𝕬 𝕯𝖆𝖗𝖐 𝕷𝖔𝖗𝖉 𝖎𝖘 𝕭𝖔𝖗𝖓 | 𝑇𝑜𝑚 𝑅𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 |

Chapter 2- The Incriminating Incident

"My god—What's wrong with her?" Tom thought, bitterly, as he shoveled a lumpy spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth. He was seated at breakfast, busy complaining to the only person with any sense around this wretched place: Himself. Unfortunately, he was finding it difficult to complain about his problems with only himself to sympathize and listen. What was the point of complaining without someone else there to absorb all this pent-up aggression and frustration he had? This would've been a rare moment every once in a blue moon that he wished he had friends to console him. While currently there was a rare applicant who wanted to be in such a position, Tom refused to accept her. He would not yield to the strange one's advances towards him.

It had been exactly one week since the arrival of the new girl, Frankie Dickson. Tom had gone through the extra effort of stealing her file from Mrs. Cole's office, trying to get more information on her, and unfortunately her last name was pretty much all that he discovered. That insufferable girl was the only thing that consumed his mind and occupied his thoughts. Not because he had come to like her in anyway, but because she was still foolishly attempting to try and befriend him. She was mental. No matter how many times the other girls had tried to warn her of his wicked deeds and pull her back to safety and sanity, she just kept springing back to him like an elastic hairband. She had some kind of sickly desperation to be his friend. Tom really wanted to know exactly what her deal was. Why did she want to be his friend so badly? He was an evil demon, poorly disguised as a young boy. A demon that easily could've cursed her to "fall" down a flight of stairs if he really wanted too. Why could she not seem to comprehend that? Did he honestly look like he was desperate for companionship? He would've asked her some of these burning questions and tell her off once and for all. However, at this point, it probably wouldn't do him any good. Since she was still following him around after a whole week of his cold neglect, she seemed to be the obstinate, headstrong type of girl that didn't easily cry no matter how cruel you were to her. Besides, initiating anymore conversation other than simple one-worded answers, would probably just provoke her affections more and he couldn't have that.

"I suppose, if I use my powers on her, she'll finally leave me alone..."

He had decided not to try and curse her, until he discovered precisely what made her so peculiar. However, her grace period was over. It was time to end this nonsense and restore order to the orphanage. Tom got up from the kitchen table, after mindlessly consuming the food that had been in front of him. Normally, he didn't eat. There usually wasn't much to begin with and what they could manage couldn't be considered the most appetizing of meals. He didn't have cravings or favorites. Tom ate just enough to keep himself living. However, that girl had distracted him so much he just wasn't thinking about the fact he was properly eating for once. He'd actually managed to get somewhat full in his stupid daze. Tom grabbed his book off the table and started to walk towards his usual corner spot, pondering this unfamiliar feeling in his stomach. Despite Tom's machinelike tendencies for constant vigilance, he was surprisingly unaware that he was being followed to the playroom. He'd only noticed, after he completely settled down in the corner, that Frankie was staring down at him. He mentally recoiled in shock, however, his expression managed to remain cool and composed.

"What is that book you're always reading, Tom?" Frankie inquired, trying to catch some of the words right out of his hand.

"Nothing of interest." Tom sighed, turning the book, and covering it with his arm, to try and conceal the words from her.

"Then, why do you bother to read it?" she asked, curiously. Tom remained silent. He didn't really have an answer for a question like that. Why did he read it? Well, why did she need to know so badly? Why was she doing this? He had absolutely no intention of being friends with her. She may have been somewhat different from the rest of the dumb, idiotic orphans around here, but she certainly wasn't different like him. He had these powers that someone like her could never even dream to understand. Perhaps, now was the perfect time to demonstrate his superior abilities, while also getting her off his back for good. Once he made her into another one of his victims, she would no longer try so desperately to be his friend. She would leave him alone, like everyone else did, and he could continue to live his painfully short life out in peace. Besides, it would be lovely to see the abnormally cheery girl in tears, as he set her long hair ablaze. One other thing Tom had learned from Frankie's file was that her entire house was burned in a fire and her parents had perished with it. He'd bet anything, if he had anything to bet in the first place, that she was afraid of fire. Tom focused his powers. It wasn't that hard. He'd gotten a lot of practice from torturing the other orphans that lived there, after all.