For the second time in her fairly short life, Kelly Jones was scared. Her heart was merely a humming bird, buzzing away in her ribcage. It took concentration to breathe. Her head was slick with sweat and itched with prickles of heat.
She turned a corner sharply, struggling to keep her shoulders from coming into contact on the walls. From behind her she could hear the squeak of rubber trainers on the floor and the laboured panting of about twenty girls.
It hadn't been her fault. All she'd done was comfort Leah Mantis sister who had been crying on the bottom of the stairs. Wasn't her fault Erin had leaned in and kissed her, and besides Erin was older than her, surely she should be the one being chased relentlessly through the dark corridors of Cheltam Ladies College at near on 2:00 am?
She reached a dead end and skidded to a halt. Behind her the calls of 'freak' and 'sicko' became louder, until they materialized out of the dark at the end of the corridor, slowing their pace and grinning.
"AW, the little wiklle lesbo has no where to run."
Kelly threw a glance over her shoulder, her gaze landing on the window slightly to the right of her. The group stalked closer, Leah leading them.
"You're dirty and wrong."
"Let's teach her a lesson." A chorus of agreement sang out, burning Kelly's ears.
"Please it was a mistake." She pleaded, flattening herself against the wall. "It won't happen again."
"No, it won't." A girl to the right of Leah, with long blond hair and a nasty smile, murmured. Another snicker ran through the group and Kelly threw another glance at the window. Only this time, the blond girl saw her looking.
"I've got an idea." The smile turned itself into a spiteful grin and Kelly knew she was done for. "I say we make her chose her punishment." The girl glanced at Leah for agreement, who nodded slightly.
"No." Kelly whispered her voice so small no one heard.
"Now you let us live out every one of your nightmares, or you jump." She stepped so close their noses bumped slightly and Kelly wondered how a girl of eleven could be so…vindictive.
"I've done nothing to you."
Behind the blond girl, Leah sneered. "It's more the fact you exist. You're sick and wrong. But Verity's found a way to fix that, haven't you?" Leah stepped forward, placing a hand on the blond girls shoulder and exchanging a smile.
"Well then lesbo, time to chose. You jump or we break every single bone in you disgusting little body."
Kelly shook her head. "You're lying."
Both the blond girl and Leah were silent, leaning towards her with identical smirks. But out the corner of her eye, Kelly saw the crowd ripple, passing something from one to another. The object reached the front of the group and was pressed onto Leah's hand.
Kelly's breath hitched in her throat. Verity sent a smile towards the base ball bat clutched in her friend's hand and lent forwards, her hair tickling Kelly's cheeks.
"Now do you believe us?"
"I'm going to count to three, and you better have chosen…" Leah's grin alone, made Kelly's stomach twist. The murmur of excitement grew in the group, like she was a thrilling instalment of some spectator sport.
"One…Two…"
Kelly turned slightly to the right.
"Three…"
As Kelly hit the ground, her ankle and knee shattering beneath her, a collective laugh rang out from the window three stores above.