Run With The Wicked

Chapter 1: Big Bad Wolf [Part 2]

The entrance to the Den was little more than a set of wooden ground level doors covered in thick earth and foliage overgrowth. There was no way of telling how old exactly the cellar was, but it was clear that it had been built long before the school was established.

I could see inside, The Den was crawling with teenagers, some of them still in their uniforms, others in dingy looking clothing. A couple of girls wearing black lipstick were sitting on a small hill smoking cigarettes.

 Inside what seemed like a basement where murderers kept their victims, a contraption caused pulsating red and gold beams which casted shapes over every surface. Charli XCX was playing over the old boom box situated in the corner of the room.

If I didn't know any better I would say it was some underground rave, however instead of dancing, most students sit in worn out beanbags drinking bottles of assorted liquor. 

I honestly didn't know how the teachers didn't hear the commotion from their quarters. It probably had something to do with most of the teachers including the principal suffering from deep sleep after a day of dealing with us lot.

I knew most the people in here, none of them I talked to. I really didn't see what Reece was so excited about. Even though it was crawling with people inside the only interesting thing that was happening was finding the school weirdo Wolfgang and his lackeys sharing a bottle of some sort, a heated discussion commencing between him and another student.

Eager to get into things, Reece snatched a bottle from the cupboard and popped the cork with his teeth. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his enthusiastic grin.

"Come on let's dance." He held his hand out like a goof. I returned his gaze, cynical.

"No way are you getting me up there." I stated. Reece stuck his tongue out like a child.

"Be that way then." He swaggered over to a group of others who were swaying in tune to the music. I watched him for a minute, just to appreciate the site of my friend.

Even though I had only known Reece since I started at St Tournes several months ago, he had become my only family.

The only thing I had left of the family I had laid in an untouched box. Even though I was a teenager, with a complete functioning memory of my own, I couldn't remember even a single detail about my family. As if I'd accidentally pressed the delete button on a computer.

Then eight months ago I found my way to St Tournes, I never knew how I came to be here, they like to say I was off the streets and carrying the box, however I somehow doubted it. The only memory I had been able to comprehend was a single moment, a boy, about my age holding my hand, then nothing. I had tried asking about my lineage before but with no success.

In my absent-mindedness I didn't even notice the figure looking at me from the other side of the room.

Under my fringe I glanced over at the boy looking at me, trying to distinguish the face among the many. Worn black jeans hung from his legs, a dark hoodie covered his torso, pulled up over his head.

The hooded boy clutched at half empty bottle of Scotch in one hand, and his other was bunched into a fist sitting on top of his leg as if he were being chewed up by anger. 

I knew this kid; he was part of Wolf's crew, the small circle in which he never left. Even though his head of dark hair was covered by the shadow of his hoodie, his eyes were unmistakably the colour of chocolate.

His face was contorted into a one sided grin. I hadn't the slightest clue what he was smiling at, since I'd never talked to him in my entire life. The song Reece was dancing to finished and he returned to his seat next to me.