Divided Mask

Chapter 8 - That's a serious face

The preceding days were easy for Wren. Mrs Bard had barely spoken to Wren.

She was now sitting at home on the couch. Her dad sat watching the television. Wren had been tinkering with her gauntlets.
"Can you not play with those?"

I'm improving them dad, my first tournament is this weekend.
" I see well, don't shoot anything."
Will you be coming? I know your busy but first one of the year. Wren passed the note our hopefully.
"Sorry Wren, you know that was your mother's thing."
You're right. All she heard was Mrs Bard's voice blaming her "you're the reason she is dead."  Wren didn't write anything else. When she looked up Nightmare was lurking over her dad's shoulder. She knew it was only her imagination, but it didn't help knowing that. She got up and walked to her room. He had been so distant. She didn't know anything she could do.

She had been mindlessly doodling on a notebook. There was a knock on her door. She opened the door.
"I wanted to ask if you wanted to eat right now?" Her dad asked, "Roxanne had a late meeting so you won't be getting her cooking unfortunately." He cracked a smile.
She shrugged, I'm not hungry. But make something if you are.
"Can we talk then?"
Sure. Her dad sat on her bed, she sat by her desk. As if they had to sit far apart. She had the blanket wrapped around her chest.
"I'm sorry I'm not joining you for your tournament." He frowned as if he had finally felt guilty instead of just absent.
It's okay. It doesn't bother me, you're busy
" Thanks hunny. I will start making something, don't be surprised if it tastes like shit."
She smiled, at least he didn't seem so cold. Maybe it had been in her head. There had been a lot rattling around in her head. She deeply considered telling him, at least about the shadowy figure, although the momentary peacefulness might flee if she did say anything.

Wren fell asleep at her desk, a plate of grilled cheese had been placed beside her. Her eyes bounced around the room. A clock on her nightstand read 2:38 am. She exhaled and pulled herself over to her bed, she was hoping Mr Rutherford had seen the note. She prayed he had.

A beep interrupted her uneventful sleep. She felt like she had just stared at the back of her eyelids nothing else. Getting up, she grabbed the plate and headed to the kitchen. She put the grilled cheese in the microwave and reheated it.

It was slightly soggy from the grease.
=================================

Wren left the house quietly, it was a dreary day, the wind tangled around her. Wren grew more annoyed as the wind picked up.

Finally the entrance of the school gave her protection from the wind, she walked towards Mr Rutherford's room hopeful of her results. She went to poke her head in. No one was in the classroom.

By the time class had started Mr Rutherford had not come in. One of the newer teachers took over and decided to put on a movie. The class sat in silence, Marcus leaned over towards Wren.
"Do you know where Mr Rutherford is?"
No clue, I wish he was here. This is dreadful.
"Agreed, let me see if we can go to the gym then." Marcus got up to approach the teacher. As he was walking back he shot her a thumbs up.  A phone rang the teacher answered it
"Yes I can send her down." The teacher looked around her eyes landing on Marcus and Wren. "Wren they want you down at the office."
"Of course as we're going to spar." Marcus huffed sitting back down "I'll get you at some point."

Wren took her time, she was worried about what this was about. Mr Rutherford stood in the main part of the office, he eyes flickered over to her.
"Hey kid," he led her to a different private office and sat down at the chairs "so I did as you requested but unfortunately the footage had been deleted."
Wren felt her heart drop.
"Wren?"
Tears fought at her eyes, she wanted to give up. She was about to.
"Wren? Look at me? Wren?"