Boarding School

                   

“But why do I have to go to a stuck up boarding school, in another boring country?”

“Darling, you know why. In one month alone, even though we have bodyguards with you twenty-four seven and millions of cameras, you have still managed to get yourself kidnapped.”

       Mum nodded towards my shoulder where the soldier’s knife had plunged into my skin. I suppose Australia’s Acton Woods prestigious school for young ladies didn’t seem so bad when you think about, how much I’ve been through in the past. At least I’d be safe, because he could come and get me at any given moment...

I know its him

 

                                    

I woke up this morning and something didn’t feel right, I felt like I was being watched. Then I realised someone was watching me, my older brother Johnny sat at the edge of my bed staring at me and smiling with that sweet smile of his, just like dad used to.”Morning Jessie...you were mumbling in your sleep, something about him coming?”

“You shouldn’t stalk people in their sleep... it’s weird, plus I was awake I was just tricking you.”

“Sure...anyway good luck on your first day, mums cooked your favourite a full English breakfast.”

        I was looking at myself in the mirror I looked so ugly and fat. My dress style was horrible, the jeans and jumper I was wearing looked hideous but it was the best I had. Breakfast was amazing though deep down I knew mum was guilty about sending me so far away. Worst of all, she wasn’t even dropping me at school she was leaving me at town to get my bearings. After walking up and down the streets of Sydney and wandering around, I felt like someone was watching me so I started walking briskly towards an alley where I could come out and lose them in the crowd if someone was following me. Darkness swallowed me up. Footsteps sounded behind me. I swivelled round and he was there...”Hello Jessica, how have you been, living a life of vanity?”

             “Fine before you showed up. What do you want?”

In one swift movement he had me pinned to the ground and had put a cloth in my mouth.”You’ll find out soon enough.” he hissed in my ear.

I had a horrible headache and my head felt like it had been smashed against a brick wall.”Your awake- and don’t worry the anaesthetics

Will wear off soon that’s probably why your head hurts am I correct?”

“Are you psychic or what plus you realise I can just get up out of this chair and escape through the door you left open...”

“Ahhh...That’s where the shock collar around your neck comes in make a move and you’ll be in for a world of pain. You are truly mine this time!”He hissed again. I was fuming, I made a fist to punch him but instead a searing pain went through my body dropping me to the floor helplessly, gasping for breath. His sly laughing pounded in my head like a battle drum. I was furious, I lunged from behind but instead a needle sank into my foot.”Sleep...”Then everything went black. When I woke up again a tray with a full English breakfast lay by my feet.

How did he know it was my favourite?

Anyhow, I wasn’t hungry and I wouldn’t have eaten anyway. After an hour or so he walked in with a smug grin on his face.”You should eat; you’ve got a long day ahead of you.”At my confused look he added, “We’re going to a medieval fair, a word of warning obey my every word. Oh and try anything and you’ll instantly regret it.”He threw a costume at me, no way in a million years was I going to wear that, but one look at his face showed that  I didn’t have any choice in the matter unless...

       After getting dressed he walked me to the car where it was a fifteen minute ride to the fair. It seemed like I hadn’t been outside in ages,

 Everything seemed surreal; I guess I never really appreciated it before. His rough voice snapped me out of my reverie, time to go.

The fairground was full of life, loads of people were dressed in costumes and innocent kids chattered away, I was like that once...

After passing loads of huts we came to a small field with a cherry tree in the centre.

 What? Why were we here?

“We are just waiting here for a friend after that we will decide what to do with you.”  

He looked at the field watching for movement in the bushes. Life had been ruff to him he had wrinkles on his face now and there was something dark about his eyes, something scary.

“No...I’m not staying here with you, you have no righ-“

“You have no choice in the matter remember the last time you defied me, you ended up on the floor struggling to breathe do not test me Jessica I wil-“  Out of nowhere a boy roughly the same age as me forced his foot into his back knocking him out cold ”No, no you won’t. Melissa, help me get this shock collar of f...Jessica’s your name right?”A girl stepped out from behind the bushes, her ginger hair was swept up into a ponytail and her emerald eyes seemed to sparkle in the sunlight.”This is my twin sister Melissa and...Sorry I forgot to tell you, my names Malachi we heard what he was saying and came to investigate.”

“Hi life’s harsh huh.”

At that moment they placed both their hands on the collar and it instantly came off.”Umm...Thanks...”Then they took me to a cafe to eat and it turns out Melissa is in the same school and dorm as me so we’re going there next to explain what happened.  

Bit of a coincidence though...

My first day was okay...Everyone was super confused why I hadn’t started on the same day as everyone else, even the head seemed weary until she phoned my mum and clarified I had a history of getting into trouble. After about a week I got used to the way things worked and in no time three months had gone by and it was already time for winter break. I was going back home to visit my parents for most of the holiday but I was staying at Melissa’s house for the first few weeks when it occurred to me that I could invite them over for the rest of the holidays. It would be epic! Later in the evening I asked if it would be okay for them to come over and both are mums said yes so on Monday we flew out to England, London. My mum met us at the airport as dad was away busying himself at work.

He’s always doing that...

Even when I was younger I hardly saw him at least after Jemma anyway.

My twin. 

Murder

 

                     

Jemma died when I was four she contracted cancer mum and dad were devastated. Ever since he seemed to lose sight in his living family, me and mum. We can’t dwell on the past otherwise we won’t let go that’s what mum said. Shame dad didn’t take her advice it helps, even though we were little I still remember how me and Jemma used to do everything together. Malachi seemed to sense what I was thinking and gave me a brief smile; after all I had hardly touched anything on my plate. Malachi turned out to really like Johnny so spent most of the evening with him. The rest of the time Melissa was with me and mom making a cake. Till dad came home. He was more flustered than usual and seemed to do a double-take when he saw that I had friends over, but there was something else in his eyes, guilt; at my old school I was a social outcast because my dad was rich that’s all they really cared about, the money. There was one but...things happen...Melissa had gone off somewhere probably to check on Malachi or something so I carried on whisking the cake my face nothing but utter concentration. An ear splitting scream soared through the air. A man’s scream...I raced through the hall into fathers study to find his lifeless body splayed on the floor, blood streaming out of his chest, his blue eyes glazed over. He was dead. I was too late; and now I’d have to suffer with the endless pain. A hand   reached out covering my mouth and pulling me closer, Malachi he was drawing something out of his pocket I kicked and groaned but soon I stopped as I realised what he was holding to my side, a pristine revolver cocked and ready to fire “Don’t test me Jessie, your mine now.” I surveyed the room looking for Melissa maybe this was some cruel joke. But just as she had appeared she had disappeared .Malachi was watching me intently, enjoying every moment of the fear in my eyes.”If you’re waiting for Melissa to rescue you then you’re deluded she’s waiting in the van with the boss, as I said your mine now.”

The boss

 

                      

 

 I was practically dragged through the door until I started kicking fiercely worried about what they had done with mother and what was about to happen...”I didn’t want to have to do this but...”Malachi attached the shock collar, he had token off me, onto my neck .My eyes seemed to burst out of their sockets as I watched him adjust the remote to level ten and press the button twice. My whole body seized up small, salty tears streaked my face. My feet buckled beneath me, my throat closing up and the feeling of utter uselessness swelling inside me. Then I looked at his face. He was as scared as me. Maybe he wasn’t a stone cold killer; but, then again he killed my dad...His eyes turned cold and hard like he was remembering something” Get up!”

He said in a hard tone. I stared up at him, defiance shimmering in my blue eyes. A look of pure hate and disgust stared back at me in his green eyes.

What had I done?

He sighed”Do I have to threaten you to make you listen to me...Your mum is locked in her room, if you don’t comply she will be dragged down here too and... Then no one knows what’ll happen next so just listen for your mother’s sake.” He whispered exasperated.

Time to meet the boss.

Once we got past the numerous security guards we came to a navy van outside. Malachi gave three sharp knocks and the door flung open and without a word of warning plunged me into the darkness. I could just about make out a face crouched in the corner. Mellissa. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. A pang of guilt ran through me. A strong hand clasped my shoulder. Him. A string of emotions flooded my head: fright, nervousness and pure outrage. I shrugged him off and attempted to get to Mellissa but he just yanked me back “Are you trying to run away from me?!”I stared at his brown eyes trying to muster up the dirtiest look I could but he just grinned and he didn’t take his eyes off me for the whole journey.

Jemma

                   

 

After about an hour Malachi once again yanked me out, followed by Melissa who, now I could see her in the light, had a black eye. We

Were at a crisp white building that seemed to be in the middle of

Nowhere. As we walked through a maze of corridors I could hear children laughing and adults groaning. Where were we? Malachi had disappeared into a side room so that left me Melissa and him. When we turned the next corner there was nothing but a dead end but as soon as he approached the wall the door slid open. He gestured for me to go in so I did as he said and the door closed behind me. No going back now. The room was a dull green; slowly I walked inside and noticed I wasn’t alone a girl around fifteen years old like me, sat on a bunk bed reading a book. Her face a splitting image of mine. Jemma? She smiled up at me “I’ve missed you Jessie.”

 

Isolation

                     

I pinched myself just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming I thought Jemma had died a long time ago. That meant mum had lied to me.

I walked towards Jemma and hugged her tightly her golden hair against mine. Hours seemed to go by as I learned more about where Jemma had been all these years, apparently she had been taken away at four years to this place and she had always been by herself since. The door opened and Malachi shouted “Time to go!” No way was I going with him I stood there defiantly.”Jemma!”She stood up and walked to him obediently, what was she doing? “At least Jemma knows who she’s messing with now, show her what you can do.”

“Yes sir.”Malachi opened the door and gestured for someone to come in it was a little boy. He placed something into my sister’s hand and in the blink of an eye the deed was done. Jemma had sliced the boy’s throat. My sister a killer. She looked up at him “Good girl next time don’t kill them with one go let them endure the pain they have to be punished. Oh and Jessica I will be back to collect you in five minutes be ready.”Then he walked out and the door slid shut behind him. Jemma dropped the knife down and walked towards me and explained everything. She told me about how she’s never allowed to see or talk to anyone in the compound, that she’s always in isolation even when she does training, that’s why she’s a fighter, but if she disobeys orders she’s put into a room full of pictures; Of me and mum and dad this always seems to break her that’s why she killed the boy he didn’t do anything wrong but he was stubborn that was his mistake...Shortly after Malachi came back to get me as promised  so I obediently followed after him to a room full of kids they ranged from five years to eight “This is our teaching room observe and listen.”

“Ok...”

I watched them being taught f or a full hour it was weird that they were being taught algebra at that age... After that he led me to what seemed to be a hospital at which point he disappeared to be replaced by a short man in a lab coat with something that looked like a needle in his hand he walked towards me a genuine smile on his face he looked like he really was a caring man so I allowed him to stick the needle in me. Dizziness swelled my head my eyelids grew too heavy to keep open. Couldn’t stay awake...When I woke up again I was on the top bunk of Jemma’s bed. A face was leaning over me. Jemma. She smiled at me like...dad did...My head pounded, and my throat felt dry. The door opened in its usual way.

I abruptly sat up on my guard instantly. He walked up to me hands in pockets grinning like dad after all he was my brother. Jackson. I sighed deeply he’d went awry after Jemma supposedly died. He walked closer to me and I backed father and father away “Everything you do here has consequences for you they will be greater as my discipline does run in your blood.”

“Modesty never was your strong point, brother.”

“You will call me sir or else you will be severely punished.”

“Yes sir.”He looked at me wearily like he was deeply troubled about something.”You do know who Malachi and Melissa are don’t you? They are our half brother and sister dad had to sort it out once and for all...”His eyes turned hard at the thought of dad no wonder Malachi had looked at me like that and Melissa...My dad had killed their mum. My eyes darted back and forth between Jemma and Jackson what did she think?”Consequences...” Then he took my sister. I noticed something glimmering in the corner, a camera they were watching me. Slowly through the gaps in the wall smoke started pouring into the room; but it wasn’t smoke it was gas, sleeping gas presumably. I wasn’t going to fight. Why give them what they want? Fear. Instead I jutted my chin out staring at the camera. My head started to spin, the gas had penetrated my lungs, and I felt sick. Time to go to sleep.

         Pictures were all around me, my wrists and ankles were bound tight with rope, so this is the room Jemma was talking about .This room wasn’t going to defeat me. I risked a look up at the space around me it was full of pictures of Malachi, Melissa, dad and a lady with auburn hair, their mum. We used to do that. Smile that is. Tears came to my eyes, I wish dad and mum were here, they’d know what to do. A door started to open, Melissa. She walked towards me smiling a sad smile “I’m sorry about...about our dad.”She started to untie me when Jackson came in she stumbled backwards backing into a corner his eyes blazed with anger he threw a punch at her making her double forward he called for Malachi when he arrived I could see a hint of fury in his green eyes as he looked at Jackson then carried his sister out. What had my brother become. I couldn’t bear to look at him.”Disobedience causes actions you should know that by now Jessica.”

 

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 27.01.2016

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Widmung:
I'd like to thank my mum, my aunt, my uncle and finally my dad for inspiring me all the way through and listening to me.I'd also like to give a special thanks to my English teacher for never giving up on me.