Death by Detention

6

I actually enjoyed science before this. It was the only class I actually understood. I'm not entirely sure why it stuck but it did.

Now, however, I'm beginning to hate the chemical smell. Maybe it's just because it might be the last thing that fills my nose. 

The skipping rope tying me to the table bites into my wrists and my shoulders are aching from the angle my arms are twisted back. A piece of cloth is tied around my mouth and the coppery taste of blood reminds me of my little victory of biting Nora as she gagged me.

I look back and follow the rope to where it ties me to the table. Like a dog when you leave it outside a shop. I try to get to my feet without using my hands and end up tumbling back into the table. For the third time.

Damon sits in the corner holding his injured leg. She never bothered to tie him up. He couldn't run anyway.

She left nearly half an hour ago. Damon hasn't said a word and I haven't been able to. It's been great fun. I let out a strangled cry of frustration and go to try again.

"Stop. Please" Damon says.

I ignore him and get one leg below myself to push up with. I get to my knees and manage to get up. Now what?

I tug on the rope and Damon's head snaps up. "Stop" he says. "The bombs that Arla made. They're still on the table. If knock them over then there's no chance we'll escape out of here"

I glare at him. Raine will be here soon. He'll bring the police and we'll get out of here.

I can't tell Damon let so I kick a pen that was lying on the floor from a class yesterday. It hits his uninjured leg and he raises an eyebrow at me. "It's getting dark" he states.

I turn and look out the window. He's right. The sky is a orange colour as the sun sets over the hills in the distance. Usually, I would stop to admire it but I can't.

I turn my attention to the bottles on the desk. Arla tried to explain what they were but even though I enjoyed science, I wasn't as good as her and most of it went in one ear and out the other.

I turn around and grab the neck of one with my bound hands. Carefully, I walk backwards over to Damon. He takes it from me and I gesture towards the window. He let's out a sigh "I guess it's worth a shot. Step back"

I go as far as the rope will let me as he throws the bottle. It smashes against the glass and is ignited into a massive flame. A few seconds later, all that is left is a blackened, but intact, window.

"Well that worked" A voice says behind me and I jump forward, slipping and falling again. Nora laughs from the doorway as I groan in pain. I push myself up slightly and lean against the table. A hammer glints in the setting sunlight.

She lifts it so we can see it better. "Now. I'm going to tell a story and you're going to answer my questions. Every time you get one wrong, I break a bone" she looks between the two of us and smiles at me. Yanking the cloth from my mouth, she grins. "Let's give Damon a break"

She drags a seat over and sits down infront of us. "I'll start easy. Who is my sister?"

I gulp as she rests the hammer on her lap.  "Cheryl Parks" I say nervously.

She shakes her head. "No silly. Who was she to you?"

I frown. Who was she to me? I barely knew the girl. Wait... no... "We used to be friends. In nursery" I say.

Nora tuts and slides off the chair. "Come on Lottie. This was meant to be easy" she sits down beside me and unties one of my hands. She places it flat on the ground and I start to struggle. She's going to break my hand. With a hammer. "I'll give you one last chance. What was she to you? Really..."

I scrunch my eyes closed and rake my brain for the correct answer. "I don't know!" I shout and she swings the hammer down.

The pain is so intense I can't even scream. The sound makes me want to be sick and I finally do scream as she stands up. I refuse to look down as she walks over to Damon.

"She was your best friend. Your only friend. You abandoned her!" Nora shouts. "She needed you!" She takes a deep breath to calm herself and I force myself to keep quiet. "Damon. Your turn. Who were you to her?"

He looks at me nervously and I would usually feel self conscious about my ugly crying but I can't stop it. "She was my girlfriend" he says. His voice is emotionless and his face goes slack. He looks almost peaceful.

"It was your fault. You broke her heart" Nora says. "But you answered correctly. Now you're safe"

"Why us?" I choke out. "Why Barry, Steph, Arla, your dad? What did any of them do?"

She groans "I'm getting to that. My sister went to rehab four months ago after she was found with drugs. Correct?" We both nod "Who found her? Charlotte. Your turn again"

"Mr Barry" I say. I remember that day clearly.

"Damon. Who told Mr Barry she had them?" Nora looks at Damon.

"Steph" he says sadly. I let out a sigh of relief that she didn't ask me.

"Back to you" she looks at me "How did she know?"

I close my eyes. I have to work this one out as I don't actually know. It has to have been someone here today. Barry wasn't a drug dealer, I doubt Arla was and Dr Parks wouldn't give his own daughter drugs... "It was Steph's brother giving them to her" I say.

She smiles. "Now let me list the reasons why she bought the drugs in the first place. Who should we starts with... we've heard about Steph and her brother so how about Barry" she sits back on the stool "Remember that massive test we had six months ago? The one that gave us a good chunk of out overall score? Yeah, well remember how everyone in one class failed?"

I nod. "It was a hacker. They never found out who"

"Barry. He tried to change his own mark and managed to fail my sister. My sister who was already failing every other class because of him" She stabs her finger towards Damon. "You broke her"

"So that's it. You're just going to kill us?" Damon asks.

She gets up and walks over to him. "Not yet"