All For Not - Wednesday

Page 30

"That was a disaster." On the contrary it was lovely, a magnificent spectacle of heat...but now we were back at school sitting in the underwhelmingly warm office of Weems after being dragged back to Nevermore.

"The mayor is furious! I've lost count of the angry phone calls, emails, and people in the town, alumni and parents. They want answers and so do I." I watched her pace around her office angrily shouting as she ignored us, until she stopped and glared at us full force. "I would lead the inquisition, but I left my thumbscrews and rack at home." Her glare shifted from me to my sister, "Miss Addams... you're already on thin ice. Wafer-thin ice." The finger that popped up had Wednesday's eyes roaming the woman with what looked like annoyance and appreciation of some sort, "I swear on my late scorpion's soul, my hands are clean."

"Well it couldn't have been Morella, you are the only Addams member here who wasn't in my sight all day long." How wrong she was of course she won't say, or maybe she truly thought she was right... "I may not have hard evidence, but I see you. You're a trouble magnet." Wednesday never knew when to be quiet, "if trouble means standing up to lies, decades of discrimination, centuries of treating outcasts like second-class citizens or worse..." However she often managed to stump people including our principal, "what are you talking about?"

"Jericho. Why does this town even have an Outreach Day? Don't you know its real history with outcasts? The actual story of Joseph Crackstone?" Weems' eyes shot to me for a moment before looking back at her, "I do. To an extent."

"Then why be complicit in its cover up? Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it."

"That's where you and I differ. Where you see doom, I see opportunity. Maybe this is a chance to rewrite the wrongs, to start a new chapter in the normie-outcast relations." I frowned thinking of the town and its people, "nothing has changed since Crackstone. They still hate us. Only now they sugarcoat it with platitudes and smiles. If you're unwilling to fight for truth..."

"You don't think I want the truth? Of course I do but the world isn't always black and white. There are shades of gray."

"Maybe for you but it's either they write our story or we do, you can't have it both ways." I stood preparing to leave whether or not I even shared my words, "you're exhausting."

"I know." Weems sighed heavily and we made our way to the office doors, "goodnight, Miss Addams." She stopped her in her tracks however, "but you should know... I don't tire easily."

Dismissed we walk away, the office doors shutting with force behind us as we moved towards the stairs, "I wonder," I start, " "what's twining your mind up in binds sister?" I ask eyeing her.

"For starters," she pauses, turning her head in my direction as she speaks her thoughts, "I suspect I might know who's behind the killings. Unfortunately I need more evidence, I was thinking we'd go back to town and pay the morgue a visit for some of those clues the cops haven't divulged."

Humming I nod, sighing as I consider it, "I suppose it could help. I do enjoy the scent of ash..."