Dark Stars, Light Stars

Chapter 7 - Fairer Than Death

Life isn't fair, it's just fairer than death, that's all. ― William Goldman, The Princess Bride

'You shouldn't be here, Justice,' Alistair warned her, a silent plea dancing in the midst of his eyes, 'She's crazy.'

Justice walked towards the boy and sat on the step beside him. As she brushed the hair from his face, she caught sight of more cuts, especially the one that ran along his temple.

'Alistair, I need to get you out of here.'

'No,' he told Justice, 'No, she will see.'

Justice looked over her shoulder before making her decision. She stood up from the step and took his hand in hers. It was slightly bigger than Justice's, but she didn't care. Not now.

She pulled him along the path and straight out the gate. She ignored the continued screams from inside the house and quickened her pace. Alistair did the same, tears pricking his eyes from the thought of leaving his Mother.

As Justice turned right, Alistair squeezed her hand.

'Justice, call an ambulance.'

Alarmed, Justice slowed and locked eyes with him.

'What?'

'An ambulance, Justice. Call one.' Alistair's voice drifted off . . . 'Now.'

The girl stopped and whipped out her phone, dialling for emergency services.

'Justice . . .'

The girl watched Alistair collapse back onto the path. She screamed and dropped to his side at the realisation. She brushed the hair from his pale face, and tears slid down her cheeks as she checked for his pulse.

Justice's call was answered, and she rushed into the phone: 'My friend, he's hurt. He just . . . he collapsed.'

'Okay sweetie, where are you? I need an address before we send the paramedics.'

Justice looked for the street sign frantically, nearly sighing with relief when she found finally it.

'I'm on the corner of Adesler Drive and Drenter Street.'

'The paramedics are on their way.'

~~~

'Can you tell me exactly what happened?'

Justice turned to face the paramedic, as they inspected Alistair. Some colour had come back to his face, and the girl was thankful for that.

'I don't know everything. I heard yelling, screaming, broken glass . . . he walked out of the house and I tried to get him away.'

'When did he collapse? More importantly, where did he come from?' another asked. They locked eyes, and paramedic noticed the pit of despair sitting behind hers.

'Only a few minutes before you got here. The house is down Adesler Drive, I think it's number four.' Justice paused. 'Do you know why he collapsed?'

The paramedics shook their heads in unison.

'We may have to take him to the hospital.' They told her. 'We'll also inspect the house that he came from. Is that alright?'

Justice shook her head and turned the other way.

'Does he have a parent or guardian to call?'

Justice thought back to the screaming in the house. It sounded like a female.

His Mum.

Justice gulped.

'No, his Mum is away for the next couple of weeks. I'll call my Father.' She lied. She had to protect his Mother, no matter what she did.

The paramedic nodded as Justice pulled out her phone and dialled her Dad's number.

'Please pick up,' she whispered, 'Please, please pick up.'

'Hello, this is Gavin Casanova speaking. Please state your name and business.'

Justice turned to face Alistair as she replied.

'Dad, it's Justice. You probably don't want to talk to me, but we have an emergency, I need you to . . .'

~~~

'How exactly were you dragged into this?'

'I went for a walk and heard screaming from the house. I couldn't just leave him there.'

'You did what any fictional character would have done.'

Justice looked down at her hands and shrugged.

'I'm proud of you,' her Father told her as he look around the emergency room in the hospital that lay before them. Alistair was resting upon a bed sectioned off by curtains. His cuts had been treated and he had awoken once at the hospital, only to have him fall asleep as soon as he was wheeled in.

Justice bit back tears as she thought about the pain he must have gone through. Was it really his Mother that had hurt him? And if so, then why? Why would she do such a thing?

Maybe she was the antagonist in this fictional tale.

'Why are you proud?' she asked her Father without looking up.

'Because if you had have kept walking, who knows what would have happened?'

Justice nodded without saying anything else, which was unusual for her. She always had something to say, no matter what happened.

'Justice,' her Father started as he took her hands in his own, 'He is going to be alright. He can stay with us for a while if you think he'd be safer.'

He sat back in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair as a sign of stress and confusion.

'The police went to search the house, look for clues as to what happened. They found broken glass and nothing else.'

'He can't go back,' Justice whispered, 'He'll get hurt if he does.'

'I know sweetheart, I know. That's why he will stay with us. You can look after him since you are . . .' Her Father's voice drifted off.

'Suspended,' Justice finished, 'You know I'm sorry.'

'I know you are sorry, that's why I've chosen to forget.'

Justice smiled and looked up at him.

'That's inconceivable.'

He smiled back and flicked her nose with his forefinger.

'As you wish.'