The Purge

A Child's Scorn

All around, Kiyah could feel the impressing eyes of her peers all around in the playground. It was like she was a plague: everywhere she went, her path was clear. Eyes scrutinized her wickedly and whispers shuffled in her ears. Even some of the teachers were unusually cold towards her, denying her her carton on milk at nap time, and muttering to the other teachers about her as the cold October wind swept their hair across their mouths. 

"Why is everyone looking at me?" Kiyah mumbled to her teacher, her voice wavering as the tears pushed against her throat. 

"Don't worry hunny" Ms.Marks replied softly, swiftly ushering Kiyah inside the school building early. When the other children thought Kiyah was out of earshot, someone shouted ,

"Kiyah's gonna die!" A roar of laughter shot up in the air, and life began in the playground once more. 

"Why did they say that?!" Kiyah whispered, her voice panic-stricken. Her eyes were unusually alert, but teary as she clung to her teacher's warm waist, scared of the world. 

"They're just being silly" Ms.Marks assured her, hugging her tight. Ms.Marks was a young teacher, and the only one Kiyah felt she could trust, especially since Roc talked about her with such enthusiasm and admiration. If ever Roc picked Kiyah up from school, he would spend what seemed like a lifetime to Kiyah talking to Ms. Marks, and for this reason they had a special connection. 

"Listen, Kiyah, do you know what The Annual Purge is?" Ms. Marks asked, kneeling down to meet Kiyah's tear-brimmed eyes. Ms. Marks took Kiyah's hand in her own shaky one, and looked into Kiyah's innocent big brown eyes, her own red and brimming with tears. 

"I think so..." Kiyah gasped. Suddenly, she began shaking her head vigorously as the reality swept her, "I don't want to die Ms.Marks, I don't want to!" tears began rolling down her cheeks, and she flung her arms around her teacher's neck, nuzzling her head into Ms. Mark's shoulder. 

"Don't worry hunny...you have Ray to protect you, and Roc, and me" she whispered into Kiyah's ear, stroking her hair reassuringly. 

"Ms.Marks..." Kiyah asked softly, feeling her T-shirt becoming moist "are you crying?". She lifted her teacher's head to see that her cheeks were wet and her eyes were red and puffy. Kiyah, startled to see Ms.Mark's cry, wiped her own tears before wiping her teacher's. 

"Don't cry Ms. Marks" Kiyah smiled weakly "You'll be safe...Roc will look after you" 

Ms.Marks laughed, and the usual glint returned to her eyes. "I'm sure he would if he could, but Roc has a little princess called Kiyah to take care of" At this, Kiyah giggled, and took her teacher's hand. 

"Will you be safe in The Purge, Ms.Marks?" Kiyah asked. 

"I hope so..." nervously biting her bottom lip. 

At the end of the school day, Kiyah held on to Ms.Mark's hand tightly as she was waiting to be collected by Ray and Roc. Often, she would be eyed by parents collecting their children, but she didn't care as long as she held Ms.Mark's hand. 

"Ray!" Kiyah cried as she saw her brother jog towards her through the school gate, Roc following closely behind "Roccy!" They were both carrying a large sports bag slung over their shoulders, and were dressed in loose fitting sports wear. Their rough fists told Kiyah they had been boxing. 

"Hi Amanda..." Roc stuttered bashfully as he shook Kiyah's teacher's hand, not letting go until their fingertips touched at the last possible point. She blushed as he smiled at her flirtatiously,whilst Ray concerned himself with Kiyah, pulling her arms through her coat and holding her book-bag. 

"Ms.Marks!" a stern voice from the other side of the playground screeched. Immediately, Amanda Marks snatched her hand away from Roc's and straightened up, resembling a naughty school child. As Kiyah swiveled around, she was faced with a fuming parent, dragging her embarrassed child behind her as she stormed from one end of the playground to the other.

"What do you think your doing?!" she hissed, "Do you know who these people are?! Especially this...devil child and her possy!". The mother pointed intrusively at Kiyah, disgusted. 

"Excuse me?!" Ray said, flinging his bag on the floor and tying up his long twisted hair. That one remark caused the veins in his head to pertruede forward, and his arms looked larger than Kiyah had  seen before.  "Did you just call  my sister a...devil child?" 

"That's exactly what I said! You know it as well as I do- your whole family is a curse! I just can't wait till we can be rid of you tonight!". The child, unwillingly attached to his mother turned a bright red; He was in Kiyah's class. 

"That won't be happening!" Ms.Marks insisted, angrily heated at the mother's outburst. "Even if I have to take part in this bloody purge myself!" 

"Oh just shut up Amanda. You know better than to turn all fluttery at the sight of this other idiot over here- Just wait till the head hears about your activity" 

"I don't care!" she yelled "My life is none of your business!" 

"Well I'll make it my business! And the Clan's too!" the mother screeched, grabbing her child's wrist and dragging him to the other side of the playground, out the school, leaving Ms. Marks in cheek-burning tears. 

"That bitch..." she cried, as Roc pulled her into his chest and held her closely, rocking her gently  from side to side. For what seemed life a lifetime, she cried snuffly tears into Roc's chest, who needless to say, was enjoying every moment of being close to Ms.Marks. Ray wrapped Kiyah's arms tightly round his neck as she let Kiyah clamber onto his back.

"Look" Ray began "Roc, Amanda, I don't want you guys to suffer for something Kiyah and I need to fa-" 

"Shutup Ray" Roc snapped "The Purge is my problem now, ight?" 

"And mine too" Ms.Marks quickly chirped in, grabbing Roc's hand and squeezing it quickly and tightly. 

"If you know what you're getting youreslf into..." Ray said, "Roc, you better start teaching us to throw some more punches"

Roc grinned. "My speciality ;)"