A Kingdom of Our Own

Chapter Five - Ghostbusters

Dalton’s unanticipated meeting with Harry had left him feeling a little uneasy and on-edge about things. He couldn’t help but think that something bad had happened and when it was something bad, it usually concerned Dalton also. Just to be safe, he thought it would be a sensible precaution not to hang around at the school for too long. It was a brief “get your bike” in and out matter. It would certainly be for the best to play it safe and lay low for a while, at least until he knew what was going on and had been warned on whether or not there was anything he should be fearful of. If Harry stayed true to his word and turned up to the party, Dalton could confront him there on what it was that had caused him so much distress. All he had to do was wait and remain patient for another few hours.

As he made his way towards the sports centre where the bike racks were located, he found himself strolling along stretch after stretch of deserted corridors. Like the front yard, there was an eerie quietness about the place, with not another living soul in sight. People were either caught up in all the hype of the Sports Day events or had left for home, not wanting to spend a moment longer than they had to in the dump of a place… Well not unless they wanted to cause any trouble.

Dalton stopped dead in his tracks. His breathing had turned heavy, as if distressed, while his pores seeped out a seemingly endless supply of sweat, making his t-shirt sticky, clinging like a vacuum to his heaving chest. There were voices. Angry, shouting voices, coming from just around the corner.

Elijah had been correct in his warnings all along and Dalton cursed silently to himself, for the ignorant attitude he had displayed towards his brother’s rational concerns. Yes, Gavin and his friends were still there. It did seem a rather odd and unexpected encounter, that much must be noted. Gavin never missed Sports Day and Dalton had assumed that he’d have been on the field by now, warming up for his events. His presence here could mean only one thing, confirming his initial worries. Something bad had happened, something very, very bad. And worst of all, given Harry’s troubled expression and hasty exit just moments earlier, it seemed it had something to do with him.

The luck of the Gods must have been shining down on young Dalton Hughes that day, because fortunately at the time, Gavin was locked in an intense, heated debate. Both the noise formulated by this argument, as well as his poor state of awareness helped to shield the sound of Dalton’s approaching footsteps. This strike of fortune, Dalton took as an opportunity to do a little covert observation, in order to try and find out what it was that could have happened that had managed to stir up so much worry and concern amongst people. So, with his back pressed firmly against the wall, he listened in on the conversation. It was of critical importance that he didn’t get caught listening in, that error could cost him his life.

“It’s not like that!” he heard one of the boys exclaim in protest.

“Then what the fuck is it like then?”

It was Gavin was spoke this time, snapping back the critical response with a scowl, annoyed by his friend’s lack of clarity in what he was saying. “Someone was in there…” the boy continued to explain, only to be cut off once again in his stride by Gavin’s cries of shock and anger. “Someone was eavesdropping on us? I beat the mother fucker to a pulp!” he shrieked, his mouth forming a wide “O” in surprise. To further stress his anger over the matter, he punched his palm firmly with an almighty “SMACK”. “Ok, Gavin you’ve got it all wrong! Let me explain. And can you please tell Tommy to back the hell up off me!” the boy cried in return. It was clear that he too was getting a little angry and emotional about the matter now, realising how quickly things were getting out of hand, with Gavin’s completely ignorant and unintelligible response to what he had to say.

“Hey back up two inches homey, but stay up on him though” Gavin ordered harshly, trying to maintain his air of authority.

“Someone was in there” the boy continued to explain with a rasp. ”I’m telling you. Someone saw what we did and they could grass on us to the cops at any minute.”