My Last Chance [Made in Abyss Fanfiction]

10| Children of the Pit

After following Sciro for a few minutes, we turn down a side hall with fewer doors lining the walls, though these doors are wider and seem to open with actual handles instead of the wheels. Sciro heads to the second door on the right and opens it, and shock again strikes me when I hear the voices of children from inside the rather brightly-lit room.

"Mr. Sciro's back!" one child's voice exclaims happily.

"We thought ya left us!" another seems to pout.

Sciro awkwardly waves, shaking his head. "Yes, I'm back, and I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly! I needed to go help somebody since he fell down the stairs."

"Who fell down the stairs? Is it someone new?" With that, other various children's voices start speaking at once. I can make out five distinct voices, though it seems there are more, and I'm nothing but confused. Rayne pushes past me to go into the room as well, and a few of the voices call her name happily.

"I suppose you can say he's new? He's more of a visitor along with his mentor," Sciro says before looking out of the room and at me. I can only guess he's wondering if I would follow suit, and I hesitate. But as Iann enters and I find myself alone in the hall, I give in and head into the room.

Unlike the other rooms of Idofront, this room is decently large and circular in shape. Bright bulbs at the ceiling's center cast white light instead of deep yellow, and they illuminate a room with cushioned benches built into the walls. A rug covers the floor, one that's littered with wooden toys as well as paper and pencils, and even a couple of well-worn stuffed animals. About ten children between the ages of six and eleven with varying skin and hair colors sit around the room engaged in various activities, though they're now all focused on Sciro and Iann. As soon as I enter, however, all their gazes turn to me in mixed expressions of shock, interest, awe, and even concern.

"Oh, he's big!"

"He's taller than Mr. Sciro!"

"He's scary-looking..."

I can't help but grimace when I hear that last comment, and I aim my gaze more towards my feet. I should have been used to hearing things like that by now, but it still stings more than I wish it did.

"Be nice to him," Sciro says disapprovingly. "He just fell down the stairs, so he's not feeling his best. But I brought him here because he wanted to meet you all." Did I? I didn't even think there were any other children besides Iann until now! But before I can come up with a response, a boy around ten cautiously approaches me. A pair of thick glasses sits on the bridge of his nose, and he smiles when I glance up to meet his gaze.

"Y-you have glasses too, Mister." When faced with his cautious excitement, I can't help but smile a little as well. "How long have you had them?"

I push my glasses up the bridge of my nose. "Well... I've had them my whole life," I reply, and the boy's eyes widen.