ASBO-Boy - Siren

19:03 Tuesday 12th April 2016

Nia blinked as the flashes burst in quick succession. She felt her smile become very fixed, her fingers tightening over the medal in her hand. She was standing on the steps of County Hall next to the Mayor of Swansea with the assembled press before them.

Shortly afterward she and the other kids awarded with PROBOS were escorted within to the main hall, where a buffet had been laid out in their honour.

“We’re very proud of her. What more could we possibly ask of her.” Her parents beamed to the reporters. Nia managed to slip away and graze some food from the table. It was very nice but she wasn’t that hungry. Around her, she saw the other kids with their parents, smiling and chatting.

“Could I possibly have a word?”

Nia turned to see a diminutive woman in a smart suit beaming at her. Nia nodded noncommittally, wondering what she wanted, tired of the attention.

“I wanted to discuss the nature of award.” The woman said softly, guiding her away from the table and the crowd. “We spoke with the Officers who were there and they say you responded admirably.”

“Thank you,” Nia replied, her head racing.

“They say you exhibited more than just the normal, necessary behaviour to be awarded with a PROBO.” The woman smiled knowingly. “We all know growing up is tough for young people these days and a lot of boys and girls get swayed by fluffed up ideas about human liberties or drugs and ‘bad crowds’.”

Nia nodded, beginning to wonder when this patronizing irritation would make her point.

“But some boys and girls have special gifts beyond that of good reason and a responsible upbringing.” The woman’s knowing expression had become fixed and she seemed to be expecting Nia to act accordingly.

Oh dear, you’ve caught me – I’m an Other. Hahaha, nearly had you going there. Nia mused to herself.

“You’re talking about my being an Other, are you?” She replied dutifully.

“Yes!” The woman beamed, “Now I don’t want you to be scared, but I represent a group of individuals who work with young people like yourself.”

Nia took the card that the woman offered and pocketed it quickly.

“We would like to speak to you further about this matter. We think you could be a great asset to society.”

Nia’s parents appeared behind her and the woman melted into the crowd. “Who was she, darling?” Her father asked. She told them it was no one - a reporter.

Later that night Nia lay back in bed holding the PROBO medal in one hand and the card in the other. She remembered sitting in the body of the helicopter looking down on the park and the Hoody running across the grass in the moonlight.

She rolled over and mused on what they told her afterwards, “By the power invested in me by the State and City of Swansea, I award you with a Pro-social Behavioural Order for assisting in the apprehension of a confirmed felon.”

The achievement had felt hollow even then. She’d watched as the Hounds moved. They were all confirmed Positive Other like she was. Kids in costumes.

She sat up and moved to the window. Outside her attic room window she could see the rooftops of the Uplands sweep below her and in the distance was the sea.

She’d been excited – she was actually getting to contribute, it was what her parents had encouraged her to do her entire life. When she’d been confirmed Positive Other they’d all been so happy – her parents had thrown her a party. They thought it was an act of God that she’d been gifted with the ability to enhance the talents of Others like her. It was a strange feeling, helping other people, it made her feel warm and natural. It hadn’t taken long for her parents to enrol her in the Neighbourhood Watch, which was how she’d ended up in the helicopter.

She remembered the hood being thrown back revealing Michael’s face. Her heart had run cold. From above, with the thundering of the rota blades in her ears she’d watched as they arrested him and bound his arms.

The neighbourhood bad boy; good parents but a bad attitude. Well… so her parents told her.

She put the medal and the card down on the window sill and yanked at a very specific floorboard. Sitting back against the wall, her hands bathed in the orange glow of the lamp outside her window, she unfolded a wad of notes, letters and pictures.

Her heart sank. She thought back to how they’d kissed in Brynmill park under the trees. They’d told their parents they were going to feed the ducks, bread bags in hand full of crumbs and stale chunks. Sadly, she remembered his fascination with the local graffiti – her disapproval and the inevitable arguments.

She looked again at the card. There was a URL at the bottom. Embossed on it, under the symbol of a helix was the name ‘The Elementals’. Curious, she pulled her laptop from her desk and booted it up.

Time she moved on.