Scott Andrews - School_s Out

"On second thoughts," said Mac. "Let's not and say we did."

Something hit me on the back of the neck, hard, and the world went black.

As I lost my grip on my senses the last thing I heard was Mac laughing. It was the insane cackle of a triumphant madman.

I spluttered as the water poured down my face. Ice cold, it brought me round instantly. I was lying flat on my back on wooden boards. I wiped my eyes and looked up to see Mac standing above me. I could see cloths and pulleys suspended high above him; I was lying on the stage in the school assembly hall. I could hear lots of other people moving around, the hall sounded full.

"Wakey, wakey, Nine Lives," he said. "Shake a leg. Rise and shine."

I put my hand to the floorboards to lift myself and found that my little finger was twice its normal size. It had a sharp point of bone sticking out of it above the knuckle. The drugs were wearing off, so when I put pressure on that hand it hurt. A lot. I gasped and gritted my teeth. Wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing how much pain I was in. I suspected the drugs were still dulling a great deal of it; my broken arm still felt okay. As long as I didn't do anything stupid, like throw a punch, I'd be fine for a while. I used my elbow to lever myself up into a sitting position.

The hall was to my left. Along one side all the surviving boys and girls, and the men who'd been fighting with us, were lined up. They were kneeling with their hands on their heads. I scanned the crowd and breathed a sigh of relief when I spotted Rowles, Norton and Mrs Atkins, all safe and sound. Green was there too. There were about thirty surviving children and ten men. Bob was not among them, but Mrs Atkins' new man, Justin, was. Guards stood over them with guns and machetes, making sure they didn't try anything. The wooden balcony that ringed the hall on three sides was empty. There were roughly sixty Blood Hunters in the room, each and every one of them glistening with the very freshest blood. They were all staring at the stage. At me. Nobody was speaking.

"Show time," said Mac, with a grin.

I had two options. Stay silent and risk letting them know how terrified I was, or take the piss and try to appear confident.

"Go on then," I replied. "Do us a dance. Show us your jazz hands. Oh, sorry, forgot. Jazz hand."

His grin didn't waver. "Get up."

As I did so I saw that David was sitting behind us on the stage, on his throne. He looked as immaculate and unruffled as ever, apart from where my knife had ripped the fabric of his suit.

"Welcome back, Lee," he said. "As you can see we have taken control of your school. It amused me to organise a little assembly. We might sing a few hymns later, would you like that?"

"Fine by me, as long as we don't have to sing Morning Has Broken. I fucking hate that song."

I was thinking fast, trying to work out the angles. There were guards in the wings at both sides. Behind David the stage stretched back into darkness. There was a fire exit door back there, but I'd never make it. There were three entrances to the hall itself: two sets of double doors on either side of the room and a fire exit at the back. All were guarded. There was no way out of here. Whatever Mac and David had planned I was stuck with it.

"I was going to bleed you in public," David said when I had gained my feet. "Make an example of you to others. But Brother Sean persuaded me otherwise. He has big plans for this place. He wants me to allow him to create a religious retreat here for our brethren. New recruits will be sent here for study and contemplation. Our wounded and old can find shelter here. He would run this endeavour for me. He even wishes to create a blood bank. The children you've watched over would be kept under lock and key, bled regularly but kept alive; a resource for the faithful. I and my chosen acolytes would continue our travels, taking the word to the world outside. I like the idea. What do you think?"

"Sounds lovely," I replied enthusiastically. "You could even have a cricket team, play the locals. Hildenborough are quite good, although you may have just slaughtered their first eleven."

David chuckled indulgently. "I thought you'd like it. But Brother Sean has some strange ideas." Here we go, I thought. "Even though we have taken your school by force, subdued your army and seized your weapons he feels bad for you."

"I'm sure his heart bleeds," I said, looking at Mac. His face gave nothing away.

David continued. "He has this quaint notion that he needs to prove he's better suited to run this place than you are. I can't imagine why."

"He's always had inadequacy issues," I said. "It all goes back to his childhood. Bed wetter, you see."

"I see. That explains a lot," said David, winking at Mac.

"I told you how it works, Lee," said Mac. "You want to be boss you've got to challenge the leader and beat him. Prove you're better. You never learned that lesson. But you will now. You're the leader of this place now, so I challenge you."

I laughed incredulously. "What, to a fight? You and me? Are you joking? I've got a broken arm and a broken hand. I fall down if I try to run and I can't even make a fist. What kind of victory would that be? You might as well wrestle a puppy, you fucking idiot."

He stepped forward and hissed furiously in my face: "Better than stabbing you in the back, you traitorous son of a bitch."

I turned to David and shrugged. "Your boy has issues, Mr David, sir."

"Can I say something?" All heads turned to the crowd of captives. It was Norton.

"No! Shut the fuck up!" yelled Mac, incensed at being interrupted, spittle flying through the gash where half his lips used to be.

"It's just that I remember something you said once about delegating responsibility," continued Norton.

Mac turned to the crowd. "Bring that little fucker up here."

A Blood Hunter walked over to Norton and hauled him to his feet by his hair, then marched him up the steps onto the stage. Mac was on him instantly, holding a gun to his face. "Explain," he growled.

Norton flashed a nervous glance at me and made his pitch.

"Let me see if I understand this. You want to fight Lee for control of the school. Winner takes all, yeah?"

Mac nodded.

"And what happens to the loser?"

"The fight's to the death. If he wants the school he's got to kill me with his own bare hands. He's learned that lesson well. Ask Heathcote."

Norton looked at David. "And you agree to this? If Lee wins then you leave?"

"I'll leave anyway," said David. "It's just a question of who's in charge when I do. Whoever wins, this will be a holy place for us. But I would allow Lee to complete the ritual and take charge for me. He'd have a large group of helpers, of course." David indicated the crowd of Blood Hunters below us, "to keep him on the path of righteousness."

"Okay," said Norton, turning his attention to me. "Lee, you're the leader round here, Mac – sorry, Brother Sean – acknowledges that, don't you?"

Mac nodded, suspicious.

"Then delegate to me, Lee. Let me fight him for you. For all of us."

"No fucking way," snarled Mac.

"Hang on, you're changing your bloody tune," I said. "Only half an hour ago you were telling me that I had to be able to send men to fight and die for me. One of the things real leaders have to do, you said. So why can't I delegate? Norton, you willing to die for me?"

"Sir, yes sir!" barked Norton. He even gave a cheeky salute to go with the grin.

"Good man," I said cheerily. I liked this plan. Norton was a black belt. He'd kick Mac's one-armed arse all the way to next Christmas. "So Mac, this lesson you've been wanting to teach me. Looks like I've learned it. Willing to put your money where your mouth is? Gonna take on my loyal deputy? Or are you only willing to fight if you've got to fight me? I mean, yeah, if I only had a broken arm we'd be evenly matched. But you broke the little finger on my other hand. So unless you're going to give me a gun the best I can do is slap you. Not going to be a very satisfying fight, is it? Your victory won't be worth shit. But beat Norton, well, that'd be something. You'd have earned it then. That's what you said, isn't it… it's all about earning it?"