How Not To Be A Werewolf (Editing)

It, And A Red Balloon

The following day I found myself waiting to face my doom.

Well, to be specific I was waiting outside Councillor Gabriel Halt's office, waiting to go in and get the result of my trial. I had never been so fucking nervous.

I was in my best suit, and I was dripping with sweat, even though the air blowing through the Hub was pretty cold. Turns out they had really good air con. I guessed with most of the Councillors being undead they never really felt the heat.

Kian wasn't making me feel better about the situation. He was sitting on the floor tapping his right foot, obviously just as nervous as I was.

What was it with waiting? It just seemed to make me even more nervous than I was already.

"Are you okay?" I heard Kian ask as he continued to tap on the floor.

"As much as I can be, I guess," I replied.

I wasn't okay, but I didn't need to say it out loud. It would only make me feel worse. Plus, Kian could read my mind so he already knew exactly how I was feeling. Still, I kinda like the fact that he asked me. He was making an effort to appear normal. As normal as a centuries-old vampire could appear anyway.

In reality that meant Kian basically looked like a guy who was cosplaying Spike from Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

At least he bloody tried.

"It can't be too much longer." Kian complained, "He's been in there deciding for fifteen minutes already!"

I didn't know if he was trying to convince himself or me, but I appreciated the sentiment.

"Don't remind me," I replied.

Then the doors swung open. I almost had a fucking heart attack as they did. Kian must have been surprised as well as he immediately stopped tapping and jumped up.

"Alec Colby!" a voice called.

I gave a worried sideways glance at Kian, who smiled back nervously. Then, I took a deep breath and stepped into the office to accept my fate, closely followed by Kian. We sat down on the two hard-backed chairs in front of Councillor Halt's desk, The Councillor himself was staring at me his blood-red eyes unblinking.

Crap. That was freaky.

"Mr Colby, we are here today to discuss with you breaking the conditions of your release," he started. "Now, in light of the defence made for you by Mr Richards, and the fact that you were innocent of the murders committed by Jonathan Cayhill. I am prepared to pardon you fully for your crime."

"To pardon me?" I asked him confused "Are you sure?"

"You don't want to be pardoned?"

"No, I do." I replied, "I really do, but you said last time if I broke the conditions then I would be neutralised."

The Councillor smiled then, showing off his own razor-sharp fangs.

"Did I?" he said, "I really don't recall saying that."

What the fuck?

Kian tapped me on the shoulder.

"Let's just get to Victoria's, eh? She'll be waiting for us."

With Kian's superhuman grip on my arm, I didn't really have a choice. I followed him out of the dingy office, back out into the brightly lit corridor.

We walked in silence until we reached the end, and the lift back up to the Atrium. Kian pressed the button to call the lift.

"So," I said, breaking the awkward silence, "Are you going to tell me what the fuck happened back there?"

"Probably best not to question it too much," Kian replied as the lift finally reached us and pinged open.

He was probably right, I would only bring trouble if I tried to second guess the result. A result I was bloody pleased with. It would be a whole lot better for everyone if I just kept my mouth shut for once.

Anyway, I had It to look forward to. 
Yeah, the film with the creepy fucking clown was how Victoria had suggested we celebrate if the result was good. Apparently, it was based on a true story.

I could only guess at how true that was. Probably not at all. Also, it now hit me just how prepared they had been for me to win my case. Huh. God, I must be really fucking thick.

The lift opened to reveal The Hub's atrium. It was was large and airy, considering that it was far underground. Kian led the way across the bright marble floor towards the door, and freedom.

Well, it wasn't really a door, more like a portal. It would drop us off right outside the gates of Moonstone High School. Luckily, it was the school holidays and nobody was there.

The portal was a glowing blue mass of energy that swirled to life as we approached it. Kian took my hand and I closed my eyes as we stepped through.

After a moment we arrived outside. I squinted, trying to adjust my eyes. When I opened them my heart dropped as I focused on a single red balloon that was floating across the otherwise empty sky.

Fuck.

Kian had stopped also. He must have read my mind as he laughed as the balloon floated away in the wind.

"Probably from a kids birthday party," he said, "Pretty funny though."

I was sceptical.

"You think?" I asked, not believing a word.

"Yeah," he said brushing it off as he started to walk away "I'm pretty sure it's just a coincidence."

Yeah, I don't believe in coincidence.

I put it to the back of my mind and followed him up the road, just praying we didn't see any bloody clowns.

I really hated clowns.