Born To Die Part Two - The Charm Of A Conflict

Passing The Message On

Alexis can barely eat her dinner out of worry. Cheri is stuck in her room with a horrible headache. Ashton isn't home. He hasn't even texted. Yen isn't doing good. Something feels wrong. And she's having a hard time shifting without her head aching slightly. She picks at her food, wanting an answer to all the questions in her head.

'Alexis?' Cheri's voice comes from the bottom of the stairs. She sounds hoarse and ill. Alexis raises her head to see her. She has her pyjamas on, and she's holding an empty plate, 'I'm feeling a bit better now.'

'Good, want to come sit with me?' She plasters a smile across her face for the girl. Cheri nods and walks to the kitchen to put her plate in the dishwasher. When she comes to sit down, Alexis notices her right hand looks slightly blackened and is shaking. That is the one she mind-reads with.

'What's up with your hand?' Alexis queries. Cheri shrugs, 'I think you should stop reading minds for a while.'

'Yeah, it's probably best.'

*

The darkness engulfs Central London like a blanket, comforting the industrialized city like a mother does her child. The faint tinge of purple disappears before eleven pm, waving away like a good friend. The light pollution illuminates the city like a lightbulb. Most are either asleep or out doing God knows what. In the AMI, the recently fixed ornamental pot is thrown again at the wall by Strangelove. Every magic person is gone. She checks the CCTV footage.

'Piercebridge! Kathlyhan! I had a feeling!' She yells to herself. She picks up her work phone, angrily typing an abrupt text to her two top employees. How could she be stupid as to not know they had something to do with it?

*

The message on Kristoffer's phone appears on the screen. His phone is in the pocket of his jeans he accidentally fell asleep in. He and Ashton had talked to each other; it seemed like everything would be fine. He had told Ashton about Strangelove's supposed secret strike. He had said everything would be fine. The two had parted ways at a dimly lit train station, going opposite ways to return to their homes.

He stirs from his light sleep, groaning and clutching his head. He finally realises what's happening. Kristoffer pulls his phone from his pocket.

Strangelove

Piercebridge, we need to talk tomorrow. I saw the CCTV footage. There's no escaping from this one.

His head feels ice cold with anxiety. Despite his incredible need for sleep, he is bolt upright in bed, staring at the message. He keeps rereading it to see if he misread it or is just going insane.

He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane. He is insane.

He is insane.

No.

It's unmistakable.

Everything enjoyable that day had taken a nose dive from a thirty-story building. Well, it seems like he's out of a job.

*

It's eleven pm when Ashton clicks the lock on the door open, a heavy feeling in his heart. He places his headphones around his neck. The rocky music is still playing faintly; he can hear it. He can't hear anyone in the house. It is a rather ridiculous hour for either Alexis or Cheri to be awake. He wonders to himself why he even left in the first place. He shouldn't have been so sour.