The young girl’s eyes flickered with a look that could be considered apprehension- Orillia’s parents certainly could not be alive, she had seen them die with her own young eyes! Her voice, barely used, quivered quietly, “That is impossible, Adeline, and I don’t appreciate such silliness- you’re almost an adult too!” She scolded her quietly, wagging a tiny finger at the much taller girl. It was drilled into the children every Sunday for an hour that they should not be tolerating any silliness, but of course that went straight over the heads of most children, however Orillia made sure she followed the rules of the House, since she was always worried about being turned in for who knows what.

“No, no Orillia,” said Adeline, who by now had made her way over to Orillia’s small bed, sitting on the opposite side from where Orillia now stood and she gestured for her to sit down. “Listen here, I overheard some Parents chattering away at the Table.” Orillia let out a faint gasp, her shoulders rising- it was almost the worst crime to eavesdrop on the Parents talking- and at the Table too! Adeline let out a hiss, attempting to quiet the girl who was quite clearly baffled that someone would commit such a crime. “Come on Orillia- you have to listen! Anyways, I heard the Parents talking about how a letter came in the mail today saying that ‘Experiment 182 is officially over’, whatever that means. Anyways, so they were just muttering about whatever the experiment was, you see, and then they said,” Adeline leaned into Orillia, coming close to her ear, a smile forming on her face, “they said that the children would be able to go home! Orillia, don’t you see? Going home must mean that our parents aren’t dead!” By now Adeline was almost bursting with happiness; however Orillia still remained stoic and undeterred. Orillia crossed her arms and let out a small huff. “Adeline,” she said, a voice filled with contempt, “That’s impossible. We both know it- we both saw our family die, get over it, okay? Whatever experiment it is is probably of no importance, and it is impossible that our parents are elsewhere, okay?” Her words came out graceful and practiced, the large words meeting no match for her two years of speaking lessons.

Adeline rolled her eyes. “Fine, if you won’t believe me then I won’t tell you the rest of what I heard,” she said, folding her arms across her chest with an air of superiority. At that, Orillia squinted her eyes- what else could Adeline have possibly heard during her crime-doings? “Fine then. You don’t need to tell me anything Adeline. But you’ve already told me half and if I were to go to the Parents to bring you in I certainly would not want to say that I only heard half of it.” Adeline’s eyes flickered with fear. “You wouldn’t, Orillia.”

“Well, maybe I would, Adeline. After all, eavesdropping and then telling me! You should be ashamed of yourself!” Adeline let out a long breath. “Whatever Orillia. Would you like me to tell you what else they said?” Orillia’s eyes flickered with a feeling she had not experienced since before her parents died almost two, maybe three years ago, when it was still allowed and when she, only a mere two, began her school lessons, as it was mandatory for all children who were already developed to attend school. The flicker was of curiosity, though she dare not admit it to anyone for it was almost as bad a crime as eavesdropping on the Parents. Orillia let out a small nod and a nonchalant shrug, as if it was no large deal that she was conspiring with a felon.  Adeline leaned in even closer than she was already, so that she was right up to Orillia’s small and round face. She said in barely a whisper, “They also said that even though we were allowed to go home to our supposed families, they said that there were a few who the Government still wanted. They could be spies, or detectives! Who knows, whoever the kids are that the Government wants must be very special, right? I hope I’m one of them.” With that, Adeline flopped backwards on Orillia’s bed, arms spread wide and a wistful smile playing on her face. Orillia, however, still remain unperturbed, it being very much an anticlimax after being so curious. She rolled her eyes. “Adeline, you are quite dim so very often. You can’t possibly imagine that the kids who are supposedly going to the Government will be treated well, right? Most likely they’ll be experiments, like whatever experiment you say this is, or more probable they’ll get killed. It’s not that hard to understand, Adeline.”

Adeline sat up, her face contorted into a mix of anger and annoyance. “You know what Orillia? Fine. Go on and think this isn’t something to be excited about. I don’t care. You are such a hope-crusher, always following the rules and never having any fun. Jesus, you are so afraid of being turned in you don’t even realize we may already be ‘in’; this place may be where they take the children! You don’t know what’s happening out there! Our parents could damn well be alive, for all you know! You were only two when it happened- maybe our memories were changed. But you know what, if anyone had to go to the Government I hope it would be me so that I don’t have to be in this House all day long with you and everyone else pestering and being quiet. You all are so boring- I bet you don’t even remember before the war- not that I can but I’ve certainly heard the rumors. You all in this House all day, everyone afraid, it’s so stupid!” Adeline almost shouted, though instinctively she kept her voice to the maximum limit, which was a normal talking voice. Rage was flooded through her, and she stood up and stormed out of the room, the door closing with a loud bam.

Orillia still sat on the edge of her bed, her tiny fingers fiddling, her eyes downcast into her lap, where she was very clearly pondering over the situation at hand. After a moment of thinking, she lay down on her bed with her face to the plastered ceiling and closed her eyes- she had made up her mind on the matter.

It was impossible that her parents were alive. And if she was to go to the Government she did not care at all.

If only she was not fooling herself.

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Ahaha, look at this update here- don't you love vacations?