The three boys walked to the food buffet, each grabbing a tray and choosing their desired foods. Ian was impressed with the luxurious options available, including a display of gastronomic delights. There was an abundance of food choices, including fresh fruit platters with a variety of melons, berries, and exotic fruits, along with yogurt parfaits and granola bowls for a lighter option. There were hot breakfast items such as fluffy omelettes made to order with a variety of fillings, crispy bacon and sausages, and golden waffles drizzled with syrup.
For those with a sweet tooth, there were warm croissants, danishes, muffins, and a range of sweet spreads, including jam, honey, and nut butters. There were also a selection of juices, smoothies, and hot drinks like coffee and tea to wash it all down. The atmosphere was inviting. and Ian couldn't help but feel impressed by the selection.
After completing their food selection, Adam led the way into the dining hall, which was partitioned by a glass wall into two sections: one for the kids and the other for the staff. a girl voice called out,
"Over here, Adam, Zack!"
Upon reaching the table, they encountered two kids: one was a dark-skinned girl with soft, curly brown hair and striking pink eyes, and the other was a red-haired boy with the same color eyes as the girl. The girl was of medium height, equal to Ian's. Her clothes were like her peers, but she had a red strip on her left sleeve. Her body was youthful and well-proportioned, not overly thin nor excessively plump. The girl introduced herself warmly to Ian with a friendly smile and caring expression, "Hello, you must be the new kid. What's your name?"
"Hello," Ian replied, still feeling a bit uncertain saying his name. "I'm Ian Amber."
"I'm Saffi Kunzite," the girl said.
The boy introduced himself with a grin. "Hello, Ian. I'm Luca Kunzite, and no, we're not related."
Luca's fair skin was dotted with freckles, giving him a boyish charm. His voice, though slightly high-pitched, was soothing and friendly, making him approachable. He had the same red strip as Saffi. Taller than Adam, Luca's rotund physique did little to detract from his warm and welcoming demeanor, making him easy to talk to.
"These last names are given to us based on what we can do, or so we've been told." Saffi added, with a shrug.
Ian looked puzzled. What we can do?
Adam smiled at Ian. "You probably have a lot of questions, Ian. You can ask us now while we are eating and before classes start,"
Ian gazed at his plate that had some scrambled eggs, sausage, granola bowl and waffles. He was feeling a bit overwhelmed. Despite having numerous questions, his mind was drawing a blank. He glanced around the dining hall, noticing how quiet it was. He couldn't remember much about his past, but he felt that the absence of laughter and playfulness among the kids was unusual.
"Is it always this quiet?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.
Adam looked around the room, his expression betraying a hint of pain before he quickly covered it with a smile. "Usually, yes,"
Saffi and Luca both nodded in agreement with Adam's answer, but their nods were slow and lacked enthusiasm. Their eyes held a hint of sadness, and their smiles were strained, as if they were trying to hide the pain that lingered just beneath the surface. They seemed broken in a way, as if they had experienced something that left deep emotional scars.
Zack, however, remained focused on his meal, his expression blank and unreadable, showing no signs of emotion.
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward and gloomy, causing Adam to quickly change the subject in an effort to lighten the mood. He turned to Ian and said, "Hey, you haven't touched your food yet! Trust me, the food here is the best thing about this place. Go ahead and give it a try."
Ian took a bite of his meal, his expression quickly changing to one of impressed as he tasted how delicious the food was. He then noticed the different colors on everyone's sleeves and asked, "Why does everyone have different colors on their sleeves? And why don't the other kids have any?"
"It's quite simple," began Saffi. "Luca and I have the ability to heal, so we are marked with red stripes on our sleeves. Yours are black because you likely have a unique power, like Adam's telekinesis and Zack's telepathy. I find it amazing to watch them use their abilities. I wish I could do something like that too." her tone was one of excitement.
Ian was visibly stunned, his eyes widening in amazement as he looked at Adam and Zack. Adam chuckled, appearing a bit bashful as he rubbed the back of his neck. Meanwhile, Zack's expression darkened, his frown deepening as he grew increasingly annoyed with Saffi's comment.
Luca continued, "Regarding the other kids, they don’t have any colors on their sleeves because they only possess what supposedly normal physical enhancements they are referred as commons."
"Yes, Dr. Cain mentioned that to me," Ian said, "but it doesn't seem like a normal thing, either."
"It's not normal, but I guess it's more common than having the ability to move objects or control minds," Luca said with a shrug.
Saffi's eyes lit up with excitement. "And that leads us to you, Ian. What kind of ability do you have?"
Ian gave a quick shrug. "I don't know yet."
Saffi and Luca looked at each other, then at Adam, confusion etched on their faces. Saffi continued, "That's odd. They usually inform you of your ability as soon as you awaken. That's what happened to all of us."
"They probably know, but lying about not knowing” Zack interjected, his tone serious and tinged with anger. Luca nodded in agreement, and Saffi did the same.
Ian's expression became concerned as he considered Zack's comment. Dr. Cain lied to me? And what about the damage on the floor that he said I caused? and he found himself unconsciously tracing the collar device around his neck. It also reminded him of his earlier question about the purpose of the device.
"By the way, what is this device?" Ian asked, pointing to the collars on everyone's necks.
"It's a device to prevent you from using your abilities inside the facility," Adam replied, still eating his food.
"Just be careful not to try to remove it by force," Saffi warned. "They told us it sends electric shocks."
"Electric shocks?" Ian exclaimed, quickly removing his hand from the collar. He remembered almost trying to remove it the day before, if it weren't for the nice old lady's warning not to.
The three kids snickered at Ian's reaction, but Adam sought to reassure him. "Don't be self-conscious about it," he said, patting Ian's shoulder. "As long as you don't try to remove it by force, nothing will happen. It's just like an accessory on your neck."
Zack rolled his eyes at Adam's words. "More like a leash, if you ask me," he said dismissively. Ian felt annoyed by Zack's attitude, which had been rude and dismissive from the start. He wondered what was wrong with him.
Luca then added, "Besides, no one has ever experienced it or seen it actually happen. For all we know, it could be a lie."
Saffi's eyes sparkled with excitement as she turned to Ian, eager to shift the conversation away from Zack's sour mood. "Hey Ian, we didn't ask you about your age," she chirped, a bright smile on her face. "I'm 14, Luca and Adam are 15, and the grumpy boiled egghead over there," she gestured towards Zack, "is 13."
Zack raised an eyebrow in confusion at Saffi's comment, appearing momentarily speechless. However, Saffi ignored him and continued to focus on Ian, her attention unwavering. "So, how old are you, Ian?" she asked, a playful glint in her eyes.
Adam and Luca couldn't help but chuckle at Saffi's antics, their laughter joining together in a harmonious blend of sound.
"Umm, I was told... I just turned 13," Ian replied.
Everyone turned their attention to Zack as Saffi smirked at him.
"What?!" Zack asked in response to Saffi's smirk.
"It seems like you're no longer the youngest among us," Saffi commented with a playful tone. Zack gave an indifferent expression and looked away with a sigh from the group. Adam chuckled at Zack's reaction.
"Zack here is three months older than you, Ian," Luca said with a friendly smile.
Ian cast a glance at Zack, feeling annoyed. So, this ass is the same age as me.
As the kids continued their meal and conversation, they learned more about each other and began to form bonds. Saffi exuded an infectious enthusiasm and a positive energy, while Luca was warm and kind. Adam appeared more mature and demonstrated a genuine care for others. Zack, on the other hand, remained grumpy and surly throughout the meal.
Ian felt increasingly at ease as he got to know the others. He asked a number of questions and discovered that all of the children were in the same situation as him - they had no memories of their past lives. He learned that some of them had been here in the facility for several years, with the exception of Zack, who had only been there for four months.
Comments (0)
See all