"Hey, freak."
"Yes?"
Toni and a preppy senior were engaged in a battle of wits after fourth hour. Most of the students were filing off, but the Gothic freaks Annette hung out with were still there, forming a ring of support around the fighters. Annette watched with wide eyes, listening to the insults barrage Toni and her friends.
"I thought you had to be in shape to be Gothic."
"Is that so?"
If anything could be said about Toni, it was that she wasn't anorexic.
"Who the hell did your hair, anyway? A blind butcher?"
"That was pathetic. I'm not gonna start a fight with you. You're not worth it."
More, harsher insults were thrown at Toni. The prep's friends had formed a half-circle around their fighter, and they glared at Annette and crew with an amused malice that rivaled the prep's. At each passing moment, Toni's face gained a hue of red.
And she wasn't the only one. The boy had just gotten past the fat jokes and was starting in on the lesbian insults when Annette took a glance at the others. Tom was clenching the strap of his messenger bag, leaving tears in the heavy fabric. Eric was digging his nails into his palms, trying to restrain himself. Ben had gone white and appeared to be groping for something to attack the boy with, and Remi was gripping a bottle of soda as if ready to use it as a club. Wolfgang's face was unreadable, but the glint in his eye would have made anyone wary of the mechanical pencil he held loosely in one hand. Kayako was completely stoic, her eyes burning green.
"And I bet your little Jap bitch is-"
Speaking of, the boy was blindsided by a screaming, flailing, tearing Japanese girl named Kayako. She immediately knocked him to the ground and tore at his throat, leaving bloody gashes in the soft flesh. Her free hand slammed into his stomach, his chest, his face, anywhere she could land a blow. An unearthly death-rattle rose from her throat, and the green eyes were glassy, glazed over.
Of course, the boy was fighting back. He managed to kick her off of him and into the group of preps, who rapidly fired off a few punches themselves. They were overcome by Annette and crew, who restrained and held them in very painful positions. The fight was not theirs; it was strictly between the two enemies.
Finally, Kayako gave the last blow. She launched herself into her foe, clamping her teeth around the teen's fist, and bit down hard. She was ripped away by Wolfgang, who apparently had a thing against biting. She spit out the blood and gave her vanquished enemy one last murderous glance before turning calmly to her friends.
"You may want to get the nurse," she stated calmly, wiping the blood off on her sleeve. "I think he might have a broken rib."
"...Whoa." Toni blinked and let go of the tall, football-player-type kid she had been restraining. "What exactly just happened?"
"I taught the boy a lesson." A distasteful frown, and Kayako examined her already-swelling wrist. "Hmm. Would one of you be so kind as to retrieve an ice pack for my wrist? I think it's sprained."
"Uh, yeah. Damn, Kay, you're gonna get expelled this time."
"Not if it was provoked and he fought back."
Annette looked from Kayako to the prep to Kayako again. "Erm, thank you for defeating that menace, Kayako. I only wish it had been done less physically."
"That's the only thing those baka ningens understand, kid. Uh, Wolfgang, be a dear and let me go, will you?"
With a murmured apology, Wolfgang released the girl and stepped back, a look of wonderment on his face.
"Are you okay? I've never seen you act like-"
"The boy seems to be unconscious, and his little friends have scattered. Someone should take him to the nurse. He's bleeding all over the carpet."
Ben and Eric hefted the fallen prep between them and began the short drag to the nurse's office. Kayako followed, closely tailed by Wolfgang, who seemed wary of another outburst. The others trailed along behind, Annette and Toni bringing up the rear.
"Are you alright?" asked the girl quietly, catching sight of Toni's bright eyes.
"I'm...I'm fine. It's just that people do this a lot. Torment me, I mean. Heh. I feel so weird saying that to a twelve-year-old. At least Kayako was willing to defend me. I'm too scared of getting in trouble with the skool. More my parents, though. They'd kill me if I did what she did."
"It's quite alright, Toni. People are irritating. Only isolated groups of them are good enough to stick up for each other. You just happed to have found six of them."
"Seven."
"Yes, I suppose I'm in this group as well, eh? Don't let them bother you, Toni. But if you need to work out some aggressions, stop by sometime after skool. My...father would appreciate the help."
"Why do you keep hesitating before you say that word?"
"Pardon?"
"You always pause before you say 'father.' Is that for any particular reason?"
"Not really. He doesn't like formal terms like that. He prefers to be called Nny."
"Weird. Do you think Kayako's going to get expelled?"
"I highly doubt it."
The group reached the nurse's office and astonished the woman at the desk with their burden. She rushed to get bandages and soap, not even pausing to ask why they were dragging in a bloody teenager. Ben and Eric dropped the boy onto a chair and sat down with the group in a corner. Kayako came forward to sit near her enemy, probably to indicate that she too was injured.
"Get him over here. How deep are the cuts on his neck? How long ago did this happen?" The nurse appeared with a pile of bandages and some antibacterial soap wound-cleaning stuff.
"Uh, the cuts are just scratches, and this happened about three minutes ago," Remi informed, not looking at the prep.
"What did this to him? Did a dog attack you outside?"
"One, he's not our friend. Two, it was NOT a dog." Wolfgang glanced over to Kayako, who had gone stoic again. "Uh, she'll get pissed if you call her a dog."
"Oh. Which one of you did this?"
Kayako raised her hand. "It was I. Of course, I assure you I had a perfectly good reason to do so."
"Oh, for God's sake. When will you kids stop having gang wars in skool?"
"It wasn't a gang war. That boy was verbally assaulting my friend and our group. Kayako ended it physically." Annette's expression was unreadable.
"I'm going to call the principals. You stay here and watch the boy. If you try anything, we'll have you arrested."
The nurse darted off to a phone far away from the Goths. None of the teens stirred, save for a quick glance among themselves. Annette put on her headphones and started to listen to the Social Distortion CD Eric had allowed her to borrow. The noise was a wonderful method of blocking out unpleasant thoughts.
"The principal is on her way, kids. Now why don't you tell me exactly what happened?" The nurse sat down next to the prep and checked the bandages, not looking at the Goths.
"That boy was insulting us," murmured Annette. "He said the most awful things, including racial slurs. Then Kayako got mad and attacked him. He fought back, though. Then Kayako bit him and stopped beating on him. His friends ran away."
The door opened, and a flustered-looking woman entered. "What have we here?"
"This boy was taunting the other children, here, and this girl became angry and attacked him." The nurse gave Kayako a condescending look. "They apparently think of the attack as justified."
"Kayako! Again? You are going back to therapy, young lady! What exactly happened?"
"That...baka ningen was insulting my friends. Then he had to go and start in on the racial slurs. He called Ben a...very condescending term for African American, and he told Remi she was a half-bred prostitute. Poor little Annie was labeled the bastard child of a harlot. He called me a Jap bitch. I decided that that was enough and ended his assault with force."
Kayako's eyes were blank along with her face. The principal shook her head despairingly and searched the girl's face for any shred of remorse. Nothing made itself apparent.
"Very well. Kayako, I expect to see you in the counselor's office tomorrow morning. You will have in-skool-suspension for two days, and continue to see the counselor for two weeks. That boy over there gets two weeks of in-skool suspension for his foul mouth. Mrs. Day, take care of their injuries. I have a meeting to go to."
And she left. Mrs. Day sighed, looked at the boy, and muttered something that sounded like a curse. She tossed an ice pack to Kayako and sent for a nurse to get a bed ready.
"Get out of here. All of you. Kayako, I swear, someday you're going to be in over your head. Now get going."
The group stood and took their leave. Outside, they burst into laughter.
"Nice one, Kay," giggled Ben.
"I thought you were gonna get expelled for a second!" Eric cried.
"Don't scare us like that!" Tom was barely coherent from the hilarity of it all.
"It was nothing. Are you okay, Toni?"
"Yeah. Thanks, Kayako. I'm sorry that bastard insulted you guys so bad. Annie, how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. That boy couldn't have been farther off the mark when he turned his barbed tongue toward me. I almost feel sorry for him. He didn't know what he was getting into."
"Come on, kid, I'll take you home."
"No, let me." Kayako gave Toni a sweetly evil look. "She and I have much to discuss."
"Whatever. That okay with you, Annie?"
"Yes. Goodbye, everyone."
"See ya!" the others chorused.
"Hey, Annie," muttered Kayako when they were in her car a few minutes later, "mind if I come in and have a chat with you and your dad?"
"If he doesn't mind, neither do I."
"Good. I think we all gotta discuss the best course of action on this little matter."
Kayako's car pulled into the driveway, the engine sounding deathly loud against the utter stillness of the house and yard. Annette skipped up to the door, dodging irregular piles of dirt and the sign "Keep off the Loose Soil: It's Impolite to Walk on the Dead!" to ring the doorbell.
"Yes?" The door opened a crack to reveal a narrowed eye.
"Nny? I'm sorry to be so late, but there was a conflict at skool. May my friend Kayako come in for a moment?"
"Of course." A broad smile appeared on Nny's face, and he wrenched the door open, slipping a dagger back into its sheath. "Are you really late? What time is it?"
"After four." Kayako bowed and followed Annette inside. "Nice place."
"I'm going back downstairs. Scream if you need anything-"
"Wait, Father. Kayako and I wish to discuss something of importance with you."
Nny paused for a moment, then shrugged. He shut the door, then lit a few candles to banish the darkness inside the house. Kayako looked around in wonderment for a long time before turning her gaze back to the ever-stoic Nny.
"Well? What did you want to talk about?"
"There was a fight at skool." Annette smiled. "Kayako took care of it."
"Did you kill the bastard?" Nny queried casually, as if referring to a troublesome spider.
"No, unfortunately. That's why I wanted to talk to you." Kayako paused, then continued. "I don't have any weapons of my own. The daggers are lovely, but I need something that won't attract attention."
"How about a few sporks?" suggested Nny.
"I have some, thank you. Perhaps a screwdriver would be good. And we have to work out a system. Would it be alright to give you a hit list?"
"I already have a hit list, but whatever. I don't give a damn. You need me to kill that kid or what?"
"No, I'll take care of him later...um...but I need something to get my homicidal impulses worked out. I'm wondering if maybe I could, I dunno, stop by once a week or something to assist you downstairs."
"As long as you don't get in my way, I could care less."
"Thanks a lot. I really need that. Um...I should probably leave you guys alone now. Bye, Annie. Goodbye, Nny."
Kayako bowed quickly and darted out the door.
"Come on, Annette. Let's go."
"Where to?"
"Some friends invited us over for dinner."
"Who?"
"You'll see."
Carpe Noctem
University of the Arts
founded 1313
"Seize the Night"
The elegant black marble sign caught Annette's attention in the midst of a wild tangle of trees and brush. A winding gravel drive ambled uphill and stopped short in the middle of a grassy field. The girl hardly noticed when they came to a stop, enthralled as she was with what lay before them.
It was a huge college, an ancient mansion in a forest. Black stone and decor graced the smooth, medieval architecture, and a flock of ravens could be seen perched in the trees all around them. Red curtained windows glowed bloody from the light inside, and shadows gathered in the wake of a dying sun.
It was beautiful.
"Come on, Annie. Stop gaping like an idiot." Nny opened the car door and stepped out into the cool twilight.
Silent, Annette followed. The pair approached the university, the younger all-too aware of how dwarfed they were by its size. The arched doors opened before Nny could lay a hand on them, and a smiling elderly woman greeted them.
"Greetings, children of the night. What brings you here?"
"Visiting some friends."
"Oh, how wonderful. Which dorm?"
"Thirteen-oh-six."
"Ah. Let me lead you there. It's a bit of a trek, but these old bones are up for some exercise. Follow me. Mind your feet; there's a few cats wandering about."
And the old woman darted off down the hall. Nny and Annette sprinted along behind, falling farther and farther behind. For a senior, that lady sure ran fast. Annette had lost sight of her altogether when they finally stopped to catch their breath.
"What the hell was that?" Nny wondered aloud, leaning against a cool marble wall.
"I don't know. But now we're lost in here. How are we going to-"
"Hello, slowpokes! We're almost there! Why are you just standing there? Let's go!" The old woman, who had popped up behind Annette and Nny, grasped them both by the wrist and took off, half-dragging her charges behind her.
All that Annette knew was that they were going up. Her feet kept hitting stairs. In no time at all, they came to a sudden stop. Annette stumbled a few steps before falling and landing in a crouch on the floor. Nny had managed to remain upright, but he too had continued on a few steps past the old woman. A smile, and the crone vanished.
"What the hell-"
Nny's indignant outburst was cut off by a door slamming open. Tenna tumbled out, nearly colliding with Annette. She took one look at the pair and giggled.
"Devi, Karasu, looks like Mary brought our friends up!"
Devi appeared at the door and smiled. "Yeah, looks like it. Come on in, guys. Kari's making dinner."
Annette stood and followed Tenna and Nny into the room. It was dim, lit only by candles, and the overall color scheme seemed to be black and red. Wooden floors caught the glow from the flames, throwing the light back up to form irregular shadows on the black and red cloth draped over the furniture. Posters were tacked up everywhere, and drawings and paintings covered every other available inch of the walls. A fire was roaring at one end of the giant room, at which a smallish figure was seated, stirring something in a pot over the flames.
"Oh, hey, guys." Karasu turned to face them, swiping her hair out of her eyes. "How's it going?"
"Well, thanks." Annette spoke for the both of them, noticing Nny's interest in the decor. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. Dev, Ten, how're you?"
"Fine, Kari."
"I'm great! In fact, I could just SING!"
Tenna darted around, humming something to herself. The others watched her with mixed amusement and irritation. She soon lost interest in her game and wandered over to a laptop sitting on a table. Ignoring everyone, she began to type away, murmuring sentences to herself as she worked on her latest story.
"What is she-" Nny started, but Devi cut him off.
"She's a writer, believe it or not. I'm here for painting, and Kari's in the performing arts and cooking. This dorm only houses about four people, but it's nice. How's dinner coming, Kari?"
"Pretty good so far. We were out of the regular potatoes, so I used sweet potatoes. They're better, anyway. It should be ready in an hour or so."
"No one asked you for a culinary lesson, Kari. Who's up for socializing until whatever the hell she's cooking is done?"
Annette smiled and nodded. There was no reaction from Nny.
"Oh, fine then. I'm trying to be nice, but if you don't want to make an effort-"
Nny glared at Devi and sat down on the nearby couch. "I never said I wouldn't."
"Great. So, guys, how's l-"
"How's your spleen?" Tenna piped up from the corner.
"Fine, I suppose," Nny yawned. "I never really thought about it. You?"
"Great!" squealed Tenna.
"I am fine as well," murmured Annette.
"Good. I'm okay, too. I guess. Anything unusual happen around your part of town?" Devi was already running out of ideas.
"My friend beat up a boy for insulting me and our other friends."
"Well, then. That's, um, weird. Care to elaborate?"
"Her name is Kayako, and she's got homicidal tendencies. She became angry when a prep started in on the racial slurs and beat him until he passed out. It was pretty cool, actually. Except it was scary when she bit him."
"Wow. So you're making friends?"
"Yes. Kayako, Ben, Remi, Eric, Wolfgang, Tom, and Toni. Ben, Remi, and Toni are girls too. They're very nice."
"Cool." Devi grinned. "Glad to hear you have some people to watch your back. Er, when Nny isn't around, that is. You want to paint something, Annie? I've got an old easel and tempera paints in the corner."
"Alright." Annette hurried off to the easel, which had caught her eye the moment she had walked into the room.
"Okay," breathed Devi when Annette had gotten out of earshot. "So, Nny, tell me, how are things really going for you guys?"
"Fairly well. We stay out of each other's business for the most part, and everything seems to work out."
"You know, a kid needs attention."
"I don't need you giving me parenting lessons, Devi."
"Yeah, well...nevermind. Does she paint a lot at home, or is this just purely boredom?"
"She has nearly as many paintings hanging up as I do."
"Good. She's got something to keep her busy. How are you these days?"
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Still an insomniac. Still a mass-murderer. What else?"
"No, I mean like emotionally."
"Apathetic."
"That's not exactly ideal when there's a small kid in the house. Are you sure you don't need help-"
"I'm sure." There was a dangerous glint in Nny's eye that immediately silenced the painter.
A time later, Karasu announced dinner, and the group found themselves seated at a low table.
"Dig in, kids!" announced the cook cheerfully.
The door opened, and Squee and Pepito entered.
"Hey, guys!" squealed Tenna, moving over to make room for the addition. "Come on, sit down! We're just gonna eat!"
"Hey, Squee, hey Pepito." Devi smiled. "These two are in the dorm across the hall."
"Awesome. Free food!" Pepito sat down and immediately began grabbing ridiculously large amounts of food.
"Whoa. Annie, you look...more dark than normal today." Squee did a double take before sitting down.
"My friend Ben showed me how to apply eyeliner in pretty designs."
"Okay, then."
Silence for a time, and everyone began to eat.
Annette was happier than she'd been in a long time. Everyone was together again. It was like coming home to a huge, dysfunctional family. Even Nny was talking pretty fluently-well, that was after his second cup of sake, but still. Devi and Nny were getting along remarkably well-but then again, Devi was on her second bottle of sake, so that might have accounted for something. Squee wasn't cringing from everything that moved, and Pepito had yet to scare Annette. Karasu and Tenna were just being insane, but that was perfectly fine. The warm, cheery atmosphere was enough to make the small French girl smile and talk as well.
And that was perhaps the best thing of all.
Daylight. Where am I? Annette sat up and looked around. How did I get back here?
There was a thud and a strangled scream. Nny was back to his bad habits again. The light flooding into the living room was enough to give anyone an instant headache, and Annette was by no means exempt.
A sound on the stairs, and Nny slunk into the room.
"Morning, Annie. Sleep well?"
"Er...oui, I think so..." Annette didn't let any suspicion creep into her voice. Nny was definitely up to something.
"Well, I think I'll go out today. Do you want to come with?"
"Er, non, merci. I shall be doing homework. What day is it?"
"I don't know. Thursday maybe."
"I'm late for skool!"
"It's okay, I'll drop you off."
Why is he so cheery today?
"Come on, Annie. We're leaving in ten minutes."
And why is he calling me Annie?
"Annie?"
"What? Oh, oui. I shall be ready."
Twelve minutes later, Annette leaped out of the car and sprinted into the skool. A moment to sign in, and she checked her watch. It was during passing time, and she had ten minutes to get to Choir.
"Yo, Annie!" Ben caught the girl in a tight hug. "Where were ya? We were all worried sick!"
"I overslept."
"I know how that goes. Listen, Annie, um...Kayako isn't at skool today."
"Why? Did they expel her?"
"No...She's being charged with first-degree murder. That boy she attacked died last night. She apparently went back to finish the job and got caught."
"My God..."
"Excuse me, girls, but do you know where I can find a little girl named Antoinette?"
A heavy-set woman who looked to be of about forty years suddenly appeared behind the pair.
"Um...je m'appelle Antoinette..."
"Oh, good. I need to talk to you, dear. You come with me, alright? Your little friend can talk to you later."
Ben looked irritated, but she allowed Annette to be led into an office across the hall.
"Now, Antoinette...er, what should I call you, dear?"
"My...father calls me Annette."
"Alright. Annette it is. Now, dear, I'm a little concerned about you."
"Why?"
"Well, I know that you're an exceptional student, but I've also noticed that you seem to be associating yourself with the...darker side of the skool population."
"Why would that be bad? All of my friends are very kind."
"Well, you're an impressionable young girl, and I just heard that one of your friends...got herself into serious trouble. And your other friends aren't exactly the best role models. That girl you were with, Ben, well...she's had some problems in the past. We're seeing her for counseling regularly. And that boy, Wolfgang, has been attending skool AA meetings since last year. I won't go into more detail. I think you can see what I'm hinting at."
"Don't you EVER insult my friends like that." Annette launched into a long bout of French reprimands.
"Calm down, Annette! I just want to see you and your legal guardian in my office tomorrow at the start of class!"
"My...father?"
"Yes, well, your file says that your guardian is one Johnny C."
"He's called Nny."
"Nny, then. But I still expect to see you both here. Do you understand?"
"Yes. I understand perfectly."
And so the next day, a very moody Nny accompanied Annette to the guidance counselor's office.
"Good morning, Annette. And you must be Nny." The counselor put on a huge fake smile and reached out to shake Nny's hand.
"Get those talons the hell away from me!"
"Er, fair enough. Now, Mister-"
"Nny!"
"Nny. It has been brought to my attention that your daughter has been hanging around with some rather dark people at skool. Did you have any knowledge of this?"
"Well, hell, of COURSE I knew that! Why? Do you have a PROBLEM with her friends? That Kayako girl is a perfectly upstanding role model!"
"That's what I was afraid of. You see, Kayako was just charged with first-degree murder."
"Already? Damn, she must have been lazy. I would have thought that the girl was smarter than that. Getting caught..."
"You mean you have...no problem WHATSOEVER with this?"
"SHOULD I?"
"Er, yes."
"Screw you."
"Excuse me? Sir, if you don't behave in a more respectful-"
"WHY SHOULD I RESPECT YOU? YOU DEFY RSPECT! ALWAYS TREATING OTHERS LIKE SLIDES UNDER A MICROSCOPE, BEING SO DAMNED SMART AND YET SO BLIND! WHY THE HELL SHOULD YOU EVEN BE ALIVE? I SHOULD JUST RIP YOUR FU-"
"Father, please try to keep a civil tongue."
"But Annie-"
"Father, I believe it is time for us to take our leave."
"An-"
"Goodbye, Madame Counselor. Come along, Father."
Nny surprisingly allowed himself to be led out of the office. The astonished counselor was left with an empty room and a head full of screams pounding against her skull.
Dear Diary,
My father became very angry today. This is the first entry I've written in a very long time, and I've chosen to write it about this. I must be going insane. In fact, I believe I already AM insane. How could a sane creature stand to live in a place like this? No, no, this is about my father, not my questioned sanity.
Anyway, he started yelling at the guidance counselor today. After we left, he took me home. Then he went out again, so I called Ben. She had her cell phone on and told me that Wolfgang would be there shortly to take me to a movie. I think they were trying to make me feel better.
It seems strange to think of Wolfgang as an alcoholic. He's quite scary, to be sure, but it just doesn't seem right. Perhaps that is why he's trying to quit. And Ben...I wonder what problems she has? Kayako I expected to be caught, but...No. One thing at a time.
I had a relatively nice day, all things considering. I got to see the new Ring movie, and I even got free food! Food is good. But when I returned home, Father was still not there. Wolfgang sat with me for awhile, but he had to get to work, so I'm alone again. Nny is sometimes very irritating to live with.
I wonder if that's why Devi still hasn't married him?
That's an amusing thought. Nny and Devi getting married. The two can barely stand each other. Ah well. One can dream.
Where is my father? The sun set a long time ago. I'm starting to get worried. Mere cat is sitting in my lap and purring. She and her kittens have grown quite fat in the short time they've been here. The dogs are still scrawny, though I think that's just how their breed is. The ferret is roaming the basement now, searching out any helpless rats it can lay paws on. The snake is probably killing one of Father's victims now. I think it likes the job. A demonic snake. Charming.
Where is he? The sun is almost rising. I can't stand it He's been gone this long before...but I'm still worried. I hope he comes back soon.
-Antoinette
The phone rang, startling Annette out of a fitful sleep. Things chasing her, screaming, falling, pain, and the overwhelming feeling that there was something horribly wrong. Annette gasped and jolted upright, sending a startled kitten tumbling to the floor.
"Hello?"
"Annie?"
"Devi? What-"
"Oh, thank God you're there! I was so worried! I tried calling four times-"
"What? Why are you so panicked-sounding?"
"Annie, stay calm. I'm coming over."
"Why-"
"Just pack some things in a bag or two. Things you really like. You're going to be staying at the dorm for a little while."
"Why? Did something-"
"I'll be there in half an hour. Get packing!"
"Y-yes...Devi..."
"Good girl. See you soon."
"Salut..."
"Salut."
Annette dropped the receiver to the floor. A strangled scream, and she ripped the cord out of the wall. What was going on? A pause, and she raced to her room.
"What to take..."
She hurriedly threw some of her more treasured clothes into a bag, pausing only to drape as much jewelry as she could over her small frame. A shirt was covered in buttons, and she tossed her journal and some pens in after it. Jack and Sally, her skool things. More items flew by in a blur, and by the time Devi knocked on the door twenty-nine minutes later, Annette was nervously pacing near the door, trench coat whipping at her legs.
"Good, you're ready. Let's go. You'll like it at Carpe Noctem, you know."
"What happened?"
"I'll tell you later. Just come on already!"
"What about my pets?"
"Get them fast!"
"Merci beaucoup."
Five minutes passed, and Annette loaded the last kitten into Devi's car. Then she jumped in, and Devi floored it.
"Why do I have to stay with you?"
"They are NOT putting you in a foster home!"
"Who's they?"
"The damned government! Those bloody whores don't know ANYTHING about kids...But don't worry, Annie, you'll stay with me and the girls. Everything's going to be okay."
"Devi, you're scaring me."
"I'm sorry, kid, but I'm scared too. Now please let me drive. Play with your pets or something. We're almost there."
Devi must have really been speeding, since they made it to the college in less than five minutes. Devi shepherded Annette and her pets to the dorm, volunteering to carry the bags and the boa in order to get her to move faster.
Karasu and Tenna were waiting. They gave Annette tight hugs that were obviously meant to be comforting and offered to make her something to eat. No one would talk about anything related to Nny.
Eventually, Annette allowed Kari to make tacos. The college student's face fell at the suggestion of such a simplistic meal, but she looked happier when Annette added nachos to the menu. Thirty minutes later, the four sat down to the most elaborate meal of tacos and nachos that Annette had ever seen before.
"Devi, Tenna, Kari, I'm sorry, but I really want to know what's going on." Annette sat down her taco and stared intently at the others.
"Er, well, we're not too sure ourselves..." began Devi.
"But we DO know that Nny isn't going to be back for awhile-" added Kari.
"-so you're staying here! Yay!" Three guesses.
"You're sure you don't know anything else?"
"Sorry, hon, but there's not much info right now. Let's just forget about that for a couple days, okay? Who's up for shopping?" Devi's eyes lit up in anticipation of all the art supplies she could get.
"Why not?" murmured Annette sadly.
Five hours and several thousand dollars later, the small group returned to the dorm. Squee and Pepito had already let themselves in-Pepito liked picking locks-and were watching cartoons on Tenna's laptop. A short fight ensued, and Tenna got her laptop back. The boys stood up and nursed their wounds.
"Never take a writer's laptop," laughed Devi, shaking her head.
"Shut up." Pepito conjured up a fireball and threw it into the empty grate at the end of the room. "Don't invoke my wrath!"
"It's an empty threat, and we all know it." Squee laughed. "And you have to admit, it WAS funny when she bit you."
Pepito just grumbled and hurled more fireballs at the hearth.
"So what did you guys buy?" asked Squee, ever the conversationalist.
"Paints, brushes, cooking supplies-" began Devi.
"I gots me a new set of knives!" squealed Karasu.
"I got a new thingy of software for my beloved laptop, and a fun battery pack that sucks energy from everything around it. It's awesome! I never have to recharge it!" Tenna inserted the new battery with a huge smile.
"That explains a few things..." Squee stared at the fire, which suddenly dimmed significantly.
"Yay! Full power!" Tenna hugged her laptop and danced out of the room.
"Okay, then. That was weird." Kari pulled out her new knives. "Anybody up for sushi?"
"Yeah, okay," muttered everyone else. Kari sure did get annoying with her gourmet crap.
"So, Annie, I hear you're staying here for awhile."
Annette's head snapped up at the mention of her name. She stared uncomprehendingly at Squee, then something clicked, and she nodded. A small thread of worry began to knot itself around her esophagus.
"Oui. But no one will tell me what happened."
"All I know is that Nny's gonna be in a hell of a mess for awhile. You'll probably be here for Christmas."
"Oh. Is that good or bad?"
"I'm not entirely sure."
This new tidbit was certainly slightly frightening. What would happen on Monday? Would she go to skool like it was a normal day? But how could she? She had no idea where Skool was, let alone how to get there. And if she didn't go, someone would probably call to check up on her. Then what?
"Annie? Annie? Earth to Annie."
Annette's eyes focused sharply on the image of Squee's face looking rather concerned. She smiled and laughed nervously to indicate that she was fine.
"Pardon. I was, how you say, zoning out. Er, I'm fine. You don't have to look at me like that. I'm not going to spaz out on you..."
"Okay, Annie, just checking to see what plane of existence you were inhabiting. You sure you're okay?"
"Yes."
"Um, Annie?"
"Yes?"
"Why
is there a ferret running around?"
"The ferret's name is Slyther. I bought it at a pet shop. And those cats. And the Chihuahuas. And that snake. Do not worry; they're really very nice."
"Okay, then. Kari, how's the sushi coming?"
"Almost ready!"
Devi grinned and stood. "We should set the table. Come on, Annie. Have you ever done this before?"
"Non..."
"Then it's time you learned."
Monday came almost without warning. A quick call to an old friend had Wolfgang at the dorm in a matter of minutes. Annette had to get ready an hour earlier than normal, but she didn't mind. Her trench coat had started to get too small for her, and a large portion of the money they head spent that weekend went toward buying a new, identical one. Thank you, Hot Topic.
"Bonjour, Wolfgang. Ca va?" Annette slipped on her coat and adjusted the numerous buttons covering the front of her shirt.
"Um...good?"
"Tres bien. You used an appropriate response! When are we leaving?"
"Whenever you're ready."
"One moment." Annette buckled her combat boots and hefted her book bag on one shoulder. "Ready."
"Okay. See ya, guys."
"Bye, Annie! Bye, Wolfie! Nice to see you again." Devi grinned. "Man, last time I saw you, you were a little Freshie. Didn't those preps throw you in a trash can on your first day? You were shorter then."
"Uh, yeah. Bad memories. I'm trying to suppress them. See ya."
Annette didn't say anything until they were on the way to Skool.
"Er, pardon me, but what exactly was that about?"
"Eh, I had some trouble my Freshman year. Squee and Kari scared them off for me. Then Devi sicced Nny on them, and...yeah." He smiled evilly. "Sometimes it's good to have scary friends."
"Oui."
And then the skool approached. A hulking brick figure, it was no less threatening that in had been a month and a half ago. The graffiti still covered the walls, and an ominous aura hung around the place for half a block all around it. Annette shivered.
"Annie! Yay! You're back!" Toni launched herself at Annette, threatening to run her over. "We missed you!"
"Hey, Annie." Tom grinned. "How's life."
Annette hesitated. "Well, erm, I'm staying with some friends for awhile while my...father is away. Devi and Tenna and Karasu are taking care of me at the art skool nearby."
"Sweet." Eric had popped up from God knows where and was sitting on a stone block nearby. "Squee was there too, right?"
"And Pepito."
"Ah, Pepito. God, that kid was a riot." Remi smiled fondly at the memories.
"Remember the time he set fire to that sub's wig in French? God, that was good. And when he started calling up spooky minions to terrorize the Freshies...Man, I miss that." Toni grinned. "You must be having fun."
"I am...But do any of you have an inkling as to what is going on with my...father? I haven't seen him since Friday." Annette tried not to let her apprehension show. She gripped her dolls tightly, twisting a lock of Sally's hair around one finger.
"Um...well, Kayako gave us an update on Saturday..." Eric looked away.
"What kind of update?"
Ben jumped in. "Well, er, member the one call you get in jail? She used hers to call me, and between me and Toni, we networked everyone in so she could talk to us all at once. We tried your place, but you must have already been gone."
Wolfgang's turn. "She said she'd seen Nny. He was in the cell block one wing over from hers."
"So that means..."
"Nny's in jail, Annie." Remi hugged her again. "Sorry, but it's the truth. Kay says he's being charged with a LOT of first-degree murder."
"Oh...Well, when is he coming back?"
There was a silence.
"Uh, Annie, he's not coming back. Conviction gets a life sentence."
Annette stared back, uncomprehending. Nny wasn't coming back? How could that happen? He had to be there. The Wall Thing would get out if he wasn't there. He had to come back. No matter what they said, he was coming back.
"Annie? Are you okay?"
Annette's eyes focused with a jolt, and she smiled. "Of course, mon amis. I am fine. Let's talk of something else, shall we?"
"No change?"
"Absolutely nothing."
"Uncanny."
"What, the prisoner?"
"Not exactly. The Japanese girl in the next cell block...her condition is almost identical."
"Interesting. Have either of them eaten?"
"No, neither of them have eaten since they got here. That or slept."
"Insomniacs?"
"Looks like it. He's been here before, you know."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Psych ward. The guy was a total nutcase. Anybody we put in a room with him ended up dead in minutes. Scary part was, we couldn't figure out how he did it. Then they found a bedspring lodged in one guy's chest cavity."
"Oh. Wow."
"Yeah. So don't give him a cellmate, okay?"
"I definitely won't give him a cellmate."
The two doctors continued their discussion, unaware that the man they were referring to could hear every word that they said. He almost smiled, but caught himself just in time. Those disgusting little pricks. They were so high-and-mighty. How lovely it would be to stab them with their own pens. But there would be time for that later. For now, he was content just to sit here and muse about life's nagging little questions.
I wonder if I could get a shot in from here? That bitch's forehead is large enough to land a plane on.
Nny quickly dismissed the idea. It would be too messy. Most likely, he'd have to face armed guards. Lots of them. It would take too much effort to get out. No, he would have to kill them later.
"Look, he moved!"
"No, that was the vent."
"Oh. Is he dead?"
"No, look, his chest is moving."
"I thought that was the vent."
Nny slowly turned his head to stare at the pair. They paled and took a step back simultaneously. A terrifying smile froze them in place.
"Good evening, ladies. You know, if I was you, I'd be MUCH more careful about what I said around murderers. They might just take offense."
The women nodded and fled, leaving Nny to himself. He allowed himself a small smile before returning to his reverie.
I wonder if Annie's doing well? More than likely. She can take care of herself. But perhaps I should use that phone call...no. She's fine. But what if she's not? No, she can take care of herself! She doesn't need anyone watching her all the time. All the same...
"Damn." Nny stood and walked to the barred door of his cell. "Can I get a phone call?"
Ring. Ring. SCREECH!
"Hello?"
"Devi? Is Annie there?"
"Uh...yeah, actually. Why?"
"Could I talk to her?"
"Why?"
"Devi, just give her the damned phone."
"Fine, fine. Don't get all pissy with me."
"Hello?"
"Annie?"
"...Nny?"
"How are you?"
"...Fine."
"Good. I assume Devi's taking care of you?"
"Yes. How are you?"
"About the same. Nothing really different. I'm in prison, by the way."
"I heard."
"Oh, okay. Your friend told you, I assume?"
"Yes."
"Well, I'm not sure how long I'll be here..."
"I give it two weeks before they kick you and Kay out. Have fun, Father."
"Oh, I will. And so will Kayako."
Nny hung up, grinning evilly at the jailer. A quick glance at Kayako, then-
"I don't suppose you happen to have a spork, do you?"
The jailer looked back and forth between the two.
"Oh, sh-"
Author's note: There ya have it, folks! This chapter is officially over with! I mite make an epilogue or smthg, but for now, IT'S DONE! YAY! eh, whatever. I'm gonna write more with Annie and Nny, don't worry. man, im rambling. I gotta go sleep now. bye bye.
Raven
