Chapter 3
Still two months ago
I was so frustrated! Although I had acted (relatively) calmly in the museum the whole episode had only served to tick me off. I always knew the Haves of this town were ignorant and shallow, but I had no idea how much.
This was what I was ranting to Will as we walked down a quiet high street at two o'clock in the afternoon.
"I mean at first I just thought they were saying all that stuff about the mine executives and Baxter being responsible for the town's wealth (well their wealth) and how the Have Not's are just lazy lay abouts doing nothing for society to spite me! But now im not so sure they are, I mean they honestly don't have a clue, they don't even know the half of what goes on in this town past their own ten foot high gold plated steel gates!"
Will said nothing.
"It's like what are the parents telling these kids? That money grows on trees; taxation is punishment to the poor for their uselessness? What makes them think that the way we are treated is fair? What do they say so they just accept it without question?"
Again Will was mute.
"And George Baxter, who dose he think he is?" my voice dropped steeply into a false silky falsetto. "Enlighten us then, what are we turning into?" my voice back to normal I said "what is it with him and questioning my every move? For the past five years every sentence he's said to me has been a question! I can't stand him!"
Still Will said nothing
"Who is he to question my actions when he lives the life of royalty, going on holidays to far off places at the tax payers expense, all because he's Robert Baxter's son, he claims the taxes go to the town, I doubt it! This town hasn't been renovated since the 1970's!"
Though Will was still silent his head had snapped up at the mention of Baxter's name, but he soon drifted back into his trance like state, ok something was up with him.
"What?" I asked with a smile, hoping to lighten my friend's mood if not my own.
Not looking at me Will replied "What, what?" with no real emotion. If that couldnt get a reaction out of Will (It's just a little saying we have when one of us asks what, the other asks what, what? And for some strange reason we can't keep a straight faces.)Then something was seriously wrong.
"Will is something wrong? Its just you've been a little off today, in the museum,now." I asked.
Still he was mute.
"You're not usaly this quiet so something must be up, whatever it is you can tell me you know, Will?" I said.
And nothing.
"Will?" I asked.
And again Will was silent.
"Will! Your not even lisoning to me are you!?" I said pushing him hard on his shoulder so he lost his balance.
Getting back up Will looked shocked and ticked off.
"What did you do that for?" He asked rubbing his shoulder.
"Because you weren't lisoning to me. Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" I said hands on hips.
Will looked at me, then at his feet and said "It's nothing, just my problem."
Which was completely not like Will my confident cocky best friend, he must have seen the disbelieving look on my face because he continued.
"It's nothing; my dad just got fired that's all."
"What, from the garage? Why?" I asked Will's farther was a top notch mechanic, the best, and he loved his job, why on earth would anyone fire him?
"Baxter, that's why! He bought out the garage dad works in and sacked the lot of them, what's to knock it down for somat." Will said this with his voice dripping in hate and hurt; I had a feeling this wasn't all.
"So mums panicking about not been able get by with only one income, so dad went to Baxter, well Baxter's representative, and asked when they would get there severance pay. And his rep just looked at him funny and said never. So here we are struggling and dad won't even get severance pay! And I have to work extra shifts at the builders yard, but even then mum and dad wont take a penny of it when I offer, I said let me pay board to them for living here and they said no." He finished.
Will's mum was a waitress at the same cafe I worked at part time, so I knew how much she'd get paid, and trust me that is no where near enough to live off.
"Well can't he find another job? I mean there are loads of garages in town; he'll find a job easy." I said trying to find a light in this tunnel.
"Huh, not likely, Baxter black listed Dad from every last garage, service station, car dealership and car rental business in Locksdale, and its all Dads trained to do." Spat Will.
"Wow, you kept all that to yourself? When this happen?" I asked.
"Last month." he replied.
"Right." I said, Baxter really had gone too far now.
"He can't do that!" I said, anger and the sense of injustice pulsing through me with all the force of a hurricane.
"He can, he's Robert Baxter he can do what he likes." Will said as we reached the end of the high street.
"He shouldn't be able to." I shouted back at him. On the corner sat an old woman in dirty damp clothes she held a tin for donations and a sign that read
"Robert Baxter stole my house!"
She spotted a policeman walking down the street and quickly stuffed the sign behind her back and smiled sweetly at him. He smiled back and when he looked away again she showed him the two fingers. Policemen worked for Baxter.
Out of habit I dropped money in her tin; there were lots of beggars in Locksdale.
"This isn't right, it's not fair! This town is Baxter's responsibility, he should be trying to make it better not make everyone's life miserable. How many people have suffered at his hands, how many people lose their money, jobs, their homes" I indicated to the old woman "People around here can scarcely afford to keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table never mind anything else, he can't keep raising taxes and introducing more taxes, someone has to stop him."
"Yeah and who's gunna do that? You?" Will asked.
I thought about this for a moment, why not? This can't go on, so why don't I be the one to stop it.
"Yeah" I said "I will." I started to walk again.
Will ran ahead and stopped me.
"You know im joking, right?" Will asked.
"Will, Im going to do it, someone has too." and I pushed past him.
"Good for you girly." the old woman with the sign said.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"I said, good for you, you are right someone has to stop him." She replied.
"Hello, where have you two been living for the past 100 years? The Baxter's own this town, always have and always will. And besides your just one short, scrawny 16 year old, what could you do? Everyone who has ever stood up to a Baxter suffers for it!" well I wanted the old Will back.
"Oh come on, you don't actually believe all those stories do you?" I scoffed.
"Not stories" The woman said "The truth, Baxter's make their enemy's pay, and then they vanish, all Baxter's are pure evil." she ranted, I rolled my eyes.
"See, its true what do you think he'll do to you? He'll not let you off because you're a girl you know. Robin put this stupid idea out of your head and let's go home." He said grabbing my arm and starting to walk again.
"No Will!" I said shrugging him off. "Im going to bring down Robert Baxter (somehow) No matter what you or anyone else says all right?" The street was starting to fill up again noticing this Will said.
"Keep it down; do you wanna get us arrested? Look get over it, your one person, what can you do?"
Standing up a vacant stare in her eyes the woman said "Not one person."
"Huh?" Will said.
She grabbed my hand with both of hers and her eyes rolled into the back of her head.
"Hey let go of me! What do you think your doing?" she started to shake.
"Get off?" Will said trying to pry her off but her grip was like a vice.
"Destiny has plans for you Robin Hudson." She spoke her voice changed, a lofty spiritual tone.
"What? How do you know my name?" I stopped struggling and looked at her.
"Can we get some help over here!?" Will called still trying to remove her nails from my skin, ouch.
Two contrasting lads, a little older than me and Will ran over to help.
"And you Will Spencer, Mark Johnson and Jhon Walker." Will and the other two guys looked at her alarmed.
"How do you know our names?" I asked her, fearful of the answer.
"Destiny holds much in store for you, Rise again!" she shouted and raised one hand to the heavens and even then I could not get free. Upon the words "Rise again" a burning searing pain grew on my right shoulder grabbing it a yelled in pain, the others did the same holding different areas, stomachs, arms, legs.
"Robin." Will said clearly freaking out.
"He will strike in the heart." The woman said looking me straight in the eyes; fear washed over me like a tidal wave, what is happening.
"Who?" I asked by voice shaking. "Who will?"
She looked at my as if I had asked the most simple question in the world, realised me and said.
"Destiny." And with that sank to the floor. Teetering on the spot she cupped her head in her hands and then looked up at us staring at her in horror and asked.
"Can I help you kids?"
It was too much for me, I couldnt take it. I ran, away from Will and the two guys who had tried to save me, not looking back until I was safely behind my bedroom door.
Robin.
Will tried to ring me, and continually for an hour my phone was ringing. I ignored it. I didn't feel like talking to him right then. He only wanted to know if I was ok, but still, I could tell him in the morning.
My mum knocked on the door to see if I wanted any tea, I told her I wasn't hungry, which was true. Tactfully Mum realised I wanted to be alone and told the others to give me my space. That's what I love abut her, she can read my mind.
I will do something to stop Baxter, its gotta be done. Still holding my shoulder I lay on my bed. The clock on my wall read 6 o'clock, normally I struggle to get to sleep, even at ridiculous o'clock in the morning, but the whole episode on the high street had worn me out. As soon as my head hit the pillow I drifted off, and dreamed.
Will
Robin wasn't answering her phone, well that's one thing I'll give her, she's stubborn. I threw myself onto my bed and tried again. The phone rang and rang off so I left a message.
"Robin, come on pick up! I know you're shock up about what just happened, just talk to me, hum, alright bye." hanging up I looked at the clock which read 6 o'clock. Down stairs I could hear my mum and Dad arguing again, probably about money, again. Well I had nothing else to do.
With one last look at my forearm (which had burned in agony on the high street and was still bright red) I lay down. As soon as my head hit the pillow I drifted off, and dreamed.
Jhon
Walking through the front door I made a bee line for the fridge, all that commotion sure builds up an apatite. Biting into a ham and cucumber sandwich I thought about today. It had been pretty normal (well for the most part) I got up, went to work at the builders yard, worked like the pack mule my new boss treats me like, got off work half an hour later than I should. Ran into all that on the high street, what was that about? A guy I recognised as Will, the new kid working part time at the yard, trying to pull a crazy old lady off a girl. Well people in this town are desperate; I've seen more than one beggar attack someone for money, but this was different, how did she know my name. I rubbed the centre of my back, man it hurt, what had happened back there?
"Jhon? Is that you?" A voice called from the living room.
"Yeah ma, it's me." I called back stuffing the rest of my sandwich into my mouth and walking to the room.
"There's some post for you on the coffee table." Mum said cleaning the inside of the windows, she was always cleaning. It was her job the clean other peoples houses, the Haves. She was forever working and even between the two of us we could barely afford to get by, ever since Dad died.
"Probably more bills." I said picking up the letters.
"Its not right, your 17, you shouldn't be getting bills." Mum said removing her rubber gloves and picking up the bucket she used for cleaning.
"Its taxes mam, everyone in this town is taxed." I said taking the bucket from her, (I'd always been abnormally strong) the cleaning supplies and the stool she was standing on and putting them away.
"It still aint right." Mum said. "Anyway I think I'll go have a lay down im knackered, I see you've already been in the fridge, night John." she smiled and left.
Quietly, and to no one in particular I said, "I know."
The clock on the wall read 6'oclock early yet so I went to lie on the sofa, but I must have been more shattered than I thought because as soon as my head hit the pillow I drifted off, and dreamed.
Mark
"Stupid-cursing-door!" I shouted, kicking the door again, why couldnt it just open when I put the key in? I suppose it comes with living here.
Turning the key for the eighth time and kicking yet again I managed to get in my home.
It wasn't much- a small one bed roomed flat with all the space and comfort of a broom cupboard- like every other flat in the building it was on its last leg, the roof leaked (which was worrying since the flat was not on the top floor) when it rained, was as insulated as an igloo in the winter and like a sauna in the summer. It wasn't much, but it was home.
Putting a large cardboard box down on the bed (full of papers to sort from the solisters office where I worked as a filieing boy, on minimum wage, rubbish pay for rubbish hours.) I would do them tomorrow, it was Friday night and I was going to enjoy myself. I settled down in front of the TV with a leftover takeaway. The plastic container brushed my stomach, ouch, it was still sore from the episode on the height street.
Not much of a Friday night, not something most self respecting 17 year olds would do. But I had bills to pay, and I'd never really fitted in anyway, having gone to Locksdale upper class the year before for outstanding intelligence, Id never really had many friends.
During the adverts my eyes wondered from the screen to a photograph of four people, two adults, parents, both with dirty blond hair and sea green eyes, the two children a mirror image of the patents, one boy one girl, smiling at the camera in family photo. It had been taken six years ago on my sisters eighth birthday, my family, all of us bearing fake smiles.
Huh, what does family mean anyway? My family chucked me out when I was 16 because they couldnt afford me, didn't expect me to pay my way. That's when I started inventing, to show them I could make something of myself, be someone. And now look at me. Well am a bit better off than that girl on the high street today, the one being attacked by the old woman, even with mine and two other people's help we couldnt get her off. It was all pretty weird.
The clock on the wall read 6 o'clock, I lay down on the sofa the TV still on, but I must have been more tired than I thought because as soon as my head hit the pillow I drifted off, and dreamed.
Robin
6am
"Nooooooooooooooooooooo." I screamed, springing up I looked around and my room was still, that was more than a dream.
I shouldn't have screamed like that but I was freaked, my Dad had to get up in half an hour to let out the cows, he needed his sleep.
Single mindedly I got dressed and headed out of the door; I had to find that old woman, what had she done to me? Running down the stairs I tripped over Alice's (my younger sister) roller blades, grabbed the banisters at either side of me, I threw myself into a flip and landed crouched on my feet, on the floor by the door. Completely by instinct
Getting up I looked at my hands.
"What's happened to me?" I whispered starting to get hysterical "Im not usaly this coordinated!"
Heading to open the door I caught my reflection in the mirror that hung at the bottom of the stairs. My midlength brown hair was messy and stuck up in places, my emerald eyes widened with horror as I looked at my right shoulder, how long had that been there? A bright red mark, not unlike a tattoo or a birth mark had appeared there in the shape of a bow and arrow. Right, that's it. Running out the door, I wasn't paying much attention to what was happening around me, if I had I might have noticed three men dressed in black hiding in the shadows.
Rounding the high street I collided with a tall dark haired broad shouldered teen, I recognised him from yesterday; he had tried to help me.
"Sorry." he said and extended his hand, even though it was my fault, but I couldnt bring myself to speak.
Now on my feet again I saw standing behind the guy- who introduced him self as Jhon- the other guy who told me his name was Mark and Will.
"You had it too?" Will asked referring to the dream. I nodded still incapable of talk.
"We all did." Said Will looking at the spot where yesterday the old woman had sat.
"I don't think she's coming back." Said Mark looking around, beggars were not allowed to beg in the same place twice in this town, Baxter didn't mind beggars they made him feel important, he just didn't want them there all the time. She could be anywhere by now.
"Do you think it's true?" I asked finding my voice.
In response the three lads looked at their marks, Will rolled up his sleeve to reveal it on his forearm; Jhon removed his shirt and touched the small of his back, and Mark lifted up his shirt and showed his stomach, each mark in the shape of a bow and arrow.
"Everything's different." Jhon said, I knew what he ment, I didn't see the world the same way, I saw the injustice of it all and felt the pain of the town, of every one Baxter had wronged. But it wasn't just the bad things, I now saw all the beauty of the world, things I'd never noticed before, like how calming it is running along dirt roads at 6am with the rising sun painting the sky orange and pink the early morning song birds singing the melody of the town, before the cars came out and spoiled it all.
"We can't just walk away now." I said
The others nodded at my words, things were going to change.
We began to walk away, forward into the unknown.
"Oh man, were done for, when Baxter finds out what were doing." Will panicked, everyone ignored him.
"Hey Robin, can we talk about this at a cafe over breakfast? Im starving." Johns' word were emphasised by a growl from his stomach.
"I'll get straight to work when I get home; we'll need communication devises, weapons of some sort, a base." Mark listed.
I smiled to myself, things were going to change, and things were looking up.