Evelyn looked down at the young child before her and said, "Hey, brat. What's your name?"
"I-It's Vaelis…" he replied, his voice tinged with fear.
Evelyn opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, the signal for breakfast rang out. Both Vaelis and Evelyn rose in silence and walked over to receive their food—synthpaste.
Returning to their seats, they ate with slight disgust evident on their faces, a sentiment shared by every child in the cafeteria. Not that they could afford to complain—this was the outskirts. They were lucky to have an orphanage to live in at all.
Evelyn glanced at Vaelis as if she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself and simply continued eating.
The rest of the day passed as usual. The children were largely left to their own devices, with meals provided only at breakfast and dinner.
Later that evening, an older individual with brown hair and plain brown eyes—nothing particularly remarkable about him—entered the communal bedroom, which housed around twenty-five bunk beds.
"Vaelis, the Headmaster wants to see you."
Vaelis didn't respond, but he quietly stood up and followed the older man. Their footsteps echoed through the concrete hallways, accompanied by the soft hum of… something. 'What makes that hum again? I forgot the name… Maybe Sister knows.'
After a long walk, he was led into a room containing five chairs. Four were unoccupied. Vaelis hesitated before sitting in the first chair, fidgeting with his thumbs while the older man across from him stared, as if evaluating him. The man who had escorted him had already left. The room itself was bare, with only the chairs, a desk, and a drawer in the back right corner.
Minutes passed in silence before the man finally spoke. "Vaelis, do you know why you're here?" His voice carried an unusual gentleness.
"N-No… S-Should I know?" Vaelis stammered.
The older man didn't answer directly. Instead, he said, "A family has expressed interest in adopting you. I've arranged a meeting for you to meet them tomorrow at 3:00 a.m. Please be in this room at that time."
"O-Okay, sir…" Vaelis's voice wavered with uncertainty before he hesitantly asked, "Will my sister be adopted too?"
The man responded almost immediately. "As far as I'm aware, yes—so long as you present a… favorable attitude."
Vaelis hesitated before asking, "Is there anything special I need to do, Headmaster? To make them like me?"
Once again, the man ignored the question. Instead, he simply said, "You may leave now." It sounded more like an order than a suggestion.
Vaelis didn't waste time. He got up and returned to the communal bedroom, walking over to his sister's bunk. She was still asleep. Gently, he shook her shoulder, stirring her awake. Slowly, she opened her eyes, groggily looking up at him.
She parted her lips to speak, but Vaelis inadvertently cut her off. "Sister, the Headmaster told me that a family is considering adopting us… I know you don't like the idea, but please, be nice to them. I don't want to stay on the outskirts… It's scary here, and I don't wan—"
His voice trembled with worry, fear seeping into his words.
His sister interrupted him, "Vaelis, I'm not going to do anything. It's just… don't you think it's strange? Our family died in America. I know you're scared…"
She sat up and pulled him into a hug. "Everything will be fine. I'll be fine. And I'll act fine. Trust me."
Vaelis felt his muscles relax, as if his worry was melting away into her embrace.
"It's just… I'm scared. You won't die too, right?" His voice was still laden with worry, though softer now.
She gently reassured him, "Of course not. I promise."
"Okay, Sister… I believe you. Th-Thank you." His words were quiet, but he leaned further into her embrace, seeking comfort.
****
I'm back with more. I still don't know how long this fanfiction will last. Also, I've completely forgotten what makes that soft humming sound in the background, so if anyone knows, I'd love to hear it.