A Constable's Stalker

Chapter 12: The Pompous Devil

-Sally's Pov-

I've run into many surprises during my trips to wastrel-land. Yam cults, Witches, even the wastrels themselves. But I must say, out of them all, this can be considered one of the more pleasant surprises. Little Bail-Ball, Bailey Fruntington. I haven't seen him in ages! Why the last time I've even heard about him was at the end of my sophomore year. It was rather odd that he stopped coming to school that year. My classmates believed that he had been mistaken for a "survivor" and was taken away. He was probably just tired of school and soared for greater skies, like me.

Now I see that he's done well in doing so. I don't know much about officers, but I do know that becoming a constable in these times is difficult. I hear volunteers must meet the criteria or they'll be rejected. Bailey may have been small compared to Baslam and Jack, but the silver badges on his ocean blue suit and his upright stance prove he's more than just a ball to be kicked around. He's law.

"Ms. Boyle! S-Sally!" His eyes light up in the dusking light. "I can't believe it! You're really here! Alive and well! And not a downer I hope?"

"No! Not at all." I reassure him.  "I'm always a joy wherever I go." It doesn't feel good to lie to a good friend. But if I'm being honest with myself, I'm not sure yet if he's still a good friend. "How about you? How's it feel being a part of the constabulary?"

His eyes constantly cast downward to his feet, rarely looking up into my eyes. Like the shy classmate, I remember him as. "Well, there are lots of feelings really. But none of creditable concern at the moment."

"Oh? Let me take a guess, running out of a Blackberry joy?" I guess begrudgingly. "The office has been saying there's not enough to go around lately."

"And you..." He mumbles the next part.

"Hm?"

He speaks up, this time looking at me fully. "And you've been busting your arse just trying to make some, haven't you?"

If only he knew. "Well..yes, you can say that. But it's not a problem really. Anything for the constabulary." I smile to show the blind dedication they expect me to have. "Speaking of which, I'll make sure to have the next batch up as soon as possible."

".....You shouldn't bother."

"What?"

"I said you shouldn't bother. The Blackberry joy is only making them worse. Some have even refrained from taking it." His eyes were full of concern, for me or his fellow men, I'm not quite sure. But that was certainly not what I expected to come out of a constable's mouth.

"You're not taking my Blackberry joy? I thought it made the world go round?"

"Oh! It's not that your Blackberry joy isn't good, it's just that...well...it's not doing the constabulary well. Their health I mean. Some of us aren't doing very well."

"Uh...just so I heard that correctly. My Blackberry joy; the one thing that you keep asking for, that Wellington council had made mandatory for all officers, is unhealthy for you?"

"Yes. I'm afraid so Sal. No offense to you of course." He scratches the back of his neck, seemingly irritated by something on it. "The rashes I can deal with, but the vomiting and visions are just horrible."

I laugh to myself, yet I can feel pools of heat rising in my body. "The one thing I've been busting my ass for...for YOU. And you all never even wanted it in the first place." Should I be relieved or upset?

"It's true, I-I never wanted it but-"

"It's fine. Th-that's great! I've just been worked up over nothing these past few years. Were you looking for me to stop or just keep working till I break? Hm?!" Honestly, a part of me wanted to break my helmet over his skull, assuming his skull didn't crack just from breaking off his helmet. Oh god what have I become?