Offbeats

The Council

I didn't bother trying to make myself look half-decent next to her. Though I looked at Kipp out of the corner of my eye to see if he was also admiring her. His eye brows were furrowed slightly and his stare was focused on Doctor Grendi's working hands. I found myself wondering what he was thinking so intensely about.

Now, Kipp and I stand just outside of a metal door with some sort of insignia painted hurriedly in the middle. It is simply a circle enclosing a single handprint.

"Are you ready?" Kipp whispers. He brushes his arm against mine and I wonder whether it was an accident or an attempt to comfort me.

I inhale and nod.

Kipp reaches forward and pulls the handle down to open the door. He lets me go in first.

As I step over the threshold, all eyes land on me. I clench my jaw, wanting desperately to fidget, but I will myself not to move. I scan the crowd briefly, only recognising Captain Duketon and Janson- who gives me a reassuring smile.

"Please," The Captain speaks suddenly, gesturing to an empty chair beside Janson. "Have a seat."

I walk around to the other side of the table uncomfortably.

It's only when I sit down I realise Kipp didn't follow me in.

My heart pounds a little faster.

"Alison, these five people are the members of the Council." He gestures to each person introducing them, but I forget their names almost immediately. I decide to pick out features so I can recognise them later. The man opposite Janson has a huge tangle of black hair on his chin; the boy opposite me looks to be in his twenties, has a buzz cut and a short scar stretching from near the bottom of his left ear to the middle of his cheek; a girl with dirty blond hair pulled back into a tight tail with a ratty ribbon sits beside him with her arms crossed on the table; opposite her, and next to me to my right, sits an older woman with thick grey hair like the mane of a really old lion; at the end opposite the head of the table sits a caramel-skinned man with flimsy-looking glasses sitting on his nose. All of their mouths are in a tight line.

I smile awkwardly. Deciding against saying anything incase it comes out sounding stupid.

"Everyone, this is Alison Evorgray." The Captain's arm is outstretched in front of Janson's face gesturing to me. I bite back the sudden urge to laugh at Janson's exaggeratedly distressed face, he notices and winks.

There are murmurs around the table and I pick at the skin around my fingernails, Janson's attempt at calming me failing.

The Captain's gaze returns to me. "I bet you're wondering why we brought you here today." He pauses and I nod, unsure about whether he was waiting for an answer or not. "Well, Alison, it appears you are of immense importance to our cause. Our cause of course figuring out what the hell those things outside want."

I inhale sharply.

Janson looks concerned beside me, which just makes me even more terrified. How am I of immense importance if I can barely remember anything?

Everyone's eyes turn to me, as if expecting me to say something.

Janson speaks authoritatively to the beady eyes staring me down, saving me. "Maybe you should let the Captain finish first."