Pretty Boy Psycho
Misunderstood

Ot-oh I’ve lost Casey. He flew off and didn’t come back. He isn’t in my field of vision. Perhaps he went to the house. With his sense of direction, he would have been much capable. When I get home he isn’t around anywhere.

“What’s happened?” asks Geordie as I stand looking lost on the veranda.

“I lost Casey. I was making sure he was safe while practising flying. When he started getting confident he rode off on his own and hasn’t come back. Come to think of it I’m not surprised. He’s a natural at taking off and leaving without a word. People never truly change. They bend.”

“Idiot. Were you under the impression he was gonna treat you any different from the first time round? At least we won’t have to train him.”

“He sounded genuine yesterday.”

“He’s a sleaze. Sounding one way and acting another is his speciality. We’ve got patrol duty in a couple of hours round the Canterbury area.”

Patrolling Canterbury brought a mini shock. I was riding through the Cloud Barrier around the Darling Mansion and surrounding land. On my circuit, I notice breaks in the clouds. Meaning wherever I fly pieces of grey cloud disperse, which is going to leave a trail for Midnight to follow. As I fly home I turn over my hands searching for yellowy orange glowing flesh.

“Something wrong?” asks Charlie as he flies beside me.

“There’s nothing there. My skin and nails are normal, but the clouds still break sometimes.”

“Sunshine’s still different,” Charlie says thoughtfully. “Maybe you changed him.”

As we approach home I notice a bonfire right outside the house, making us tense. Could Midnight have found our location? On landing my tenseness eases right away. Casey’s sat warming his hands beside the fire with his skeletal who is stretched out flicking his tail from side to side as though on the defensive. Our griffons must be making him nervy.

“It’s about time you got home,” is what we’re greeted with, “I’m sure it must be gone midnight.”

“What’s with all these bags?” Geordie gives a bag in question a kick.

“You can’t expect me to live rurally without a few essentials.”

“No one said ought about living here,” snorts Geordie.

“I believe General Courtney implied I would be living here for six months. I’ll have Don’s old room; I’m sure he won’t mind.”

“Six months of you, fuck that. We’ll train you from Kensington when we have free time.”

“I’m afraid there are no open spaces in Kensington for Prince to roam in. Here would be more sensible. I’ve made all the arrangements.”

“You’ve called that thing Prince?” Geordie rolls his eyes in wonder.

“Arrangements?” I kneel by the fire, glad of the warmth.

“I’ve told the parents I am boarding with school pals until the end of my exams. You should have seen how their faces lit up.” Casey flicks his fringe.

“Lit up happy?”

“Certainly. Being the way I am came as a shock to them.”

“Really? With all the lads you get through I’m surprised they’d be shocked,” huffs Geordie.

“The shock came on what six years ago and they’re still not over it.”

“Are you trying to say you’ve had a tough time at home?” I ask.

“What do you think? Not everyone has super mellow parents like Annie.”

“You do show yourself off,” says Charlie.

“Hiding who I am isn’t how I roll.”

“There’s not hiding and there’s flaunting,” says Charlie as he joins us.

“Dude, you should totally flaunt your battle scar.”

Charlie puts his hand over his scar, hiding it, he’s never done that before; Casey has a special talent of making people feel shy. “I tend to forget it’s there.”

“Why? You stood up to Captain Yuki and as a result slice. If that were me I’d be all like: Look at this hit I took for speaking out. Modesty is boring.”

“Penelope sure likes it,” I put in. “Whenever we walk by her these days she’s always gazing at you.”

“She is?”

“Yeah silly.”

“Urrgh you don’t wanna be fucking a logistics girl. She’ll use you to gain secret information about our team,” says Geordie.

“Don’t be so crude!”

“I ain’t crude you’re frigid.”

“I am not! You don’t go around err...”

“Why not?” asks Casey. “Life is short. You could drop dead tomorrow and never have done it.”

“Then it wouldn’t matter because I’d be dead and not have to think about having not yeah…”

“She won’t wait around forever mate.”

“Danny!”

Geordie snickers. “Good point Danny lad.”

“I think you’re all being extremely distasteful not to mention disrespectful.” Charlie retreats inside, leaving us all laughing, even Casey.

“Aww were we a bit mean?” I say.

Danny shakes his head. “He gets bashful.”

“Finally, the door is open. Help me with these bags, Alex.”

“Al! Al! Al!”

“Help me with these bags, Al. I am trying.”

Bags. I feel rotten thinking he flew away for good. “Why didn’t you tell me where you were going? I thought you’d ditched me.”

“I had for a little while.”

“There’s no mattress in this room. Don didn’t want one.”

“Don’t worry I’ll sort it tomorrow.”

“And tonight?”

“Thought I’d give Henley’s door a knock.”

I giggle at the joke. “Don’t let him hear you or you’ll get a smack. How are your wrists?”

“Sore, and my shoulders and arms ache. A hot bath helped a fraction.”

I notice he’s looking a lot less rough than he did yesterday. “You can borrow my room tonight if you like.”

“I’ll pass. You fell out the sky yesterday.”

“I insist. You can’t sleep on the floor in your condition.”

“I can.”

“You shouldn’t. Please. I’m little so will be fine in the armchair.”

Casey gives me this critical stare. “You’re not that little you know? I’ve only got a couple of inches on you. As height goes you’re average.”

“Shame. You liked me little.” I wink.

“No teasing or I won’t be able to restrain myself.”

I blink. “You’re restraining yourself?”

“What kind of question is that to ask?”

“One you’re having difficulty answering.”

Casey opens a toggle pocket on one of his many backpacks. Comes out holding a leather bracelet. Ties it securely round my wrist. “This is yours. I was going to give it you before you took off for Cloud High.”

“For what occasion?” I hold my wrist up into lamp light to view the bracelet properly. It’s simple and handsome; I’ll be able to wear it with any outfit which is just as well seen as to take it off the leather would have to be cut.

“To try cheer you up. I didn’t deal with your depression very well. Frankie told me you’d been weirder than usual at school during lunch. Said you’d sat under a table sketching and shaking.”

I nod. “A panic attack.”

“I’d ignored you for three days, after telling you I wouldn’t help you with your homework. Felt sort of guilty for not going to see you, so I bought you that bracelet and went to pay you a visit. Only you weren’t at home. I figured you’d be sulking some place. Two days past that’s when I realised I’d been cruel. Everyone was saying you’d been kidnapped by Thunders. I never believed that. Thought your depression had gotten too much so you’d hung yourself or slit your wrists. Kept wondering if you’d still be around, if I’d gone to help you with your homework. You needed a friend, didn’t you? I am restraining myself because I won’t risk hurting you ever again. You wait and see I am going to make you smile at me again.” Casey flicks the bracelet. “Do you like it?”

What a mess. I’d no idea what sort of impact I’d had on Casey when I ran away; had come to the conclusion I was just a bit of fun for him. I touch the soft leather bracelet remembering how this one time I was having a panic attack when he came to see me after school. He gave me a pillow, told me to cuddle it, then made me a milky coffee. Stayed with me until I got sleepy and drifted off. When I woke up it was to one of his notes:

Dear Alex

By the time you read this I’ll probably be at the skate park. I’ll come see you again in the evening. If you want some space you let me know, I’ll leave no problem. Or we can sample some champagne if you prefer. If both these options aren’t to your liking, you can choose what we get up to.

See you shortly. Casey.

I’ve remembered the note almost word for word probably because I couldn’t stop reading it. Flattered he’d taken the time to write to me.

“Do you like it?”

“What?”

“The bracelet.” He waves a hand in front of my eyes. “Earth to Alex.”

My ex-lover thought I killed myself. I clutch hold of Casey. “Sorry I ran away without telling. I should have left you a note: Dear Casey. I’ve had to leave. My life depends on going.”

“I ignored you for three days. I didn’t deserve a letter. But well at least I’ve finally managed to have this conversation with you. I did try before and your griffon pushed me out your window. Would you get off?”

I hold him tighter. Can feel his body breathing. Up down. Up down. Right or wrong I know I want him all over again. He doesn’t seem to want me in a physical manner at the moment and it’d be unfair to rush him after requesting we make a try for friendship. Up down. Up down. I manage to leave go.

“Thank you. I won’t be as patient the next time you get clingy. How Henley copes with you is a mystery.”

“He took a while to mellow round me. Puts up with my friendly gestures better than you.”

“I’ll never mellow to that type of thing.”

“How come?” Thinking about it after getting what he wanted off me sexually he’d always be quick to tug his shirt on even if he was sleeping over.

He shrugs.

Click. “Are you self-conscious?”

“Don’t be stupid.”

“You are. You’re self-conscious.”

“Shut up.”

“I don’t get why. Especially when you’re so good in bed. Taught me loads.”

“Al, shut up.”

“If you tell me why you get self-conscious I’ll not giggle, listen, and shut up. Never mention you being self-conscious again.”

Casey rummages through a bag with his eyes deep inside to avoid having to meet my gaze. “The lad I saw before you,” at least he’s talking, “he was my first time. After we’d done it he told me I was ugly, sort of fat. Would you like some champagne? I have two bottles.”

Criminal! “You’re not ugly, Case.” No wonder he’s obsessed with his appearance. I thought he was naturally vain, not covering up insecurities.

“You’re being bias.”

How in the skies could Casey possibly see an ugly person when he looks in the mirror? “I’m not being bias. Even if I was it shouldn’t matter if you don’t care about the mean boy who-”

“-Shut up. You told me you’d keep quiet once I told. Never mention me being self-conscious again.”

“Oh, I’m not talking about you being self-conscious. I’m telling you that boy’s opinion shouldn’t matter if you don’t care for him. Do you care for him?”

“Definitely not the cunt.”

“You do care about me?”

“Most of the time.”

“Then who’s opinion about you ought to matter?” I pause for a few lengthy seconds watching him shifting belongings in his pack. “I happen to think you’re the most attractive guy in the world. You’ve got this handsome naughty smile going on. Amazing toned arms. I can’t see any fat on you. And wow when you’re on your board doing jumps and soaring slopes you’re hot, hot, hot. If some spiteful individual thought you ugly he’s obviously totes jealous of you.”

Casey pulls a champagne bottle from his pack. “You think those things about me?”

“Since the first time I saw you boarding. I remember because you didn’t have your fringe then.”

“I didn’t?” Casey takes his eyes out of his bag and slouches into my shoulder. We sit in a deep silence.

Should I kiss him? I want to. “Are you okay?” I ask instead.

“Shocked.”

“About what?”

“That someone, you, would genuinely see me in an attractive light.”

“I thought you already knew with you being so confident. I suppose even confident people need confidence boosts.” Help I really want to kiss him but now might be an inappropriate time. So what if it is? I fully want him back. Release my urges. Kiss him.

Casey pulls away from me slightly. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why? Too soon?”

“We’re supposed to be taking us slow. Getting to know each other properly as friends.”

“But I felt like kissing you. It’s been sooo long, Case. I’ve decided you’re right we can’t be friends because you make me tingly.” I think I might love him back even though I ought not to after how he teased me. It’s no use I cannot fight basic instincts. Just looking at him makes my heart catch.” May I come back to you properly please?”

Casey grabs the front of my shirt, pulling me over to him. “My restraints are broken, dashed. Your fault. Have you fucked anyone without protection since me?”

“Nope.”

“Me neither meaning we’re cool.” Casey gets hold of his champagne bottle, pulls me up, then heads for the kitchen to collect a couple of cups, before taking the steps to my room.

“Haven’t you made love since me?” I ask out of curiosity as I follow him.

“Yes. Loads. You’re the only lad I’ve not bothered using protection with. Being a virgin, I knew you were clean you see.”

To say he’s sexually active a lot of the time he’s exceptionally careful.

We sit on my mattress sipping champagne. Even though we’ve slept together plenty of times before an awkwardness hangs in the air. Casey always made the first move. Might be down to me tonight seen as he’s treating me like I’m made of delicate silk that’s easy to snag. Must be scared he’ll upset me.

When we’ve finished our second cup of champagne I rest Casey’s hands on my lap. Give his bandages a gentle tap. “After your bath did you pay Ant a visit to get yourself properly checked over? You might have torn ligaments in your arms or shoulders.”

“I’d know if I’d torn something. Do not need a doctor to tell me.”

I press at Casey’s shoulders, massaging them to get rid of tenseness. I can’t shift the image of poor Case dangling even with Yuki gone. Then Geordie pops into my head getting rods stuck into his head. The two most important people in my life have suffered due to General Midnight. How can I let them getting hurt slide? If I leave her, ignore what’s she’s allowed to happen, the matter has slid. She can easily hurt them all over again.

“Ouch, careful.” Casey turns, grabs my wrists, pushes me onto my back. “Do you remember our stop phrase?”

“Back off.” I push him back until I’m sat up. We won’t be like last time. “You’ll need to use it before me.” I flick his fringe then nip his lip. Giggle as he eyes me up, astonished at my daring, being bolder than I used to be.

An hour later I lay back expecting Casey to turn away from me and fall asleep. He tugs his shirt on which is normal behaviour for him however lays on his side facing me instead of the wall. “Thank you, Al.”

“Thank you?” What an odd thing to say.

“Ur-huh.” His eyes flicker.

I make sure he has enough blanket then start drifting off myself.

“You can get close if you like.”

I nudge a bit closer, not close enough to touch knowing he’ll struggle to sleep otherwise. At least I thought I’d kept from touching only when I wake up in the early hours my leg is entwined with Casey’s and my head’s managed to press into his chest. When I try to subtly move away his leg muscle tenses round mine.

“Going somewhere?”

“Just giving you space.” I know he’s not sleeping well. Sounds like he’s been awake ages.

“What you want you get.”

“I want you to be yourself. I’m attracted to naughty, cold at times, Casey. We’d be false if you forced yourself to be affectionate to please me.”

Casey releases his leg from around mine. Stays facing me, leaving a gap of distance between us though. “I don’t deserve this sort of shit from you.”

“You do. If I’d not been depressed the last time we were together you’d always have gotten this kind of shit from me, but I wouldn’t have run off and met Geordie, so couldn’t have been this way and-”

“-Al shut up.”

“Shutting up.” Shutting up and drifting back to sleep.

When I next wake up it’s to a banging on the roof. Most probably Chunk. No, I know Chunk, when he’s on the roof he’s extra loud. Being subtle I edge out of bed. Grope about my clothes pile for something to wear. Jeez I seriously need to invest in a wardrobe. Pad onto the landing. There’s deffo human steps on the roof. Chunk always sleeps on the roof so if we had an intruder he’d alert everyone meaning he must be out flying with Geordie. I intrude on Geordie’s room knowing it’s easiest to climb on the roof from there. I’ve no need to get on the roof because two real intruders swing through the window into Geordie’s room. Thunders.

Before I even know what is going down they’re slit dead on the floor.

“Charlie, Danny, major security issue,” I yell as two more Thunders swing through the window. There’s no answer. They must be out too. My switchblade slicks underneath the third Thunder’s rib. I twist then pull away. More Thunders fling themselves through the window. The fourth one is close to me. What to do? I back out of Geordie’s room, and run. Where’s Geordie when you need him? Sunshine comes bounding upstairs, shoots into my room before me.

“What’s happening?” Casey sits on the edge of my mattress as I run into my room and slam the door.

“Our house is being invaded by Thunders.” I stare round my room searching for something heavy to barricade us in with.

Casey flings open the window. He’s quick to close it again. “There are loads of them outside.”

I wince as boots bang on the roof. I need to get us out the house. Problem being we’re holed up in my room. Using the door would result in us being skewered by Thunders and taking the window would get us carried off in skeletal claws.

“For when they come.” I hold my short sword out to Casey. He does not take it.

“Are you mad? I couldn’t kill someone.”

“You’re fab at defending yourself. I’ve seen you punch. This is a them or us situation. They’re going to come through this door and kill us without thought.” I place my shoulder against the door, holding it closed.

Ignoring the sword Casey returns to the window. Perhaps he’s planning on taking his chances with the skeletals. “Prince, I need your help,” he calls then turns to me as a Thunder hurls himself at the door. “Don’t fight with the door it’s unseemly. They’re bound to get through. May as well save your energy letting them in.” His voice is too calm for the situation. I tense as he pulls me away from the door. “You do know it’s incredibly rude invading a house in the early hours. Couldn’t you have opted for early evening, an hour or two after dinner?”

“Casey,” I breathe as a burly Thunder stares at Casey as though he’s got a pig’s head.

“What? Invasions in the early hours are pure bad manners. If I’m going to be living here I can’t be dealing with these thugs every night at this hour.”

The scary part is I don’t know if he’s being comical or serious. Either way this Thunder is not impressed.

“Where’s Lucky?”

“Lucky hey. Have you lost your dog? We haven’t seen any dogs round here unless you count Sunshine. He thinks he’s a puppy.”

“Kitten,” I can’t help but correct. “He purrs like a cat.”

Casey gives Sunshine a sideways glance. “He’s not purring now. He’s cowering in a corner.” As he speaks the Thunder thumps him in the face. At least he lands on the mattress. He laughs like a maniac into a pillow.

Scree. Scree. Scree.

“Grim’s gone rogue,” yells a Thunder from the bottom of the stairs. A chorus of howls and screams follow. Grim’s not gone rogue, he’s switched to a new rider whose instructions he follows without question.

Bile bubbles in my stomach as the burly Thunder’s head gets plucked off by Prince’s razor sharp beak. Raptor eyes watch his friend laughing into a pillow while pointing at the window. “The skeletals, the skeletals.”

Prince clatters over to the window, pokes his head out, and gives this aggressive ear piercing noise. Membrane all flaps at once as skeletals fly away from the house. Most of them riderless. Their riders are sprawled down our stairs and on the landing.

Casey rolls onto his back. “Do you fancy a coffee in Kensington?”

“I can’t leave the house like this.”

“Why? Everyone left you alone in the house with nasty sleazy me. The Happy Coffee House will be open by the time we get there. You could get your cat some warm milk. Looks like he could use a bowl.”

I rub Sunshine’s beak. “Sudden attacks make him nervy.”

“Not Prince and I. We deal with attacks fast and efficiently. I’ll meet you outside in fifteen minutes. I hope that’s enough time for you to pick something to wear.”

Fifteen minutes is plenty of time to sort myself out. Casey’s the one who takes forever. A whole half hour I sit out on the veranda waiting for him to gussy himself up. I wish Geordie were here. I shouldn’t leave him to replace these corpses but I don’t quite fancy sticking round the house with bleeding bodies either. A naughty smile from Casey almost sways me into going with him. Sunshine’s head on my knee keeps me anchored to the veranda steps.

“Come along. I haven’t gotten ready for you to sulk.”

I stroke the top of Sunshine’s head. “They’re after Geordie. Want to experiment on him.”

“Then they are particularly stupid seen as you’re the one they ought to be after.” Casey gestures at the hole in the Cloud Barrier close to our house. “Your body make up must be abnormal to cause phenomenon’s in the barrier. You best keep your peculiarities to yourself or you’ll be the one trapped inside Spindle Tower. Now get up we’re going.”

I shake my head. “You can’t keep taking Prince to Kensington. Someone will get hurt.”

“He won’t hurt anyone. I make sure of it. He listens to me,” snaps Casey.

“Exactly he listens to you. General Midnight isn’t going to stand for that.”

“You’re saying I should hide out here like a criminal? That might work for you Cloudys; I prefer to live in the civilised world. Now are you coming to get a coffee with me or not?”

“Not. It’d be unfair to leave my family to come home to this mess without warning.”

“But it was alright for them to leave you home alone with nasty sleazy me rather than invite you to wherever they have gone. No one ever invites you anywhere, do they?”

I giggle at his spitefulness. “You’ve been inviting me lots of places recently.” I count them off on my fingers. “Two parties, the marketplace, and coffee house. Just the other day Penelope invited me to logistics’ bonfire party. That was fun. You’re fortunate Geordie is being so accommodating when it comes to you staying here. When did you last get invited somewhere, Case?”

“Bloomsbury of course to stay with friends.”

“Are you sure you didn’t invite yourself?”

“Are you trying to tease me?”

I sprawl across the steps giggling. I’m almost sure he invited himself to Bloomsbury; he’s good at making himself wanted. “I know exactly where they went. They’re at Lucy’s birthday party. She invited Danny. Geordie will have followed him there and Charlie won’t have wanted to be left out with me being otherwise engaged.”

“Wait you’re telling me the most popular girl in Kensington Palace is having an eighteenth birthday party and I haven’t heard about it. Great.” Casey crashes down beside me. “I am officially ruined.”

“Ruined?” I tone down my giggles so they’re no longer there. “How so?”

“No one wants to talk to me anymore, not even Frankie and Mi. They think I am an attention seeking fantasist, for making up stories about having a Cloudy as a boyfriend. My own parents think me broken for being homosexual.” Casey knocks into my shoulder for the briefest second. “You’re the only person who hasn’t abandoned me Al and even you won’t come for a coffee with me.”

“You know why. We can go for coffee when the house is tidied up ’kay? I’d never leave you out.”

“Really?”

I smile hard because I think we’re properly together this time. I loop an arm round his back, laughing as I get the this is un-cool look. “How about a picnic at Dover just you, me, Sunshine, and Prince?”

“Dover that Thunder infested patch of shingle?”

“We could fly a kite.”

“With what?”

“I reckon you could make one.” My smile turns hopeful.

“I’m eighteen not six. Make yourself a kite and fly it in your own time.”

Ooo finally the others are home. Chunk lands first, thumping down. Then Hotaru. Charlie runs off him into the loo. Danny stands around stroking Honey.

“Hillcrest you’ll play basketball with us, right?” says Geordie as he joins us on the steps.

“Basketball?”

“Yeah, we’re gonna own those jocks at their own freakin’ game but we need another guy on our team.”

“Why would you do that?”

Geordie smirks as Danny slopes over to sit with us. “I told him not to get involved with a cheerleading freak. She invited him to her dumb party and was making out with the captain of the basketball team.”

“Ah.” I tap Danny’s shoulder. “Sorry to hear that. Lucy’s a difficult young lady.”

“Lady?” musters Danny then actually laughs. “She’s a freak.”

Geordie’s laughing too. “We’ll wipe the floor with them at b-ball.”

I start tapping at my knee. “Not if I’m on your team you won’t. I suck at sports.”

“No way. You’re on Team Geordie the only team which wins when playing a game against some dumb jocks.” He rolls his eyes over the loo where Charlie’s making nasty retching noises. “Then again he needs to shape up. Lad can’t handle his drink. I warned him trying to keep up with Danny was a bad idea. Can pack it away can’t ya?”

Casey thumbs behind his shoulder. I think he’s indicating at the house. Oh yeah dead Thunders. Why do I have to be the one to break the magic of my friends acting like regular teenagers having a normal time?

“You’re quieter than usual Al lad. Did Hillcrest tire you out?”

“Geordie!” I slap his shoulder. He sways. I think he might be slightly drunk. “Did you drink lots?”

“Ring of fire was awesome. You two should have come.”

“I wasn’t invited,” says Casey. “Were Frankie and Mi bored without me?”

“They seemed happy enough to me. Frankie was chatting up some skirt and Milo was playing drinking games with us. Getting real friendly with Charlie actually.”

“ ’Cause he kept filling his glass up with voddy to see if he’d keep drinking it,” says Danny as Charlie stumbles out the loo looking green.

He carries on stumbling slouchy over to the steps. Tries to climb them but I shift myself getting in his way. “Al please let me pass, my head is banging, I need to sleep.”

“You can’t go in the house!”

“Why not?” groans Charlie sounding as though he is in considerable pain.

“Because you’ll puke all over again if you do!”

“What Al is trying to tell you is there are a few headless bodies sprawled on the stairs and Geordie’s room has a couple of corpses on the rug. Come to think of it there’s a head rolling in your bedroom Al.”

Charlie covers his mouth with a hand and I just make out him saying, “is he being serious?”

“Yeah. Thunders raided our house about forty minutes ago. It was awful.” I try tugging at Charlie’s arm as Geordie charges through us into the house cursing. “You should sit down. You’re in no fit state with your icky tummy to observe dead Thunders.” My advice goes unheeded. He follows straight after Geordie.

“Mate, you alright?” Danny’s consumption of alcohol shows as he pulls himself up using my sleeve then wobbles into me and ends up putting an arm round me. “Shouldn’t have left you home alone. You could have been killed in your sleep. Bros before skirt... or err trouser-r-r-s.”

I giggle against Danny’s leather jacket. “Bros before trousers ’kay.”

Casey flicks at his fringe. “You four are the freaks.”

Charlie stumbles out the house clutching at his stomach. “What did you do?”

“Prince cleared out the house as humanly as possible. There’s no need to get over excited.”

“Humane! People have been decapitated.”

“Killed almost instantly.” Casey clicks his fingers. “How more humane can you be?”

From on top of the roof Prince screes while slowly and strongly flapping his wings in a proud victory pose. Charlie looks at him out the corner of his eye a second later there’s liquid vomit which is more of a thick spit than actual vomit.

“Dude, get your act together. Al’s not even flinched yet.”

“That’s because,” gasps Charlie when he’s done retching, “Grim hasn’t tried to eat him.” He rubs at his arms. “Your skeletal has a taste for human flesh. He’s the one that started eating my skin.”

“Well you can’t have tasted very pleasant seen as he hasn’t come back for seconds nor has he shown the least bit of interest in you. More to the point those Thunders in the house haven’t been consumed; he merely plucked their heads off.”

“Casey!” I exclaim.

“Don’t Casey me. Prince is harmless unless I tell him otherwise.”

“Some help in here would be swell,” calls Geordie.

Chunk flings dirt around at the bottom of the steps then thumps up them, threatening to send the veranda to splinters.

“Chunk, I need you to dig a big hole away from the house then bury this filth in it.” Geordie comes out the house dragging a body with him by the ankles.

Ewww, I hate seeing him do stuff like that. We ought to help. I don’t think I have the stomach for it. Go in the house anyway. There’s a head resting on the second step. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, clutch unceremoniously at a tuft of hair. Weird repressed noises seep out of my clamped together lips. Can’t lift the head even though my eyes are tight shut. I scream as I try.

“Mate.” Danny taps my hand until I relax my fingers, leave go of the hair. Then he holds onto my upper arms and walks me round until I’m facing away from the stairs. “You and Charlie can fetch us water from the well. Me and Geordie will make the bodies disappear yeah?”

“You shouldn’t have to see those sorts of things.” I think I might be crying. I’ve seen dead Thunders before; these ones seem worse because they are inside our home.

“We’ll manage.” Still holding the tops of my arms Danny guides me outside. “Take your time. They’ll be gone by the time you get back.”

I manage to open my eyes to Charlie trying to keep himself steady. There’s no sign of Casey or Prince. They must have gone to The Happy Coffee House. I choose not to follow which will probably make Casey narked at me but it’s a price I’ll have to pay for helping at home.

I loop my arm round Charlie’s back. “We’ll collect water and pillage a mop from clerical. Should we report the incident to Court?”

Charlie shakes his head. “We can’t. We’re supposed to be struggling in tents.” He doesn’t sound himself at all.

When we get back with buckets of water Danny and Geordie are hanging outside by the remains of Casey’s fire.

“You picked a fine time to get a hangover,” says Geordie in one of his gruffer tones.

Charlie walks right by him. “We’ll need a couple more buckets of water. You could fetch them while me and Al wash away the blood.”

I’ve gone straight upstairs wanting to avoid hearing a confrontation. Geordie’s twisting himself into a temper and Charlie’s an easy target. I make a start on Geordie’s bedroom floor, scrub at it real hard with a bristle brush which I keep dipping in cold water, which turns my hands red.

“You missed a spot,” goads Geordie from the bottom of the stairs.

“I’m getting to it. I’d work more efficiently if you weren’t breathing down my neck,” grumbles Charlie.

“I’m overseeing seen as you can barely stand let alone mop.”

“You had a drink too,” snaps Charlie. “You were the one who wanted to stay out all night. At midnight I told you we shouldn’t leave Al home by himself. You knew as well as I did Thunders had seen our location. The three of us chose to stay out despite my better judgement and here’s the price.”

Bang whoosh clatter. Sounds like Geordie kicked the bucket of water over.

“I needed that.”

“What’s the point of cleaning? They know where we live. They’ll be back tonight.”

I scrub harder trying to block out the sounds of their argument.

“I don’t know. All I know is we can’t leave bloodstains to fester it’s unsightly.”

“Our safe house is compromised we’re over. Done. We’ll have to live in tents. We won’t survive.”

“Don’t say that. Al’s only upstairs.”

Scrub, scrub, scrub.

“He ain’t a child despite him acting like one. We’re at the end of the camping trip which is ironic seen as we’ll most likely be reduced to tents. I knew we were only playing at house which was nice while it lasted. People like me don’t get to stay in decent homes.”

I throw down my brush. Take myself to the top of the stairs. “Make yourself useful and fetch more water instead of scaremongering Charlie.”

“I’m saying it how it is.”

“As am I. If Midnight wants a turf war she’s gonna get one because I’m not prepared to give up on our family without a fight.”

“You’re in crazy town,” says Geordie. “We’re hugely outnumbered. Too outnumbered.”

“Quality over quantity every time. Charlie’s the smartest person I know. Danny’s the best katana fighter there is; Master Hugo said so. You’re the toughest lad I ever knew. And Casey’s a law unto himself. That’s turf war material right there.”

“When did Hillcrest become part of my clique?”

“Since yesterday when you gave him his very own room. Prince can be a great help to us. Other skeletals listen to him. He tells them to go away and they leave even when their riders tell them otherwise.”

“He could be our sentinel,” says Charlie, thinking out loud. “Watch for enemy skeletals and get rid of them before they land.”

“You think it’d do that?” grumbles Geordie.

“You didn’t see Prince protecting our house. He unconditionally does as Casey asks,” I say.

Geordie rolls his eyes round the house. “One big problem not very reliable, are they? Not even helping clean up. They’ve taken off.”

Danny comes up behind Geordie. Places a hand on top of his shoulder. “I’d follow you into a turf war if it meant saving our house.”

“Turf war!” exclaims Charlie as though he’s only just clicked onto what a turf war would involve.

Geordie smirks. “Yeah let’s hurt them where it hurts.”

“Where’s that?” asks Charlie.

“The Plaza. Spindle Tower. No more running. We’re the predators from this morning. I’ll show her just how lucky I can be.”

“Skies above.” Charlie looks from Geordie to me. “You’ve well and truly fuelled a fire this time, Al Harlington.”

Smiling, I get back to scrubbing the floor. Danny and Geordie are quick to fetch fresh water because when I’ve finished with Geordie’s room and move onto the landing my best friend is climbing the stairs, and sloshes water onto floorboards where there’s a stain outside my door. We clean up the mess together.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you clean anything round the house before,” comments Geordie.

“Neither have you. I think we ought to help Charlie more often.”

“No one makes him get groceries or clean the kitchen. I thought he enjoyed doing household chores.”

We move into my room. Geordie throws half a bucket of water on the red stained spot where the burly Thunder fell.

“I don’t think anyone enjoys doing housework.” I watch Geordie working his brush against floorboards. His muscles help him get the cleaning done faster than I could. “You’re much better at scrubbing than me.”

“That’s ’cause you’re work shy.”

“Will you get nightmares about those bodies?”

“Doubt it. Thunders ain’t they?”

“They’re still people.”

“People who follow a nasty regime. You have to see past them.”

“But-”

“-No buts. Chunk buried them. They’re gone. It’s their own fault for trespassing. Prince did nothing wrong despite what Charlie believes.” Geordie throws his brush in his bucket then inspects his cleaning. “There you see not a spot of bodily leakages in sight. All you have left to do is wash your bedsheets.”

“Crude!”

“So you two did screw around last night. How is he on a scale of one to ten?”

“Double crude and he happens to be ten plus. Better than Natalie from the pub.”

“You have slept with her. Thought so.”

“That was a month ago! She’s very lovely. Do you think I should tell her I’m no longer after any fun?”

“If she knows you were just friends with benefits then leave it. I’m sure she’ll understand.” Geordie takes our bucket downstairs, places it on the veranda where the other two stand in silence.

Charlie’s hangover has fully taken over; he’s huddled on a step massaging his temples. He’s surprised when Casey pokes his shoulder and holds a cup with a lid on top out to him, along with a serviette with some sort of food wrapped inside.

“Coffee. I made yours black because you feel rotten.” Everyone’s surprised except me. Casey can be super charming when on a mission to influence his peers. I guess that’s why he’s the most popular student at Kensington Palace.

Casey passes me a cup out of a coffee carrier he’s holding. “A milky coffee for you because you’ve a kiddish palate.”

He gives Geordie his next. “A normal brewing because I am not even sure coffee is your kind of thing.”

Finally, he gives a cup to Danny. “Hot choccy for you because I know you guzzle it.”

Cake! There’s cake inside my serviette. “Thank you, Case!” He doesn’t hear me as he’s already taken off inside. I follow him to the kitchen. He looks lost as he stares at the table top.

“Kids at school can be cruel,” I say taking a guess he might be feeling left out.

“Frankie and Mi should not be like the others. I was at the coffee house trying to explain where I have been that I know Corey West. They told me to stop telling lies then snubbed me. I do a lot of things, but I never ever lie. Truth bending is much different to full fat lies.”

“It’s me who lies.” I push my coffee and cake over to Casey. “My name is Al. I’ll tell them you’ve always known me.”

“That won’t change the fact they no longer want me. My life over.” He doesn’t notice the coffee cup. I take a drink then hold it out to him. “I bought it for you because you have had a horrid morning.”

I press the cup into his hands. “So have you.”

“I didn’t scream.” He takes a drink then hands the cup back to me. We keep this up, passing the cup between one and other, taking sips. Then I break off some cake. “I’m too fat for cake so don’t pass me any.”

Not self image esteem again. Whichever boy told Casey he was ugly fat I want to poke him in the eye. I nibble at my broken off piece of cake while trying to figure out which boy in school would have made love to Casey then straight after called him ugly. Problem being Casey’s the only gay person I know. “If you told me who he was I’d poke him in the eye.” I probably shouldn’t have said so out loud.

“Piss off Alex.”

“Well I would and tell him in a way I’m glad he was mean to you because you’re special to me and we’d not have gotten together if he’d been pleasant.”

Casey throws the cup at my head. Storms into his bedroom with a slam of the door. I pick at cake for a little while without eating any. I’ve got this sickly feeling growing that something is very wrong. Casey is renowned for flipping out at the slightest thing I say wrong then switching back to his normal courteous self. Why should this time be any different? I suppose he doesn’t usually storm off slamming doors; it’s not his style. Unable to ignore the sickly feeling I give his door a knock. “I think I’m being silly, so tell me to piss off if you like, it’s just you seemed very upset when you threw your cup at me. Are you alright?”

“We need to plan our counter attack,” Geordie says from behind me as the other two go into the kitchen.”

“I’ll join you in a minute. I need to make sure Casey’s okay.”

Geordie groans as he takes himself into the kitchen, clearly unimpressed at me running around after Casey. I keep knocking. Get no reaction whatsoever. The very wrong feeling grows stronger. I open his door. He sits in the middle of the room staring into nothingness without acknowledging me. Neither does he look in my direction when I take a few tentative steps into his room. I really don’t know how a piece of cake could have aggravated him so much.

“I told him no,” mumbles Casey when I get further into the room.

“Told who no?”

“Only went with him to get you to notice me. Made out with him then told him no.”

“Why were you telling him no?” I crouch down beside him fearing I already know the answer.

“I took him to my room. He expected me to. My fault for playing games.”

“No is no. I don’t care what games you were playing or what he was expecting if you changed your mind and said no then it’s ra-”

“Shut up!” Casey yells over the top of me as though it won’t be true if the word remains unspoken.

Right I am out of my depth here. “You have told Frankie haven’t you or your parents?”

“No just you because you keep pushing me to think about back then. The day I turned into this.” He flicks his fringe.

Keeping rape to yourself, living with it must get lonely and hurt like hell. How can he hold such a damaging moment to himself without snapping? I’d be forever crying. My depression would never go away. I’m so sad for Casey and angry at whoever assaulted him but mustn’t cry which is a mega battle for me. How could I not notice? I know he was only thirteen when he first slept with someone. He bragged to me about it. How can I have been fooled by fake bragging? All those times we saw each other in my attic room. No wonder he gets up and down, and in usual circumstances has to be the one to touch me first, and is dead careful when it comes to protection. When your lad’s been hurt you’re supposed to notice. I take deep breaths like Danny taught me for when panic attacks happen. Keep these breaths coming until I trust myself to speak.

I sit close to him and pat his arm like Geordie does to me when he’s trying to perk me up after he’s said something mean. I think he prefers this to a hug. Needs a tough mate not some emotional pretty boy. One last breath and words. “I’m sorry that kind of thing happened to you.” Those words sound lame in my head and even lamer out loud.

“Don’t be it was six years ago. I got over it.”

“By yourself.” I wonder how old his dirty attacker was. Was it even a student? Maybe someone from Bloomsbury. “If you’re sure you’re over your past ordeal we don’t have to mention it ever again. I know it’s only resurfaced because I made you talk about things you’d much rather forget. I shouldn’t have pushed you to talk last night. I’ll not tell anyone. Keep your secret. You will be alright, won’t you?”

He looks like he’s only half in the room. I can’t stand thinking he might be suffering in silence.

“Do you forgive me for raking through old news? I only wanted you to know how handsome and talented you are. I hope you can forgive me.”

“After him you’re the only boy I’ve ever, let’s say, let take the lead in bed. Do you understand?”

He must trust me an awful lot. I wrap my legs round his waist while sitting on his knee, put my arms round him, and press my head against his chest because it feels like the most articulate answer I can give. “Please be alright.” Nothing. Maybe he needs to hear something different. “If you let me carry on loving you I’d never hurt or do anything to trouble you. Equal. We can look after each other.”

Casey strokes the ends of my hair which I think means you’re stuck with me. “I’m fine. I flipped because you were snooping round secrets. Don’t do it again.”

I yelp as he pokes me in the eye. “Mean!”

“Behave then.” Casey kisses me hard on the mouth then pushes me off him. Takes himself to the kitchen.

Pretending to dab at my watery eye I file through the hate I feel for someone I don’t think I’ll have ever met. Casey might be over what happened to thirteen year old him but his old news is fresh to me. If the tables were turned and I’d been the one to get sexually abused I know Casey would replace the lad that did it and smash his face in. I ball up my hands, stare at my fists, I could never hit someone who wasn’t intent on killing me, I’d end up freezing over, then get laughed at. Casey’s strong. He could punch someone who deserved it; I’ve seen him do so before. The basketball team were picking on him for being gay. He socked Cameron the team captain. Made his eye black. No one picked on him for replaceing lads attractive ever again. In fact everyone wanted to be his friend. I stroke the bracelet Casey gave me.

“Al, are you wanting to help with our plans or not?” Geordie calls from the kitchen.

When I next get some free time I’ll take steps to get justice for Casey. He’d do the same for me. Until then I’ll keep my thoughts to myself regarding poor Casey’s past.

On leaving the bedroom I walk straight into Sunshine. “Have you been spying?” I whisper. In answer he rubs my hand with his beak. I carry on whispering. “Now I hope you understand why Case is cold mannered at times. I’m gonna be with him as long as I can keep him, so you best get used to him mister.”

Sunshine skips into the kitchen, knocking past everyone, until he reaches Casey and attempts to make a fuss of him. Is whirring as loud as a thousand cats in harmony.

“Get this thing away from me.” Casey holds up his hands in guard mode.

“Yeah Al this is a conspiratorial gang war meeting not a meet and greet griffon convention,” says Geordie.

“He’s only being friendly.” I perch on the edge of the unit seen as all the chairs have been taken. “Any ideas yet?”

“I suggest Hillcrest and Prince guard the house by night. Me and Chunk can do the day shift when not needed for more pressing tasks. House guarded we need a plan to take down Midnight. Something immediate. We’ve no time to dither about.”

“How about an infiltration?” I suggest.

“Too risky. Has anything come to you yet, Charlie boy?”

“No and quit calling me that already.”

“We could always set Spindle Tower on fire,” says Geordie.

“Dude, seriously?” says Casey.

“Yeah. Danny’s a real pyromaniac.”

“You’re a maniac,” says Casey. “To say you grew up in central Hackney you’re not very good at planning for a turf war, are you? Think. What does Midnight value most? What without would destroy her whole organisation?”

“Her followers,” I say.

Casey shakes his head.

“Her skeletals,” says Charlie.

“Exactly. You guys are fighting her guys on wings in the air mostly. You take away their wings and they no longer have a means to fly. If you break this flight chase cycle you’ve got going on, numbers will no longer be an issue for you.”

“That’s a solid theory but how the hell do you expect to get their skeletals away from them?” says Geordie.

“Prince came to me.”

“Only because his rider was killed. We ain’t got time to be doing a long drawn out plan. We do what we do best; burn down Spindle Tower and take out as much of The Plaza as possible. It’ll be like any other day destroying pop up camps. I’m gonna let you choose Captain Sensible. Do we stick with what we’re skilled at or take a long drawn out leap of faith with a complex plan?”

“Sometimes simplicity gets the best results. Seen as we’ve no idea how to get skeletals to want to leave their riders I choose your more direct approach. Although if there is a tragedy say one of us gets killed please do not lay the blame with me.”

“Have I ever?”