The Numbers on Our Arms

Chapter 11

The door burst open with a kick and John stomped in a few steps with Zeke swaggering in behind him.

Seraphina glanced up from her game of cards. Fuck! Did Zeke convince him to do this?

John's eyes met hers as she glared up and he frowned. Did he recognise this game? He was the one that me it.

"HURRY, EVERYONE, GET OUTTA HERE!" one of the member's shouted and everyone that could fled for the other door.

John stared after them – his eyes empty – and paused before he shouted, "DON'T FUCKING MOVE! ONE MORE STEP AND I'LL MAKE SURE YOU CAN'T WALK FOR A WEEK!"

And then they all stopped: terrified and shaking in fear.

"Hoo hoo, wait a second!" Zeke said, taking his step forward. "Isn't this place supposed to have a designated supervisor at all times? Where are they, huh?"

"It's Blyke." A guy near the middle front spoke up. He had short curly, indigo hair and had a plaster over his nose. "He'll be back soon, so don't get comfortable!"

Zeke smirked and leant forward over the student. "Oh really? You sure he didn't just run off because he doesn't care about you?"

"N-no, he wouldn't! What's your problem Zeke?! W-why can't you just leave us alone?"

"He's right!" the girl, who stood next to him, said. She had long pale red hair and double hooped earrings on the lobe of her ear. "If you're just here to be an ass, then leave! We don't want you here!"

"Y-yeah!" the group called out together – their mismatched voices rising up together in hesitating. "GET OUT OF HERE! YOU'RE NOT WELCOME! JUST LEAVE US ALONE!"

Seraphina's eyes glanced to John as he pupils in his eyes shrunk and enlarged.

"Just look at this nonsense!" Zeke continued. "A 'Safe House' that's supposed to be open to everyone, but not us? Pft, your favouritism is showing."

His eyes fell on one blonde haired kid at the front of the crowd. "Well, what do we have here?" He grabbed his collar and lifted him up off the ground. "You're the same kid from yesterday! What was it that you told us again? Something about not being part of the Safe House and having no intention to join it? So, what do you have to say for yourself? Because, clearly that was a lie."

How does he know how to push the right buttons with him?

He dropped the boy in front of John for him to cower. "P-please don't hurt me. I'll quit the Safe House for good! Please, I-I meant no harm! I wasn't trying to offend you!"

"Shut up. YOU FUCKING LIAR!" he shouted. He kicked him to the ground in the face with blood splattering everywhere.

"JOHN!" Seraphina yelled, standing up to her feet. "THAT'S ENOUGH!"

She paced up to him and past to kneel down by the boy. The blood pooled up by his ear.

Zeke stepper over. "What do you think you're doing, Seraphina?" HE place his foot on the student's hip.

"Move. Your. Foot."

"Seraphina, who the hell do you think you are?" John questioned into her ear. He placed both arms around his waist. Oh, you so won't cool with this two days ago.

"John, let go," she whispered back through her teeth. She grabbed both his hands.

"You don't get to give orders, especially not to my people."

"John, I'm going to take him to the infirmary. He needs to go."

"He deserves it," he replied.

"And what? You did?" John growled in her ear in response and began to pull her up to her feet.