Scribbles and Drabbles

Notebook Drabble 30

Original written pre 2016, revamped 2023

A sea of bored faces looked out at him and the PowerPoint behind him. None of the information was new, but with exams approaching, going over the basic became a basic requirement. Even if it bored the students who knew it half to death and scared off the ones who couldn't understand it. Richard forced himself to push through the unease of performing in front of blank faces and continued to explain how the cells in a plant worked and how they gained energy from photosynthesis. 

Maybe he should lie to the school and grow some plants in the classroom as a 'science' experiment. It would make the place smell a lot nicer. Teenage boys and their hormones stunk the place out. Not that the girls and their many layers of cheap perfume and body spray did much better after P.E. 

"Sir?"

"Yes, Todd?" Not one of his brightest students but one who normally asked sensible questions. Something in his voice sent a shiver down RIchard's back, a touch of uncertainty that didn't usually come from exam questions. Todd wasn't the only one, either. Most of his students sat up, eyes locking on him intensely.

"Your arm, it's messed up, sir."

That wasn't the statement that Richards expected. Now Todd mentioned it, his left arm throbbed. Someone gasped, and a low murmur shifted around the room. Something dripped down his forearm, soaking into his shirt and spreading red across everything near him. Richard gritted his teeth as a wave of pain starburst from the limb. He couldn't lose face in front of an audience. 

"Nothing serious. Please remain focused, don't forget the topic we are studying, everyone," Richard said, attempting to distract them as he pulled his arm closer to himself and flipped the next slide. 

"You're bleeding!"

"I'll go get help," one of the students dived out of the room before Richard could stop them. Another turned the lights back to full power. The murmuring turned into chatter as Richard pulled his arm close to study the damage. He pulled the sleeve upwards, trying to see what caused it even if, in the back of his mind, he knew. There was too much blood to tell for certain. 

Damn.

It would happen now, wouldn't it?"

"You're supposed to keep your arm above your head when it's bleeding," Someone shouted. The blood dripped off his shirt onto the countertop. Damage control, he needed to do damage control.

The world didn't like that idea. 

One step and everything span. Someone caught his elbow and steered him out of the room. The laminate floor turned to the cheap carpet that the school put down in the offices. Someone with cold fingers yanked his arm over to inspect the damage. This outfit wasn't salvageable. 

"How did this even happen?"

"A mugger caught me a few weeks ago. Snitches came out a few days ago. Mustn't have healed right." Not the best lie in the world, but at short notice, with the world a blur, it was all he could manage. Half-truths and lies worked best. Richard wished he could see who was playing doctor. 

"Must have." Enough disbelief rested in their tone that Richard knew he wasn't believed. That was fine as long as they didn't press any harder. He didn't have the energy right now to explain what demon deals meant. Richard focused on his arm again, the blood beginning to slow as cloth washed it away. One jagged cut burned into his flesh, red and angry. 

There was no way that was a badly healed injury. That was a fresh wound. Ink darted around it in swirls and sparks. The ink would name his new master once the cut healed enough not to obscure it with blood.