TAINTED ROSE

Chapter 20

The girls sat quietly in the Assassin Scouts Room, picking their brains for ideas. Helen had sat sullenly in a corner for two days, refusing food and taking tiny sips of water from her bottle, scraping her butter knife on the sharp surface of a metal table. Nat moped around, fiddling with her Taser, while Adolpha tied her knots, somewhat enjoying the eerie quietness. Sherry and Pearlyn tried to fill the room with casual chit chat, but even they were unable to feel completely at ease. The new classmates who had just joined them sat together, trading fighting tips.

Only Crystal seemed to be in high spirits, going out of the room and returning with an abundance of mineral water bottles and sandwiches which were fresh and new. Rose was also cheerful as she hid her pain and attempted to coerce Helen into eating.

Adolpha wasn’t worried. Although she hadn’t known Helen or Nat that long, she recognised the similar concentrated glint in their eyes. They would snap out of it when they had an idea.

“Come on Helen, you have to eat. You too Nat! Rest you mind and eat something…” Both Rose and Crystal waved a fresh ham sandwich in front of their noses. Helen turned away into the corner while Nat shook her head and became even more focused on the wooden Taser in front of her. Rose shook her head with annoyance and sadness while Crystal had a look of fear in her eyes, which Adolpha studied. Fear of her friends starving? Fear of death? Or was it something else…

“Well, I’m going out again. This party is getting me down.” Adolpha’s thoughts were interrupted as Crystal stood up and stalked out of the room.

Helen turned around, taking in everything with a cold and blank gaze. “I knew it.”

Rose cocked her head and looked at her curiously.

“I knew it.”

“Knew what?” Rose grabbed Helen by the shoulder as Helen’s tone became more forceful yet.

“Knew it. Knew. Knew!” Helen jumped up, the focused sparkle back in her eye.

“We’re being watched.”

-

“Has hunger made you crazy?” Rose tried to offer Helen the sandwich again, which she grabbed and swallowed.

“No. We’re being watched.” Helen repeated with her mouth full with sandwich bits, which fell from her mouth as she continued her rant. Rose shook her head distastefully.

“By the cameras?” Sherry and Pearlyn asked in unison.

Adolpha shook her head. “The security cameras have been out since the start of this.”

Tension in the room increased as Helen grit her teeth and looked at everyone.

 “We know that the Principal is trying to kill us, but for what motive? Since we’re just about the only group left alive, I think someone in this group is hiding something. But who, and how?” She looked at the faces around her, trying to find something-anything-in their faces. Everyone remained as puzzled as she was. Katy shifted uncomfortably and looked at her companions while Nat observed Helen with understanding. They were all looking for a reason…

A reason for this insanity.

Helen sat down, exhausted by her outburst.

“Hi everyone, I’m back!” Crystal smiled. “Wait…did I miss something?” she asked as she saw the looks on everyone’s faces.

Rose explained to her what had been said earlier on. To Helen, she seemed as puzzled as everyone else.

But Adolpha saw.