The Rise of the Cyborgs

Interlude Michelle: Remembrance

A/N It's OK to skip the interludes.  Sorry about the name change. Michelle fits the character better. Realised it's a dumb time to release a new book in the middle of exams and stuff, so thanks for reads. Someone needs a distraction from something and I wonder what.  I'm feeling very good about what I'm writing. I feel I've pushed my self forward. The plus side is between this and the end of Game of Thrones life is good. I couldn't be more excited. RK

Michelle sat with the small gaggle of her friends in the assembly hall. She was one solemn face in many. The principal stood before the school with a photo of projected on to the wall.

" was a good girl. A keen student with a fabulous future ahead of her. A bright girl, kind to her friends, loyal and hardworking." He continued.

His bow tie flexing while he spoke. His voice strained while he continued to speak. He was a middle-aged man. The kind you could never believe was young. The suit didn't match the somberness. 

"Like so many others in our neighbourhood, she received a vile letter. Hand delivered. Hand delivered! by those in our very community. One of us!".

The principal paused and looked around at the crowd beyond.

"Someone in our community decided to write letters. Letters of vitriol and hate. Letters of such utter contempt for decency that later that evening poor Makayla took her own life. I have called this assembly to allow us all to share our sorrow and grief at what happened. Makayla was a dear friend to some, a classmate to others, a loss to us all."

Michelle looked out to see some of the students in tears. Most looked on in blank silence. She didn't know Makayla. The face projected on the wall was only vaguely familiar. All Michelle could feel was guilt. She had delivered the letters. She felt like she felt the shame of the hall on every part of her body.

"I'm going to ask for a minute's silence. So everyone can reflect on Makayla's life, its OK to pray. It's OK to just sit and think about what a wonderful light has been taken away from us."

Everyone looked around not sure what to do. Heads became bowed.

Michelle wondered about her future. She felt she should go to the principle to confess. Would they believe her when she said she had been following the orders of some stranger over the internet? Would they want proof of how she got blackmailed? Everyone in the school would think she wrote those things. The police would think she wrote those things. They would find her fingerprints and DNA on everything.

After a minutes silence one from the students Amanda from 's class came up and spoke about her. She ended with, "There is a new star in the sky tonight. A new angel in heaven."

The principal came up again and readjusted the microphone to his hight.

"I've cancelled classes for the day. If you want time at home to cope that's OK. Otherwise, your teachers and I are available. Tomorrow I want you to come in. Makayla wouldn't want us to fall behind in our studies. She would want us to go on. She would want us to try harder and change the world. We try not to be political here but you have to ask your selves if people like Mason Kane really are proud of themselves tonight."

With that, the assembly was over and Michelle and her friends drifted out through the emergency fire doors out to the playing field outside. People wondered out on to the grass.

Michelle's friend Destiny lent over to her and whispered "Stephanie-Faith heard she was secretly impaired can you believe it?"

"Really?" Michelle said.

They walked out of the dark recesses of the hall into the sharp light beyond.

"You sound really cut up about the impaired girl," Frin said. She was a thick boned girl who had a highly sculpted face and a tounge to match. 

"Do I?" Michelle said, "Its... its... just the shock of it I guess."

The group of girls walked to the sycamore tree for some shade under the spring sun.

"OMG Did you see Isabel?: Destiny said, " She was so totally a waterfall. I mean you needed buckets around her." 

It was at this point something snapped within Michelle. She knew what she was. She wasn't a good person any more. It suddenly all made sense.

"I bet you" Michelle began "that Isabel is also impaired."

"Oh, that is so totally right," Riley said her raised eyebrows writing the revelation on her face.

"Do you think she also got a letter?" Frin added leaning against the trunk of the tree which sheltered them.

"Absolutely," Destiny said texting her Mom about what was happening.

Michelle looked around she noticed that while somewhere competing to look more upset than the others most were pretty neutral about it.

"There was a thing on the news this morning." Frin began "it said that this was yet another attack. Apparently, these black letters are a thing. Different groups of people have been doing them in different places. Weird how the principal was so righteous about it."

Michelle bit her lip "that would be because he's also secretly impaired. Or maybe what is kids is, or something."

Destiny dived into this "hang on, you're saying the principal is one of those liberal impaired lovers?"

Frin was getting excited "duh. come on, after that whole performance you can doubt that?"

At this point, Michelle's phone buzzed. She looked at the message it was from Naberus.

"I HEARD ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT SCHOOL. THE GOOD NEWS IS THE POLICE CAN'T GO ROUND ASKING ALL THE KIDS FOR THEIR FINGERPRINTS ANF DNA. MICHELLE. UNLESS THEY HAVE A REASON. IT WOULD BE REALLY BAD IF SOMEONE SENT THEM A REASON."

"What do you want?" Michelle texted back. The other girls ignored her and checked their own phones out. 

"IN YOUR CLASS. AN ARMY BRAT CALLED AMY. BLONDE, FRECKLES. QUIET. NO FRIENDS. NEVER ANSWERED A QUESTION IN CLASS. YOU'RE SUCH A POPULAR GIRL MICHELLE. WHY NOT SQUANDER SOME OF THAT POPULARITY ON HER?"

"JUST THAT?" Michelle texted back.

"FOR NOW. I'M GIVING YOU A WEEK MICHELLE. I WANT TO SEE SOME PHOTOS OF YOU AND HER ON INSTAGRAM OR SOMETHING. SHE MAY BE A TOUGH NUT TO CRACK BUT YOU CAN DO IT. AFTER ALL, IF YOU CAN DATE A BAD BOY LIKE MIKE YOU CAN FRIEND AMY. "

"What do I get?" Michelle typed back.

Naberus responded quickly "NOW WE ARE TALKING. WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER MONEY OR A VERY GOOD FAKE ID?"

"BOTH" Michelle texted "YOU WANT A COMPROMISING PICTURE RIGHT?"

"NOT YET. SHE NEEDS A FRIEND FIRST." Naberus said.

Michelle had done it in a fit of anger. This would keep Naberus from sending anything to the police. Michelle wasn't sure about her self. She wasn't a good person any more. The response both had just leapt out of her like she knew what to do. Naberus had collapsed before her demands. Badass Michelle got what she wanted. She worked for her self now.

Mike walked across the field to the car park. Michelle hadn't spoken to Mike since the first text from Naberus. He looked over to her. His expression was a complex mixture of feelings mostly of lust and regret.

The girls around Michelle giggled. Badass Michelle watched Mike's fine ass pass by. Michelle looked at him and reminded her self of her new resolution. Badass Michelle got what she wanted.

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A/N - Just a vote on the snapping of Michelle. Do you think this is believable?  

New Chapters Thursday.