FORSAKEN CHILDREN

CHAPTER 5

    The search was long and yielding no results for the moment. Camil glanced over to see Hector burying his head in his arms. In the movement, he caught a whiff of mold now integrated into his sweater. He pulled up the collar of his V-neck to better protect his nose from the smell teasing his nostrils.

"Come on now," Rosalynd gently stroked Hector's hair, "I've known you to be more enthusiastic about reading books before."

"In a good armchair, with tea."

"That's true, but you know... It's been a while since I've felt this sense of curiosity. It's somewhat exciting."

"And since when do you enjoy venturing out?"

He was going to be defensive.

"I... I'm not alone, you're with me, it's more reassuring."

Camil continued to flip through the pages, although he was listening to everything. The book was almost falling apart, he was really handling it with care. His neck was sore from reading. He then alternated his position by propping the book on his leg, which he folded over the second.

"Yes, but we'll pay dearly if the Director finds out why we're here. Who's to say they're not setting a trap for us out there?"

Hadn't they paid any attention to what was going on?

"They haven't been outside for a while now," Camil casually remarked, his book resting on his leg folded over the second.

"Excuse me?"

"Mh?"

"Wait," Hector immediately sat up, removing both the redhead's hand and her chair, which was now overturned. "You're going to tell me they've left and you didn't think to tell us?" He glanced towards the closed main entrance, then back at Camil.

"You thought they were just quietly outside, did you?" Camil had a slight smirk.

"And that doesn't worry you?"

"We have the right to read here."

"Hector's not wrong, and what if they say something accusing us..." Rosalynd was twisting a lock of her hair, as she usually did when she was stressed.

"As if they would believe them..."

"FOR TWO DAYS," a voice outside the library shouted, coming closer to the open door, "And it will be under MY supervision, because there is NO WAY you are adding your bacteria to a place of study!"

That voice. Eugène. Why was he talking about bacteria? He knew he was a neat freak, but consulting simple books wasn't that bad. Camil diverted his attention from the paper to see the door slammed against the wall, revealing Eugène extremely agitated, followed closely by Alexandra and Pierce.

Alexandra?

"HA, look! You can't take an example from others, huh? You wait here, QUIETLY, until I bring something for you to scrub this floor until it shines."

This constant tension certainly explained how his white hair had appeared.

"Don't forget to bring them a hairnet, sir!" Hector exclaimed before bursting into his characteristic aristocratic laughter.

"Yes, yes! You are absolutely right!" responded the deputy headmaster as he left.

Pierce slammed the door shut behind him, leaning against it and repeatedly banging his head.

"How many days do you think I can hold the door shut before he comes back in?" he whispered to Alexandra.

"Until Hector finds a way to help, I suppose," Alexandra replied, perching on the edge of a table.