Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Sept 9, 2007 20:17:29 GMT
Kira had always been quite small and slight, which was rather unfortunate, because these clothes were not for someone quite so small and slight. Kerry was a size 14, and although she wasn't fat (quite the contrary, in fact, she was rather tall and slim) her jeans slipped right down on Kira, who'd had to settle for stealing a belt from underneath the double bed. Rolling up the jeans, she then pulled on the T-shirt, which turned out to be comfortably loose. Fiddling with her damp hair a little self-consiously, she folded her own clothes neatly and set them down on the single bed.
Going back into the empty hall, she heard raised voices coming from the sitting room she'd first been shown into. Apparently, Deron and Armelle were now having a raging argument. Kira hovered before the door uncertainly for a few moments, then instead decided to turn and enter through the door at the bottom of the hall.
This room was a joint dining room and kitchen. Everything in it was bare metal, and it had a door which opened out into a muddy backgarden. The kitchen area again consisted of a small table, a deep basin, a small bucket filled with rubbish and a couple of cupboards. A fridge sat on top of the table, its wires trailing along to join an already overstuffed plug. She couldn't see any cooker though...
The dining room, only consisted of a wooden table and three fold out chairs. Two others were stacked in a corner, and a fraying pot of plants sat on the table. Hanging on the wall beside it, there were a lot of framed photos. One stood out in particular to Kira, because it was in the very center, but it was also very familiar...
Taking a step towards it, she gasped. It was Deron- but not as she knew him. He was older... and his eyes were a dark brown colour but... everything else was there. Same smile, same nose, same brown hair... She squinted at the photo, and it suddenly registered that this must be Deron's father. Except he didn't look a lot older than Deron- perhaps about 5 or 6 years older. He could easily have passed for Deron's 20 year old brother.
Unless...
No, the picture was dated. It'd been taken a good 17 years ago.
Suddenly, there was a scuffling from the backgarden, and a slightly damp and grumpy-looking Kerry came in from the garden, carrying a silent but furiously struggling 5... or possibly 6 year old in her arms. Kerry's usual bouncy long curls had been cut into a curled bob, but it was now frizzy from the damp outside. The child had similiar curls, and the biggest, darkest eyes Kira had ever seen. Catching sight of this new stranger the child stopped wriggling abruptly, and Kerry set her down gently.
"There now," sighed Kerry, wiping her brow as she turned to close the door, darkening the room significantly. "That wasn't so hard, was it? Zara, you've..."
She stopped, looking up and staring at Kira. Kira however, was quite preoccupied with Zara. The small girl stood to her feet, staring at Kira with large, questioning eyes, and a quivering lip. She wore a sleeveless, pink dress... but Kira was horrified to see that the child had no right arm, only part of a shoulder and a stump.
"That's right," Kerry muttered, with the same ferocity as her little sister. "Have a good gawp. Go on, laugh at the little freak."
Kira shook herself, looking back up at Kerry. "I'm sorry. I was just..."
"What are you doing here?" Kerry asked, her eyes widening in recognition. "You... I got you a dress once... didn't I?"
"Yes," smiled Kira, with a rush of relief. "Yes, for the ball up at my school- "
"The school," Kerry said drily. "The one and only around these parts."
"Sorry," Kira said quickly. It was funny how many times she'd had to say that since she arrived.
"Don't be," sighed Kerry. "You've caught me at a bad time. The stupid little brat escaped into the garden with my lighter- " She stopping, blanching slightly. "I'm not meant to smoke."
Something weird was going on. Kerry wasn't as bubbly and excited and friendly as Kira remembered her at work. With this new haircut, Kerry was drawn, and sounded... well... resentful. And now she looked guilty.
Kira forced a smile. "Your secret's safe with me."
"Oh, the reassurance," Kerry said sarcastically, leaning against the door. "What are you doing here?"
"I came here to visit Deron," Kira said, relieved to have gotten a chance to explain herself. "See, we were gonna' go down Cardsdale today, but he said his mum was working, so I- "
"Oh my god," groaned Kerry loudly, her hands balling into fists. "It's you? You're the reason he's been slacking off and shirking responsibility to run around the village? You're the reason my aunt's going mad with worry?!"
"I..." Kira was now completely speechless. How the heck was she meant to know any of this?!
"And all for some rotten girl," snorted Kerry. "My god! So... what? You dating? Snogged him yet? Slept with him yet?"
Beneath her confusion, Kira felt a familiar wave of hot prickly anger. That wasn't fair. None of them were being fair. All she'd done was pay her friend a visit. And now, everyone was accusing her of all these stupid, random things that they had no grounds for making! "No," said Kira firmly, not bothering to hide her anger.
Kerry raised an eyebrow. It was clear she didn't believe her at all. "Then... what?"
"I'm Deron's friend," Kira said stubbornly. "I've known him for a few weeks now, and we planned to meet up today."
"But you're from the school," Kerry said this strangely, as though the words tasted bitter on her tongue.
"Yes," Kira frowned. "I am."
"So how come you're his friend?"
Kira's mouth fell open. She couldn't believe this. She couldn't believe any of it. "Why wouldn't I be?!"
"What, besides for the fact he's arrogant, lazy and rude?"
A harsh voice inside Kira's head was screaming now, much louder than she'd ever heard it before. No, he's not! No he's NOT!
Kerry snorted. "You schoolfolk are way too upper-class for us lot."
"Don't be stupid," Kira said harshly. "Does Professor Hoodham's work mean nothing to you? He wants people like you- "
"People like us?" repeated Kerry, her eyes flaring. "What does that mean, then, eh?"
"Non-magic folk!" cried Kira, flushing angrily. "And you knew fine well that's what I meant! Prof. Hoodham stands for equality- he wants the school to be open to everyone, and he encourages any relationships with non-magic folk and other species and... stuff." She finished on a fairly lame note, but her point had been made.
Kerry was smiling at her now, but it wasn't an expression Kira liked. It was mingled pity and curiosity- what had Kira done for that?
"And you think everyone there shares dear Professor Hoodham's views?"
"Of course!" Kira cried heatedly. "Why else would they be at the- ?"
"KERRY!"
The two girls jumped in their surprise, turning to see Armelle standing grumpily at the door behind Deron, who looked thunderous. Zara sat down on the ground slowly, staring at everyone in silence, her black eyes blurring.
"See, Deron, now she's gonna cry," Armelle spat, rushing over to the little girl. "You always make her cry!"
"The little princess is a wuss," Deron said, ignoring Zara's tears as they began to dribble down her hollow cheeks.
Kerry rounded on Deron. "Don't call her that!" she said hotly. "Go on, get out, you're only making her worse! Go hang out with your little magic friend- "
"She's not like some of the other ones!" Deron cut across her angrily. "Kira actually cares about people like- "
"Us?!" screamed Kerry suddenly, looking positively savage as she turned on him, her chest swelling as her eyes gleamed viciously. "Us?! People like us?! She's got you saying that too, huh? Us- the minority? Us- the freaks? Us- the unspecial? Us- those who lack Gifts? Us- the lowest of low, the scum, the sick, the pathetic- "
"Dad didn't want to die for this!" shouted Armelle suddenly, freezing Kerry into glacial silence.
The whole room seemed to drop by about fifty-five degrees. The 10 year old girl stared around at them all, her jaw set as she picked up her younger sister, and wiped away the small girl's still silent tears. The green eyes that glared around at them all reflected a girl far beyond her years; one who'd grown up far too fast. Kira lowered her head, staring at her feet. How could she have caused all of this? How could her very presence offend Armelle and Kerry so?
Armelle, breathing heavily, turned to look at Kira, who was forced to raise her head.
"We didn't want to be part of your war," she said softly. "We didn't want nothing to do with it. We were happy as we were- you don't need education to be happy. But apparently, folks can't be left in peace. Magic people- people from your school- targeted us, and blew our parents up."
"Tell me again everyone there shares Prof. Hoodham's opinions," Kerry said thickly. "Or tell Zara- she hasn't spoken since that day- not since she lost her arm to the blast."
Kira sank down slowly into a chair, her mind churning. Any thoughts of how unfair their treatment of her was were being chased away by that great, growling monster- guilt. She couldn't be guilty though- after all, she hadn't done anything.
But she also couldn't blame them. They were entitled to hate her. She represented to them their parents' murderers.
But... at the same time... she hadn't done anything.
So why did she feel like scum? Why had they turned it against her, and made her feel like something insulting; insolent- vile?
Deron turned on to face his three cousins, still- to her complete numb shock- looking angry.
"The past blinds you," he said softly, "and you have fallen prey to the trap your parents wished to avoid. Me and Kira are leaving now- and don't expect me home for a while."
He turned and took her hand, giving it an unexpected squeeze. "Ignore them," he muttered darkly. "Just ignore them..."
Kira shook her head slowly. "No, look, I'll go..."
"We'll go," he said, leading her out of the kitchen and back down the hall. "We'll go, and I've half a mind to never go back."
Going back into the empty hall, she heard raised voices coming from the sitting room she'd first been shown into. Apparently, Deron and Armelle were now having a raging argument. Kira hovered before the door uncertainly for a few moments, then instead decided to turn and enter through the door at the bottom of the hall.
This room was a joint dining room and kitchen. Everything in it was bare metal, and it had a door which opened out into a muddy backgarden. The kitchen area again consisted of a small table, a deep basin, a small bucket filled with rubbish and a couple of cupboards. A fridge sat on top of the table, its wires trailing along to join an already overstuffed plug. She couldn't see any cooker though...
The dining room, only consisted of a wooden table and three fold out chairs. Two others were stacked in a corner, and a fraying pot of plants sat on the table. Hanging on the wall beside it, there were a lot of framed photos. One stood out in particular to Kira, because it was in the very center, but it was also very familiar...
Taking a step towards it, she gasped. It was Deron- but not as she knew him. He was older... and his eyes were a dark brown colour but... everything else was there. Same smile, same nose, same brown hair... She squinted at the photo, and it suddenly registered that this must be Deron's father. Except he didn't look a lot older than Deron- perhaps about 5 or 6 years older. He could easily have passed for Deron's 20 year old brother.
Unless...
No, the picture was dated. It'd been taken a good 17 years ago.
Suddenly, there was a scuffling from the backgarden, and a slightly damp and grumpy-looking Kerry came in from the garden, carrying a silent but furiously struggling 5... or possibly 6 year old in her arms. Kerry's usual bouncy long curls had been cut into a curled bob, but it was now frizzy from the damp outside. The child had similiar curls, and the biggest, darkest eyes Kira had ever seen. Catching sight of this new stranger the child stopped wriggling abruptly, and Kerry set her down gently.
"There now," sighed Kerry, wiping her brow as she turned to close the door, darkening the room significantly. "That wasn't so hard, was it? Zara, you've..."
She stopped, looking up and staring at Kira. Kira however, was quite preoccupied with Zara. The small girl stood to her feet, staring at Kira with large, questioning eyes, and a quivering lip. She wore a sleeveless, pink dress... but Kira was horrified to see that the child had no right arm, only part of a shoulder and a stump.
"That's right," Kerry muttered, with the same ferocity as her little sister. "Have a good gawp. Go on, laugh at the little freak."
Kira shook herself, looking back up at Kerry. "I'm sorry. I was just..."
"What are you doing here?" Kerry asked, her eyes widening in recognition. "You... I got you a dress once... didn't I?"
"Yes," smiled Kira, with a rush of relief. "Yes, for the ball up at my school- "
"The school," Kerry said drily. "The one and only around these parts."
"Sorry," Kira said quickly. It was funny how many times she'd had to say that since she arrived.
"Don't be," sighed Kerry. "You've caught me at a bad time. The stupid little brat escaped into the garden with my lighter- " She stopping, blanching slightly. "I'm not meant to smoke."
Something weird was going on. Kerry wasn't as bubbly and excited and friendly as Kira remembered her at work. With this new haircut, Kerry was drawn, and sounded... well... resentful. And now she looked guilty.
Kira forced a smile. "Your secret's safe with me."
"Oh, the reassurance," Kerry said sarcastically, leaning against the door. "What are you doing here?"
"I came here to visit Deron," Kira said, relieved to have gotten a chance to explain herself. "See, we were gonna' go down Cardsdale today, but he said his mum was working, so I- "
"Oh my god," groaned Kerry loudly, her hands balling into fists. "It's you? You're the reason he's been slacking off and shirking responsibility to run around the village? You're the reason my aunt's going mad with worry?!"
"I..." Kira was now completely speechless. How the heck was she meant to know any of this?!
"And all for some rotten girl," snorted Kerry. "My god! So... what? You dating? Snogged him yet? Slept with him yet?"
Beneath her confusion, Kira felt a familiar wave of hot prickly anger. That wasn't fair. None of them were being fair. All she'd done was pay her friend a visit. And now, everyone was accusing her of all these stupid, random things that they had no grounds for making! "No," said Kira firmly, not bothering to hide her anger.
Kerry raised an eyebrow. It was clear she didn't believe her at all. "Then... what?"
"I'm Deron's friend," Kira said stubbornly. "I've known him for a few weeks now, and we planned to meet up today."
"But you're from the school," Kerry said this strangely, as though the words tasted bitter on her tongue.
"Yes," Kira frowned. "I am."
"So how come you're his friend?"
Kira's mouth fell open. She couldn't believe this. She couldn't believe any of it. "Why wouldn't I be?!"
"What, besides for the fact he's arrogant, lazy and rude?"
A harsh voice inside Kira's head was screaming now, much louder than she'd ever heard it before. No, he's not! No he's NOT!
Kerry snorted. "You schoolfolk are way too upper-class for us lot."
"Don't be stupid," Kira said harshly. "Does Professor Hoodham's work mean nothing to you? He wants people like you- "
"People like us?" repeated Kerry, her eyes flaring. "What does that mean, then, eh?"
"Non-magic folk!" cried Kira, flushing angrily. "And you knew fine well that's what I meant! Prof. Hoodham stands for equality- he wants the school to be open to everyone, and he encourages any relationships with non-magic folk and other species and... stuff." She finished on a fairly lame note, but her point had been made.
Kerry was smiling at her now, but it wasn't an expression Kira liked. It was mingled pity and curiosity- what had Kira done for that?
"And you think everyone there shares dear Professor Hoodham's views?"
"Of course!" Kira cried heatedly. "Why else would they be at the- ?"
"KERRY!"
The two girls jumped in their surprise, turning to see Armelle standing grumpily at the door behind Deron, who looked thunderous. Zara sat down on the ground slowly, staring at everyone in silence, her black eyes blurring.
"See, Deron, now she's gonna cry," Armelle spat, rushing over to the little girl. "You always make her cry!"
"The little princess is a wuss," Deron said, ignoring Zara's tears as they began to dribble down her hollow cheeks.
Kerry rounded on Deron. "Don't call her that!" she said hotly. "Go on, get out, you're only making her worse! Go hang out with your little magic friend- "
"She's not like some of the other ones!" Deron cut across her angrily. "Kira actually cares about people like- "
"Us?!" screamed Kerry suddenly, looking positively savage as she turned on him, her chest swelling as her eyes gleamed viciously. "Us?! People like us?! She's got you saying that too, huh? Us- the minority? Us- the freaks? Us- the unspecial? Us- those who lack Gifts? Us- the lowest of low, the scum, the sick, the pathetic- "
"Dad didn't want to die for this!" shouted Armelle suddenly, freezing Kerry into glacial silence.
The whole room seemed to drop by about fifty-five degrees. The 10 year old girl stared around at them all, her jaw set as she picked up her younger sister, and wiped away the small girl's still silent tears. The green eyes that glared around at them all reflected a girl far beyond her years; one who'd grown up far too fast. Kira lowered her head, staring at her feet. How could she have caused all of this? How could her very presence offend Armelle and Kerry so?
Armelle, breathing heavily, turned to look at Kira, who was forced to raise her head.
"We didn't want to be part of your war," she said softly. "We didn't want nothing to do with it. We were happy as we were- you don't need education to be happy. But apparently, folks can't be left in peace. Magic people- people from your school- targeted us, and blew our parents up."
"Tell me again everyone there shares Prof. Hoodham's opinions," Kerry said thickly. "Or tell Zara- she hasn't spoken since that day- not since she lost her arm to the blast."
Kira sank down slowly into a chair, her mind churning. Any thoughts of how unfair their treatment of her was were being chased away by that great, growling monster- guilt. She couldn't be guilty though- after all, she hadn't done anything.
But she also couldn't blame them. They were entitled to hate her. She represented to them their parents' murderers.
But... at the same time... she hadn't done anything.
So why did she feel like scum? Why had they turned it against her, and made her feel like something insulting; insolent- vile?
Deron turned on to face his three cousins, still- to her complete numb shock- looking angry.
"The past blinds you," he said softly, "and you have fallen prey to the trap your parents wished to avoid. Me and Kira are leaving now- and don't expect me home for a while."
He turned and took her hand, giving it an unexpected squeeze. "Ignore them," he muttered darkly. "Just ignore them..."
Kira shook her head slowly. "No, look, I'll go..."
"We'll go," he said, leading her out of the kitchen and back down the hall. "We'll go, and I've half a mind to never go back."
