Icy Inferno (Troyler AU)

⋙ Chapter Nineteen

Ms Singh raised an eyebrow. “Hmm… that seems a bit harsh... I thought it was fine how it was."

Troye and I both glanced at each other, perplexed by the proceedings around us. How she could expect him to give constructive criticism but then say she didn’t think any was needed? When she had left the room, Mr Howard waved his arms in frustration, evidently feeling the same way.

As Ms Singh walked over to other students, the classroom door burst open. A wild Zoe appeared, gulping when she realised she’d hit the head teacher with the door. She tried to apologise but Ms Singh had already walked off.

“What time do you call this?” Mr Howard asked her, hands on his hips.

“Sorry - I had family issues.”

He pursed his lips but didn’t push her any further. Instead he left us to go shout at the two students bashing each other over the head with tambourines.

Zoe plummeted down onto a chair after he went. Slowly she pulled out the score to her music from her bag. I sat besides her, worried about what had happened. Her face was ghostly, seemingly sleep deprived. She was zoned out, not even reading the music. Blood dripped from her lip from where she'd bitten it so hard. When it did, she didn't notice, still staring out with vacancy. After I’d been watching her sway slightly on the chair, I asked “Zo? What’s wrong?”

I didn’t think she was going to speak, until her hand came to rest on mine. Her fingers were colder than a corpse. It took all my willpower not to shrink away from her touch.

“You know Miranda Sings? The one who had that wedding?” I nodded. How could anyone forget the woman with the horrendous make up and outrageous manners? “She’s- she’s been put into one of the Confinements for Elementals.”

Troye gasped. “Wait what?"

“How did that happen?”

“Apparently she lashed out at some ‘hater’ in the city. Someone informed on her, and now-” her voice broke off.

“Oh god...” Troye said.

“It gets worse...”

“How can it get worse?”

“She’s pregnant.”

Deathly stillness fell over me. A moment ago I might have sympathised the unborn child just for being hers. It was a different emotion that came over me then, knowing that they child would be born in what had be close to a prison. To be born without freedom was surely the greatest crime ever commited. But then, maybe having tasted freedom, just to have it taken, was worse. Neither situtations were desirable. Both situations were happening.  

Troye’s face was full of bitterness. He, like me, wasn’t Miranda’s biggest fan, but the news was shocking. “Since when was it seen as okay to lock up a pregnant woman just for lashing out once? This world is sick.”

No truer statement had ever been said.

*

By last period everyone had heard about Miranda. It proved that no one was safe from the government, not when a local pregnant nutcase had been captured. Everyone was outraged as to why it had been permitted by the authorities in the first place. Of course, the news didn’t mention the incident. Why would it, when the government controlled every word they spoke? It just spoke of the continued success the government was going through, with casualties down 25% since the incarceration of Elementals began. It made me wonder whether there were any other cases similar to that of Miranda. I prayed that there wasn’t - but something told me no amount of praying would change the truth.