Despite the sense of protection Charlotte felt, high up in the suite with James, she knew the world was still awaiting them, desperate to discover more of their story. The press conference, which had been scheduled for the following afternoon, came around too quickly, hardly giving either of them time to think about what lay ahead of them or what they were going to say to the world.
Charlotte tugged awkwardly at her navy jumper with her free hand, as she followed Maxwell and Fiennes through the hotel. She linked her fingers with James', her heart pounding with each muffled footstep along the carpeted corridor. She could hear the murmur of voices ahead, the excited chatter growing louder as they grew closer.
"We'll introduce you. Wait until we call you. Don't answer any random questions they throw at you. We have preapproved questions that they will ask you. Answer them as they come. There is nothing you can't handle," Fiennes explained, glancing back at them.
"They won't mention the alterations then?" James breathed.
"Ha! Absolutely not. It won't be complicated," Maxwell barked.
"Just be yourselves," Fiennes smiled encouragingly.
"Be human," Maxwell said with a grin, winking at Charlotte.
"Now you discover your sense of humour?" Charlotte growled at Maxwell, shaking her head.
"It was always there," he said. "You just never learned to appreciate it".
The excited clamour of voices grew louder as they neared the end of the corridor, the words spoken beyond the looming set of double doors undistinguishable amongst the din.
"Wait here while we make the introductions," Fiennes said, checking his watch and flashing them a smile. "You'll be great".
Charlotte watched as Maxwell and Fiennes moved towards the babble of voices. She gazed at the bright light that fell through the doorway into the hall, entranced for a moment as an immediate hush fell over those gathered beyond.
"Are you ready?" James asked turning to face her and pushing a loose curl back from her face.
"I guess so," she replied. "It's just a game, right?"
"Right," he nodded smiling to her, his hand trailing down her cheek to her neck. "Smile and it will all be over soon".
She tried to mimic his head boy smile, but started laughing as he raised an eyebrow at her, confused by what she was trying to achieve. "So I can't fool you either?" she grinned as he hugged her.
"Not a hope, Owens," he replied with a chuckle, pressing his lips to her hair.
"You two ready," Maxwell hissed, appearing at the door, disrupting their moment of peace. "Fiennes is about to introduce you".
Charlotte took James' hand and winked at him, moving towards the door, ready to play their dangerous game once more. She took a deep breath, trying to focus. She hardly knew what was about to come next. At least she had known what the patrons had wanted. This time she was far from certain.
Fiennes' voice interrupted her thoughts. "Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we have organised this meeting to shed further light upon the recent emergence of many children, that had been thought to be missing or dead. We hope today will reveal to the world more about their time spent on the island of Kingston. We have with us today, James Alexander and Charlotte Owens. Both individuals were taken from the island, where the so-called 'Kingston Academy' was based. In the last year these students were granted titles of 'Head Students' within this so-called school and were key figures in the establishment's final demise". The room was silent, the tension palpable.
YOU ARE READING
Feared
Science Fiction'Play the game, she thought, remembering the only three words that had helped her to survive at Kingston. Only back then she had known the game, she had known what they wanted her to be, what they had wanted her to do - this man was different. She d...
