Flora. {Credence Barebone}

Chapter Nineteen.

The dazzling lights blinded Flora as she stepped out of the sleek black car. She allowed Senator Shaw to guide her, unable to see for herself. She smiled brightly, trying to keep her composure faced with the masses of No-Majs applauding the arrival of the Senator of New York. This was not where she wanted to be.

As soon as she had met the Senator at the office after sneaking out of the Goldstein's home, she wanted to run. She wanted to run to the alley on 34th street where Credence would habitually wait for her. But, she had promised herself she would do this for Credence. He deserved a better life and she was going to give it to him.

Henry placed a strong hand on Flora's back, causing her to turn her painful smile towards him. Her shimmering dress was shifting under his hold.

Flora froze in fear as the Senator began to bring his face closer to hers, eyes locked on her pale lips. At the last second, Flora turned her head abruptly, his callous lips meeting her blushing cheek instead.

The Senator coughed abruptly, and, trying to salvage his hurt ego, gave Flora a firm push on the back, moving them towards the overwhelming crowd with a sickening smile.

*

As amazed as she was at the beauty of the ornate City Hall, Flora couldn't relish in her exquisite surroundings; she was too concentrated on the wandering hand on the back of her chair.

Not listening to the conversation between Henry and his father, Flora looked in the direction of the stage, where a large poster of the Senator hung, accompanied by the slogan 'America's Future'.

An announcer took to the mighty stage, cutting the business talk between father and son short. Henry reached down, squeezing Flora's quivering hand.

"I'll be back," he whispered, eerily closing in on her face. The hairs on Flora's neck stood on end, and she could feel the eyes of the nearby tables watching her intently.

Henry rose, nodding at his father as he fixed his suit, and left the table as the announcer began to speak.

Flora gazed around the hall, watching the glamorously dressed people sitting pretty underneath the American flags which decorated the walls. Their smiles were almost as dazzling as the lights, and just as artificial.

As the announcer spoke, Flora turned her soft brown eyes towards the stage, meeting Langdon's. He looked like he'd just had an altercation with a dementor, and he rolled his eyes in disdain at the pretty blonde his brother had acquired.

"Now tonight's keynote speaker needs no introduction from me." The announcer's voice continued to echo around the hall. "He's been mentioned as a future President - and if you don't believe me, just read his daddy's newspapers!"

The crowd laughed indulgently, and turned with bright smiles towards Flora's table. Flora shifted uncomfortably as the many eyes roamed her, sat among the elite of New York's No-Maj community. She had never longed for the comfort of Credence's warm embrace more.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Senator for New York, Henry Shaw!"

Tumultuous applause accompanied Henry's ascent to the stage. He bounded towards the announcer with gusto, and sent winks and smiles to the crowd, leaving Flora for last. She received more than one jealous glare from New York's ladies.

Henry began his speech, relishing in the affection he received from the crowd. Flora watched as Langdon took a large swig from his wine glass, placing it down only to fill it again with the table's fifth bottle. He seemed to be the only one who had made it past their first glass.

Listening to the odious Senator's words, Flora began to feel uneasy. Sensing a chill, Flora wrapped her coat tight around her shoulders, causing Henry Shaw Sr to move his gaze from his accomplished son to the petite blonde sitting uncomfortably at the table.

"And it's true," Senator Shaw continued. "We have made some progress, but there is no reward for idleness. So just as the odious saloons have been banished-"

A peculiar, haunting noise emitted from the large organ pipes at the rear of the hall, causing the Senator to pause, and everyone to turn and look.

Flora pulled her coat tighter around her small frame, unable to avert her gaze from the eerie bronze pipes as Henry attempted to continue his speech.

"So now the pool halls, and these private parlours-"

Henry was forced to pause again as the chilling noise increased in volume. The guests turned to look once again, muttering in confusion as the Senator became anxious. And, for one fleeting moment, Flora locked eyes with Henry, not knowing that hers would be the last pair of eyes he would ever see.

Suddenly, something exploded forth with force from underneath the organ, causing Flora to break eye contact with Henry. She watched in fear as something huge and bestial, yet invisible, soared through the hall, causing tables to fly, people to be thrown out of their seats, and lights to smash.

Flora jumped from her seat to the chorus of people screaming as her table was whipped into the air by the force of the fast-moving thing.

Unlike others, Flora stood tall in the darkness, not cowering on the floor, watching in astonishment as the thing carved a line towards the stage, towards Henry Shaw Jr.

Flora raised her hands to her mouth to stifle her scream as the Senator was thrown violently backwards against his poster and raised up high into the air. Her breaths became heavy as he was suspended for a moment in mid-air before dropping to the ground with a violent clash.

Flora could hear the 'beast's' harsh, noisy breathing as it slashed at the poster in a frenzy, before swarming back out from where it came.

Unable to move, Flora watched as Henry Shaw Sr fought his way through the debris towards the stage, amid the screams of anguish and panic from the crowd.

The Senator's father crouched beside his son, and from the way his shoulders slumped in defeat, Flora knew that Henry was dead.

Frozen as the crowd of the beautiful and rich rushed past her to exit the building, Flora could see the figure of Langdon approaching her. He stumbled towards her, looking back to the stage where his father and some men stood around his dead brother, before turning to face her.

"Witches," he whispered determinedly, with an eerie hint of glee, and Flora knew that it was time for her to leave.