The Descent

A very special talent

Chapter 1 - A very special talent

“Tom! Thomas!” Mrs. Cole screamed up the stairs, “down here now!”

Tom groaned. He hated the orphanage, he hated chores and most of all he hated his name. ‘Tom’ he thought, playing with the name in his head, ‘Tom’. It was just so common. Around half the boys in the orphanage shared his name and he did not like sharing things. Now his middle name ‘Marvolo’ was much better. It was unique, one of a kind, just like him. He sneered. Everyone refused to call him Marvolo. They didn’t like it. They didn’t like things that were unusual and different.

“Tom”, a young boys head poked around the door of Tom’s room “Mrs. Cole says if you don’t come down and do your chores, you’re not allowed tea or pudding” he gave this speech as if no tea was the worst punishment imaginable. Tom on the other hand, turned his head slowly to the door and glared. The boy quickly retreated.

Tom deciding he had pushed his luck far enough stretched and stood up, stowing the box he had been rummaging in neatly in the wardrobe. Tom was tall for a 10 year old. He had pale creamy skin, smooth jet black hair and dark eyes. Many would consider him good looking if it were not for the permanent scowl across his face.

The old wooden floors creaked as he crossed them and made his way slowly down the large staircase.

“There you are” Mrs. Cole sighed as Tom appeared in the hallway “your chore today is to scrub the floor in the dining room” Toms scowl worsened as he walked towards the dining room. As he walked in a few of the orphans doing small, menial, and in Tom's eyes, worthless jobs, looked around. Tom could make out looks of alarm on some of their faces. These were the new kids. The older ones had learned to wear a mask of indifference whenever Tom walked into a room, some were better at it than others. 

"Oi Sam!" shouted Tom. One of the children who had turned around as Riddle had entered stiffened. "Come over here". 

Sam reluctantly made his way over to Tom, stopping a few paces away. "Watch what I can do" said Riddle, his scowl transforming into a rare smile. Sam silently noted he liked Toms smile much less than his scowl. It seemed to him almost unnatural, not to mention menacing.

Tom beckoned Sam closer. His smile widening he closed his eyes. At first nothing happened but then, with a gasp, Sam pointed at the bucket for washing the floor. Other orphans noticing what was going on started muttering to themselves or edging their way to get a closer look.

Tom, loving the attention boasted, "I can do better". More gasps followed as the water in the bucket, which had previously only been swirling in small patterns, began to jump and splash about however not one drop wetted the dirty floor. 

Tom's smile widening repeated, "I can do better". While his face screwed up in concentration, the water in the bucket suddenly stopped moving. At this point Sam's eyes widened in fear. 

"Stop it" he cried, "what are you doing?" As the children started to realise what was happening and running towards the door, Sam made a noise of defeat and threw up on the floor, where the contents continued to twitch and swirl. Laughing Tom quickly made his way out of the room to the shouts and screams of those who had witnessed what had just happened. 

“See” thought Tom. “I am special” For as long as he could remember, Tom had been told he was no different to any of the other orphans, no matter what strange things happened in his presence so why should he be given special treatment? “But their wrong” Tom continued to mull over in his mind, “That was no accident. I definitely made that happen”. Deep in thought Riddle walked straight into Mrs. Cole down the corridor on the way to the kitchen.  

“What on earth has been going on? I swear there was a commotion where you just were” she accused, “care to explain?”

At this Tom smiled sweetly, “Well Miss Cole you see I had just finished washing the floor when poor little Sam didn’t feel very well. You know how it is with new children here, maybe he’s homesick, I don’t know, but he was certainly sick. The other children are so immature and instead of helping him they screamed, can you imagine that?”

Miss Cole made a noise as if to say she could not imagine that but in her hurry to see what really happened she left Tom alone. Immediately his sweet smile returned to its usual scowl as he carried on, stopping at a thick wooden door at the end of the plain corridor. 

Creaking, the door slowly opened to Tom's hard shove. Quickly taking an apple from the fruit bowl on the side Tom left the kitchen and darted up to his room. 

                                                                                      *  *  *

THUD, THUD, THUD. Toms dreamless sleep was interrupted by the loud footstps of someone walking along the corridor. Curoius, Tom sat up to a knock at his door. 

"Come in" Tom murmured sweetly.

With a creak the door slowly opened to reveal a small, stocky boy with strwaberry blonde hair and almond shaped eyes.

"Hello" the Boy stammered. Recognising him as Sams brother, Billy, Tom scowled. Faltering, Billy carried on, "I'm here to ask you something." 

"Go on" Encouraged Tom

"Well, I'm really here on behalf of my brother, you see, what happened today, you know, down in the dining hall, everyone thinks you did that, I don't know how, but I think they're right, and I want you to stop bullying poor little Sam" Billy said this last part more confidently as he stared Tom in the eye.

Smiling Tom remarked "Are you telling me what to do?"

"Yes, I suppose I am" Replied Billy

"I don't like people telling me what to do" said Tom, his smile widening. 

Billy started to back away and as soon as he was over the threshold and into the corridor Toms eyes flashed as the door slammed shut on Billys worried face.

Please tell me what you think. I'll finish this part and add many others as quickly as possible (they're still works in progress) so if you give me feedback that would be helpful. Thanks :) P.S please vote and follow - it will make me SO happy! :D