Chapter 10 - Taking a step over the edge

Anger is a thing of wonder; it destroys, ravages. Takes what it needs, never mind the consequences. It's the power you need to get over that chasm that threatens to swallow you. It's that wall of bricks that keeps the fragile bits intact. Anger becomes what it's wielder needs - a fire, a wall, a force to be reckoned with.

Emilia had taken to anger, long ago, when she had to learn to shield a little girl's heart from the ravage of her mother's flames.

She took to it again, when a young woman experienced heartbreak for the first time, to burn down the foulness that had invaded her life.

The only time Emilia did not take to anger, had been when her precious child was taken, for the unbearable loss eroded through the anger and cloaked her heart in misery.

She lost the will to use it, a dull weapon broken in half.

But.

She takes to it, now.

There are five children behind her, five souls who have known loss, who have known tragedy, and who have lost trust in the world around them.

She will be dammed thrice, if she stands by and allows the world to bear down on them.

She will end this.

Ruby's giddiness.

Victoria's chattiness.

Jasper's soft energy.

Seth's brightness.

Arlo's smile.

She wants them all back, with a viciousness she's only felt when she walked out that door and gave her mother the figurative middle finger.

The other parents stare, the children whisper. Emilia glares at anyone who dares meet her eyes. These people, they beat down the life out of her children. She will make them pay, every last one.

Emilia storms through the building, the children following closely behind her. She knows the outline, she memorized it all when Naomi came that first Friday with the folder; she knows the best exits, and the trickiest corridors.

"Arlo, where did you last see them?"

Arlo points to the science building, oh the irony.

"It's them, those ones." Victoria's shouts, pointing wildly at a group of boys.

Typical good for nothing idiots.

"Which one of you hit my son?"

The bunch of wastrels watch her like a zoo animal, chewing gum obnoxiously. They titter like hyenas.

"Lady, don't know what you talking about. Obviously, we were teaching an orphan how to behave like a human." The one that speaks is a tall, lanky kid, with bleached hair.

He breaches into her personal space, spitting his gum on her cheek.

Emilia reacts instinctly, twisting the boy's ear and bringing him down to her height.

"I am not a patient woman, and I do not take kindly to anyone looking down on my children."

The boy yowls, the others standing up and circling them. One of them starts cursing at her. The struggling waste of a human backhands her in his attempt to get free.

"You hit me first."

For a second, she thinks she sees Seth's eyes flash golden.

"I. Am. An. Upstanding. Citizen. Do. You. Think. You. Can. Disrespect. Me." Emilia punctuates each word with a slap. His cheeks are flushing red, a clear handprint painted on the soft flesh.

Their voices die, mouths opened wide.

Emilia turns her glare on them; they quiver pathetically.

"What a bunch of losers. You think the likes of you can touch my precious son?"

They step back, shooting each other looks.

"Walk, all of you. Do not make me repeat myself."

She thinks they will resist, but they meekly follow her orders, waddling in front of her. The one she had by the ear, she does not release him, dragging him along. His whimpers every time they round a corner, Emilia pulls just a bit, it is music to her ears.

The secretary gets up, approaching them. She is flustered, trying to stop Emilia. Emilia shoves her to the side, kicking the headmaster's door open.

"Headmaster, lovely day we're having for cleaning up trash. Would you mind terribly if you called their parents in?"

The headmaster is a portly man, his bald head shines with sweat. He stutters, blinking furiously as he tries to make sense of the children cowering before Emilia and the ones at her back.

"Just what is -"

"I lost my patience," Emilia looks at her watch, "about 30 minutes ago, do hurry up, before things escalate."

"No need, Miss Everly," the man on the couch says.

Emilia had not noticed him. The middle aged man is tall, slim, with a slimy expression she personally feels disgusted by. It makes her cringe inside.

"Tell me, Miss Everly, how did my son offend you? I'm sure we can resolve the matter between the two of us, in memory of our friendship."

She doesn't recognize him at first.

He stands up, closing the blazer, a smirk directed at her.

She remembers then. Out of all the people on the planet, it just had to be her ex. The revulsion she feels probably shows on his face, because his smugness fades to a neutral poker face.

"Oh, there is quite a lot. I'm impressed by your parenting skills, for one."

She thinks she hears Jasper snicker behind her. It cannot be, her Jasper is too sweet.

"It seems you have taken justice in your own hands." His eyes travel to his son's inflamed face.

"Oh this, it was merely self defence. As a weak woman, I can only defend myself like so. You really raised your son well." Emilia shrugs, releasing the thug.

He goes to his father's side, cowering under his venomous glare.

"I will be sure to compensate you for my son's discourtesy, but surely, we can overcome this obstacle, after all he is just a child."

"Ah, that saying is not dead; the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree."

Emilia drags a chair from the desk, sitting in the middle of the room, her legs crossed.

"It goes deeper than that, there are allegations of bullying, harassments, that sort of thing." Emilia says flippantly, tone casual.

"I don't see why you should bother, just some orphaned wild creatures nothing more. My son was in the right to give him a good lesson."

Emilia scoffs.

"Tell me, does his mother look dead to you?"

He rears back, confused.

"Their parents are dead, they said so themselves," the headmaster adds.

"Wow, you knew I died, but how am I here right now? Don't tell me, I was raised from the dead, here to eat your empty brains?" Emilia stands up, slowly walking to the desk.

She slams her palm on the wood, silencing everyone.

"Oi, when did my children become orphans? Are you cursing me right now?"

The portly man flinches. She can see the sweat beading, trailing down over flaps of fat.

"I thought your darling son was murdered two years ago, it seems you replaced him with these mutts."

Emilia snaps her head to the laughing man.

"Not only does the son need to be taught manners, the father too. Do not assume that I will stand here and allow you to insult my children. Bite that foul tongue."

"My dear Emilia, once upon a time you were a great woman of standing, but now, now you are just a shade. A little bird told me you've been living rather miserly, locking yourself in that big estate of yours. There were even words of a ghost sighted."

He stands up, making for the door. Emilia pulls her kids to the side.

"Sit down, my lawyer is on the way."

He glances back over his shoulder, raising his eyebrow imperiously.

"Yes, yes, you may send your two cent lawyer to mine. He will deal with him shortly."

"No one deals with Nicolas Quentin shortly."

He pauses in the doorway. Emilia allows herself a smirk.

"Nicolas Quentin, you?" He laughs derisively.

"You will see, sit down."

"You cannot possibly afford Nicolas Quentin, even when you were at your prime."

Emilia turns to the headmaster.

"Call all their parents, and the victim's as well. Arlo?"

"Sirius Smith."