Almost six years passed like this: laughter under low ceilings, whispered secrets, matching silver rings exchanged in childish promise. Warmth and playfulness. Reusin and Caroline was her closest family.
Len had her ninth birthday — then the tenth loomed. The day the everything would change.
> "Reusin… remember what they said?" she asked quietly one night, looking at the ceiling. The room had a cold breeze coming from the little creek from the window. "When we turn ten, the system will change, our room, and our Aunties…"
> "I remember," he murmured, as low his whisper was, it still echoed in their hearts. "Let's promise to stay together!" his voice became hopeful.
> "We will, dummy," Len smiled. "But I promise anyway."
.... .
The day arrived. Len packed her few things. the old outfit from when she was four, her books, the ring that her and Reusin each have a matching set matching, the necklace with the star charm she wore when she first came and the new bird charm Caroline gave her, and her prayer essentials.
A new Assistant came, brunette hair, green eyes.
> "Hi, Len. I'm Sophie. You can call me Aunt, Assistant, Nanny…"
> "Will we leave now?" Len asked, voice low, hiding the pain of remembering Caroline which was part of her dear small family .
> "Yes, lools like you're ready? Aren't you." Sophie's tone was kind, but efficient.
> "I am," Len answered looking back at Reusin, saying with her eyes 'Bye my dear family, but I swear we will meat again'
.... .
They walked through hallways Len had never seen: students passing, each with their own Assistant. Girls on one side, boys on the other. Len caught a glimpse of Reusin — his eyes met hers for a heartbeat. Each one of them hold thier breath while they eyes were locked on each other. And with unexpected controled emotions, they nodded silently before the corridor swallowed him.
At the checkpoint, Len received a new stamp on her wrist. A bus waited.
"Will they separate us from the boys now?" Len thought, a cold realization tightening in her stomach, the air which was she taking in and out became freezingly cold. And this sensation of being anxious in an examand your skin starts knotting, Len had it. "For three whole years?" she whispered to herself the period it will take until they change everything again, her words came out before they could pass her mind, then she started to mistaken herself. Ofc not, right?..
.... .
The bus rattled down long country roads. At sunset, they arrived: a large building near a waterfall, the breeze warm against Len's face. She felt the beauty of it, but it didn't soothe the knot in her chest.
Inside, she got an ID:
> Len Ortiz, B2 (*Building 2) – ID No: 009 – Birth: Y360(1) – Room No: 209.
.... .
Len and Sophie walked to the new room.
> "Ahh, it was tiring," Len sighed zooming out, remembering Caroline and Reusin, and their days spent together with warmth and happiness.
A new girl was already inside: short, spiky black hair, bright blue eyes.
> "Omg hii <3 I'm Kaida, but call me kaidy!" she chirped.
> "Hello, Kaidy. I'm Len," Len answered, with polite awkwardness.
Kaida claimed the bed by the window. Len unpacked silently. Books, the ring, and memories heavier than any luggage.
> "No offense," Kaida teased, eyeing a book. "But aren't you too young for this boring stuff?"
> "They're psychological books," Len replied, her voice calm, her eyes distant.
Then Len looked at the weird device Kaida was holding,her eyes where clearly questioning it.
Kaida explained her device: a strange electrical phone that showed ranks, the currency within the orphanage, chatmail and etc.... Len listened, absorbing every detail.
.... .
That night, when Kaida fell asleep, Len turned on her small lamp.
She journaled her secret language, thoughts, plans, fears, until exhaustion blurred the ink.
Then she hid the pages, turned off the light, and let the darkness take her.