This is dedicated to everyone who gets exam results tomorrow and Saturday. Personally, I'm shitting myself "/
Alex's initial response to his mother's change in plan was to roll his eyes discreetly. Rather than jumping 273 million years to the future and the time that they needed to be in, they were going to jump 231 million years to the Late Eocene to pick up the Hyaenodons. In all honesty, Alex shouldn't have been surprised. His mother's plans changed as quick and as often as he moods did. Asking why or complaining would only get him a smart slap. "This will only take us a few extra hours at the most." His mother was blithering on about something a few meters ahead but Alex wasn't really paying attention. He was less concerned about their plans and more concerned about how they were going to stop a pack of prehistoric dogs turning on them, rather than on the people they needed to be turned on.
Alex realised his mother had stopped talking and there was no sign of her ahead. Where she'd been stood was a now fading anomaly. On instinct he broke into a sprint and launched himself through the rip in time, landing soundlessly on the other side as it spun closed. His mother hadn't noticed him missing which wasn't that surprising. Although she went on about how much she'd loved his father, Philip Alexander Burton, she never seemed to love him. Not that it was a great loss, right? Alex didn't particularly feel anything for her, no form of connection or trust. There wasn't even a hint of motherly love from her. But like he said; no big loss. Right?
"Wait here." Alex jolted to a halt before he walked into his mothers back. "I'll go and fetch the dogs. Do not move from this spot." With a sniff, she disappeared into the surrounding forest. Alex found a suitably sized tree trunk to lean against whilst he waited for his mother to track down the creatures. Whilst he was waiting a small, rat like creature scurried through the plants next to him. If his mother were here she'd pounce on it and kill it, saving it for food later on. Alex wasn't quite so inclined to kill a helpless little rodent. He scooped it up when he saw something glinting around its neck.
"What you got there, buddy?" He muttered, bringing the animal closer to his face to inspect it. "I don't think that suits you." It appeared to be a necklace of some sort. It wasn't rapped around its neck as he thought, but trapped around its teeth in its mouth. The chain was very thin, but looked more masculine than feminine.
It was a little tricky for Alex to extract it without harming the creature, but he managed it. He quickly checked the rodent for anything else and set it free when he found nothing. The chain in his hand was thin and silver with a silver pendant hanging from it. On one site was the outline of a black dragon. On the other was a faint inscription. It was faint to read and the writing was small meaning Alex could only make out a few letters.
B-c-r,-t- -, S- -x
Alex tried tilting it to read more of it, but he couldn't quite make it out. He shoved it into his shoe, a pair his mother had come back with on a trip from the future, as his mother reappeared with the ugly grey things in tow. "I thought I told you not to move!"
"It's easier to think about next month sitting down." Alex lied smoothly. This seemed to satisfy his mother who gestured to the tree. "Climb it. We'll rest here for the day. We'll move on tomorrow."
"And those things?
"I was getting to that." She snapped. "They'll watch the bottom of the tree for us. Now help me up!"
X
Megan is on her eighteenth week of pregnancy and things seem to have cooled down between her and Becker. He's still not accepting and he still wants to kill Jeremy, but they can be in the same room together. Jeremy's already gotten the finance sorted out, getting a job at McDonalds across the city and as a cleaner at his school. He donates 50% of his pay towards Megan and the unborn baby which is put away for safe keeping. Megan's bump is much more noticeable than it was before, especially when she takes pride in showing it off. Her school's been informed of her situation along with several governmental threats should something happen to her on their premises.
However, at half past three on a school Thursday, Megan and her pregnancy are the least of your worries. Alia's parent's evening starts in fifteen minutes and you and Becker have come to an agreement to go at the same time. This doesn't stop you cowering in the car with Megan for the last few minutes. "Is that daddy over there?" Alia points across to a black bonnet just sticking out from the row of cars on the playground. This area isn't one of your favourites; eighteen years ago Becker, Abby and Matt fell through an anomaly onto this very playground, exhausted, ill and close to death.
"I think so." You saw quickly, remembering that your youngest daughter still needs an answer. "You can go and say hi if you want." Alia quickly kisses your cheek and jumps from the car. Becker meets her halfway, nodding in your direction. You steel yourself before getting out to join the two of them. Becker's still wearing his 'work glare', as Megan nick-named it when she was five, and you see no point trying to talk to him. "Lead the way then, Allie." Alia scowls at the nickname and takes one of your hands, still clutching Becker's, and pulls you into the school. You wonder if Becker's ever connected the school to the anomaly. He wasn't exactly conscious when he came back through.
The teacher's waiting for you and motions for you to take a seat. Alia wanders off to go and play on the whiteboard whilst the three of you sit at the back of the classroom.
"Alia has to be one of the best students I've taught." Miss Bee smiles across the desk at you. "She's polite, calm, happy, thoughtful and acts like a mother to all of the other students. When a child's parents go through a separation it can often have a negative effect on them. Alia didn't batter an eyelash when she told me you two were splitting up."
"That's my girl." You smile. The teacher glances briefly between you and Becker who are sat several feet apart, radiating negativity.
"Her work is straight As, something difficult to obtain with our new curriculum. I'd recommend trying to steer her towards more science, language or maths based subjects. Secondary school teaching if she wishes to follow that path." The teacher slides a book across to you and you pick it up. It's her maths book and various things have been highlighted with 'important' or 'need to know' next to it. "These are the markings of a teacher. Can you tell me why she's suddenly started to do things like this on her work? They're the times tables but she knows them backwards.
You smile wider as you gingerly hand the book across to Becker who takes it without looking at you. "Our eldest daughter, Megan, is going to have a baby. I think Alia is very keen on teaching the baby things."
"Megan... Megan... Yes." The teacher smiles and leans back in her chair. "I remember Megan. Bright young thing. Now, if you'll take a look at Alia's art work." You zone out and take to watching Alia doodle on the whiteboard. She's drawn several baby-related things, including name plates, and moved onto household objects. She's certainty good at art. You turn back to the teacher to find her watching you expectantly.
"Forgive her." Becker snarls, giving you a glare. "She doesn't pay attention to a lot of things."
"No matter." The teacher smiles. "Thanks for coming in."
Surprisingly, Becker waits until Alia's strapped into the car to round on you. "What the Hell was that little stunt?" He demands. "Alia getting more attention that you or something? You get jealous?"
"What on Earth are you on about?" You force a laugh, knowing Alia will be watching you. "I was watching Alia draw on the whiteboard."
"If you'd been listening to the teacher, she could've told you what she likes to draw!"
"Observing told me baby items and household objects. Judging from the state of the fridge and her room, I'd also say animals." You roll your eyes at him. "Christ, you really do hate me don't you? Grow up, Hilary." You snap at him and practically throw yourself into your car.
"Why do you and daddy like to annoy each other?" Alia asks as you pull out onto the main road and hit the traffic.
You shrug and try to hide a smile. "We're old, dear. It's what we do."
X
Alex had still volunteered to take the first half of the night watch that evening. He wanted to know what was on the back of that necklace and he knew how to go about it. His mother just had to be asleep before he could do it. The only possession he'd had since he was a boy was a notebook in his mothers bag. He often wrote ideas and drew various views into it. There were also a few rubbings.
He continued with a drawing of the horizon until he was sure his mother was asleep. He flicked to the back of the book and carefully removed a page, making sure there was no trace it had ever been part of the book. He then fished out the pendant and placed it on the book and under the paper. It only took him a few seconds to make out the words, but he was left more confused than before!
Becker, with love, Si xx
Who was Becker? And who was (Enter Your Name Here)? Surely 'Becker' couldn't be a first name? A. Becker? No, that didn't sound right. B. Becker? C. Becker? D. Becker? E. Becker? F, G, H Becker?
Alex paused his doodling. H. Becker? Yes, that sounded better than the others. But what did the H stand for? Henry? Somehow, Alex didn't think Henry fit. "Something he didn't like." He muttered. It was either took long to have put onto the back of the charm, or 'Becker' hated it. Hamish? Harrison? Haden? Hiram? Holis? Horatio? No, none of them sounded right. But maybe he was wrong. Maybe Becker was a first name or it didn't begin with 'H'. He was only going on hunches. He slipped the book back into the rucksack and slipped the pendant and sheet of paper into his shoe. It made for uncomfortable walking, but he'd had worse.
X
It's the Monday after the parent's evening when your day goes from bad to worse. You've been avoiding your neighbour all week and have decided that he's a creep and should've been killed in the place of Mrs Parkinsons. You've just finished your lunch when there's a persistent, yet light knowing on your front door. You get to your feet and ready yourself for another face-off with your neighbour.
You pull open the front door and expect to see someone about your height. What you don't expect to see is a small six year old who barely comes up to your thigh crying his eyes out. "James!" You cry in alarm, dropping to your feet to pull him into a tight embrace. You scan the street over his shoulder but see nothing out of the ordinary. "Dear God boy, what are you doing?!" You scoop him up into your arms and back into the hall, closing the door behind you and heading towards the living room, cuddling the crying child. James presses his face into your neck and clenched his fists. "James, you walked the forty minutes from school to my house on your own?" You seat him on the sofa and sit down in front of him. He nods and you sigh. "James, that's dangerous. You could've been killed!"
"I'd have been killed if I stayed in school." He sniffs quietly and your eyes widen. You know he wouldn't have actually been killed, it's merely an exaggeration, but the underlying meaning is still screaming out to you.
"I beg your pardon? James, are you being bullied?" He nods and you groan. "Do you want to tell me the whole story?"
"Can I have a cookie?" You grin and get to your feet, ruffling his hair on the way to fetch one of your famous cookies. You grab a dozen, setting them down on the coffee table and handing him one. "You can have more as long as you tell me the whole truth okay?" He nods and begins the story.
Awww! James has made an appearance! Granted that it's a bad thing he walked all that way on his own because he's six, but he's my favourite so I had to bring him in :)