The dark tended brought out the monsters out, inciting fear and tarnishing a beautiful sight, but she wasn’t feeling any of the darkness in that moment.
Stuck in a barrage of thoughts, Ayla and Evie must have sensed Luxor had withdrawn. Evie wordlessly pointed to The Hive to signal for Luxor she was going to join Ayla for a minute. Luxor nodded and watched them leave through the barriers.
“Snap out of your funk,” Luxor chided herself, kicked pebbles. “Nobody can hurt you in the daylight.” She picked up her pace.
Melbourne’s weather had struck again. Gone was the rain and miserable weather from earlier on in the afternoon and instead the balmy temperature had people out in full force.
Evie and Luxor followed Ayla to a packed park. Around them frisbees were thrown, kids kicked soccer balls and skateboarded on the road, whilst other gobbled down multiple flavours of ice cream.
Ayla swarmed in and scoop a round, wooden table even though a family waited for it. Luxor conceded her mood must have been on the worse side of bad if the selfless Ayla didn’t hesitate to take what she wanted.
“Okay, what now?” Evie asked, sitting on the table with her feet on the seat.
Ayla leaned her chin against her palm. “This is as best to nature as you can get,” she murmured.
Luxor exchanged a similar expression with Evie, a non-verbal way to say “she’s crazy”. She had never seen Ayla explode, her usual calm demeanour a vast difference.
“Nothing exciting ever happens in Brighton Falls,” Evie complained.
I beg to differ.
“How about a movie? We can chill, not talk, eat junk…” Luxor suggested.
“I’m down for it,” Evie said immediately and held up her hand.
“Sounds good,” Ayla said in a small voice, raising up from the table. “But I choose, none of your blood infested movies.” She directed the comment at Evie.
Luxor let out a hearty sigh and rolled her shoulders. She swung her legs around and rose off the seat, the tension almost easing as she knew immersing themselves in a world of make believe for a few hours of silence would be just the perfect antidote.
Almost.
“I wish we at least had a Starbucks or, oh, oh, McDonalds,” Evie said.
They were half way to reaching the Village Bowl when the hair on the back of Luxor’s neck rose, and she froze. Instinctually she plastered on a smile and darted her eyes about, and couldn’t shake the ominous feeling building in her gut.
“What do you think Snow?”
“Yuck, I’m not a maccas fan,” Luxor replied. Her stomach cramped as a razon sharp pain stabbed her birthmark. She chewed the inside of her cheek to stifle her cry.
“Luxor, are you okay?” Ayla asked, wrinkling her brow. “I’m sorry about my outburst before.”
“Yep,” she choked out.
Every step taken translated to pain, pain and even more agonising pain. Luxor halted and doubled over, clutching her knees. A trial of sweat trailed down her temples and through bleary eyes she held out an arm to tell Ayla if she could raincheck.
A boom resonated from the fountain in the Village Bowl, fierce and ear-deafening. Wood and steel debris projected into hundreds of pieces. Alarms shrilled as cars and shop windows shattered. A veil of grey smoke billowed and swam into the air, an inferno of bright orange and red flames erupted from the fountain.
Luxor ducked against the ground with a wide-eyed Evie and shaken Ayla close. The Village had people crouched low and scattered in all directions, their arms over their heads to protect themselves.
The allure captured Luxor’s attention. She dispersed through the crowds and scattered to the fountain, a whistle in the wind a strong lure.
“Let’s get out of here before another bomb goes off!” Evie called out from behind as she followed. She stopped short and began to cough. "Oh my god, it’s petrol, somebody started it.”
Luxor smiled, transfixed by the beauty and how it burnt bright, the fumes permeating her nostrils, potent and toxic. She inhaled deep, reaching out her hand and swirled it around.
Her father materialised in the flames, his beauty highlighted and magnified by the colours. “My darling daughter isn't it beautiful?” His sickly-sweet tone cajoled her mind, but she let him.
“Yes, father,” her tone was flat. Her fingertips warmed against the flames and she absorb the sensation.
“This is part of who you are,” he cooed and upped the intensity. “And where we will rule.”
Fire meant power. And power could control and destroy. And Luxor no longer wanted to be weak.
"Luxor, get back," Evie coughed and covered her mouth with her sleeve with one arm while she yanked Luxor back with the other.
Luxor remained fixated at the glowing embers and basked in the aroma of sulphur and heat. Crackling popped in her ears followed by gurgling as the water bubbled and spilled over the edge, staining the rim of the fountain in charcoal.
“Do you love what you see?” the man asked.
“It’s oh so beautiful,” she replied, spellbound by the destruction.
Fire engines wailed in the background, blocking off the other side of the street. In less than a minute a horde of firefighters burst through the groups, all geared up in their red and yellow attire barking orders for everybody to move back. Room was made for them but the huge crowds still remained. It was like a car crash, devastating to witness but impossible to ignore. With their thick pressure hoses, ready they sprayed to contain it but they were against another element. A blustery wind swooped in, twigs snapped off the trees, and tumbled to the ground. Car alarms wailed in the background, the vibration from the sudden change of temperature caused them to go haywire.
Stuck in a mind prison, Luxor stepped in closer to the flames, the heat glistening across her face. Most would find the heat too much to bear but she craved the burn.
“What are you?” she said.
“Your perfect nightmare,” he replied wickedly.
Luxor’s neck snapped to the side. She bounced out of her haze and blinked repeatedly.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Evie said, rubbing her palm.
“You slapped me, what the hell is wrong with you?” Luxor scowled and soothed her reddened cheeks.
From the corner of her eye she noticed Castor slip away with an overly confident swagger, whistling Dixie. He tilted his lips maliciously, enchanted by the sight. He passed her by and turned his neck blowing smoke in her face. Etched onto his neck a pair of blackened angel wings with feathers moulting from them. Down the middle the word “hominum” striking against his olive skin.
In bold majestic script she saw “Gen 6:4.”
A flash materialised behind her eyes. Hominum. “Human” in Latin. Mixed with the angel’s wings it was a semi confirmation. Luxor winced and her head throbbed until the word disappeared. Despite the fire in her belly, and other extreme pain he inflicted, his actions had gone too far.
Without thinking, she rounded to face him. "You did this," she raised her voice and pointed her finger towards the road.
"I don't have a clue what you are on about?" He feigned stupidity, but Luxor truly believed stupidity was park of his mentality.
"Really? You are going to stand there and say you didn't graffiti the road in the exact whatever that tacky tattoo is?" she hissed, anger pouring out. "And while we're at it I wouldn't be surprised if you sparked that fire."
"Are you sure you didn't with your temper?" He snickered. "I'll sit, grab a coffee and light up another cigarette while telling you I didn't graffiti, that's minor.”
“Yeah arson is minor, in what world? You’re guilty as sin.”
“I doubt any judge would agree, I can be very persuasive.”
“You know what they say, if enough people say it, it must be true.”
Castor's concrete grey eyes flared with anger. "Slander will get you in trouble, not that you need help in that department. I'd watch that disgusting mouth if I were you. Hunter might be enamoured by you, but I won’t
hesitate to permanently shut it. Are we clear Angel?"
Luxor shivered in disgust at the way Hunter's name for her rolled off his tongue. "It's true." She widened her eyes at his admission.
There had to be a way to prove it Castor was the culprit for the graffiti and fire. He turned around, engrossed in calling Theo over. Luxor seized the opportunity and whipped her phone out. Without a second thought the flash flickered.
Castor whipped his head around, the veins bulged in his neck, and emitting a low growl. He towered over her, and with quick precision, he swiped her phone out of her hand, and deleted the photo. "You'll be dead before you have the chance to breathe a word, I don't care how valuable you are." He nudged her shoulder and walked off.
Evie jogged up to join her. "Where did you disappear to? One sec we’re talking, the next you dashed.” She followed Luxor's line of sight, to Castor who silently taunted her. "What was that about?"
“Castor. He did this,” Luxor said with conviction. No more digging was required, the answers were right in front of her
“That settles it, they need to be locked away. You can't go around destroying property," Evie said with indignation. “This is my town, and I’ll be damned to see it destroyed.”
The Village Bowl began to clear out, the fire receding before it got out of hand. Nearby, Castor jumped into his Hummer zooming away and doing a burnout, a cloud of smoke bursting from the exhaust. Castor had branded himself in the identical numerals and letters as Hunter.
Does that mean Hunter was devilish as well?
Evie dragged Luxor from the Village until she reached her house. By then, the skies had darkened mirroring the bleak situation of what had just occurred. The change was swift, from laid back and sunny in the park to the bleakness caused by her father’s wickedness exhibited by her fathers’ terrorisation.
“Oh my God, did we ditch Ayla?” Luxor asked.
“No, she ditched us as soon as the fire erupted. Typical.”
Evie unlocked her car and slid in behind the drivers’ seat, beeping the horn signalling for Luxor to hurry up in which she did. She tore out of her driveway and sped through the quiet and leafy street of Cherry Lane, her dice hanging from her review mirror bobbling along in all directions. Ear-bleeding punk music blared out of the speakers, which overrode the conversation in Luxor’s mind; Castor and fire. It didn’t take long for the rows of side-by-side houses to disappear only to be replaced with forestry.
Luxor dialled down the music, and craned her head. “You missed my house.”
“I know,” Evie replied and eased her foot off the accelerator.
“Then where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” she sung out.
Luxor eyed her. “Let’s go back to yours.” It was evident neither was on the agenda. “Your face is scratched up, and I’d rather do nothing.”
“Do you really think braiding each other’s hair is a fun Saturday? I don’t think so Snow.”
After what just transpired, the frivolousness of make-up and inane chatter would have been a welcome reprieve. She’d swap sanity for the unknown chaos that Evie had in mind, that much she was sure of.
“Where are we going?” Luxor repeated.
“I’m taking you to your very first Survival Week. Par-tay.” Evie chuckled and turned the music back up and began to head banged.
Luxor became rigid, her tongue heavy in her mouth. Evie had lost all reasoning and obviously forgotten they just had witnessed a felony with a group of unhinged and dangerous people. And now she wanted to party the night away?
“Okay, stop the car.” Luxor slapped the dashboard with both hands.
“No, probs. We have arrived.” Evie parked crookedly between two cars in an open dirt field, and jumped out all giddy and excited. “Now come on.” She slammed the door to her blue Jeep Cherokee, and swore when she was yanked back.
Luxor hesitantly got out, slamming the door. She came around and unclipped the offending dangling chain link attached to her shorts that got stuck in the door. "I'm here now, so you can snap out of your emo I-hate-the-world mood. That left in the nineties along with flannel shirts." She circled her finger at the chequered flannelette blue and black jacket tied around Evie’s waist.
"Ever heard of revivals?" Evie lassoed the chain around and she flicked it out, hitting Luxor’s thigh. “Still beats the get up you have going on!"
“I swear one of these days I’m going to hit you.” Luxor stroked her thigh, and ignored the comment because it was true. Against Evie’s suggestion to dress up she remained in her black leggings mixed with a tan long sleeved ribbed top. Even when they insulted each other Evie was still the closest friend she had.
Luxor retreated back, her sneakers leading a trail of dirt at her heels. She watched the bonfire from the shadows afraid her frustrations would turn to fuel and spark up unexplained flames. She wanted to run, the mere sight of fire spiking her anxiety. Even in the open air she felt enveloped as if in a coffin, a hostage to the roar of the music and laughter. The music suffocated her lungs and wasn’t helped by the crowds which continued to multiply like rabbits. She was pushed and shoved from every direction, teens eager to line up to the keg and grab a log seat around the blazing campfire.
Tiki torches lit up around them, a one-way pathway leading forward. Two torches were handed out by a couple of guys Luxor didn’t recognised, Luxor refused to have any part of Survival Week and had every intention of going back home, one way or another. And she wouldn’t rule out hitchhiking.
Evie scooped up two torches up waved them about in a criss-cross motion, exacerbating he brightness of the flames. “Don’t know about you but if I had a choice, I’d choose this fire over the one in The Village Bowl.”
“I hate you, you know that?”
“No, you don’t. Besides, I’m your coffee mule.”
Luxor scowled and swiped the bottom of the torch from Evie. “Are you going to explain the concept of this party?”
“Jesus Christ almighty, what do you think of when I say Survival Week?”
“Celebrating surviving school? Isn’t that a gross overaction?” Luxor understood the end of term, semester, and big ones at the end of the year…But this?
Evie chuckled. “Not in this school. Booze, partying, and drama awaits.”
“I’ll most likely be in the middle of door number three.”
“No doubt,” Evie said, wide-eyed absorbing the sight. For a person who despised the “in” group she tried hard to fit in. “Where to first?”
“Back to the car.”
“Not an option,” Evie said.
“Scope around?” Luxor yelled over the noise as she conceded defeat. Evie was stubborn and could debate her way out of any situation.
The further in they travelled the lighter the forest became. Flecks flew and danced in the air like orange will ‘o wisps dancing with joy. Heat fanned Luxor’s face and instead of discomfort, it felt indulgent. Like home. And that’s what scared her. She urged the man to steer clear, she didn’t need another episode of being attracted and unwittingly moving close.
“What’s up there?” Luxor squinted to the distance pointed to a lone, monstrosity of a house on a steep path, all alone and surrounded by gates.
“A house,” Evie said all jittery. “Look over there, let’s get some marshmallows before they go.”
“Duh Sherlock. But whose?”
Evie let out a sigh and bowed her head to the ground. “Scarlett,” she mumbled under her breath.
“Excuse me? I better have misheard because if you said Scarlett, I’m going to flip my lid six ways to Sunday.”
“It’s not like that, I mean she doesn’t ow—”
Luxor held up her hand and reeled in her fury. Evie had not only dragged her along to a party under false pretences, but it was in too close vicinity of Scarlett’s house. She couldn’t deal with that. No. Way. In. Hell. She weaved through throngs of drunk teens and the overly happy. Behind her Evie called out and followed but wa
s caught up with a group that had just formed.
Perfect timing.
Luxor walked forward with only her torch as a guide, deeper into the forestry with no idea where she was going. She realised the irony if she got lost and would have to manage to survive. She could always go back the way she came but she was ropable and afraid she’d hurt Evie. Or worse, anybody in her path. But no matter how far she walked she couldn’t escape the laughter. A little time out was what she needed.
"Luxor."
She turned and came face-to-face with a sombre Jake. "Hey."
"How are you doing?" he whispered.
"Fine," Luxor said wondering what he wanted. The last time spoke to him was when he unexpectedly visited her house with sunflowers after Scarlett's attack with the baton. What was even stranger was when he'd left abruptly.
Jake looked on edge, his eyes darting back and forth. "Can I talk to you?" His creased clothing and dishevelled appearance pointed to something not being right.
"Can it wait?" She didn't have time to make idle chit chat.
"Not really, it's really important," he said in a hushed whisper. "It's about Scarlett..." Jake swallowed hard, his solemn expression hidden under his baseball cap fixated on the ground. “Please realise I had no choice, Scarlett has a way of using…ummm, using weaknesses. Not mine is a weakness to me, I’ve contended with it but…” Jake rambled, his words tripping over each other.
Luxor rubbed her forehead. “Jake, spit it out.”
“Jakey, Jake, where are you?” Scarlett called out in a singing voice. “I hear you. Where’s my happy boyfriend? I miss you.”
"Damnit, she found me. Forget you saw me. Or I said anything,” he said and started to hide behind a tree.
“Jake, get out here now,” Luxor whispered a little too loud. Whatever was going on she was involved and needed to know now.
“There you are,” Scarlett came out into the open, her high-end wedges the first thing to make an appearance. “Well, didn’t expect you here,” she said to Luxor. “You might as well come out.”
Jake stepped out into the open, his face ashen, even in the dark.
Unveiled: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone Page 34
