Die For Me

Chapter 1- Spirited Youngsters

Ethan McKenzie stood towards the back of the crowd, almost hugging the left wall. This was where the teenagers of Eastbrook always congregated for announcements, but he'd arrived later than most just to be sure he could secure an out-of-the-way spot. The adults made up about two-thirds of the community population and they filled the front of the room. That was fine by Ethan, let the grown-ups be the ones involved in the important stuff. 

Coincidentally, his sister Kayla was on the opposite side of the room, far enough away that she could pretend her dear older brother didn't exist. Well, that was also fine by Ethan. Curiously though, she'd brought their little brother Jackson along, even though there was always someone designated to look after the little kids during important business. 

Tim was also standing right next to them, and though Ethan knew that was nothing to be pissed about, it felt like a knife in the back all the same. But the only bandmate Ethan cared about right now was Michael, and he was standing just a few metres away. Close enough to Ethan to show implied support, but without outright alienating Tim and Kayla. Michael caught his attention and nodded. Sweet, the Osbourne Nod. You'll be fine Ethan, the Osbourne Nod is never wrong.

Also nearby was Sophie Fletcher, but no amount of best-friend nods could give Ethan the confidence to talk to her right now. Plus, her own bestie Phoebe was by her side, and after yesterday, Ethan had made a point not to draw her attention lest he be faced with another of her legendary glares. 

Surprising absolutely no-one, neither Chris Walker or Billy Blackman were in attendance.

Due to Daniels' well-known penchant for the dramatic, the announcement was being conducted in the largest Drama classroom the school contained, thereby allowing him to stand at a slightly elevated height on the raised stage platform used for performances. While waiting for everybody to arrive, he had been spending his time habitually straightening his tie and repeatedly giving a confident nod anytime somebody met his eyes. He was a real people's champion, was Daniels. 

Ethan wondered if anyone had gotten killed to procure that crisp business suit, or the styling gel that shone like a beacon in his sleek black slicked-back hair. 

Once the expected crowd of eighty-odd people had formed, Daniels straightened his tie one final time, before striding forward to the front of the platform. Behind his right shoulder were his right-hand women: Erika "Ms Hansen to you" Hansen, of the administrative side of authority, and Isabelle "Isabelle to you" Odmonds of the blood-and-guts area of operations. Next to Isabelle, and behind Daniels' left shoulder, was head of security Luke Parks, whose young daughter-protégé "Alarm-Clock" Rachel stood boldly beside him. 

All four-and-a-half of the varied personalities of the group leaders wore equally grim expressions. Ethan assumed they were getting the same thing in return, eighty times over; there was no chance that anybody present hadn't yet heard what had happened. The weight of it was crushing everybody in the room. Ethan almost felt jealous of the skeleton crew who would have been left to guard the walls during the meeting. They'd only have to get filled in on the facts later without needing to endure this. 

"I'm afraid I have terrible, unspeakable news," intoned Daniels gravely, as if he weren't literally about to speak it. "And yet I must deliver it nonetheless."

Ethan brushed a hand through the messy lump of proliferous black curls that made up his hair and groaned inwardly. Just do your job, prick.

"Yesterday afternoon, our community was visited by terrible tragedy. Heaven knows we are not strangers to death, to the fleeting nature of life even before the world was plunged into chaos. But this was not a heroic adult, bravely sacrificing their life to the dead for the survival of our group. This was a child. Young Kieran Blackman, prematurely robbed of the life that we have all fought so hard to build."