Monday 10 November 2008

Nano Modern Myth 1.3.3

Felix sidled out of the glass entrance, glancing cautiously around himself.
“I thought you would come,” said Ronan from a shadowy recess near the entrance. He had a fresh cigarette in his hand, the smoke from it curling up and away.
“I wasn’t welcome with the others,” Felix replied with a shrug.
Ronan laughed quietly and took a draw on his cigarette.
“Not causing trouble, were you?” he asked, his tone innocent.
“Would I cause trouble?” Felix replied with a crooked smile.
Ronan smiled back and handed him his cigarette. Felix took a long pull and then offered it back. Ronan shook his head and pulled another cigarette out of his pocket.
“You keep it,” he said, taking out his lighter. “I’m quids-in thanks to my darling cousin Euan.”
Felix laughed, the smoke pouring out of his mouth and nose in a rush. Ronan struck a light, the smoke of his first puff clouding away around him. He snapped the lighter shut with a loud click.
“So,” Ronan began, fixing his pale eyes on Felix’s slate-grey ones. “Do you have anything for me?”

***

“Friday?” Felix enquired, his tone light. “That’s odd.”
“What’s odd?” said Mike, a frown forming on his face.
“It’s probably nothing… forget I said anything.”
Felix shrugged and began to turn away.
“No, really. What is it?” Mike asked, slightly frustrated.
“It’s just that I could have sworn that I heard the deadline was today. That’s what I heard Jason King telling Matt Brown. But I probably heard wrong, so forget about it.”
Felix shrugged and took a couple of steps away. Mike looked around the rest of the group for reassurance and found nothing but scepticism and doubt.
“No. I’m sure it’s Friday. That’s what it says online,” he said doubtfully, trying to reassure himself.
Felix stopped and turned around to face him again.
“Yeah, that’s what they were saying. But apparently it’s different on the departmental noteboard,” he said conspiratorially.
“What!” Mike exclaimed, panic entering his tone.
“Yeah, I think that’s what they said,” he said slowly, nodding his head.
“Gods! I’ve got to go! I’ve got to check!” Mike gabbled, putting his hands on his head. He quickly leapt to his feet, knocking his books askew and sending his chair flying backwards.
“Are you sure, Felix?” Euan asked, doubt evident in his tone.
“I’m just repeating what I heard,” Felix replied with a shrug.
“I’m going anyway,” said Mike in great agitation, running his hands through his hair. He barged his way into the main corridor and charged out the door, leading to the main entrance way.
“He’s left all his stuff here,” Cerys chipped in, gesturing at Mike’s belongings.
“We’ll still be here by the time he gets back,” Callum replied in a soothing tone. “We’ll look after it for him.”
Cerys beamed at him.
Felix suddenly burst into laughter; cold, sneering laughter.
“What now?” Tom demanded, his body tense.
“I can’t believe he fell for that,” Felix replied, waving one hand dismissively.

***

The lights nearest Mike turned to red, so with the briefest of glances, he ran straight out into the road. Euan was mere metres behind Mike now, his bike flying across the ground.
“Mike!” he called again.
Mike turned his head around, mid-sprint, his eyes seeking and then meeting Euan’s. With a sudden screech of brakes, a white van came streaking through the red light, ploughing directly into Mike and scooping him out of sight. Euan slammed on his bike brakes in shock, his front wheel locking and flipping him up over the handlebars and throwing him in the direction of the road. He put up his hands to protect himself as he flew straight into the side of a car, the glass of the door shattering on impact with the side of his face. Euan crumpled to the floor, his face obscured by blood and lay still as unconsciousness swept through him.

1 comment:

Quoth the Raven said...

Wow, that got Suddenly Tense. Good lord; we've gone from 'Oh, isn't exam time stressful, Felix is a disgustoid' to 'Argh, Cars! Cars and terrible injury and all-new loss of an eye!' (or so I suspect). I'll be honest; there's a plot twist I didn't see coming.

Brilliant, I loved it. Bloody Felix, though. What a turd.