Like Minds - To my beloved Maraclea

Chapter thirteen - The knife

Alex:

When it was dinnertime, I tried everything to eat as fast as possible while I kept staring at the clock by the corners of my eyes. I had to find a way to get my ass out of here as soon as possible. I didn't wanted to get late for the movie. When I finished my dish, or sort of, I stood up with my plate lifter in the air.

'Sir, can I have the permission to leave please? Sir?'

I pursed my lips and stared hopefully at the teachers and my father that seemed to be very annoyed by my question.

'And why is that, mister Forbes. You could wait until every one is finished.'

'But sir, please... Please.'

There was a desperately tone in my voice and my shoulders sank to a hopeless position. This wasn't going to work at all. I was sure about that. When they seemed to ignore me, I slowly sat down on the chair again while staring emotionless in front of me.

When I finally had the opportunity to go away, I took as fast as possible the train to the cinema in the village. The sad thing was, that there was no Susan waiting for me - nor her friends.

I ran at the desk where I could buy a ticket, but the woman behind me didn't wanted to help me at all and closed the curtain so our eye contact broke.

I sighed and parted my lips. Feeling how every sense of hope sank away in my shoes.

I went back to the school again, emotionless - even cantankerous - and went to my bedroom, almost immediately so I could avoid every person that would come in my way. I didn't want to hurt any one because I could get violent if they would make me mad.

Nigel:

Nigel didn't show up for dinner that evening. Alex was too busy with swallowing away his food to notice though. Where he would normally sense Nigel's every presence or absence, he was way off with his mind this time, way off to his date with Susan.

To his dissapointment, he was way too late, and all his hopes for the perfect date had by now shattered.. By the time Alex walked inside that evening, Nigel wasn't there either. And he didn't show up anymore either. He was probably offended by the way Alex ditched him for Susan.. So there was nothing left but to go to bed. After the previous restless night it was only easy to fall in a deep sleep.

Nigel did came in that evening.. Only not that Alex was aware of. The door was locked, and so there was only one other way in for Nigel.. the window. He didn't come by to join Alex in bed again, though.. No, he had something more important to do. He put down the knife, which he stuck the spade Jack on.. his signature. When he turned back out of the window again, he left it open on purpose, allowing the room's temperature to cool down rapidly.

Alex was only disturbed the next morning, by the window blowing cold air inside to which the blankets weren't even warm enough to shelter him. As he got up to close the window, there was something to be found on his desk. The knife and card, Nigel's presence to push him closer to being Jack, and to believe in their cause.

Alex:

I narrowed my eyes and wrapped myself in the bed sheets when I felt a shivering cold breeze touching my skin - but somehow these sheets weren't enough to make my body feel warm again. I swallowed and opened my eyes on a little crank - annoyed by the light that was irritating my sleepy eyes. When I noticed that it was my window - which was standing wide open - I groaned and pressed myself up to close it as fast as possible with gritted teeth. When I closed it, I sighed and dropped my arms next to my body - until I saw something lying down on my desk. Something... Familiar.