ASBO-Boy - Suspected Other: Part 2

23:13 - Monday 11th April 2016

Pellets of foam exploded around Mike as he dove into the nearest bush. The high wall of the Brynmill Ward loomed above him.

Shitshitshitshitshitshitshit.

The bushes quickly swelled with expanding foam suppressant as the pellets followed him in, pounding against wall and tree. Through the gaps in the bushes beams of piercing white light fractured into pieces.

He needed to get home and he didn’t think he was going to make it. He backed up against the wall and began to follow flush with it, away from the light.

“He’s moving away!” Shouted one of the Hounds.

They were on his scent like animals. Dimly he saw figures moving in the dark. You heard stories about them, how they were worse than the Pigs. Treacherous swine. Turncoats.

A helicopter thumped above him, its light flushing through the bushes as fast as he could run. There were voices following him in the dark. Young, broken voices. He shuddered.

The Hounds were notoriously Others. Captured, subverted and rewarded with PROBOS. They were scum.

Mike’s hands found a gap in the wall. It was a split that had been covered with wire mesh and hidden by the trees. The walls were old these days. Built to protect an ailing society from itself, so they said. Keep the good ones in and the bad ones out, so the papers reminded them. Bollocks, Mike thought.

Closing his eyes he began to squeeze through the gap. His skin began to seep water, he felt his body easing its way through the narrow space.

On the other side he spilled out of the gap and into Singleton Park. Momentarily the sounds from beyond the wall dimmed. Mike looked around – he’d only ever seen it from outside. Only University Students were allowed in now. Only Society’s approved. He thought about tagging some trees, but then he was reminded by a burst of thunder from the helicopter.

“There he is!” Came a cry from the Wall. Mike looked behind him, a crouched silhouette was sitting atop the twenty foot wall.

Mike pulled his hood up and ran out onto the grass. He was exposed here and the light of the helicopter was on him in seconds. It didn’t take the hounds long to alight the wall and give chase. Mike glanced behind him – they were dressed all in black, their faces hidden.

I wouldn’t want my face seen either, he thought as his legs pounded into the soft, even grass.

He laughed, wondering how long the chase would last – would he be able to reach the other side before he was caught. It was unlikely. But there was always a chance – he wasn’t exactly normal - he’d gotten out of tighter squeezes before.

Beneath him, Mike began to feel the grass change texture. It was turning white.

The grass began to crunch – but before he knew what had happened, Mike was sliding across the ground, up to his elbows in snow. He ground to an embarrassing halt as several Hounds descended on him.

He felt his soaked hoody begin to crunch and freeze. Mike looked up, frightened and dazed.

“We’ve got him.” The Lead Hound shouted, his voice high and uneven.

Within moments, Officers descended from the helicopter and bound him in cuffs and suppressant.

One of the Officers spoke quietly with the lead Hound.

“How did he get through the wall?”

“Squeezed through a gap.” The Hound made a gesture with his fingers. The Officer nodded.

“Wrap him up tight boys. Let the station know: Suspected Other.”

**

BANG!

The magistrates hammer fell – Mike sat up in his seat, shaking with fear.

“Michael Thomas, you have been found guilty of Vandalism. Upon your restraint, Officers delivered the verdict of Suspected Other. At Cocket Police Headquarters you were subjected to Anbaric Radiation and found to be Positive Other. It is the judgement of this body of Magistrates to sentence you with an Anti-Social Behavioural Order. You will be taken forthwith to Sandfields Borstal and committed to your First Cycle of detainment.”

The hammer fell again and Mike flinched. Distantly he heard crying coming from the direction of his parents. He didn’t look up. He’d finally pushed his luck too far.