Several months later, Hadrian moved to Carrington City to join most of his other family members. Phallia temporarily replaced him to learn more about operations in the North District. Several months after that, Hamish moved to Carrington City. He wanted to start a family. He knew that would be difficult to do in the North District.
On his arrival in Carrington City, Hadrian decided he would return to the North District. He wanted to make changes. Before he left, he consulted with his father. His father gave him his blessings but insisted he needed to sort things out himself. He left his wife and son, Demadrian, in Carrington City. He believed the North District was not a good place to raise a child. Hadrian strongly desired to make changes but was not able to overcome Chief Sanguine. Out of guilt, Hadrian regularly made secret donations to the orphanage.
Chief Sanguine enjoyed the power that the widespread poverty gave him. High unemployment enabled him to hire guards cheaply. He was also able to take in the older orphans and use them as free labour. The Alset Company was an easy target to blame for the hardships. Sanguine would sometimes hold events where he would claim to give back to the community. These were inexpensive token gestures, but the community appreciated them. Sanguine was mostly popular. The residents of the North District accepted him as being superior to them. The almost non-existent education system and preaching from the House of Divine Knowledge worked in Sanguine’s favour.
Six years passed. NB14572 was still at the orphanage. She made some good friends. Her closest friends were NB14583, now known as Joan, and NB14564, a small, dark-skinned boy who arrived a few months before NB14572. NB14572 was the leader and, in many ways, the guardian of their small group. Her ability to shapeshift, as well as shapeshift objects and even other children, allowed her and the others to get up to mischief undetected.
She also used these same abilities to get them out of any mischief they caused. Their favourite form of mischief was stealing treats from the kitchen. NB14572 had made a small tool she could use to unlock the bedroom door. She, NB14583, and NB14564 would hold hands to become invisible so they could sneak around the orphanage at night.
One night, the three of them snuck into the kitchen. They were planning on stealing a handful of leftover pastries. Just as they were about to make their move, Melandria and Tiberius entered the kitchen.
‘The only room in this hellhole that doesn’t stink of shit,’ remarked Tiberius as he leaned forward onto the kitchen table.
‘We are overcapacity and underfunded,’ replied Melandria. ‘And you restrict the number of them that can be adopted.’
‘The real problem is your inability to manage this place,’ replied Tiberius. ‘Only the strong ones are important. The rest you can syphon off.’
‘Meaning?’ asked Melandria.
‘You could be innovative,’ said Tiberius nonchalantly. ‘For example, a new food source.’
‘That’s disgusting,’ retorted Melandria.
‘I suppose they’re probably diseased,’ said Tiberius. ‘You don’t have to eat them yourself. You just feed them to the next on the list.’
NB14572 was shocked by what she heard. This caused her grip on NB14564 to loosen slightly. He had been eyeing a donut on the counter. He moved towards it. This caused his hand to slip from NB14572’s grasp. He was now visible.
Both Tiberius and Melandria turned to look at NB14564.
‘I like donuts,’ said NB14564 as he grinned nervously.
‘You just let the children run around at night,’ said Tiberius sarcastically. ‘You’re so responsible.’
‘I don’t. He must have escaped somehow,’ replied Melandria as she started to panic.
‘Hmm,’ said Tiberius as he walked over and grabbed NB14564. ‘He’s disobedient, and yet he might be quite innovative. Useful or not useful? Live or die?’
NB14572 tugged on NB14583’s hand to indicate for them to return to their sleeping quarters. Both of them silently sneaked out of the kitchen as Tiberius and Melandria continued to discuss NB14564’s fate.
Once they returned to their sleeping quarters, NB14583 began to cry.
‘It’s going to be fine,’ said NB14572. ‘I have a plan.’
NB14572 shapeshifted into NB14564, and she walked over to the bed he was sharing with another boy. She punched the boy’s face several times. His nose started to bleed, and he began crying. NB14572 and NB14583 heard voices outside the door. They both quickly climbed back into their own beds.
‘Not so innovative after all,’ said Tiberius as he opened the door. ‘It doesn’t take a genius to open an unlocked door.’
‘I’ll be onto the staff,’ said Melandria as she dragged NB14564 into the sleeping quarters. ‘Keeping doors locked is a golden rule.’
‘Where does he sleep?’ insisted Tiberius.
‘Over there,’ said Melandria as she pointed to a bed.
The boy in the bed sat up. ‘He hit me,’ he blurted out. ‘Look what he did to my nose.’
‘That’s the kind of aggression I’m looking for,’ said Tiberius energetically. ‘Take this donut and enjoy it,’ he said as he handed the donut to NB14564. Six years from now, you’re going to be a top guard.’
‘Oh, yummy,’ said NB14564 as he climbed back into bed.
‘Tomorrow, I want you to get the ten-year-olds to fight each other,’ said Tiberius firmly. ‘Reward the two best and dispose of the two worst. I’m cutting your budget. My father’s admin costs have increased.’
Melandria reluctantly nodded her head as they both left the room.
A few minutes after they left, NB14572 got out of bed. She rushed over NB14564. She threw her arms around him and kissed his head.
‘Nobody will ever hurt you,’ she said to him as he licked the last bit of chocolate off his fingers.
The boy lying next to him folded his arms in annoyance while grumbling incoherently under his breath.
The next day, Tiberius arrived early at the orphanage. He wanted to witness the fights. All the orphans gathered in the field behind the orphanage. Melandria paired up the ten-year-olds to fight. The only way to win was by submission. The winners would fight each other, and so would the losers. The winners would continue until there were only two unbeaten left. The losers would continue until there were only two left who had yet to win.
‘Fantastic, great stuff, children,’ shouted Tiberius as he clapped. ‘As your reward, you get to finish off the two losers.’
The two winners looked at each other.
‘I’m sorry, did you misunderstand?’ shouted Tiberius. ‘Kill them!’
The two winners began crying.
‘Physical strength is of no use if you lack the mental strength to utilise it,’ said Tiberius as he walked towards them.
Tiberius pulled out two knives and slit the throats of the two winners. NB14572 rose to her feet as the others cowered in fear. Tiberius stared at her for a moment, and then he turned to Melandria.
‘I think we are done today,’ said Tiberius. ‘I’ll be back when your numbers grow too high.’
He turned to look at NB14572. She was still staring at him. He turned and left.
Six months later, a young couple, Dean and Jessica, arrived in the North District; they were from the Carrington District. They wanted to adopt a child. Hamish Alset told them that the North District had plenty of children that could be adopted. Sanguine was furious, but he agreed to meet the young couple.
‘We generally don’t allow adoption out of the district,’ said Sanguine. ‘Since you got such a glowing recommendation from Hamish Alset, I will make an exception this time.’
‘Thank you so much, sir,’ said Dean. ‘We’ve always wanted a child. Sadly, it’s not possible for us to do that naturally. Therefore, adoption seems like the right path.’
‘I fully understand,’ said Sanguine. ‘Children give us such joy. My own boy fills me with such pride.’
Both Dean and Jessica nodded.
‘I’ll have six lovely children brought here for you to choose from,’ said Sanguine. ‘Is this afternoon good for you?’
‘That’s great. Thank you so much,’ said Jessica as she nodded her head.
Meanwhile, at the orphanage, Melandria was selecting the six children to go to the mansion to be considered for adoption. For a few seconds, Melandria looked at NB14572. Then she looked at NB14583, who was sitting next to her. Then she grinned.
‘Looks like it’s your chance to get out of here,’ she said to NB14583.
NB14583 grinned back awkwardly.
‘This is it. You got to go,’ said NB14572 enthusiastically. ‘You deserve a real life. You deserve to be loved. You deserve a name.’
‘And you?’ asked NB14583.
‘I’ll survive. I have NB14564,’ replied NB14572. ‘Just promise me one thing.’
‘Of course,’ said NB14583.
‘Come back for us,’ asked NB14572.
‘Yes, I will,’ said NB14583 as she hugged NB14572.
‘Alright, enough of the chitchat,’ griped Melandria. ‘Your ride is here.’
NB14583 climbed into the carriage. She looked over at NB14572, who was standing at the orphanage door. She waved goodbye as a tear rolled down her face. NB14572 waved back. She was smiling, but there was a sadness in her eyes.
The six children were taken into the mansion. They were cleaned up and put in nice clothes. They were taken down to the lounge, where they sat on seats. They did not need to wait long. Sanguine and the young couple walked in.
‘Here are six lovely children for you to choose from,’ said Sanguine as he gestured towards them.
‘Oh, they are so adorable,’ said Jessica. ‘How am I to choose?’
‘These are children from the North District,’ said Sanguine firmly. ‘This is not a showroom.’
‘Of course,’ said Dean. ‘No offence meant.’
‘Sit down, talk with them,’ said Sanguine. ‘It is important that you and the child are a good fit. Their welfare is of paramount importance to me.’
‘Oh, absolutely,’ replied Jessica.
Sanguine sat in a chair in the corner to observe the couple with the children.
After chatting for a couple of hours, Sanguine came over to them.
‘Okay, time is up,’ said Sanguine. ‘It’s time to make a match.’
‘Why don’t any of them have names?’ asked Jessica.
‘In the North, we believe that naming is the responsibility of the parent,’ said Sanguine confidently. ‘In this case, it is you.’
Dean and Jessica smiled at each other.
‘Let’s talk in private,’ said Sanguine to the couple.
They walked into a room next to the lounge.
‘The girl, NB14583, she is really special,’ said Jessica.
‘She really is,’ said Sanguine as he held Jessica’s hand. ‘I’ll send her out to you. Oh yes, feel free to name her.’
Sanguine returned to the lounge and said, ‘NB14583, congratulations. You have a family.’
NB14583 wanted to celebrate, but she saw the sad look on the faces of the other children. Instead, she remained quiet. Sanguine held her hand as he took her out to Dean and Jessica, who were sitting in their carriage waiting.
‘Come on in, Joan,’ said Dean.
‘Is that my name?’ asked NB14583.
‘Yes, it is,’ said Jessica.
Joan burst into tears as she threw her arms around Jessica.
Sanguine stood and watched the carriage head off down the road.
Tiberius approached Sanguine. ‘What the hell was that about?’ demanded Tiberius.
‘It’s called diplomacy, son,’ replied Sanguine as he continued to watch the carriage disappear. ‘It is important to maintain a certain perception to the outside world.’
Tiberius stared angrily at his father.
‘You might be my son, but you are also my subordinate,’ said Sanguine as he turned towards Tiberius. ‘You have no business demanding any explanation from me. Do I make myself clear?’
Tiberius nodded.
‘Take the children back to the orphanage,’ said Sanguine. ‘I don’t want to see you again today.’
Sapien Loop: Frozen in Time is the sequel to the book Sapien Loop: End of an Era. Sapien Loop: End of an Era is available on Amazon, in collection series on my 
