Staying Grounded [BXB]

Sidelined

SEBASTIAN:

"You're all ridiculous!" Craig hisses at no one in particular. "Completely and utterly absurd."

"But what's a superhero without the crazy, right?"

"Don't even dare with that shit, Ash."

"Yeah, Shay," Alex doesn't miss a beat. "Our Captain has no patience for smartassery."

"Okay, enough. The both of you. Shut up."

I gave Craig as much warning as I could before leading him into the farmhouse, short of betraying Ashleigh's confidence entirely. Little more than a word has passed between us since. I'm certain he was clued in enough to sense that something more was going on than I claimed. He must surely have known that I'd felt nervous as hell — a wholly warranted feeling, as it turns out — and by this point, I'll be damned if I can hazard him even a glance.

Judy, Alex, and Ashleigh held off on their greeting when my deliberate front door slam announced our entrance. We made our slow way through the burrow, not a peep to be seen or heard from them until the instant we stepped foot beyond the kitchen's threshold. The low-key welcome party is a condition I'd set upon my involvement in this, and it's a term they honoured, I guess, for the most part. Dobby wasn't overwhelmed, at least, quick to settle once returned to his basket, back home safe where he belonged. Nor had Craig spun on his heel and bolted when eager hands seized him, lurching him clumsily forward into phase one of their scheme.

His Victoria sponge decorated in Roxy's likeness was one thing. The banner arching the entire wall width was quite another, reading 'You Are Awesome, Capt. C!' in glitter paint. However, the giant poster beneath it completely caught us both by horrifying surprise.

"Ha!" Craig barked, knocking a full year off my life. "Ha. Ha. Ha." Each laugh an individual exclamation. "Wow. Good one, Ash," he flapped a dramatic hand at the caped superhero wearing his face, and I failed to stifle my snort. "You're so creative and clever and ever such a delight."

An explosion of colour, with a cutesy pup tucked under one arm and the other outstretched to the side, Capt. C pummelled an almighty thwack into the villainous chops of a masked nemesis whose identity was no mystery. It'd been very distinctively Ashleigh's handiwork, and she preened like the weirdo she is. It'd also been splayed across Alex's t-shirt, worn proudly. And the pair spared us too little chance to recover ourselves, let alone cut into the cake, whip-sharp in throwing the back door wide on phase two.

"I couldn't rein them in any tighter, I'm afraid," Judy had murmured close to my ear, straightening from her crouch next to me at Dobby's side.

I'd honestly wanted nothing more than to stay put, assured beyond a doubt that this afternoon was about to go epically off-track. But whether curious or resigned or simply baffled beyond all sensibility, Craig allowed his brother to sling a cajoling arm around his shoulder, guided swiftly outside on Ashleigh's heel.

The bonfire I built this morning is still merrily ablaze at the yard's furthest corner. Its thick smoke billows out over the fields on the brisk Easterly wind, and any telltale signs that may have warned of what's to come next are whipped away alongside. Not until we've veered wide around the storage huts do the muffled sounds of voices and the aromatic wafts of barbecue begin to reach us. A hand's count of parked cars makes for a distracting obstruction. Yet, only once the vast spread of North Yoverton's pastureland fills our view does the full extent of my error present itself.

By the narrowest margin, I avoid a collision with Alex as he launches past me, vaulting the wide wooden gate from dirt track to unruly grass at a sprint while hollering, "NOW!"