The Piper's Call

Chapter 5

OK, so I know I go on and on about how much I appreciate the support for this, but then it hit me that I really don't show it enough!  So after last week's response I decided to give you a surprise- two chapters in one update. This acts as an extra special thank you to everyone who has read, followed, commented and voted- your kindness means the world to me.  Enjoy!

Later!

 

Chapter 5 - The Plot Thickens

Nina P.O.V

 

"And so you see, pet, you can't say those things. They're very hurtful. Do you understand, Nina? You're only a student here and Mrs. Prism is here to help people like you." Rachel bleated, fixing a pleading stare at me and this time I made no effort to hide my scowl.

People like me. What does that even mean? There is no-one like me, that much is evident. How could I be grouped up and put in a box? I'm just...me. Nina Jenks. That's enough for everybody, isn't it?

Rachel's spindly eyebrows knitted together at my silence. She laid a hand on my shoulder, driving me on through seemingly endless corridors, motioning at the odd classroom, attempting to engage a visible show of enthiusiam.

"This is one of our labs. Look, it's got all the new equipment and you can do lots of fun experiments, you see... are you looking Nina?"

I nodded, fixing an uncomfortable schoolbag strap on my back.  The hand on my shoulder felt like a burden, a hunk of rock slowing  me down. 

"Well, erm.." She made a quick search of the area, trying to find something else that  might invoke some sort of feeble interest. The corridors were filling up now. It put me in mind of ants crawling over a nest, overpowered with primal desires of hunger and to mate. I told these ponderings to Rachel. I don't think she really appreciated the metaphor. 

It got really crowded then. Schoolbags brushed wildly past, raucous snippets of conversation drifted in and out of my earshot. All of it boring.  A sharp tug at the back of my blazer sent me reeling back, my head slamming against a metal locker. Hard.

"Who's the new kid?"

"What's she doing here?"

"Lewis, stuff her in the locker."

My vision wafted in and out. Two shiny dark eyes swam up to meet my unsteady gaze.  Like ants. Savage, aggressive, ready to fight.

Two arms like tree trunks held me up, pressing down on my neck. My legs wiggled weakly, suspended above the ground. No escape.

" Who- what..." My mind struggled to process this new information. I could hear other boys shouting and  laughing,  but I focused on those two ant eyes, surveying my every move.

"Lewis Prism. Me and my boys thought we should welcome you to the school. Who are you, hat girl?"

"My boys and I." I corrected the grammar mistake automatically. The trunks applied more pressure, cutting off my windpipe.

"You're that new girl, aren't you? The retard." He rolled the "r", smirking with pleasure in his torture.

I tried to shift the trunks but they pressed down harder. His fingers curled into fists at the end of his massive hands at the end of his tree trunk arms.  They were smudged with some specks of white dust. Cocaine user. I emitted a choked yell, but no-one could hear me. 

"Do you know what me and my boys will do to you, retard?" He stressed the "me" with relish. Bad grammar really was the icing on the cake to this disaster.