Lamb
Jessica whirled round wildly. The cocktail sloshed. People cried out with her, ignoring the spills. The room howled. Music played loudly. Jessica knocked over a lamp, an empty glass and then a vase of flowers. The incidents went unnoticed. She was having fun, they all were, and the sound drove the house of high-school students onwards. The building bounced. Her body swayed, hips clashing with those of others. The fluffed rug tugged at her glossy heels. Jessica laughed, smiled and clasped the shoulders of a young woman passing by as she stumbled.
"Oh!" The young lass exclaimed with a grin, "Are you okay?"
Jessica eagerly nodded, pulling back as she straightened her knees. "I'm fine – I'm Jessica! Who are you?" She replied.
The young girl stumbled shyly, "I'm Stella."
One of Jessica's friends took her glass away, intending to refill the void flute. Hands empty, she grasped for Stella's arms. "Are you new? I don't recall seeing you at school before?" Jessica acknowledged.
Stella's grin faltered. Shaking her head, dark hair quaking, she said, "No – if I remember correctly though, we share English together."
Jessica's smile wavered, "Strange, I sit at the back I should've seen you."
"Don't worry," Stella hastened, waving her hands, "I'm not popular or anything, so it's understandable."
Blond brows furrowed, Jessica pulled the girl close, whispering, "If you like you could be friends with me, Lydia and them." Stella cheekily smirked. "You're certainly pretty enough to be popular." Jessica said, fingering Stella's long tresses.
Sneering, as the word 'pretty' exited Jessica's peach tinted lips, Stella tugged the young girl closer by her hips. She puckered her own lusciously painted lips, a deep rouge pout, and lowly slinked, "You're quite pretty yourself dear-heart." Jessica giggled madly, pushing Stella away with a disbelieving shake of her head. Her blond curls bounced, flying round her face.
"Here," Stella yelled over the music, "Try this."
Taking the drink her new acquaintance offered Jessica followed Stella's lead and downed the golden glassful. The pair skipped together. Jessica tugged on Stella's hair. Stella wrapped a rough strand round Jessica's throat. A friend of Jessica's, a lanky boy with eccentric blazing hair, platted the brown and blond together. Knotted, the girls chortled. Two other girls cackled as they passed the trio, watching as the girls tried to sway to the music despite being tied together. Stella took hold of Jessica's waist, forefinger stroking the skin abandoned by her short top. Jessica bit her thick bottom lip, the peach gloss scraping away. Stella's top lip lifted. Beaming, she hooked her thumb to the brim of Jessica's jeans. The young girl gasped, hooded eyes widening as Stella pulled her flush against her sweating body. Through the alcohol glaze, Jessica could smell Stella's Rose perfume. Their actions established attention. A few lads and lasses gazed on between the sweltering bodies that surrounded them. Other dancing couples bumped into the pair and Jessica had to push closer to Stella to avoid being hurt.
Stella leaned in closer, lips scraping Jessica's jaw. Her nose brushed the lobe of Jessica's ear, breath wafting the fair-haired ringlets. Jessica's hand held taut to Stella's back steadfastly. Tongue skulking up Jessica's neck, Stella nibbled at the girl's earlobe. Dazed, Jessica dropped her glass. As before, the spill went overlooked. The shimmering shards cut her feet. The other occupants stepped atop the glass without realisation.
"The rooms here," Stella grunted, "House parties never offer privacy."
Jessica nodded, lifting her head to rest her forehead against Stella's. Her eyes softly closed, as she took in a deep breath. "Fun," she moaned, "It's just fun, right?"
Smile widening, Stella's canines glistened beneath the chandelier lights. "Of course," she told the girl, "We'll have lots of fun – at my place if you'd like."
Hazel eyes opening, Jessica stared into Stella's maroon browns. The lass gulped, "Okay."
Jessica cried out. Stella gripped tightly to the lass' upper arm. Blood smeared Jessica's top, creeping down her stomach. "Please," she bawled, howling as Stella's grip hardened further. Vibrant blood seeped under Stella's nails, dripping from her wrist to the cement below their feet. She dragged the girl forward. "We were having fun!" Jessica wailed, "It was supposed to be fun." She gasped desperately for air.
"Shut up!" Stella ordered, reaching back to slap the young girl. Jessica flinched, head turning swiftly away from Stella's free hand.
"I'm sorry!" she hastily expressed, eyes securely sealed. Tears escaped the vaults she'd created and a whimper flowed from her bruised lips. Jessica fell to her knees, leaning away from the young woman that loomed above.
Stella hauled the girl to her feet aggressively with a fierce growl. "Come along now dear-heart." A wicked grin grew on Stella's visage, "Maybe if you're lucky we'll keep you."
Kicking the boards, Stella tore at the edges. The nails gave way, wood splintering under the pressure. Jessica sobbed as flecks of the boards scratched her cheeks. "Please, my parents have money if that's what you want. Please, just please – don't hurt me!" Stella rolled her eyes, frowning as she tugged at the last wooden board.
"Money can't buy what we need." She grumbled, "We've plenty of it anyway. Besides," Stella kneeled before Jessica's crouched form. She stroked back the girl's dulled hair, telling her, "Why would you want to leave Jessie." Stella kissed Jessica's bleeding cheek, hoarsely whispering, "I thought we were going to have some fun – we're friend aren't we?"
"Evelyn," a voice interrupted. Standing back up, Stella looked to the boarded doors. One of the doors had been opened, the last remaining board preventing the entryway from being fully open.
"Yes?" Stella ventured with one hand on her hip and the other holding Jessica's crouched figure. The young girl crawled to Stella's legs, encircling them with her arms as the new stranger jeered at her.
"You need to stop bringing strays like this one home." The man lectured. He forced the door forward, the board breaking.
Stella backed away to avoid the debris. With dense muscular arms he snatched the snivelling girl from Stella's grip. The girl shuffled in his clutches, struggling to breathe.
Jessica blubbered, "I'm going to die."
A light laugh bolted from Stella. The man glowered at her, firmly saying, "Get inside Evelyn."
"Stella isn't even your name!" Jessica screeched with comprehension, "You lied to me – I should at least know the names of my killers! That's common decency!"
"Is it?" Stella mustered, chortling shortly.
"Shut up," The elder man asserted, squeezing Jessica's arm. Grinning at Jessica, he declared, "I'm John by the way; and that is my real name."
"Before you died." Evelyn barked.
"I've used it since." He spouted defensively, forcing Jessica over the threshold.
As they left behind the dim streetlights, Jessica quietened. Her eyes dulled, hair matted with sweat and dirt. Her fingers twittered to the rushed beat of her heart. The pair walked her through the dark. Large columns grew from a cracked marble floor. Jessica sucked in a hasty breath. A cloud brewed from between her lips. Bumps developed on her skin, fair hair standing. She bowed her head, as a bright light invaded her enlarged pupils. Jessica frowned, nose scrunched, as three people came into view.
They stopped. Standing in a circular hall of dramatically carved stone, the groups silently observed each other. Jessica looked upwards, voice shaking with awe as she basked in the ruin of the bank. Her heels scraped dust from the flooring, as she nervously tapped her feet. The noise shifted the atmosphere. Wildlife awoke, mice dashing and birds complaining. A few bats rustled by smashed windows. A body swung. Jessica fell back, mouth gaping with a silent scream. Her throat hurt. High above them were five bodies. Three of her previous peers from school watched from the corner of their eyes, heads tilted downward. Their eyes were swollen with blood, skin sunken. A laugh escaped a girl younger than herself, red hair flailing as her body shook. Weightless, strapped by their wrists from the ceiling, the bodies swayed. Fresh tears surfaced. Evelyn kicked out at Jessica's lower back.
The thud reverberated.
Corridors carried the boom of Jessica's hands and knees hitting the marble floor. She stared at the once gleaming ground.
"Evelyn," a high voice firmly strained, "I asked for someone to change."
Smile waning, Evelyn gnawed on her bottom lip, "I thought she was right."
"No," a light male voice certified, "This girl is useless… and so thin. She won't last long – not like the others."
Jessica chanced a glance upward, shivering as the bodies above swung with a light breeze that breached the broken windows. She looked forward and scowled, furious.
Ahead of her was an immense office desk. Atop sat a child, a little girl no older than ten, whilst beside her stood a young boy no older than thirteen. He held the girl's hand, stroking her palm caringly. A man, younger than John, but older than her and Evelyn stood with his arms crossed further to the side of the pair. He stared at her, green eyes seeming to flicker with misplaced desire.
"We need to eat," John stressed, "Having them hang for so long, eating so little… it's hurting Evelyn. What will we do when the rest of us get sick?"
The boy hissed. Jessica jumped back, thumping into Evelyn's chest. His eyes blazed red and gold. His skin paled, dim blue veins straining as his canines elongated beyond his gums. As the little girl stroked his arm, the boy collected himself. Jessica flinched, as his jaw snapped back into place. She released a held breath unsteadily. Her lungs burned from the cold of the hall. The others did not seem to feel it, the claws of frost.
"Please," Jessica hastily begged, looking unblinking at the two children. She ventured bravely, "Let me go."
"Put her with the others." The little girl ordered.
The young man off to the side approached. Jessica shrieked. She kicked out, as the young man removed rope from his pockets. John held her by her arms. He pushed her forward, her heels snapping as she tried to force her weight down. Jessica slid along the marble easily.
Evelyn giggled. The boy stroked the little girl's cheek with his forefinger before stepping away from the table. He joined Evelyn, careful to avoid the tumble of Jessica, John and Gavin. Quieting, Evelyn turned away from the struggle to look at him. He stood still, gazing at her. Head tilting to the side, he examined her clothes with a slight sneer. Evelyn attempted to brush off some of the dirt. The boy held out his hand. Evelyn hurried to him, grasping his hand with both of her own. She crooned, as he sifted through her locks with his other hand. He led her to the table, the little girl observing Jessica's hanging. She clapped as Gavin and John successfully threw up the rope. It cascaded back to them after crossing over a beam.
The little boy sat Evelyn down at his feet, as he hopped up onto the table by the little girl's side. He ran his hands through the little girl's creamy curls. He sighed, "They have a point sister."
She grunted.
"Evelyn is ill." He pushed, glancing at the young woman by their swinging feet. Evelyn stared up at him, wide eyed. Large dark ringlets had developed round her brown eyes. Her makeup smeared, conveyed the lack of meandering veins. Bloodless and weak, she took in rapid short breaths. He licked his lips, saying, "We need to settle, Ivor."
The little girl let out an exasperated exhale, nodding as she watched John and Gavin lift a screaming Jessica up above them. Sullenly, Ivor agreed, "It's time to expand. We cannot continue as we currently are." She looked to her elder brother, as Jessica's voice cracked, "I may not like this place," Jessica's body lunged uncontrollably, as her shoulders popped. Ivor sullenly relented, "Beacon Hills seems decent enough to inhabit… if only for a while."
"Until you're better," Her brother suggested.
"Until we're all better, Peter." Ivor confirmed, fretfully looking down at Evelyn who gazed up with glossy eyes. Blood dribbled down Jessica's limbs. Gavin stuck out his tongue to catch the drops, as a youth would snowflakes.
"Beacon Hills..." Ivor murmured to herself.