Pretty Boy Psycho
Assignment Number One

Must be dawn. I always wake up when the sun starts rising whereas Mister Up and Out is fast asleep. Typical. I drop my blanket over him, in hope extra cosiness will keep him snoozing longer, then slip out the cabin, taking a pack of clothes with me.

All four griffons are gathered outside. I say gathered; Chunk is sat by himself giving Hotaru death stares. Sunshine lingers paces away from Chunk looking as though he wants to make friends but lacks the confidence to go right over. Hotaru and Honey stand together as though in some sort of conference. I can only wonder what they’re saying to each other. All thought of trying to make a shot of friendship with Chunk leaves Sunshine as he bounds over to greet me.

“Is everyone here for flight practise?” I pat Sunshine’s beak. “Well those lazies are sound asleep. I suppose we had a long day yesterday. Can you take me somewhere I can have a wash?”

Sunshine blinks at me. Unless he’s chasing pieces of soul his sense of direction in new surroundings is poor. Guess I’ll have to make do with the well for today.

As I pass by Hotaru he bats a round red apple at me. An apple! Awesome. “For me?” I pick up the apple. Turn it over in my hands. “Where did you replace an apple?” They’re super rare. I’ve only ever seen a small shoal of them once on market day several years ago. “You’re so clever Hotaru. Thank you.” I see he’s guarding three more apples. Perhaps Chunk is trying to make off with them.

Before going for my wash, I approach Chunk. Hold out my apple to him. “Do you want to try some?”

Chunk snorts. Keeps his eyes locked on Hotaru. Nope it’s not apples he’s after. I swerve the apple at Sunshine; he nudges the apple away, towards me. Looks like Sunshine isn’t too fond of apples. I take a bite on the way to the well. Oh wow. Orgasmic. Best taste ever. Sweet. Sweet. Sweet. By the time I get to the well there is no apple left just the core which I place on the ground then stare down the well looking for water. Too deep and dark to see any. Pulling up the bucket is heavy so there must be some down there. Having managed to pull the bucket to the top all by myself I have a quick glance around the area. There’s no one about so I have a full on wash. Cold. Cold. Cold. Get dressed quick then comb damp hair. As I’m combing I notice the apple core is gone.

“You do like apples.” I smile at Sunshine. “You could have had some of the best bit.”

My hand gets a nudge.

“How do I look?”

Purr. Purr. Purr.

“I’ll take that as perfect.”

We venture back to the cabin. As we get there so does someone else. I think it’s a Cloudy clerk. Yeah deffo not logistics as she’s not wearing a blue blazer. The clerk bears a satchel which she keeps clutched close to her side.

“Team Corey yes?”

I flick my hair. “It’s Team Geordie.”

“Really? I thought... never mind. I am here with your first assignment.”

“Assignment! We’re supposed to by lying low.”

“Logistics have decided Geordie isn’t lucky so there’s no use you lazing around in this cabin.”

“But there’s a bounty on my head.”

The clerk reaches inside her satchel. “Not my problem. Here, this letter needs delivering.” She holds a brown envelope out to me.

“You should let Geordie know.”

“Tell him yourself.”

Off she goes leaving me holding our first assignment. I’d better alert my team. End up getting on Sunshine and going for flight practise to save myself from getting worked into a panic.

We’re in blue skies for at least two hours taking in fresh breaths. Being in the sky in sunlight is alright, it’s landing which will be a problem. My stomach always scrunches up on descending through grey clouds, scared of meeting a Thunder. No Thunders this time.

My friends sit round marvelling at Hotaru’s apples. Doesn’t look as though they’ve been up long. I hold the letter behind my back.

“Went flying without us did ya?” says Geordie through a mouthful of apple.

“I’m surprised you got through whoever is on watch,” says Charlie.

“No one battered an eyelash at me. How are your arms feeling?”

“Still sore.”

“What’s that strange smell?” Geordie sniffs the air.

“I can’t smell anything.”

“It’s you.”

I sniff my arm. “That’ll be the scented soap I used.”

Geordie rolls his eyes. “Scented bloody soap. What you hiding behind your back?”

“Nothing!”

“Yeah you are.”

Danny comes up behind me. “It’s a letter.”

Geordie makes a snatch for the letter. “Robbie Taylor,” he reads off the envelope. “Why you got this?”

“It’s our first assignment. We’re supposed to deliver it.”

“Since when?”

“Since a clerk came over here and gave it me while you three were sleeping.”

“And you didn’t think to tell me. Flaming skies Al, how long were you gonna try hiding it behind your back for?”

Taylor. I’m sure Charlie’s last name is Taylor. He’s making himself real busy finishing off his apple, ignoring our conversation.

“What’s the address?” I ask.

“It don’t say. Hell, didn’t you ask the clerk for the address? Idiot.”

Danny motions at Charlie. “We have the address.”

“Robbie must be Charlie’s dad,” I whisper.

“Well fuck.”

Must look like we’re stood around gossiping. I sit next to Charlie. Slink an arm round him. “You don’t have to see them.”

Charlie rolls his apple core to Hotaru. “They really want me on logistics away from you three.”

“It’s okay you don’t have to come. Just tell us where the caravans will be this time of year.”

“He’s coming,” says Geordie.

“But he’s still recovering. Seeing his family after how they treat him won’t be easy,” I say.

Geordie pockets the letter. “We’re all going end of.”

“Be reasonable mate.”

“I said end of. If we don’t do assignments together logistics will think we’re incapable. See our weaknesses. We keep our weaknesses to ourselves. As far as logistics are concerned Charlie ain’t intimidated by them. This letter’s a pointless exercise to scaremonger him. Right Charlie?”

“Yeah and it’s working. I don’t think I’m cut out for field work. Not if they’re going to keep singling me out like this.”

Geordie crouches opposite Charlie, resting his hands on Charlie’s knees, pressing down, while I keep my arm in place round him. This is like some good cop bad cop routine. “Suck it up. They’ll quit picking on you when convinced we’re a rock solid team. Until then stick with Danny he’s got your back. Go to Al for some relief. I’ll batter anyone who looks at you funny.” Geordie leaves his half eaten apple on Charlie’s knee. “Suck it up.” Goes over to Chunk.

Staying centre is way too difficult. I shoot several feet higher than my friends so Sunshine has room to spin. Geordie glares at me as I hang upside down. I know I ought to be taking our first assignment seriously but the urge to have fun wins over. We’re only delivering a letter right? And there’s not a Thunder in sight. The sun’s too strong for their skeletals.

“How do you resist gravity like that?” Geordie’s glare intensifies as I let go of Sunshine’s feathers, dangle my arms. “You’ll end up falling off. Splat on the ground.”

Sunshine turns right way up and spirals higher into the sky. When a safe distance away from the others he does a three hundred and sixty roll. When I reach the upside down part I let go of the grip I have with my knees. Fall. Down. Down. Down. Wind whoosh whoosh whooshes through my sleeves, wrapping them.

“Al!!!” screams Geordie as I fall past him. He tears after me on Chunk.

Just before I take a dip through grey cloud, Sunshine rushes underneath me. I bump semi-neatly onto his back. We spiral right by Geordie, back to our place centre.

“That was epic,” says Danny.

“I know right. I never heard Geordie scream before.”

I pat Sunshine’s neck. “You’re getting good at that catch not like the first time.”

“What happened the first time?” grunts Geordie.

“He missed. Ended up grabbing my leg with his talon. That was a major owie moment. We both fell because we were off balance. Scary.”

“Whatever possessed you to want to fall?”

“Hyper active electricity.” Meaning one time when Sunshine found a patch of my soul, that tried to get away, I got real energised and simply let go. “Don’t worry we won’t go splat.”

“I think we might have gotten to Canterbury,” musters Charlie from behind.

Canterbury where the Taylors’ caravans hang out in October. There’s only one way to replace out if we’ve been flying in the right direction and that would be to land. Ooo I see yellow crops. England’s main food supply comes from Canterbury. Soil round here isn’t as crumbly as most places. Chunk flexes talons, testing out moist ground which looks as though it’s recently been watered.

“So where will your caravans be?” says Geordie as we trek over to a cluster of farm houses.

“I don’t know. I haven’t been back for four years. For all I know they could have changed route.”

“Bloody helpful.”

“Sorry.” No bickering just an apology then silence. I prefer bickering.

There is a simple solution to our problem. As we approach the houses I keep an eye out for a farmer. Surely a farmer would have seen caravans roaming around. When I see there’s no one around outside I head for a cottage, only to get pulled away by Geordie.

“We’ll replace them ourselves. Charlie scout round from the sky that shouldn’t take you long. We’ll wait for you from up there.” Geordie points to a hill with an abandoned windmill on top.

“That’s so mean making him go alone,” I argue when Charlie has taken off on Hotaru and we are on our way up the hill.

“This is me being nice. He ain’t acting like a field agent; he’s scared. I’m toughening him up fast.”

“Don’t you think friendly encouragement would be more effective?”

“Friendly encouragement from Geordie,” Danny gives a faint smile and settles down against Honey at the top of the hill with a katana rested in his lap, “our team is all about go go go.”

Geordie gives me a playful punch to the shoulder. “Yeah so get used to it.”

We sit back to back waiting for Charlie to return with his report. We’re not left waiting long. Only a couple of minutes after sitting Charlie lands and points to the area where the caravans are situated.

“Charlie, Danny, keep watch from here. Me and Al will deliver this letter.”

“Is that such a good idea?” says Danny.

“What do you think I’m gonna do punch someone’s face in or summat?”

“It’s crossing my mind.”

Charlie gazes at the area where the gypsy camp is supposed to be however his view is blocked by a village like set up. “That and we can’t exactly see you from here.”

Geordie points to the Cloud Barrier. “You can see the barrier meaning you’ll be able to see if any skeletals come our way. I thought you’d know a vantage point when you’re on one Charlie boy.” Smirking Geordie hooks his arm round my shoulders, pulling me down the hill, onto a path, around the village, towards the caravans. I go with him without complaint, hoping he’ll keep cool and restrain from punching faces.

As we get closer to the caravans I wonder which one Charlie lived in. There’s two red caravans, two blue, and one white. We head straight for the white. Climb up a couple of steps, and Geordie bangs on the door. This job would be much easier if the door had a letter box.

The door is opened by Charlie’s double except for this boy is several years older, plus his eyes have a vacant sheen shrouding them; lacking intelligent spark. “Did you want something?” His accent is more prominent than Charlie’s.

“You’re totes American.”

Geordie elbows me off the top step. “I’m looking for Robbie Taylor. I got business with him.”

The boy scratches his head. “Have you come to give us a sample of your hair?”

“Fuck you.” Geordie knees the older boy in the gut and wades right on into the caravan. I step round the boy as he crumples onto the top step.

A girl with frizzy hair sits in a hammock staring at us as she flicks bangles on her right wrist, purposely making them clink. “Where’s Robbie?” demands Geordie. The girl carries on staring and clinking her bangles. “You’re starting to freak me out. Say summat.”

Clank. The girl drops a single bangle onto the floor without blinking or moving her gaze a flicker. At least her mouth moves. “Halley at your service. Don’t mind Joe; he doesn’t speak much. Did you come to have your fortune told?”

“No freak.”

“Geordie!” I exclaim. “You can tell my fortune if you like.”

“No I can’t. I’m not a fortune teller. We deal in remedies for physical illnesses.”

“Yeah by slashing healthy folk open,” snorts Geordie.

“We do no such thing.”

“Liar. Not that I care what sick rituals you get up to in your spare time. All I wanna do is deliver this letter to Robbie Taylor then get the hell outta here.”

Me too. There’s spooky jars, on shelves, containing oddities. It’s hard to imagine Charlie living in a caravan like this. Eeek does that jar have floating eyeballs inside? Heaving I run out the caravan, accidentally trampling over Joe. My eyes open wide. Three figures in grey hooded cloaks approach the caravans. Holding my breath to make sure no shrieks escape I run straight back inside. I want to slam the door shut but Charlie’s brother is sprawled in the way.

“Would you get a grip?” huffs Geordie. “Running around screaming reflects badly on me.”

“Joe’s the one in the way. Help me move him.” I grab hold of Joe’s arm. “Stop being a silly and come inside.”

“What’s got into ya?”

“There are Thunders outside!”

“Don’t waste time on him.” Geordie scans the caravan for a different way out. Decides on a window.

“Not there.” Halley slinks off her hammock. Kicks up a rug to reveal a hidden hatch. She slides a bolt, opening up the hatch then gestures at us to leave through it.

“Aren’t you coming?” I ask.

Halley opens a drawer. Whips out a rapier. “Defend the caravan.”

Finally, Joe comes fully inside and shuts the door. “Three of them.”

Geordie leaves the addressed envelope to Robbie on a low table in between a teapot and ceramic cat then jumps through the hatch onto the ground. I follow him through the hatch, leaving Charlie’s brother and sister to defend their home. I should help them but here I am crawling along underneath their caravan.

“Go back,” murmurs Geordie.

I see grey boots stamping around between the gap in the caravan and ground. Back, back, back. Going back inside. Make it. Have to clasp a hand over my mouth to muffle my heavy breathing.

“Lucky! Lucky! Lucky!” catcall Thunders as they shake the caravan.

Geordie! Phew he’s pulling himself inside.

Thunders keep shaking the caravan as though aiming to topple it. What are we going to do? Geordie’s trying to stand still. Halley hops over to him as does Joe. All three of them are gripping weapons, just standing, waiting to be invaded. I join them. Lean into Geordie’s shoulder as though he’ll save us.

Rock. Rock. Rock.

I can’t stand it.

A mega roar comes from above. Chunk. He’s no doubt circling the caravan, unable to get close, at least not without being maimed by Thunders.

We have to do something now. I pull my short sword from off my leg. With a tight chest, unable to breathe, I lean even further into Geordie, needing to do something.

“Strike through the wood,” whispers Geordie. “It’s only thin. Try pierce their hearts, or hands at least.” He runs at the wall, thrusts his sword through the wood. Halley follows his lead, then Joe. I stand on the spot watching them. Their attempts are useless. Thunders hoot with laughter.

I can’t stand the rocking now they’re laughing. Have to get out.

“Corey no,” yells Geordie as I bolt for the door and fling it open.

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!” I make it down the steps. Throw my sword at the nearest Thunder. Obviously I miss. What am I doing? No idea but can see Sunshine peering round a red caravan, cowering with his belly to the ground. I catch Sunshine’s eye. If I can keep Thunders distracted from him he could help me. I’m crazy to think I could do anything. Should have stayed in the caravan. No I’m not crazy, the life I lead is. Need to keep moving forwards to survive. I can’t. Have frozen. Why does this keep happening?

Practically growling Geordie stands in front of me in protection mode. With one hand he holds out his sword, the other grips round my forearm.

“What wonderful hair. He must have unique blood,” comments a Thunder.

“Blood which will cure the affliction,” says a second Thunder. “If so we’ll need more than one of him.”

“Like a pro-creation scheme?” ponders the third.

I sense Geordie’s whole insides tense. That’s when Chunk chooses his moment. A sharp talon dips down from the sky, grips round Geordie’s arm, yanking him up. The Thunders try to grab him alas Chunk’s muscle is already sending him through the clouds, safe into sunlight. I replace myself left to my own devices.

“Captain Yuki will be sore when we return without Lucky,” sighs a Thunder.

“You do know this one is at the top of Yuki’s hit list.” The three Thunders close in around me. Breathe breathe breathe. “This creature somehow punctured her eye. You don’t look like you could hurt anyone.”

“The eye popping incident was an accident, sort of. So do you think you could let me leave quietly, please?” That comes out as a squeak. No one understands me.

Out the corner of my eye I see Sunshine trembling. Three skeletals approach him mirroring how Thunders are circling me. I look round for help. Either there’s no one home in the other caravans or they’re ignoring my situation. I can’t take on three armed Thunders by myself. I try running into the white caravan. A Thunder grabs my wrists, pulls me right over to him, until I am yanked against his chest.

“You’re going to make me rich.”

Scree. Scree. Scree.

Skeletals snap and claw at Sunshine, taunting him to the best of their capabilities.

“Leave my griffon alone. He had nothing to do with Yuki’s eye. Wasn’t even in the paddock. Do what you like with me but please call your skeletals off Sunshine.”

I squeal as the Thunder crunches his arm round my stomach and hurls me over a shoulder. “Hey inappropriate!” Inappropriate but I shut up on seeing how stressed Sunshine is getting. His poor heart must be fluttering. I catch his eye. Give him a wink, trying to tell him everything will be fine, that I have a plan. He might be calmer if I can hold myself together.

Save Sunshine. To do that I need to get free. Cool Sunshine winks back at me. As the Thunder who has me slung over his shoulder walks out the caravan site, I set to work freeing a switchblade. My captor ought to have bound my hands. I run my left arm against my right, sliding a switchblade down my arm, out the strap like Master Hugo taught me. The hilt touches my wrist. With my other hand I stretch fingers to make a grab. Swish. Out comes the blade. I scorch along my captor’s back. He yells out as he drops me.

I get up double quick. Rush to Sunshine, with two Thunders grabbing for me. Skeletals block my way as they continue to torment Sunshine. I tear my way through them. Get snapped at and bitten. Ignoring their beaks, I fling myself round Sunshine’s neck. “It’s okay.” His shaking’s so bad. We need help. None is coming. “We have to run.” With those skeletals still snapping at us I get onto Sunshine. “If you run we will live. I promise.” Eeek they’re clawing at him now. He’s bleeding.

“Sunshine go.”

As a claw swipes for his beak, Sunshine lowers his head, charges through them. We’re off, running by the caravans. The skeletals take chase. We can’t fly because of Sunshine’s shaky state.

“D-a-a-a-n-n-y-y!” I wail on seeing him and Honey running towards us down the road. “Turn around!”

Without a word they streak past. Danny spans out both his arms while holding his katanas. I turn my head to look behind my shoulder. Whoa. Slice. Katanas glide through skeletal membrane. Cutting through one’s throat, and another’s shoulder. The third one flees, screeing for his Thunder. Danny swerves Honey round. Catches me up.

“Are you two alright?”

I nod. For a moment words are lost. What with Danny taking down our threat as composed as anything was amazing. He was super quick with minimum mess. Those Thunders won’t be able to chase us without their skeletals.

“The way Geordie was cursing I thought you’d gotten caught.”

I follow Danny to the windmill. The roof is sliding off and one droopy sail creaks in the wind. Chunk has Geordie pinned to the ground and keeps roaring at him. Scary. At least Geordie isn’t scared; he’s more annoyed, as he yells to be let up. Charlie sits like a gnome, with his hood up, watching us all in dismay.

“Chunk you’re being a controlling bully. When you do let me up you’ll be sorry.”

Charlie sighs. “He wants you to be safe.”

“At Al’s expense.” Geordie glares at me. “What do you have to say for yourself running out that caravan straight into those Thunders?”

I step close to Danny. “It was horrid the way they were chanting and rocking the caravan. I panicked.”

“Don’t go to him for sympathy.”

“Cool down. He wasn’t caught when I got to him. He was fleeing. You know he suffers from panic attacks,” says Danny.

“Sometimes I suspect those panic attacks are an excuse for him to be a coward,” says Geordie as Chunk rocks onto his haunches, letting him loose, gives a growl then stalks off several feet away from us.

I tap at Danny’s shoulder. “My panic attacks are real. They really are.”

“I know mate. You’re controlling them loads better ’cause you’re not freezing as much as you used to. That’s progress.”

“Progress,” snorts Geordie as he examines the top of his arm which is bleeding where Chunk grabbed him. “He almost got us both captured.” He wipes four punctures of blood where talons dug in. “That griffon’s gotta serious violent streak.”

“And you’re only just noticing,” says Charlie.

“Don’t start getting pompous with me. I put you on look out. Didn’t see those Thunders coming did ya?”

“You said look out from here. How am I supposed to see anything from here?”

“Should have used your common sense and moved. Al what the frick are you doing?”

“I messed up. I always mess us up so I’m hiding in the windmill. You should leave me here forever.”

“Great job Geordie. You know he takes things you say to heart, so shouldn’t tell him he’s pretending to have panic attacks.”

“He knows I didn’t mean it.”

“Really?” Charlie tilts his head at the windmill. “Then why is he sat in debris?”

“’Cause he’s attention seeking. The letter’s delivered let’s go back before any more Thunders swoop on us. Danny you’ll have to give me a ride.”

“Why?”

“Me and Chunk ain’t speaking. He was way outta line dragging me off. Honey’s strong enough for two.”

“Hotaru’s a little bigger.”

“I ain’t riding that snobby beast. You can either give me a ride or leave me here on my own, with a bounty on my head.”

Sunshine picks his way through cracked slates and chipped bricks to sit with me. On reflection I did a terrible job today. My actions mean Geordie’s no longer speaking to Chunk. Somehow I’ll have to get them to make friends.

“Oi Cloudys!” A man in a worn cloak, with green beads round his neck, storms over to us enraged. He throws the letter we delivered at Charlie. “Did you deliver this trash?”

Charlie nods.

“I don’t want anything to do with Cloud Association especially not your letters. Your type bring nothing but trouble. I’m told minutes ago Thunders rampaged through our camp causing mayhem. There’s dead skeletals on the road. It’s unhygienic.”

Head bowed so he’s looking at his knees, Charlie holds the letter out. “You should read this. Might be important.”

Ooo this must be Robbie Taylor.

“Important! Whatever is important to you is nothing to do with me, not after you tore my family apart. I am a victim of your recruitment team dragging kids away from their families to send to a life of devastation.”

“Mostly.” Geordie hovers over Charlie’s shoulder. “Some kids, a real select few, nominate themselves to get into Cloud High. They must be desperate to do a fool thing like that.”

“They’re brainwashed. I warned him being in logistics wouldn’t be safe even though it sounds sheltered enough. Eleven year olds can’t make life changing decisions. Your kind had no right taking him. Cloud High has been blown up with my youngest son inside. There were only five trainee survivors and they were all field agents. This letter brings death.”

Geordie snickers. “Doubt it. They don’t bother letting relatives know when one of us dies. There’d be way too much paperwork. Do you want your letter or not?”

“I told you no.”

Charlie breaks the seal. Pulls out a thick piece of paper. We crowd round him to have a look. It’s blank. “Logistics want us out. They sent us on a fool’s errand in hope I’d crack.”

“Why’d they do that?” I breathe.

“We’re disposable. They don’t need the hassle of an under aged, under experienced team. They gave us a chance to survive by cordoning us off onto new teams. They’re going to keep the pressure on me because I’m the odd one out, the weak link.”

“Meaning you stick with Danny. He won’t let them get in your head.” Geordie glares at Robbie. “You leaving or what? We’re discussing top secret field agent business.”

Robbie fiddles with his beads. “Are you four of the survivors?”

I think Charlie’s had enough of being cryptic. He lets a gust of wind blow down his hood. “Yes, and we’re trying to come up with a survival plan which we should really be doing from our cabin before any more Thunders seek us out.”

“Charlie!” Robbie stares at Charlie’s fresh scar in disbelief. “What happened to your face?”

“What usually happens when a blade is taken to flesh. I wouldn’t have thought a scar would easily shock you.”

“Your face is scarred.”

“Matches the rest of me then doesn’t it?”

“What we did was necessary.”

“What you did was madness,” says Geordie. “You’re a superstitious prick. Charlie’s never caused anyone near him to turn grey. He ain’t a carrier of the affliction. No one is.”

Robbie’s face lights up. “Our remedy worked.” He grabs for Charlie. “This is great news. A monumental discovery. We can give Mister Hans a run for his money.”

“Mental alright,” huffs Geordie as he taps Robbie’s knuckles with his sabre. “Let go of my lad or I swear down I’ll chop your hand off.”

“My son is returning to his family where he’ll be safe. We can run tests to help cure the world of the affliction.”

Memories must be flooding back to Charlie because he’s got the trembles. “Maybe it did work,” he murmurs.

“You know that’s not true,” I say. “You can’t be a carrier because the affliction is environmental. If your family can’t see past experimenting on you they don’t deserve you. You’ve got Hotaru, Danny, me, and Geordie now.”

“You’ve been brainwashed,” says Robbie as Charlie gets on Hotaru.

“By books perhaps. Reading made him super smart. Has the potential to be a proper doctor like Anthony.” I pass the piece of paper to Robbie. “We delivered this ’kay? Finished our first job. Yay.” Done with Robbie I watch as Chunk leaves without Geordie, so he’ll have to hitch a ride with Danny for sure.