Chapter 2 – Fear

Their car was small and compact, it made it easier to travel around cities. James stuck his rucksack into the boot and climbed into the front passenger seat. Emma rushed out of the house quickly after them and put her bag next to James'. She jerked her door open and sat down carefully putting her seatbelt in.

"Are we ready?" Mum asked.

James and Emma murmured a response. James put the radio on out of habit to hear static, the car went dreadfully quiet at the impending danger.

"Should I put some music on to liven up the mood?" James asked rhetorically as he took his phone out and connected it to the radio. He put his most uplifting music on, uplifting was definitely what they needed right now.

It only took them ten minutes to reach the school, there was a lack of parking spaces so Mum just parked in the middle of the road and got out with no intention of moving it. James followed suite and got out the car picking up his respective bag. They got to the front door to see a sign telling all families to go to the assembly hall, James led his family up to the hall to find it full of families and everyone squashed in.

"James, where were you, we were worried sick." Came a voice through the bodies of people.

"Is it okay if I …" James started to ask but Mum interrupted.

"Go, talk to your friends." His Mum shooed him away and he went over to them.

"You're the last one here. You're not very fast to pick up on the threat, huh." The one of the three who said that was a tall boy with tousled hair and glasses to finish the geeky assemble, his name was Isaac. While, yes, his interests led him to resemble a geek his attitude was something to be desired, but his heart was always in the right place. What he said was out of concern, not just to be rude.

"Shut up, he's here now. So, what's your theory." Chloe asked this smiling and trying to stay upbeat. She was forever an optimist which proved useful as no one else in the group tried to. Her family,

were heavy into the Islamic faith however Chloe didn't hold those same views and even became a Pastafarian to prove a point.

The last of the four was on her phone. She never really participated in conversation and the only reason any of them actually talked to her was because of her rare insights. Maya seemed to be incapable of lying and only told the truth, this was scary, especially in a situation such as this. "I could only think they are some sort of biological experiment, they are fascinating." She cut in before James could comment.

"Have you seen the video of one of those things bending flames to their will?" James asked interested to see if what he saw was real or just an illusion.

"No, but we have seen them use abilities," Chloe answered solemnly. There was an uncomfortable silence, everyone knew that this threat was more powerful than them.

"I thought it was a prank when I saw the video this morning," Isaac said. "I still think it is a prank, I hope it is. Occam's razor presumes it isn't a prank however."

"Occam could be wrong," James reassured him.

"Students and Parents, may I have your attention." A fat portly woman stood on the stage, her hair was dishevelled. The room quietened to hear what this woman said, no doubt everyone wanted to be told what to do so they didn't have to worry. The women who James knew as the headteacher (Mrs Ardvitch) started to talk once again now she had everyone's attention, "we have the food coming up here but from what I have heard from a credible source we only have two hours."

"Who's this credible source," a voice called through the crowd.

"Me," a man in military uniform walked next to the headteacher, he towered over her. He was a formidable man, James could tell, anyone could tell, he was that was that sort of man. "You will do as I say if you want to survive."

"Great, we have some brawn telling us what to do," Maya blurted out. James knew she had said that a bit too loudly as the military man snapped his head in their general direction. The people around them nervously shuffled away from them.

"I, a colonel has experience in war," The man snapped.

"I was once in charge of the school football team," she said still on her phone. "That is just as useful in this situation as your title."

"I have led our country to victory in battle," he boasted loudly. "That is not a useless skill."

"I didn't realise you have led unarmed civilians in to battle against an overwhelmingly powerful force before," she retorted sarcastically.

"Maya, what has gotten into you? Apologize at once." Mrs Ardvitch ordered.

"No, can you prove you have led an army into battle." James was laughing in his head, he knew where this conversation was going, it was a trap. Maya was being too clever. He went up closer to the stage.

"You can't prove I haven't." The crowd were all at the colonel's side with this remark.

Isaac sprung into action with an angry voice at the remark the colonel had made, "why should we prove that you haven't, you should be able to prove you have. That inability to provide proof plus the fact the army would most likely have any important personnel in handling this crisis leads me to believe you are a phoney."

"Have you heard of Russell's teapot, it's quite convincing and helps undermine your whole argument." Chloe chirped happily.

The colonel was furious and red with anger, and the crowd was confused. "You impertinent brats!"

"Shh." James put his finger to the colonel's lips, this fourth party surprised the crowd. "You seem to have a temperature of sorts," he said trying to hide the fear in his voice that this man would just push him aside. He had to keep the upper hand with this conversation. "I don't think you fit to take any sort of leadership position in your condition."

"I'm fine, you are just infuriating me." He moved to brush James aside, but he darted away. The colonel clenched his fists furiously

"Are you saying you are having a hard time keeping control of us, four children. How did you control your soldiers?" Some in the crowd laughed at this. James continued, "How about rock paper scissors." You could almost see the anger spouting from inside the colonel, "1, 2, 3, go." James went paper, but the colonel didn't move.

"Are you an idiot?" the colonel fumed.

"No, I won our game," he indicated at the colonel's clenched fists. James' voice suddenly changed to a more serious tone, "we need equipment from around the school. Alcohol's for Molotov's cocktails and any other great ideas. If you have any ideas take it up with Mrs Ardvitch on my right and I'm sure we can sort it. The teachers should help with this." The colonel knew that James had just taken over in the confusion, delegation was proof of leadership.

James looked in the crowd to see Emma and his Mum gawking at what James and his friends had done. What no one except those four knew was this was just an improvisation of a drama performance they had done in second year. A colonel wouldn't have fallen for such bait.

James walked up to his family, "what was that?" Mum asked.

"Taking control of the situation." He answered honestly.

"That was amazing," Emma marvelled.

"Mum, promise me you will stick with Emma and run at the first sign of trouble." James said seriously.

"Why are you being so paranoid?"

"Something just feels wrong, I'm not sure what though. I'm probably just being paranoid of nothing."