Avoidables 3

by Rachel Medhurst

  Hope jumped up and cheered, clapping her hands. Purple grabbed her and pulled her to a sit. I was leaning forward on the edge of my seat.

  ‘What does she mean Perfects played with Avoidables for fun?’ the young boy next to me asked. His mother glared at him from the other side of the balcony, but he ignored her. I noticed Gina staring at me as I turned to him.

  ‘Perfects like to torture Avoidables and make them their sex slaves.’

  The boy’s eyes widened and I wondered if I’d been too reckless. He must’ve only been eighteen years old. He had blonde hair, blue eyes and a clean-shaven jaw. I scratched the stubble on my own chin and realised that I’d let it grow. No wonder everyone was staring at me. Perfect men were always clean-shaven and presentable. I looked down at myself. I wore torn jeans and a blue t-shirt. Everyone else was dressed up. Men had suits on and women wore dresses and high heels. Except Hope, Purple and me. I was becoming one of them and it felt good to relate to them more than the Perfects. I’d never liked this life style, but I hadn’t known any better. I could see that spark in the boy’s eyes. He was the same as me. Maybe it would be easier to get through to the general public than I’d thought.

  ‘We are not talking about us. We’re talking about your deliberate bombing of a government building. You and your rebel group came here on the night of the bombing and planned to kill us all. You were caught before you could do that, but you managed to kill ten people.’

  Catherine grabbed a little black box from the panel and hit a button on it. There was a whirling sound and then a projector screen appeared on the far wall behind the panel of Perfect officials. A video of the people who were killed started to play. Men were surrounded by their families. Women were shopping and getting their hair done. Each shot of the person who’d died, ended with them looking directly at the camera.

  ‘Did you look into the eyes of those that were killed?’ Catherine asked.

  I looked around to see that the Perfect women in the audience were crying but there wasn’t really any deep grief. All accept one. Gina. My fiancé was genuinely crying as she clutched a tissue to her eyes. I glanced back at the screen shot of a now frozen image of all the Perfects who were killed in the bombing. Most of them were a lot older, but there was one young man winking at the camera. As far as I knew, Gina didn’t know any of them, but when I looked back at her, the grief was apparent. The videos started playing again and I watched her reaction to them. It was intriguing to me. I really didn’t know my fiancé. When the young man came up on screen, Gina’s crying got worse and she looked at him with a longing that I’d only ever felt with Hope. Gina had been in love with someone else. My heart squeezed and I felt a flash of excitement. If she didn’t love me, then surely she’d be happy to let me go.

  ‘I’m truly sorry for the loss of life that these families have suffered, but I’m not sorry I did it. The amount of Avoidables that have lost a family member because the Perfects felt like having some fun far outweighs the point I’m making.’

  Catherine rushed up to the dock and put her hands on the wooden balcony that surrounded it. ‘So you’re saying you killed some of us to make a point?’ she hissed in Sandor’s face.

  The courtroom burst with noise. Hope was on her feet again, protesting. William stood and silenced the room with one shout.

  ‘It’s time for a five minute break,’ he called, once everyone had calmed down.

  ‘No, I’m saying that I killed ten Perfects to get you to stop killing the people I love.’ Sandor’s voice was quiet but strong and every head in the room was drawn to her. She looked pale and vulnerable. It looked like she was giving up, but I could see the way she was showing her soul. She was baring all to see and everyone who looked at her could not help but be affected.

  ‘If you’d just stop killing and shaming us, then we’d be able to live in peace.’

  Chapter Three

  ‘Did you see the look on their faces? They couldn’t believe that she’d called them out. She was great!’ Hope rushed her sentence as she put her hand on my forearm.

  All three of us were standing outside in the sun. William had asked me to be their escort so I would now sit with them. We’d come outside for a break and I felt a rush of heat flush through me when she touched me.

  ‘That was powerful,’ I agreed, frowning when she pulled her hand away. I noticed that she was looking around and shuffling her feet. The Perfects that had come out of the courthouse were staring at her and Purple. One woman was licking her lips as she ran her eyes over the half-bred dragon.

  ‘Purple, I think you could get lucky,’ I grinned, gesturing with my head.

  ‘You don’t know do you?’ Hope said, ignoring the Perfect woman.

  ‘What?’ I asked, looking between the two of them as Purple’s cheeks turned bright red.

  ‘Purple has a girlfriend,’ Hope sang. Everyone around us looked at each other. They were surprised that Hope was normal and acting like a young woman.

  ‘Really…?’ I wasn’t sure if I believed her. The last time I’d seen Purple he’d been totally against relationships. He hated what Hope and I had. Not that our relationship was great right now.

  ‘Just leave it,’ Purple grumbled before turning and heading back into the courthouse.

  ‘I miss you,’ I said, trying to get her to look at me.

  ‘Do you?’ she asked, looking over my shoulder.

  I reached out a hand and took her chin gently. I didn’t care if anyone was watching.

  ‘Jason?’ a soft voice called from behind.

  I felt my back go stiff. I’d forgotten about Gina. Hope’s eyes narrowed before they widened. I took my hand away and turned slowly. My fiancé was taller than Hope. She wore high heels, so was almost taller than me.

  ‘Hello, Gina,’ I said, ‘this is Hope.’

  Gina smiled kindly at the woman I was in love with. I felt a tug of something in my chest as she came forward and offered her hand. I’d never seen a Perfect do that.

  ‘Hi, Hope,’ she said, not recoiling when Hope shook her hand.

  I glanced at them and saw that Hope was smiling. Why was she smiling? She’d been really angry when I’d told her that William didn’t want me to break off the engagement. I’d never loved Gina, but my mother had set up the engagement because Gina was the daughter of the Chancellor.

  ‘Nice to meet you, Gina,’ Hope said.

  ‘Jason has been away for a while and I know it’s because he’s been taking charge of things in preparation for the trial. I’m so proud of him,’ Gina said, winding her arm around mine. Although the action was possessive, the intent behind it wasn’t. I realised that Gina didn’t have a clue what was going on. She’d obviously been so wrapped up in her love and grief for the Perfect that had died; she’d not noticed what was going on with me.

  ‘Yes, he’s been working hard,’ Hope agreed glancing at our arms wrapped together. I didn’t return the pressure, but I wasn’t going to pull my arm away. This was getting harder every day. I wanted to let the Perfects know that I was in love with Hope. I wanted to tell the world that we were together and she was mine. I wasn’t embarrassed by her, I was proud of her. How could I tell her all this when I had a blonde bombshell that I was supposed to be marrying, hanging off my arm?

  ‘I better get back inside.’ Hope smiled and nodded at us as she left.

  ‘She seems really nice,’ Gina said, letting go of me as I shrugged her off.

  ‘She is.’ I turned and looked into her eyes. ‘Why are you here?’

  ‘Because I wanted to see the trial and I wanted to support you.’

  I nodded and took her arm. Guiding her back inside I cringed when the boy that had been sitting next to me on the balcony agreed to move up and let Gina sit beside me.

  ‘I must admit, I’m not really finding it as exciting as the others,’ Gina said, leaning into me.

  ‘No me neither. I don’t quite know where it’s going.’

  This was the first time that I felt I c
ould speak to Gina. I’d seen a different side to her and that had made me relax. She wouldn’t be heartbroken when I called off the engagement. It was something I had to do, but now wasn’t the right time.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to call Purple to the stand,’ Catherine called when everyone was settled. What? I didn’t think they were going to actually testify as well as be on the jury. That wasn’t how it was usually done.

  ‘Purple, how many people did Sandor bring home with her each week?’ Catherine asked, watching him with hooded eyes as he lowered his massive frame into the chair on the dock.

  ‘I don’t know, I’m not her father,’ he replied. ‘Probably once a week.’

  I knew what was coming. Hope had told me on the second night we’d met that Sandor had a fetish for Perfects. The memory came flying back. I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten what she’d said. This could easily go in Catherine’s favour.

  ‘I know we treat them badly, Jason, but she did bomb this place. Could she not have found another way?’ Gina whispered in my ear. Her soft voice and the touch of her breath on my skin did nothing for me. I glanced at Hope. She quickly looked away but I could tell she’d been watching us.

  ‘Do you think they would’ve listened?’ I replied, gesturing at the panel. I noticed that William was also watching us. He nodded once and then gestured downstairs. Oh dear, I’d forgotten that I was meant to be with Hope and Purple.

  ‘No I suppose not,’ Gina sighed, as I stood and walked away.

  As I lowered myself into a seat near Hope, I felt her prickliness. She wouldn’t look at me so I concentrated on Purple’s interrogation.

  ‘You say that Sandor brought Perfects home with her at least once a week. Where are those Perfects now? She killed them didn’t she?’ Catherine was leaning over the side of the dock. Purple was cringing away from her. His ridged hands were wrapped around the wood in front of him.

  ‘I don’t know, I never saw what went on in the bedroom.’

  I could tell that he knew exactly what went on in that bedroom. Purple could hear people’s thoughts and it looked like he was struggling not to listen to everyone’s now.

  ‘So the Perfects that Sandor brought home would come into the house, go into her bedroom and then leave, fit and healthy?’

  Purple glanced at Hope. I couldn’t see her expression as she was looking away from me, but the taunt muscles of her back made me want to go over and put a protective arm around her.

  ‘No…’ Purple started.

  ‘He’d never see them leave,’ Sandor called out, ‘because they never did.’

  Episode 2

  Chapter Four

  ‘This is not going to plan,’ William said, walking around the table.

  We were sat in the meeting room. The long table had angels gathered around it. I sat at one end of the table, away from William.

  ‘I think we need to just let it play out,’ said a light-haired male. He stood and bent forward as his wings sprouted from his back.

  ‘What are you doing?’ William said, coming to a stop beside him.

  ‘I’m sorry, but I’ve had an itch all day,’ he said, sighing when the angel next to him reached over and scratched the base of his wings. They were big and white. The feathers were lifting and stretching as he closed his eyes. I felt my own back start to itch.

  ‘Great, you’ve set me off too,’ I said, leaning forward and letting my wings push out of my back. The clothes we wore had Velcro slits cleverly disguised by some of the best, and most discreet, clothes makers in Upper Side. It allowed our wings to come out without ripping whatever we wore.

  I stretched my wings and flapped them once, to release the tension.

  ‘Stop…!’ said the woman next to me as I sent her hair flying back from her face. I’d only realised that I had wings when I’d met William about a year ago. He’d taken me under his wing, literally, when he’d managed to get to the head of the Perfect government. My mother had introduced us and asked if I could start working for them. I’d not spoken to William very often until a few months in. He’d kept hinting at me about people being different and that it was a good thing. I’d been naive, but I’d told him of my fascination with the Avoidables.

  There was a sudden sharp knock at the door and I concentrated on pulling my wings in before William reached the handle.

  ‘Yes?’ he said, opening it quickly.

  Hope and Purple stood on the other side and I felt my chest squeeze as they entered the room. Hope had her other arm out and looked amazing.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ I said, standing up.

  ‘Purple heard you thinking about this meeting as you were leaving the court house.’ Hope nodded at the other angels and took a seat opposite me. I lowered myself again as Purple sat next to me.

  ‘I hope you weren’t seen,’ said Thomas, the angel that Hope had held a gun to when we’d first approached them a few months ago. It seemed so long ago now. Although I’d researched Avoidables for a long time, I didn’t know I’d be involved with one until she showed up at the club in Upper Side. I’d been drowning my sorrows after my engagement. It had been an official affair. My parents, Catherine and John, had arranged it all. I’d gone along with it, thinking that it was what I wanted. I didn’t though.

  My gaze travelled over to the woman I did want. She was listening to William as he spoke.

  ‘We have to trust that this is what’s supposed to be happening,’ he said.

  ‘But how can we know that it won’t make it worse?’ replied a worried angel.

  ‘We trust!’ William said, banging the table as stood over it. ‘Listen to me. You’re letting your human emotions get the better of you. This trial was devised with love - for love, so it can only bring good. We have a long way to go until things change forever. This is just the beginning.’

  ‘I agree. Sandor shocked the Perfects today, but in a way that will make them think. They’ll all be tucked up tonight, thinking about what she said. Even the people in their homes that watched it on the television.’ Hope wouldn’t look at me as she spoke, so I reached out with my foot and rubbed it up her leg. Her gaze shot to Purple and I had to cover my grin with my hand. He was looking at William as he started to talk again. She glanced at me and saw me smiling. The corners of her lips lifted slightly before she looked away. She didn’t kick me, which made me feel better.

  ‘Do you think Sandor will carry on being so honest?’ William asked Purple.

  ‘Yes, don’t you think it’s the best thing though? It seems to be shocking the Perfects.’

  ‘William!’ came a shout from outside the door. ‘Are you in there?’ There was a knocking as the handle turned. The lock held, but we all jumped up. It was Catherine.

  ‘Okay, we need to forget about this, it was too dangerous to meet here. Meet me north of Upper Side at midnight. Thomas will take you there.’ William backed away from us and slipped out of the room, making sure that Catherine couldn’t see inside.

  ‘Catherine, there you are, I was having a quick cigar before bed. Let’s walk…I’m not in the mood for sitting.’ We heard William lead her away. Our breath released in unison and we all laughed slightly. The other Angels got up and started to walk towards the door.

  ‘Meet me at the Upper Side library in half an hour,’ Thomas said.

  Everyone started to file out of the room. I hung back and took hold of Hope’s arm gently. She turned to me and I pulled her to my chest. I lowered my mouth and kissed her hard. I felt her arms come around my neck and she sighed. I ran my hands over her back and squeezed her. Purple coughed and she pulled away.

  ‘I’m sorry, I just needed to remind myself how you tasted,’ I whispered. She looked up at me. Her gaze was troubled and I smoothed the lines on her forehead with my thumb.

  ‘Gina’s beautiful,’ she said.

  She didn’t step away from me but I could feel the tension in her body. I glanced over at Purple. He was pretending not to listen.

  ‘She’s no
t,’ I whispered, putting my lips near her ear. ‘You are the most beautiful person to me.’

  She shuddered and I chuckled.

  ‘This is not going to work, Jason,’ she said, putting her hands on my chest. My heart was pounding and I knew she could feel it.

  ‘Hope…’

  ‘You’re still going to marry someone else.’ She took her hands away and stroked the side of my chin. ‘And that’s okay,’ she whispered.

  Purple coughed and I glared over Hope’s head.

  ‘I’m sorry but we need to get going. Jason, will you lead the way?’ Purple shrugged and for once I could see that he regretted interrupting. Being in love had changed him.

  ‘It’s not okay! I won’t do it,’ I said, gripping her forearms.

  ‘We need to be grown up about this. If you’re meant to be with Gina, I can handle it.’ Hope stepped away and followed Purple out of the room. I stood looking around.

  It was time I put an end to my engagement.

  Chapter Five

  ‘The guards just caught two of us,’ I whispered as we headed through the Upper Side. I’d seen two angels ahead of us approached by them and asked to go back to the compound. They’d tried to make an excuse, but the guards had said that they wanted to protect them.

  ‘Can we fly?’ Hope asked.

  We were standing in an alleyway. Even these places were pristine. There was no litter and they were brightly lit with flood-lights. Hope, Purple and I crouched in the shadows at the end of the alleyway. Guards patrolled the city at night to make sure Avoidables stayed away.

  ‘No way,’ I said, looking around the corner of the building. There was nothing in the street ahead.

  ‘Why not…?’ Purple growled next to me.

  ‘Because they have motion detectors in some places and if we’re seen, we’ll be reported. It’s just not worth it with the trial going on.’

  I stepped into the street. Hope and Purple wore hooded jackets and had the hoods pulled low over their faces. They followed me as I rushed along the pavement for a few buildings and then ducked into another alley when I heard the sound of talking ahead. My heart was trying to break my ribs with its beating.