Burn | Xavier Thorpe

Escape Attempt

There were times when my mental functions returned to optimal conditions, allowing me to avoid Xavier. Many times my reasoning was overruled by the mysterious illness that had overcome me. I felt possessed without the headaches from the over-occupancy of a second soul.

One of these symptoms was forgetting to return his blazer despite seeing it everyday. He had not asked for it back, so it was safe to assume he did not miss it.

Wednesday continued herself imposed isolation, but for once I did not join in her endeavor. No doubt she continued to plan her grand escape from what she considered to be her own personal purgatory.

I knew the therapy session would coincide with her first attempt. It would simply be too easy of an opportunity for her to pass on. Principal Weems driving us herself proved to make her attempt all the more difficult.

I watched Wednesday wonder into the bright looking building, before turning to Weems.

"Since the prisoner will be a while, may I go get hot chocolate?"

"Do you not wish to wait for your sister?" Weems turned in her seat to glance at me.

"I am capable of drinking more than one cup", I said. "I'm also not the one with court mandated therapy."

With a little verbal needling I managed to gain directions to the Weathervane, the town's coffee shop and cafe. It was cute that Weems thought Wednesday would leave out the front door as though she didn't realize even after being explicitly told that Wednesday planned to run. If I truly was planning on running, allowing me to leave her sight proved Weems' planning skills needed some work.

Lucky for her, I wanted to stay at Nevermore for now.

The boy at the counter was near my age. He did a double take at my dark uniform.

"Hot chocolate to-go cup, please." The chances I would have a moment of peace long enough to drink it was slim.

"Yea sure, did Nevermore change uniforms?", he asked, setting down what looked to be an instruction manual next to the whirring and steaming espresso machine.

"Special circumstances", was all I said as he passed me the drink. I sipped it slow and savored the taste. At least it wasn't simply packet hot chocolate. The warmth seeped through the light gloves wore, heating the damaged muscles of my hands.

Surprisingly, I did not see Wednesday for ten minutes which was rather lengthy for an escape attempt.

"We're leaving in an hour." Wednesday informed me as she slid into the booth directly across.

"Are we?"

"Yes, mother and father's plan has failed and we'll be free of this inane sentence they have subjected us too"

"Mother has all our relatives on high alert", I reminded her.

"I doubt she would have thought to contact Aunt Cyra's family." She looked at me pointedly.

I scoffed flexing my fingers around the cheap disposable cup. "What family? All of them are dead, or did you not realize that Aunt Cyra and Seraphina were the last of the line?"

Wednesday paused. No doubt I had just thrown a sizable rock through her glass fragile plan. "I was unaware."

"You never asked." We didn't speak of that night or the Brite side of the family. What was there to speak of when they had all been cremated to ash years ago?

We took a sip of our drinks to fill the awkward silence that overcame us as we waited for either the boy at the counter to finish up or for Weems to learn of Wednesday's escape.