The Corruption of Innocence

Chapter 12

Alice pushed her way through the crowds and knelt by the little girl, who was wailing and bleeding. Her mother rushed to her side and gave Alice a perplexed glance.

"How has this happened, who has done this?"

The women looked up the stairs but saw no one. After instructing someone to run and get a doctor, Alice gently stepped over the girl and sprinted up the stairs and on to the corridor.

It was empty, apart from one boy who was casually looking out of one of the windows, tapping his fingers on the windowsill and singing to himself. Hearing the beautiful voice of her brother, Alice walked up to him and tapped him on the back. He did not turn around, and ignorantly kept singing even when being spoken to.

"Did you see that?" Alice inquired.

"For when your time is passed and gone," There was a pause. "I don't know what you mean," and then, "... he'll care no more for you."

"Jack," Alice snapped.

"And in the place where you time was waste will spread all over with rue, will spread all over with rue."

The singing stopped as Alice forcefully spun Jack around to face her.

"What?" the boy moaned.

"There is a girl lying injured at the bottom of the stairs," his sister said.

"She probably fell."

"Did you not see her fall? Surely you would?"

"I was looking out of the window."

"Did you not hear her fall?"

"I was singing."

Frowning, Alice's fingers began to itch.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she hissed, and Jack tried to look confused.

"What do you mean? I'm fine! I was enjoying my singing before you came up here and started pestering me!"

Then, the mother of the girl, and the girl herself, emerged from the top of the stairs, and Jack could see worry flash through Alice's features. He too, feeling apprehensive, turned around and hummed the rest of his tune, tapping his fingers once more against the windowsill.

"It was him, mum. He pushed me," an annoying little voice squeaked. Feeling eyes on him Jack huffed and turned around to face the angry mother.

"Did you push my daughter down these stairs?" she asked harshly, and Alice turned to Jack.

"Tell the truth," she muttered. Her brother shook his head, pouting.

"It wasn't me!" he proclaimed, giving the girl a hard stare. "It wasn't, was it, you're telling lies!"

The girl began to cry and protest, and Alice watched miserably as Jack rolled his eyes and folded his arms.

"She can't be that hurt anyway if she's just come up the stairs!"

"Jack!" hissed Alice, slapping him on his shoulder. He stepped away from her and shot his head to the mother, who had been glaring at him for a while.

"It wasn't me miss, your daughter is mad," she was told simply, and she shook her head violently, pointing at Alice.

"You get that bastard under control!"

Feeling a strange fear, Jack walked to Alice and put his hands on her arm, staring at the mad woman in front. The little girl had stopped crying and she too was glaring at Jack, who stuck his tongue out at her.