he is even following the Matron. This is how people die in horror books.
Soren remembered Cyrus's words the same night before he decided to follow the Matron, "it's stupid as fuck." He had said, "why are you even suspicious of her?"
He took a deep breath as the Matron made her way down the stairs and towards the front door of the orphanage building. Soren trailed behind her as quietly as he could.
She went to the back of the orphanage where the stage where the kids had performed used to be. Into the trees. Soren followed behind her. Every step sent a dread through Soren's heart as if his guts were telling him to turn back.
He ignored his guts. He knows he shouldn't do that but his curiosity got the best of him. His eyes widened as the Matron went inside a cave. That cave looked nothing like the one Soren and Cyrus had spent a night in when they were searching for that herb. The cave looked like it was twisted into a sinister grin. Soren hesitated as he watched the Matron's light disappear inside the cave.
Soren swallowed his fear and ventured inside. Slowly. He made sure not to make a single beep of noise as he walked in. The inside was…
Empty.
There wasn't any sign of the Matron ever being inside this cave. It was dark and scary. Soren sighed, maybe he had dreamed the whole thing. Maybe he is still dreaming. He pinched himself hard. He bit tongue to suppress the sound because he definitely isn't dreaming. He was about to turn back to go back and sleep. He might have to show Cyrus this.
But then he heard from the back a sweet, deep voice. And it didn't sound like the Matron's.
"We meet again…" the voice whispered as if the person was standing chest to back behind Soren, he could feel the warm breath in his ear as he felt a shiver down his spine.
"Soren."