frankie [episodes 1-3]

-9-

We decide to head straight to the chapel.

"Some things are more important than school," says Rebecca as we head out of the changing rooms, "and - well – whatever it is that you do in your spare time, Jazzy."

Jared scowls but he can't hide the hint of fondness that glints behind his eyes. Deep down he cares for her – not as a lover, I remember him saying he wasn't her type – but there's definitely a brotherly affection in there. As we head past the sterile lockers I feel momentarily envious of it. No-one loves me, not really – not as a sister, lover or friend – and now I'm a monster they probably never will.

I shake away the darkness and then stop. Courtney & Co are gathered around one of the school notice boards just ahead – chirping frantically. After the incident with the Whispers in the gym they've laid off me a bit – but judging by their excitable mood right now I think my luck may be about to end.

Rebecca sees me falter, rolls her eyes, then links her arm in mine.

"Rigor, what are you doing?!" I snap – but I don't pull away.

She raises an eyebrow, "Come on..."

Jared has already moodily skulked past the girls unscathed. He even picked up a few admiring glances though he didn't seem to notice. He turns towards us as he stands by the exit and raises an impatient eyebrow.

Rebecca marches me forward and sure enough I hear the familiar sniggers.

"Hey, Frankie," shouts Courtney, "We've got something here you might be interested in..."

She pulls something off the notice board and walks towards us, followed by hoots of laughter from her evil chorus. Her eyes linger on Rebecca's arm linked through mine momentarily and something unreadable passes across her expression.

Then she brandishes the slip of paper in her hand towards me.

Audition: Open call for female models for event tomorrow evening is written in black letters across the top along with today's date and the address for the wax museum.

"Oh wait," says Courtney, putting her perfectly manicured hand over her mouth, "It an audition for models NOT for a freak show, so I suppose we won't be seeing you there after all...!"

The group collapse into giggles behind her as I look into her face blankly.

"Hilarious," drawls Rebecca, "you should try stand-up comedy." She snatches the leaflet from Courtney's hand, "I'll be taking that."

Then she turns and pulls me away. Courtney watches us with a sour expression on her face.

"Freaks," she mutters.

Rebecca doesn't seem to notice.

"We've got even less time than I thought," she says under her breath. We follow Jared outside into the grey carpark and head over to the hearse. "Looks like the curator is planning on making his new wax instalments tonight..."

***

Carter sits at the oak table in the reading room underneath the chapel. He insisted his news could wait, and led us straight down here as soon as we arrived so he could look up the demon from my dream. As he flicks through the tracing paper thin pages of his book Rebecca saunters around the shelves. Eventually she picks out a demonic book and goes and sits opposite the reverend. Jared and I look on awkwardly and I wonder if he feels as lost as I do in these research type situations.

"Can you describe the dream – the vision – to me again?" says Carter, looking up – his blue eyes bright. He shakes his head, "It really is an extraordinary skill! To be able to almost communicate with these dead girls. Really extraordinary."

I scowl, shifting uncomfortably. Then I take a deep breath and recount the details from my dream again – the demon's red, pulsating body, the talons, the hot wax that seemed to seep through his skin.

And the screams. I can't forget the screams.

He nods then brings a slender finger down onto one of the pages.

"Is this him?"

I walk towards the table and peer down at the musty book. There's a scribbled illustration of a tall, bald, moist looking beast in the centre of the paper. Disgust and darkness writhe inside my gut. I nod.

"That's him," I look up and lock gazes with the reverend. "Now, what did you have to tell us?"

He beams.

"Ah yes, well, two things really. First, though it's not too important now I suppose, I did some research and I think I found out what those demons were blackmailing Mr Redwood with when you overheard them in the graveyard."

Rebecca looks up interestedly but Jared continues to stare boredly at his fingernails. I raise an eyebrow in question.

"It was widely thought he killed his first wife – but the body was never found so the police didn't have enough evidence to arrest him."

I recall the demons saying the curator had helped him dispose of a body.

"You think she became a wax instalment?" says Rebecca.

Carter nods.

"Wouldn't someone have recognised her body? All the others too - if they're put on display at the museum after they're reported missing..." says Jared. "How does he not get caught?"

Rebecca looks pensive.

"I was thinking that myself," she says. "Do you remember when we were on the school trip in the museum – we overheard him saying something about a client. Maybe he's preparing these bodies for someone else."

"What was the second thing you wanted to tell us?" I interject.

He pulls out a crumpled newspaper clipping and puts it on the table. Rebecca picks it up and looks at it.

"I think I may have found out what skill you've acquired from Eleanor Masters," says Carter.

I sigh heavily. I'd been thinking about that too.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" I say, "Eleanor was ridiculously beautiful. She was a model. But I don't think there's any chance of me being able to tap into that particular attribute..."

Rebecca looks up and raises the newspaper clipping.

"No – she was a pretty good kickboxer. She won a few local competitions."

I feel the surprise cross my face and Rebecca narrows her eyes.

"People are more than what they look like, Frankie."

I open my mouth to retort but then sigh.

"So, you think I can kickbox?" I say.

Carter nods, a wide smile across his pale face.

"And I also think I know how we can defeat this demon," he says. "But it's going to be dangerous." 

He stands up, picks up the book and puts it under his arm.

"Let's head to the museum now. We need to get there before he has chance to turn any more girls into wax. I'll explain on the way."