Down End Road

Alexander Griffin

—---------------------------

Red, blue, orange, green, purple and white silks crowded my vision as I took in the decadently dressed Society students and members. All dancing, laughing, talking and drinking had stuttered to a stop upon our arrival.

We stood on the mezzanine of the ballroom. Only really here for show. It wasn’t ever used during school hours and no one ever took notice of it. As soon as the revelry had ceased, hushed whispers flurried in the air. Most of the student bodies stare’s were pinned to Myra. Transfixed by the subtle sense of power that rippled off her in waves.

Her small hand clung tighter to my arm as she struggled to remain calm in the face of all the judgement. I risked a glance at my mum and dad. Most of the members in here would recognise Roger Griffin, a legendary member of the order of Jay, best record of arrests and aim in all of the order of Jay.

His and Noah’s supposed ‘deaths’ were surreptitious stories told around campfires or during stormy nights in the low light of the evening. So naturally, them walking down the stairs of the mezzanine was more than surreal to most people.

“Everyones talking about us.” Myra confided through clenched teeth. I huffed out a quiet laugh. I bent my head to her ear.

“So no different than usual.” I joked. Her harsh inhale was followed by a slow exhale. I felt her loosen her grasp on my arm, before she laughed quietly.

“I guess,” she answered.

Her heels clicked against the marble mezzanine, that tempestuous power resounded within her each and every step. I saw Harris emerge from the crowd, hurriedly rushing towards the string quartet. His angry whispers a quick hiss that slithered throughout the ballroom.

With a jolt, the party resumed its liveliness. Melodic music filled the halls along with the heavy footfalls of dancing couples. Effervescent dresses slid along the marble tiling of the ballroom with staticy murmurs of friction.

While the entire ballroom remained loud with distinctive chatter, Myra remained silent and lithe. The velvet of her dress soundlessly trailed behind her in a stream of inky black. The two substantially embroidered dragons the only pops of colour in an otherwise austere gown, that somehow balanced out Myra’s bubbly personality creating a different identity of maturity.

“I’m glad to see you could make it.” A voice appraised behind us, their silky tone more suspicious than comforting. “Myra Rose and Alexander Griffin.” Denise Washington said. “Well you two make quite the pair don’t you, cold and warm, yet both powerful.” Denise remarked, no hint of flattery in her tone, more like a fact that she was stating.

“Yes, well, my son has always been gifted.” My dad answered for us. We turned to glimpse at him and my mum, who hadn’t stopped smiling since his return, but now her features were set in a stone once could only dream of cracking.

“Roger Griffin. I heard what happened to you and Noah, my deepest condolences, from me and my husband.” She sympathised, a faux countenance of pity marred her face.

“Well, try as everyone might, sorry’s aren’t going to earn us back eighteen years of our and our families lives.” Noah interjected, coming to stand beside us. As a collective, we were daunting to anyone who wished to approach us. Denise realised this as soon as she took in our group. An almost imperceptible gulp was all the trepidation and fear that showed through her haughty demeanour.

“Yes, I suppose. Well, speaking of family, here comes my husband and our nephew, Myra, have you met him?” Denise diverted the scrutiny off of herself, directing our attention to two figures materialising from the crowd.

—---------------------------------

Myra Remington

It all happened in a blur of movement. Alex tackled Denise’s nephew to the ground with unsurprising strength, their two bodies collided. First with each other, then with the ground.

Alex’s arm lifted in the air, his hand curled into a fist. This all occurred while I stood motionless, limbs leaden with surprise at his sudden violence. With unsurprising strength Alex’s fist pummelled into the ground, a spiderweb of cracks erupted around the huge indent of his fist, when Denise’s nephew dodged out of the way.

There was a savage storm that raged inside him, one that brought the attention of the onlooking crowd, whose whisper’s didn’t fail to hurt my ears with their loud quietness.

Alex’s fist was poised to pound into Denise’s nephew, this time with deadly accuracy. Fear struck me out of my stupor, I didn’t feel like seeing another dead body. Not with the tang of Ben’s death still tangible.

“Alex, stop.” I pleaded quietly. Evident relief was displayed clearly on my face when he froze, his whole body shook with restraint. He slowly lowered his fist, the movements slow and controlled, his version of counting to ten. Maybe in his head he was.

His fist now lowered, but still clenched, violently tremored when he sluggishly stood. Alex’s full height towered over the boy on the floor. Still panicked and fear stricken, the boy remains entirely motionless, frantic eyes gawking at Alex.

“Alex,” I said quietly, my frozen face the picture of serenity. “Who is this?” I finished. I inhaled, my chest rising, lungs expanding with the new Oxygen. My way of preparing to hear something awful.

“He just happened to be the one who shot you with,” Alex paused. I could feel the vibrating buzz of anticipation that eddied through the crowd. I held my breath, a sore ache began to build at the scarred muscle in my shoulder. “With an arrow.” Alex stated with lethal quiet.

The eruption of noise came immediately. All civilised behaviour left the room as people began screaming their opinions.

“So, we allow this vile behaviour to soil our esteemed establishment!”

“If this is what school life is like, I am never sending my dear daughter to any of y’alls schools!”

“She’s a beast, she can handle a little splinter!”

The masses collective outcries slammed into me, the searing pain in my shoulder ignited with fiery pain as I recalled the moment metal tore through flesh. My flesh!

Blood seeped out of my shoulder. Sinew and flesh cut into bloodied ribbons. Tongue too thick and dry. Room to warm, too crowded. The volume only increased when they saw no one respond. Encouraged by my silence, the sea of people only continued to cry out louder.

“Stop,” I said. My voice a quiet murmur among the explosive yells. “Stop.” I repeated, more vigour in my numb voice void of all emotion.

My small safety bubble of friends -that felt as familiar as family- all had a current of agitation running through them, as they saw my emotions bubble to the surface. As soon as Alex’s name was thrown into the mix, was when the world was suddenly too much. “STOP!” I roared.

My eyes were unfocused as they burned holes into the marble tiles. My flaring nostrils, grinding teeth and tense shoulders, sign enough for the crowd to realise their deadly monster -of their own creation and imagination- was burning with livid rage that consumed her soul.

It was laughable, to think they had all seen me as the sweet soul with the potential to be of great importance to the Society of the civil. That, that fantasy had been a common notion only three weeks prior to the ball. “As per the laws of the founding fathers, any member or student, over the age of sixteen, of the Society of the Civil will be punished for two years in The order of Jay’s portal if they intentionally harm another, with the intent of lethal effect, with the power or knowledge gained from the portals.” I recited monotonous.

“However, like every convict, he shall have a fair trial where his sentence will be determined. Until then, however, detain him.” Alex finished. Dark features still contorted in anger. I supposed this was his personal comeuppance. To force the boy to sit in a cell for months, nothing but anxiety twisting his gut as he awaited someone else to save him.

Exactly how Alex had felt when he had held me in his arms, my tears seeping into his shirt, whilst my battered and bruised body laid limp in agony. All this with knowledge that he was powerless. I knew he regretted the games. Blamed himself for not seeing the arrow sooner. But it was in the past now. Our past, I supposed.

Two burly men, the badge of The order of Jay clearly displayed on their suits, took hesitant steps toward Denise’s nephew. Who laid sprawled on the ground, horrified by the consequences of his actions.

“Wait!” The boy cried, “wait! It wasn’t my fault, it wasn’t my idea. Aunt Denise threatened to have me kicked out of the order if I didn’t shoot My- Miss Remington, with the arrow. I didn’t want to, okay.” He confessed, his features drooped into a crestfallen expression, as he stared at the ground.

His tie was dishevelled, hair now sticking out every which way. It was a messy sight to see. Denise’s mouth was dropped open in betrayal as she glared down at her nephew. The two members of The order of Jay, moved toward Denise with purpose. She looked up long enough to see them coming her way.

Her bronze eyes shone with insanity as she turned her head towards me. It was a jerky twist of her neck as her eyes flooded with sick amusement. In a flash, Denise had used her gifts to speed over to me. A glint of steel was all I saw before she had raised the cool metal barrel to my forehead.

The whole room held its breath as she clicked of the safety. Chad finally snapped out of his frozen state and raced over to Denise. “Denise stop this-” Chad instantly stopped his pleas when Denise, the love of his life, raised a calm hand towards him.

“She is a monster, who will bring about the end of the society if she is allowed to continue her path.” Denise said, her words almost a robotic recitation. I saw Alex shuffle our way, before Denise halted him to. “Move and I pull this trigger.” Denise warned, before she whispered, “she must be stopped.”

My whole body was still, an odd tranquillity overshadowed any of my fear. “Try me.” I whispered threateningly. I raised my hand, my gifts surged through my bloodstream as my hand flew up in an imperceptible blur and I crushed the gun in my hand.

Denise screeched in bewilderment, and in a last desperate attempt to kill me, leapt toward me. Arms outstretched she wasn’t able to even lay her bony finger on my shoulder, before the two stocky guards from before grabbed her by her waist and hauled her away from me.

With a nod from their supervisor, they smashed an odd pink ball on the ground, before a portal opened at their feet and swallowed them into its rosy chasm. Meanwhile, the entirety of the crowd, held their breaths. Motions halted. Words paused. Flushed head to toe, all of the attendees felt overwhelmed with new information.

Denise’s nephew ascended from his position on the floor, his eyes skittish as a tall slender woman, dressed in a sever black dress and the badge of The order of Jay displayed proudly on her top, approached him.

They exchanged a few whispered words, before she turned him around and slapped his wrists with handcuffs. Alex’s shoulders slumped with unnoticeable relief. A new sense of security resided within him now that two less threats to my wellbeing were gone.

And I supposed with him at my side, that was true.