Sorry it's taken me so long to update! I have so much work this year :( I hope you enjoy the new chapter though. Sos xx
Chapter 2
Constance sighed as the last of her pupils filtered from the lab. The abilities, or rather the lack thereof, shown by the girls over the past two hours had been proof beyond doubt that they were not ready for their end of year exams. She sat at her desk with her hands clasped in front of her, each index and little finger touching its counterpart as was her accustomed thinking position. The girls' concentration that afternoon had been appalling and Constance had heard more than one grumble about netball. Despite her usual intolerance for such behaviour she had found it easy to ignore today. Indeed, she had found it very difficult to concentrate on anything that afternoon. This uncharacteristic behaviour unnerved her and yet there was nothing she could do about it. Ever since her lunch in the staff room that news bulletin was all she could think about. Today's riot was by no means a one off incident and although Constance had originally been sceptical as to whether it really could affect society she was no longer quiet as sure. Although most of the girls' whispers had been fuelled by her actions, there had also been something else. A few of the girls who perhaps had access to radios or were sympathetic to the ideas of the demonstrators had heard the news. Constance had heard excited, naïve whispers of laws changing and freedom for 'those poor people' in her classroom and through the corridors. It was true, she conceded, that not many girls seemed to have heard but a few was certainly better than none. And it got them thinking. Wasn't that what demonstrations were for, after all? They brought to light flaws in society and challenged people's ideas towards them. Constance still firmly believed that this sort of action was not powerful enough to change government agenda, certainly not overnight. But perhaps if enough people were encouraged to challenge their ideas and understand the suffering undergone by those unfortunate enough to get caught, the opinions of society at large could begin to change. And where society went, government opinion and even laws would inevitably have to follow. It would take time though, that Constance knew well.
As she stood to clear her desk and return to her rooms Constance felt her necklace caress the skin of her breastbone and her short lived optimism ended. She pulled the chain out from underneath her high necked black dress and ran her fingers over the silver double-headed axe that hung from it. Although now smooth from years of wear, she could still remember when she first saw it, hanging around that slim neck on its chain that was just slightly too thick, the knotted pattern working its way around the haft. The way it shook on her chest as she laughed-
Constance's stomach dropped sharply as she realised where her thoughts were headed and she stopped them abruptly as she stepped out of the potions lab. It did not do to dwell on things one could not change, she had learned that long ago. She walked briskly down the corridors, chivvying the last few stragglers down to the dinner hall as she went. She had to tell Fenella and Griselda twice to hurry along as the pair ambled through the halls, deep in conversation. That was always a bad sign and Constance made a mental note to keep a close eye on the pair over the next few days. It would give her something to focus her wondering thoughts on, if nothing else, though Constance suspected it would take more than some misbehaving students to do that.
It was getting dark and close to lights out as Griselda walked purposefully through the draughty corridors of Cackle's Academy. As she went she ticked off the names on her short mental list and realised that there were only two people left to visit. She and Fenny had spent most of this afternoon deciding between them who should make the list but it had turned out very small as there were a good number of girls they had had to reject out of uncertainty. This annoyed Griselda still but she understood Fenny's caution. They couldn't afford to get caught. She quickly rounded the corner and found herself outside the door she had been looking for. Something inside her told her to wait, told her she should be nervous, but she silenced it as she had outside the last three doors. It was not long at all until lights out and she didn't have time to waste worrying if they had put the right girls on the list. So she gritted her teeth and knocked.
Constance Hardbroom sat at the desk in her bedroom, the elbows she was leaning on surrounded by first year marking. She had tried in vain to start it, to at least get through one of the piles, but her thoughts it seemed would not be diverted from their desired path. Looking at the untouched work, she finally conceded defeat. The window above her desk looked out onto a dark, clear night. The moon and stars lit up the grounds below, sending long shadows from the tall pine trees in the forest. Looking across the grounds, Constance felt her stomach tighten like a belt inside her as she realised she could no longer run from the thoughts that had been chasing her all day. The actions of multiple underground groups – though perhaps underground was now the wrong term – in showing themselves in protest before the people and the government, had struck a surprising cord with Constance. She had certainly never expected to feel so strongly about what was going on. Of course in her teenage years she had held great sympathy for such groups, a feeling which had continued into her early twenties until she realised that such action would always come at a cost. She had been lucky to last as long as she had in those circles. It was obvious now that it had only been a matter of time before someone made a mistake. Constance gritted her teeth as she tried in vain to banish the memories from her mind. Picture upon picture filled her head in an unstoppable flood of images. The current was so strong that it pulled Constance along, threatening to suck her under as the memories swarmed around her from every angle. She felt the once familiar helplessness press down upon her like flowing concrete. She had to get out before it set fast. Why couldn't someone else have made the mistake?
Constance jumped up from her seat as if from a branding iron, knocking the table in the process and scattering papers across the floor. She paid no heed to the mess and instead grabbed her travelling cloak from its peg by the door as she left the room. Her steps rang through the corridor as she hurried towards the entrance doors. Some part of her knew she took a serious risk in making such a loud exit, it was bound to attract the attention of anyone still awake. However, this same part of her also knew that if she stopped long enough to think about what she was doing, she would most likely turn around and go back to her rooms instead. Back to the life she had spent the last fifteen years creating for herself. No, it was best to continue. Was it really fifteen years? By now Constance had reached the broomsheds where she headed instinctively for her broom. Her hand hovered above it as she looked back over her shoulder into the courtyard. The night was still a clear one, with moonlight illuminating the grounds around the school. As a teacher, Constance knew she had every right to travel wherever she wanted, even at this time of night, but the risk of getting caught was still not one she was prepared to take. Leaving her broom in its place she continued out of the grounds, keeping to the shadows beside the wall.
Imogen froze as the cloaked figure passed her and continued down the path towards the village. Whoever they were, they seemed in a hurry. They were already a good hundred meters away from her in the other direction now and seemed not to have noticed her standing in the middle of the path as they passed. Imogen watched the stranger's retreating back as she tried to decide what to do. She knew that there was nothing but forest for miles around the school which made it more than likely that this whoever-they-were had come from the castle itself. This worried Imogen greatly, and was made even worse by the way they stuck to the shadows. It was as if this person didn't want to be seen. Memories of Agatha's attack on the school sprang to mind and immediately Imogen ran for the shadows and followed the stranger along the path towards the village. She felt her heart jump into her throat as the realisation of what she was doing really dawned on her. If this person was a witch or wizard she would stand no chance against them. She tried to still her loud breathing as hurried around the corner into the village. Her quarry had done rounded the same corner just thirty seconds before her but Imogen knew that that sort of time would still be more than long enough to disappear. She quickened her pace only to stop abruptly at the entrance to the village. All the shops stood neatly in a row along the high street. Not so much as a cat slunk around the side of any of the buildings. "Shit!"
Elspeth Everoot could feel her heart beating hard against her breastbone as the loud footsteps in the corridor passed her hiding place. She had barely had time to dash into the store cupboard before whoever-it-was had stormed past. Those footsteps did not sound like they belonged to someone who would appreciate running into a student out of bed. She waited until the corridor was silent once more, counted to one hundred and then slowly opened the door of the store cupboard. It could not be said that Elspeth Everoot was not cautious. She had left her room that night to pay a visit to Griselda Blackwood and discuss their talk with Miss Cackle but had found Griselda's room empty. Just as she quietly closed the cupboard door and began once again to pad softly down the corridor, she heard an equally soft tread coming from the opposite direction. She froze, squinting along the dark corridor at the figure coming towards her. It looked as though it was another student.
"Elspeth?" the girl whispered as she came closer. Elspeth felt a surge of relief to see that it was Griselda.
"Gris! What are you doing up? I've been looking everywhere for you. I have something to tell you."
Griselda looked nervous. "I have something to tell you too."
