Sammy cracked his knuckles as he waited at the school gate for the bell. Both his mother and sister hated this habit, so when they weren't around it became worse.
"You'll get arthritis," Mike warned.
Sammy flashed him a sour look. "Spell arthritis."
He felt a buzz of satisfaction as Damien chuckled and Mike's cheeks reddened. It was cruel, picking on the boy's lack of academic ability, and a rather cheap shot by all accounts. Still, it was nice to be the bully rather than the victim.
Damien had his slave girl on a leash as usual. The other students had almost completely stopped gawking and commenting on it. Poor Belle was just part of the school scenery now, like the kid with the skin condition and the guy with the bright ginger afro.
Sensing his attention, she looked up with misty, dead eyes. Her cheeks were drawn and pale, as though Damien had been starving her. He noticed how
"I'm going to do it tonight, I promise," Sammy huffed, throwing up his arms in defeat as they approached.Jess smiled warmly and placed a hand on his shoulder."Thank you, Sammy," she said."You don't have to thank me. I'm doing it for him. As much as I like having him about... it's not fair on him. I think I'm starting to love him, so you know, I have to let him go." Sammy rolled his eyes. "That is how the saying goes, right?""I still can't quite believe it," Ricky said. "Who would have thought Damien could cast a real, working spell?""Me either," Jess agreed. "I swear I didn't think it was going to be anything more than harmless fun."She had explained the entire situation to Ricky, everything from the night of the spell up to his point. Luckily, though unfortunately for him, he had already been feeling the effects of the spell, so convincing him hadn&rsq
Jess searched for a bell or a knocker before making a fist and pounding on the wood. She heard fumbling inside before the guy answered."You must be Ricky and Jess," he said, opening the door wide to let them enter."He's like an older Damien," she whispered to Ricky, seeing the guys hairstyle, black clothing, and piercings."Thank you for agreeing to see us," Jess said. "We really appreciate it.""Oh no, don't thank me. I'm intrigued by what you told me. Would you like a drink?""Black coffee, no sugar," Ricky said without a moment’s hesitation. Jess shook her head out of politeness but immediately regretted it when she realised a tea would be nice. She was both thirsty and in dire emotional need. Nothing put her at ease quite like a good cuppa."Are you sure?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "Please don't say no out of politeness."
"Do you want anything to eat?" Mike asked, scratching his head."Depends." Sammy teased. "Are you going to burn the house down?"Mike laughed. "It'll have to be something simple."When he turned to look in the cupboards Sammy stared at his back, noticing the outline of his shoulders beneath his thin shirt. He quickly averted his gaze as Mike spun around, arms filled with boxes of pop tarts."My favourite," Sammy said.When the pair sat with a plate of freshly toasted s’mores flavoured tarts Sammy breathed the sugary scent of the marshmallows. It reminded him of that night in front of the fire, burning Mike's hairbrush.'I wonder if he ever noticed it missing,' Sammy thought. It seemed unlikely, based on what an airhead he was."So, tell me the story of how you blew up the microwave," Sammy teased."The
Mike tried to walk normally, but it was difficult given the pain in his backside. He comforted himself with the knowledge it had felt so good at the time, and he'd rather be the one in pain. He never wanted to hurt Sammy again.He glanced at the boy at his side, mesmerised by how his white hair sparkled in the sunlight. Taking a deep breath, he dared ask the question that tortured his soul."So, you said you would forgive me—" he started."Sorry, Mike, I have a meeting with the school counsellor, but I'll talk to you later, I promise," Sammy said before reaching up and kissing him on the cheek.He stopped, feeling his stomach sink as the boy skipped off into the main reception."He will never ever forgive you," a cold voice spoke up. Mike spun to find creepy Caine. "I can one hundred percent guarantee it."Not wanting to engage in a discussion with the
When Jess walked into the Religious Education room her book bag slid from her shoulder, dropping to the floor and spilling its contents on the fuzzy carpet."What the heck?" she murmured.She took a few steps forward, joining other students who stood in the same fashion, eyes fixed on the back wall."What is it?" she asked the lad to her. He shook his head without tearing his eyes off the display.The posters they created last week were gone, replaced with... patterns. The longer she stared at them, the more she noticed. They repeated themselves, forming repetitions as the larger swirls stemmed off into smaller clones. With every step she took forward, she saw another smaller repetition.At the edges, the colours were bright, like a Henri Matisse painting, but toward the centre, the swirling forms became golden upon black.'Where did they find paint in su
Jess spotted Kiaan and Sammy sitting on the parks only bench. She approached, Ricky sticking close to her side like a bodyguard or protector.The pair smiled as they looked up, both shivering in their winter coats with their hoods pulled up to shield them from the cold rain. Even Ricky had ditched his usual Nike hoodie in favour of a puffer jacket, and he was famous for not feeling the cold. One time he'd turned up to school during a snowstorm wearing only a shirt and shorts."Let's do this," Ricky said, taking charge of the group."I taught Kiaan the spell, just in case," Sammy said."Just in case of what?" Jess frowned. "What are you afraid is going to happen in there?"Sammy shook his head. "Who knows? I just want to be prepared for anything."Jess nodded and smiled at him, letting him know she understood the sentiment. After his performance in class, Jess
Jess couldn't stop looking at Ricky as they made their way to the coffee shop. Something was different about him. His brow was furrowed more severely than normal, and his eyes were far away, fixed on something she had no way of seeing.He sniffed, pulled a tissue from his pocket and wiped his nose before crumpling it and dropping it into the bin by the door.Sammy, Mike, Caine and Kiaan were seated in the circle of sofas—the gem of the coffee shops seating area.They waved as Jess approached, leaving Ricky to queue for the drinks."Tea, please," she called over.Caine looked up at her as she sat and smiled. He also looked different, sporting the same red, snotty nose as Ricky."So, how is everyone?" Jess asked, not aimed the question at no one in particular.Mike shrugged. "I still have no idea what's going on and they've explained
Belle sat up in bed, using the buttons on the side to adjust the positioning as the nurse had shown her.The book, white with a pentacle on the cover, described the basics of witchcraft in terms even a layman could understand. Her older sister had been kind enough to drop it off, along with a change of clothing and a box of Thornton's continental—her favourite chocolates.According to this book, the spell Damien cast on her would be returned to him threefold.'I can't wait,' she thought. 'I'm going to make him suffer through the same torment he inflicted on me.'She pictured him on his knees, crawling after her, being forced to take cold baths, starved, and whipped. It gave her no real pleasure other than the sweet satisfaction of vengeance.When he appeared in the doorway, she wasn't surprised to see him, smiling like a dimwit with a bouquet of wildflower
Belle sat up in bed, using the buttons on the side to adjust the positioning as the nurse had shown her.The book, white with a pentacle on the cover, described the basics of witchcraft in terms even a layman could understand. Her older sister had been kind enough to drop it off, along with a change of clothing and a box of Thornton's continental—her favourite chocolates.According to this book, the spell Damien cast on her would be returned to him threefold.'I can't wait,' she thought. 'I'm going to make him suffer through the same torment he inflicted on me.'She pictured him on his knees, crawling after her, being forced to take cold baths, starved, and whipped. It gave her no real pleasure other than the sweet satisfaction of vengeance.When he appeared in the doorway, she wasn't surprised to see him, smiling like a dimwit with a bouquet of wildflower
Jess couldn't stop looking at Ricky as they made their way to the coffee shop. Something was different about him. His brow was furrowed more severely than normal, and his eyes were far away, fixed on something she had no way of seeing.He sniffed, pulled a tissue from his pocket and wiped his nose before crumpling it and dropping it into the bin by the door.Sammy, Mike, Caine and Kiaan were seated in the circle of sofas—the gem of the coffee shops seating area.They waved as Jess approached, leaving Ricky to queue for the drinks."Tea, please," she called over.Caine looked up at her as she sat and smiled. He also looked different, sporting the same red, snotty nose as Ricky."So, how is everyone?" Jess asked, not aimed the question at no one in particular.Mike shrugged. "I still have no idea what's going on and they've explained
Jess spotted Kiaan and Sammy sitting on the parks only bench. She approached, Ricky sticking close to her side like a bodyguard or protector.The pair smiled as they looked up, both shivering in their winter coats with their hoods pulled up to shield them from the cold rain. Even Ricky had ditched his usual Nike hoodie in favour of a puffer jacket, and he was famous for not feeling the cold. One time he'd turned up to school during a snowstorm wearing only a shirt and shorts."Let's do this," Ricky said, taking charge of the group."I taught Kiaan the spell, just in case," Sammy said."Just in case of what?" Jess frowned. "What are you afraid is going to happen in there?"Sammy shook his head. "Who knows? I just want to be prepared for anything."Jess nodded and smiled at him, letting him know she understood the sentiment. After his performance in class, Jess
When Jess walked into the Religious Education room her book bag slid from her shoulder, dropping to the floor and spilling its contents on the fuzzy carpet."What the heck?" she murmured.She took a few steps forward, joining other students who stood in the same fashion, eyes fixed on the back wall."What is it?" she asked the lad to her. He shook his head without tearing his eyes off the display.The posters they created last week were gone, replaced with... patterns. The longer she stared at them, the more she noticed. They repeated themselves, forming repetitions as the larger swirls stemmed off into smaller clones. With every step she took forward, she saw another smaller repetition.At the edges, the colours were bright, like a Henri Matisse painting, but toward the centre, the swirling forms became golden upon black.'Where did they find paint in su
Mike tried to walk normally, but it was difficult given the pain in his backside. He comforted himself with the knowledge it had felt so good at the time, and he'd rather be the one in pain. He never wanted to hurt Sammy again.He glanced at the boy at his side, mesmerised by how his white hair sparkled in the sunlight. Taking a deep breath, he dared ask the question that tortured his soul."So, you said you would forgive me—" he started."Sorry, Mike, I have a meeting with the school counsellor, but I'll talk to you later, I promise," Sammy said before reaching up and kissing him on the cheek.He stopped, feeling his stomach sink as the boy skipped off into the main reception."He will never ever forgive you," a cold voice spoke up. Mike spun to find creepy Caine. "I can one hundred percent guarantee it."Not wanting to engage in a discussion with the
"Do you want anything to eat?" Mike asked, scratching his head."Depends." Sammy teased. "Are you going to burn the house down?"Mike laughed. "It'll have to be something simple."When he turned to look in the cupboards Sammy stared at his back, noticing the outline of his shoulders beneath his thin shirt. He quickly averted his gaze as Mike spun around, arms filled with boxes of pop tarts."My favourite," Sammy said.When the pair sat with a plate of freshly toasted s’mores flavoured tarts Sammy breathed the sugary scent of the marshmallows. It reminded him of that night in front of the fire, burning Mike's hairbrush.'I wonder if he ever noticed it missing,' Sammy thought. It seemed unlikely, based on what an airhead he was."So, tell me the story of how you blew up the microwave," Sammy teased."The
Jess searched for a bell or a knocker before making a fist and pounding on the wood. She heard fumbling inside before the guy answered."You must be Ricky and Jess," he said, opening the door wide to let them enter."He's like an older Damien," she whispered to Ricky, seeing the guys hairstyle, black clothing, and piercings."Thank you for agreeing to see us," Jess said. "We really appreciate it.""Oh no, don't thank me. I'm intrigued by what you told me. Would you like a drink?""Black coffee, no sugar," Ricky said without a moment’s hesitation. Jess shook her head out of politeness but immediately regretted it when she realised a tea would be nice. She was both thirsty and in dire emotional need. Nothing put her at ease quite like a good cuppa."Are you sure?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "Please don't say no out of politeness."
"I'm going to do it tonight, I promise," Sammy huffed, throwing up his arms in defeat as they approached.Jess smiled warmly and placed a hand on his shoulder."Thank you, Sammy," she said."You don't have to thank me. I'm doing it for him. As much as I like having him about... it's not fair on him. I think I'm starting to love him, so you know, I have to let him go." Sammy rolled his eyes. "That is how the saying goes, right?""I still can't quite believe it," Ricky said. "Who would have thought Damien could cast a real, working spell?""Me either," Jess agreed. "I swear I didn't think it was going to be anything more than harmless fun."She had explained the entire situation to Ricky, everything from the night of the spell up to his point. Luckily, though unfortunately for him, he had already been feeling the effects of the spell, so convincing him hadn&rsq
Sammy cracked his knuckles as he waited at the school gate for the bell. Both his mother and sister hated this habit, so when they weren't around it became worse."You'll get arthritis," Mike warned.Sammy flashed him a sour look. "Spell arthritis."He felt a buzz of satisfaction as Damien chuckled and Mike's cheeks reddened. It was cruel, picking on the boy's lack of academic ability, and a rather cheap shot by all accounts. Still, it was nice to be the bully rather than the victim.Damien had his slave girl on a leash as usual. The other students had almost completely stopped gawking and commenting on it. Poor Belle was just part of the school scenery now, like the kid with the skin condition and the guy with the bright ginger afro.Sensing his attention, she looked up with misty, dead eyes. Her cheeks were drawn and pale, as though Damien had been starving her. He noticed how