30 Details (2)

While Silas Fidi and Asha Claire were busy with their experiments, 373's morning had continued as usual. She had managed to tuck herself in her bed without anyone noticing her. And by the time their morning roll-call began, she was already safely in her bed with her eyes closed shut.

When she went inside the classroom that day, 373 noticed that a good number of gazes were on her. The little female didn't enjoy the attention. The stares of admiration, jealousy and curiosity used to be aimed at Zain Amina. But now, the dark-haired girl was gone. Her chair was empty and was probably going to be filled by someone knew. As the little female's brown eyes skimmed through the room and fell on Zain Amina's seat, 373 remembered the brown-eyed girl's request. The small girl took a deep breath as she replayed Zain Amina's words in her head.

'Just let them know. And let them choose by themselves if they want to stay in Elisium, or if they want to risk their lives for a chance to live.'

Doing what Zain Amina asked of her was dangerous. If a single person decided to rat on her and tell the adults in Elisium, 373 was sure that she wasn't getting out of that situation alive. But what was she supposed to do? She didn't have full control of her Talent so using her talent was out of the options. Should she just do what Leon suggested and give her class a tour of Elisium's laboratories? Would she even find the opportunity to do so?

Their teacher for the day came in while 373 was busy thinking. The male instructor looked at her from behind the teacher's desk and cleared his throat to get the children's attention. 373 snapped out from her reverie and stared at their teacher. Even before the man had opened his mouth, 373 already figured out what he was going to say with her Talent. Her body tensed as she waited for the adult to make his announcement. When he did, her blood ran cold and her body turned visibly stiffer with every syllable that left his lips.

"373! After much deliberation, all the teachers and staff of Elisium have decided that you are eligible for the Sanctuary!"

The students clapped their hands. Some students stared at her in envy. Others looked at her with joy in their faces. 373 stood up while the adult was still in the middle of his explanation. And with the loudest voice that she could muster, she said, "I decline."

"I bet you're actually excited- What?", their teacher stopped talking mid-sentence. The man's eyes widened in shock and the entire room fell into silence. The teacher obviously didn't expect this to happen. Not a single child had refused a chance to go to Elisium Sanctuary. What exactly was 373 doing? Was she doing this to get attention? Or was she doing this as a gimmick, to make people laugh? Well it sure as hell wasn't funny!

One of the researchers had placed a bet on the betting pool that 373 was going to the Sanctuary today. He had been promised a cut if he helped in making it happen. But this little brat was actually making things difficult for him? The nerve!

The male hid his irritation. He cleared his throat and put on a troubled yet understanding look on his face. "Oh, but why? It's the greatest achievement for someone in Elisium."

373's gaze stayed unenthusiastic. "I decline."

"Could it be you're just joking?"

"No, I decline." The girl repeated.

The man loosened his collar and gave out a nervous laugh. "Can I at least know the reason why you're declining? Don't you want to go to the sanctuary?"

"I don't want to go." 373 gave him a pointed look which only made the adult man even angrier.

By now, the students around them had started whispering amongst themselves. The adult male took a long breath and flashed the little girl a smile which looked as fake as his hair. "But why?"

"Because…," 373 mimicked his actions and took a deep breath. Her obsidian orbs turned cold and resolute.

"I don't want to die."

The words made the man freeze. He glared at the small female and expected 373 to cower at his gaze. But the girl was unfazed. Her eyes stared at him with equal intensity. Her lips moved and the words that left the girls lips made the adult's heart hammer in his chest while throwing the entire room into chaos.

"Zain Amina is dead. Everyone who was sent to the Sanctuary is dead. Elisium isn't heaven and we're nothing but lab rats they want to experiment on."

The Students around her panicked. They yelled at her and called her a liar. They called her names and jeered at her. The young girl's expression didn't change by much. But what she said next caught plunged their classroom into silence.

She pointed to their teacher. "If I'm lying, then why is his face like that?"

The children all gasped as they stared at their teacher. The adult's face was ugly and was completely contorted in anger. His gaze was dark. He took long strides towards 373 and pushed away the tables and chairs that stood in his way. "You! Come here!"

Sharp screeching echoed in the room. Metal scrapped against the floor. The man made a move to grab her arm. But the moment his hand landed on her skin, the his body turned limp and slammed into a table as he crashed to floor. The girl tyrannically flipped him over, reinforced the somnum diu spell she had cast on the man, and proceeded to drag him to the desk and set him up on his chair so he looked like he had fallen asleep on his desk.

"You! You're lying, aren't you?" Gabriel Fernandez stood, his chair making a screeching sound as it scraped on the tiled floor. "Zain Amina was the strongest person in this room. There's no way that she's dead!"

The children voiced their agreement and 373 understood that they didn't believe her. Her black orbs sought out Gabriel Fernandez and a thought occurred to her. She couldn't cast adicio and celare on ten people…

… but she could cast it on herself and one other unlucky person.

She made her way to him slowly and grabbed his wrist. A hint of a mischievous smile was on her lips. "If you saw things for yourself, you'd probably believe it, right?"

The round boy couldn't voice his opinion as 373 suddenly cast a spell and they disappeared from the room. When they returned a few moments later, the color from Gabriel Fernandez's face had all but disappeared. He looked nauseous and every bit sick. The second they returned, the boy's knees gave way. He collapsed on the floor, his eyes wide and his shoulders shaking. Their classmates crowded around him and he looked up to meet their gazes. His voice was cracking and trembling like his body.

The only thing he could say was, "It-…. it's all true."

The children looked at him, then at 373. A few of their classmates fell on to the floor like Gabriel Fernandez but a good number still looked unconvinced. The small brown-haired girl looked at the time and pointed at one of the children whom she knew was good at spells. She gestured at their teacher who was still knocked out on his desk and told the kid she had picked to keep the man asleep.

373 took a deep breath and gathered her wits. She couldn't help but think that she should have done this sooner. She met each questioning gaze in the room. Although their eyes were clouded with fear and uncertainty, flames danced beneath the clouds and were ready to set the world on fire.

The girl with brown hair nodded once. With her hands on her hips she asked, "Who's next?"