Pretty Boy Psycho
Team Building

It’s been a week. No one has decided I’m kind a cool. In fact I get jeered at a lot for being useless at weapons practise. Max is the worst. He likes to tease me when he sees me wandering lonely in our free time.

On an uppy my room is lovely. I spend lots of time in here at my desk, sketching out new things I’ve seen in and around Cloud High. I’ve got to get to Clover’s stuffy history class soon, but I’m determined to put the finishing touches on my sketch of Alpha Fish first. He’s taken me hours to get right. Just needs a touch more shade under the fin and cools he’s done. I sit back in my chair, double check he’s ready for the wall. Sure is. Well I say he’s finished. I used to sign off all my drawings with an Alex, in the bottom right hand corner. Doing so would be too risky in case someone wandered into my room for a snoop. Our doors lack locks because we’re supposed to trust each other. I pin Alpha Fish to the wall next to a tree. Hold up my hands to check no silly white spot is showing through the nail polish. I’m covered. Snatch my satchel off the bed, and hurry out the door, straightening creases out my blue shirt as I go. Yeah, I have the uniform to mark me as a trainee. Prefer my own clothes; which I’m allowed to wear in free time.

Phew don’t think I’m too late. Clover is only just about to open her mouth. I skid over to my lonely table, close to the front of class. She shoots this I’m-cutting-it-fine type look. I smile pretending not to notice I’m almost late. Start un-packing a pencil and paper from my satchel.

“If you’d been on time you’d know you won’t be needing anything to write with today,” says Clover. Oops so I am in actual fact classed as late. “As I was about to say before being interrupted we have some field work to do. We are going on a tour into Lundune.” This piece of news causes an enthusiastic stir. I sigh. Going into Lundune is the last thing I’d like to do.

“What’s our mission?” asks Charlie.

“Finding the Harlington’s son. Apparently, he went missing last week.”

Ot-oh. My face grows hot. Please don’t let me be glowing red.

“Why’s that our problem?” groans Geordie.

“You know very well the Harlington family fund Cloud High. Without them we would struggle to exist. We owe their family favours now and again.”

“I overheard a logistics member visiting from Cloud Association talking to Laurie at reception. She called the Harlington boy a runty coward,” says Collette. She’s one of Max’s friends who delights in teasing me in corridors. “They said he hid behind a bookcase when they called round to have a chat with Annie Harlington.”

“Exactly why it’s out of character for him to run away, meaning we are going to have a scout round for him,” says Clover.

Geordie groans. “So, you’re saying we’ve got to waste our time looking for some stay at home spoilt brat to keep our benefactors sweet?”

“More or less. Call it a team building exercise.”

Me spoilt? Was I? Am I? No idea. A runty coward yeah. I am not supposed to be here. But here I am and there’s no way I’m going home. Living at Cloud High without friends is tough but at least I’m outside Lundune, in a brighter place. Besides I didn’t have any friends in Kensington either.

“Corey, join up with Geordie and Danny,” snaps Clover.

“Does he have to come with us?” complains Geordie.

“Yes, he does. He’s behind in weapons class which you two happen to be top of, so can keep an eye on him out there.”

Now I know I’m glowing red. “Sorry,” I whisper on moving to sit at the back of class. My sorry goes ignored.

“I’ll give you a briefing now then we can head off,” says Clover. “The Harlington boy, I think his name’s Alex; any way I’ve been told he’s small but healthy looking. You’d know him if you saw him because most people in Lundune are drab, going grey. The Harlington’s are a family who stick out in a crowd. That’s because the vast majority of them have always been immune to the affliction. There’s speculation Thunders might have kidnapped him. I’d like you to ask around Lundune. See what you can replace out. Prepare by fetching weapons from Master Hugo. Remember they are to be used in self-defence only. You may also bring a cloak, and canteen, plus whatever food the refectory can spare. I shall meet you in reception. We leave in exactly fifteen minutes.”

As Clover leaves the room, Charlie, Lee, and Tanya spring into action, hurry off to get prepared, taking me being missing way too seriously. They won’t replace Alex because I’m here. I slouch in my chair not wanting to go into Lundune searching for myself. Looks like Geordie’s of the same mind frame while Danny seems indifferent.

When everyone else has left the room we remain sat, doing nothing. What would happen if we didn’t bother turning up at reception? I’m not sure I want to replace out. “I’ll yeah go fetch my cloak.”

“Yeah you do that,” says Danny. “Get mine too and Geordie’s. I’m room thirty-one and he’s thirty.” Danny gives Geordie a nudge. “Collect three swords yeah. I’ll get food and water.”

“It’s pointless. I really don’t care about some poncey rich kid. His parents pay for our food and uniforms big deal.”

“On a brighter note you’ve missed history,” I say on getting up. “And I won’t have to suffer weapons practise.”

“You ought to suffer it. Try harder so we’re not burdened with babysitting ya.”

That’s so mean but true. Humiliated by myself I hurry out room one hundred and one, trying to conceal tears by blinking.

All I want to do is hide in my room. If I’m late they’ll leave without me. No must try to blend in. A week is hardly trying at all. I open my wardrobe to collect the cloak which was provided with my uniform. End up sat in the wardrobe with my knees drawn up to my chest. I’m weak. Really really weak. I need to get out the wardrobe into reception. Can’t. Too difficult. Is way too soon for me to be doing field work. Our mission is only looking for me. Nothing dangerous. Like Clover said it’ll be a team building exercise. I grab my cloak. Take a breath. Find my comb. Get my nail polish. Step out the wardrobe. Make myself smile. Everything’s going to be okay.

I do a quick dash round rooms thirty and thirty-one to collect cloaks. Geordie’s room is in a terrible mess. Locating his cloak is a mega challenge. End up replaceing it beneath a blanket on the bed.

As I run into reception I reckon I must have been over fifteen minutes. Yeah, I have; Clover’s giving me the dead eye. I pretend to be oblivious. Flourish cloaks at my team members. They snatch their cloaks from me then Geordie shunts a short sword into my hands. Everyone else has sabres.

“Why’s mine different?”

“You’re crap at combat meaning you need a light, short weapon to keep you from hurting yourself. I’m afraid Master Hugo was outta butter knives.”

Makes sense. “Thanks Geordie.” I hold the sword in its sheath in both hands wondering if the blade has ever seen blood. Scary. I attach the sheath to my belt as everyone else heads outside, leaving me behind. I end up having to run. They run too so I must keep going and replace an extra spurt of speed to catch up. Running outside on grass is fun even if the grass is sort of dead. I’m soon level with Geordie. Think I’m supposed to stick with my team mates even though I could go faster.

Going fast is awesome until you get a stitch in the side, and your breaths grow raspy. How is everyone else still going at top speed?

“Told you he’d have no stamina,” Geordie groans to Danny.

I slow down considerably. Take in some deep breaths. Got to keep up. I’m doing fab to say I’m two years behind everyone else. Being short of breath and having a stitch won’t kill me. Exercise is good for me. Ever so healthy. I push forward. Can’t give Clover a reason to get rid of me, or Max an excuse to pick on me.

“No stamina at all,” I pant as I manage to re-reach Geordie. I’ve an urge to clutch his arm so he can drag me along but resist temptation figuring he’d only swat me off.