UnTouchable, Vol 1. Dreams, Boys and Creatures of The Night

Chapter Four: Bakersfield Dreamin'

Sitting under the back building wasn't the best of ideas. The dust from above fell onto Rosie's hair, she dusted it out and combed through it. Luke used his inhaler and coughed sweetly. "Well, this is boring.' Ashton sighed, Luke smiled and pulled out a deck of cards, he flicked them with his fingers and dealt two pairs out. "What are you doing?"

"Magic." he replied, Ashton hit the boy's back, Luke smiled once more. "Card magic." he said. Ashton took his pair and gave Rosie's hers. She looked at hers and separated her blacks and reds. Luke put one card down, it was an Ace, Ashton put another down, it was a king.

"You boys know how to play Bridge?" Rosie asked, Ashton shrugged.

"You mean old lady poker?" Luke said, taking a toothpick from his shirt and chewing on it's end. A habit he'd grown over the years, something that kept him from chewing his nails. Rosie scoffed and held her chest.

"Yeah, old lady poker. I learnt it from my nan. Ashton will be the dummy -"

"Do you guys get the feeling that something is not right with this school?" Ashton asked. Luke lolled his head to the side, placing a card down. A Jack. Rosie shook her head.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Ashton blew air and held his breath.

"Well, this morning I walked into the admin block and there was something on the page's desk. It was a list of missing kids. I just thought..."

"That happens here a lot, kids go missing, body's turn up. It's no biggie." Rosie said, flipping one card over. A King. Luke took the royal trio and place them at his side. "Duxton didn't have that?"

"Maybe Mount Druitt, but certainly not Duxton. And then yesterday, when I was looking through the school website on the plane there was a newsletter for concerned parents. Saying that their kids were becoming sleep deprived in school, then they end up dead?"

"It's exhaustion Ashton, nothing serious. Teens die all the time from over working themselves." Luke said, then pulling the deck again. "Call it."

Rosie placed three aces down, then picked up two more cards.

"But this is different...ever since I got here, I've been having these dreams."

"Nightmares?" Rosie asked.

"No, a nightmare is something you don't feel. This was vivid. I felt everything, heard everything."

"I think you're just jet lagged, maybe you should take the rest of the day off." Luke said, picking a card up and placing one down.

"It's not jet lag."

"Oh, c'mon. You were in England for what a year and a half, and now you're back. That's got to fuck you up royally."

The bell rang. It seemed like the shortest time ever. Rosie smiled as she laid her cards down, a Queen, a Jack, and an Ace. "I win. Shall I claim my prize?"

"Hold up, we're not playing for keeps!" Luke protested. Rosie put a finger up.

"Play the game Luke, it's winner takes all...and I want that pretty little ring on your finger." she said, Luke shook his head. "I'll loan it off you."

"No way."

"Are we going to lunch?" Ashton asked, Luke acted like he didn't hear him. Rosie pouted, Luke rolled his eyes and took the silver ring off his finger. Rosie looked at the inside ring.

"What, you got you name engraved....Michael." Rosie opened her mouth. "Wow, Luke, riding the stick. Lovely ring you stud." she laughed, Luke blushed.

"Very funny." he said, getting up and grabbing his bag. He took the deck off cards of the dirt which he placed them, stuffing them into his pocket. Rosie giggled as the boy's and she stumbled down the hill. Ashton still had everything on his mind. The dreams, the kids who died mysteriously. No way they died of exhaustion. That was something the superintendent would come up with to fight the press. He couldn't think much more as he walked tiredly into the shade where the lunch benches were made. Luke kept his bag on the table and pointed to the canteen. "I'll pick something up for you. Just stay here. Calum and Michael will be here soon." Luke said, walking off, Ashton noticed his uniform, had tears in the back. He wondered if Luke had ever gotten into a fight at school. Maybe over some guy who was calling him a faggot under his breath. He wish he knew.