Silvertongue

It was a dark night. There's neither sign of the moon nor the stars as little Jolene stared at the sky through the windows of the orphanage. She was sitting in the dining table beside the four other kids. In front of them are bowls of porridge for dinner, usual food but she wonders why the five of them had to eat separately, and be guarded by two men tonight. Lyndon, her best friend who has been sitting beside her discreetly held her hand and squeezed it so that she wouldn't be so afraid.

"Eat." One of the men behind them spoke.

The kids held their spoon to eat, all but one kid whose eyes gleamed purple.

"No way, this porridge is filled with too much poison. One spoonful of it is enough to kill me, I can't stand the smell of it! Let alone put it in my mouth!"

The two men was surprised, but maintained their composure, "What are you talking about kid? You're scaring the others!"

"Oh... but he is not lying." Another kid on the table murmured as it faced the men behind them, the two grown men was petrified seeing its flashy red eyes.

Due to panic, one of them brought out their guns and aimed at the little children, the other followed the latter.

"I don't want any more word. Just eat." They warned.

The boy who was sitting in the middle, finally faced the guards behind him. He looked at the men, who both aimed their guns at his face. He was silent as he remained staring at the guns. The men told him to face his food and eat, but instead he startled them as he touched both of the guns and it immediately withered like dry leaves.

"I think I broke it." He commented as he smiled at them with his fiery green eyes.

Unarmed, the guards took a few steps back at the kids as the five of them faced their direction.

The kid with red eyes giggled, "They are scared at us now." This gave the men more chills in their spine.

Jolene stood up and spoke, "Mister, don't be scared. We're just kids." Her voice was sweet and calming. Suddenly, her eyes light up and turned silver, "Everyone stand up. Let's give the seat to the misters because they will sit down." The four of them did not utter any sound as they followed little Jolene.

To the men's confusion, they can't help but to follow what she told them. They both sat down in front of the porridge.

"Thank you for preparing a meal for us, but I don't think we are hungry yet." Lyndon told them. The rest of the kids just watched, some are certain of what's going to happen, some are still innocent and clueless.

Lyndon's eyes turned silver as he leaned in the midst of them to whisper, "But I bet you are. Go on, you can have our foods, eat."

The guards followed what he said without argue. They ate several spoonful before they had seizure and their faces dropped dead on the table.

The kid with green eyes broke the silence, "They're... dead."

"Don't be sorry, they wanted to kill us anyway." the other kid consoled but its red eyes paints pity over the guards.

"If they want us dead, we have to run away here." Its determined purple eyes looked at each of them as they all agreed to his thought.

"We must escape the other guards; we need to think—"

"No time for that! There are guards coming here and they'll see them!" Lyndon exclaimed as he refers to the dead guards at the table. He held Jolene's hand, "Run!" he said as he began to run along with Jolene, the three others did not waste any time and followed him as well.

The incoming guards were puzzled to see little kids run together at this hour of the night. Not until they recognize which room did they came out from. They hurried to check the room and saw the dead men sitting on the dining table, with spoons still in their hands.

"Chase after those kids! Hurry!" one of the men ordered the others as he does the same.

When they realized they were being chased, the five of them hurried even more. They have finally reached the gate outside the orphanage; the orphanage was hidden in the mountains so they all ran into the forest to go down to the city.

Lyndon halted as they were running away, he faced the little girl he was holding, "Jolene, I have to go back." the three other kids behind them stopped to wait as well.

Jolene worriedly held tight on Lyndon's hand, "No! Are you crazy?!"

"Van was left in the orphanage! If I leave him, they will kill him for sure!" Lyndon removed her hands to his, "I'll be right behind you all." He said as he returns back to the orphanage.

"Let's go!" the other kid's green eyes struck Jolene as she was grabbed to continue from running away. She did not want to run but she saw the guards running closer to them, she had no choice. She ran, but this time no one is holding her hand. Still, she ran as fast as she can. They all ran until they were almost out of their breath.

When they have gotten pretty far again, they all paused to catch their breath as the purple-eyed kid spoke, "We are so easy to track together, we should split up."

"But what if we get lost?"

"We won't. Just go down and down this mountain, I can track all of your scents, I will bring all of us together. Trust me."

"I agree. Let's just meet when we reach the city." Jolene seconded. She bravely stood up and pointed northeast, "I'll go here." She decided, the rest stood up as well and went to different directions.

Jolene continued walking alone in darkness, hoping that Lyndon would come. Now she wonders how Lyndon will be able to find her.

"Lyndon will find me... Lyndon will find me..." she kept murmuring those words hoping that it will come true just like what always happen.

However, she stopped when she heard a noise. Her heart pounded hard when she heard the noise get louder and she was able to see a man chasing after her. She ran as fast as her small legs can take her. She screamed when the man was able to hold her and lift her up. She struggled to get away but she can't.

"Steady little girl..." the man hushed her. She groaned in pain as he injects something to her. "Time to pipe down, I will bring you back to the lab, and you will tell us how you kids managed to escape."

Jolene felt dizzy, but she tries to fight back one last time, her eyes was back at being silver, "But you won't bring me there. L-leave me alone."

The next thing she knew is the pain when the man dropped her to the ground. The man walked away without a word as her sight went blur then dark.