by Eric Smith
Gwen nodded softly.
Jessica and Rebekah drew closer, laughing at whatever was glowing back at them on those screens. When they were just a few feet away they stopped abruptly and glared at the three of them.
“Uh, what is this?” Jessica spat, gesturing at them and then glaring at Gwen. “What are you doing with them? And why are you two at my locker?” Jessica covered her mouth and sputtered a laugh. “Wow. You look terrible.”
Leila stepped forward and ignored the flash of rage that brewed in her chest and the ache in her legs at just taking that one step. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, ignoring the small burst of pain that nudged at her with every move.
“Recognize this?” Leila asked, pushing the screen towards Jessica with gritted teeth.
Jessica staggered back and looked at Rebekah, her eyes wide with panic, then turned back to the girls and at Shawn.
“Where did you get that?” Jessica said, the confidence gone from her voice despite the anger in her words.
“We know what you’ve been doing,” Leila said, putting her phone back in her pocket. She coughed, and took a deep breath before continuing. “And you’re going to tell us why.”
“The hell I am,” Jessica spat. “You three,” she emphasized,
glaring at Gwen, who promptly shrunk back, “can go fuck yourselves. You and your stupid trees.”
“Why?” Leila asked, taking a step forward and wincing. “Why destroy that patch of woods? What’s any of it have to do with you? Any of it at all? Why would you even be out there in the first place?”
“What’s it even matter?” Jessica replied. “It’s just a bunch of trees and whatever it was that you and that friend of yours were freaking out about over on your dumb message board. A rat or something.”
“A mouse, and you have no idea what you’ve just done!” Leila shouted. She moved to rush at her but stopped when a wave of weakness washed over her. Her legs buckled a little, and Shawn grabbed her, steadying her.
“What I’ve done?” Jessica asked, laughing. “Who the hell cares? It’s all coming down tonight anyway. And now your precious little animals or whatever won’t get in the way of actual progress. My dad works hard, and all your nonsense was slowing him down.”
“Your dad cares about the environment just as much as we do!” Shawn shouted. “You keep painting him to be some villain but he isn’t. You can’t hide this from him. There are going to be consequences.”
“Please, like what? He owns people like your family, Shawn. He might care more about his little projects than he does about me, but whatever. After this, that’ll change. The only thing that could have stopped this project were those stupid mice of yours, and now they are gone for sure. Just, you know, a little early.”
“He’ll think you’re a monster, which is exactly what you are,” Shawn shouted.
With a resounding crack, Jessica slapped Shawn across the face.
“Shawn!” Leila shouted.
“What the hell, Jessica?” Shawn yelled, glaring at her. “You can’t—”
“I can do whatever I want,” Jessica spat. “You don’t get to talk to me like that.”
“People are going to look into it all,” Leila said, pointing at finger at Jessica. “You cheated.”
“So?” Jessica scoffed. “No one’s gonna know. Yes, I killed your little mice and probably everything else in that forest, but my dad’s project gets to move forward. Maybe one day I’ll tell him, and he’ll actually appreciate me for once.”
Leila sighed, her chest grew heavy, and she shook her head.
“What?” Jessica snarled.
“It’s just sad, is all.” Leila shrugged. “I actually feel kind of sorry for you. I . . . I know what it’s like to have questions about your family, to feel a little different. You know?”
“No, I don’t know, and I don’t need people like you feeling sorry for me,” Jessica said. “I have everything, and you have—”
Leila banged on the locker by Gwen.
“Did you get all that, Sarika?”
The locker squeaked open, and Sarika squeezed out of the space sideways. Her phone was in her hand, and she pressed a button on it.
“Sure did.” She waved the phone in Jessica’s face. “You’re going down.”
Jessica reached out and swatted the phone out of her hand, sending it crashing to the ground in a shattering of glass and plastic, bits splintering all along the cold, hard hallway.
“Aw, what the—” Sarika started.
“It was a nice try,” Jessica said, walking over to the phone. She stomped on it and promptly kicked the broken pieces down the hallway. “I swear, every time some idiot tries to trap somebody in movies with a recording, I always think they should have just broken the thing. But—”
“What kind of idiot do you think I am?” Sarika shouted. She glared at Rebekah. “You should really get out of here.” She turned back to Jessica as Rebekah bolted down the hall. “I had that recording saving to my Dropbox and my cloud drive. You really thinking breaking my phone is going to stop me? Please. I’m not some dumb supervillain in a cartoon.”
Jessica stared.
“But you are,” Sarika said coldly.
“What are . . . what are you even going to do with that?” Jessica groaned, leaning against the row of lockers. “Construction starts tonight. Tonight. No one’s going to stop everything from getting torn down. Your precious little park belongs to my family. My dad controls the rights to—”
“Well that’s just it, isn’t it?” Leila asked, breathing hard and trying to smile at Jessica. “It would be terribly easy to stop the construction and demolition if the rights to develop there no longer belonged to him.”
“What are you even talking about?” Jessica asked, her eyes full of panic.
“Here’s the thing,” Leila continued. “What you did, poisoning public land in a city park? That’s a serious crime. Killing an endangered species? That’s a federal crime. Double the time, no doubt. And poisoning them maliciously and on purpose, contaminating, what, acres of land? What do you think, Sarika?”
“Sounds like serious jail time to me, never mind the fines.” Sarika crossed her arms, and Leila fought the urge to smile. She made an excellent bad cop in this situation. “Any scholarships you were hoping to get this year? Bye.”
“Colleges in general?” Leila added. “Forget it. Who wants the girl that was splattered all over the news for murdering endangered animals in an historic section of a national park?”
“No one?” Sarika asked.
“No one,” Leila said, staring at Jessica hard. “And a powerful man like your father will be really disappointed. I mean, incredibly disappointed. How would he recover? People might even think he had something to do with all of it. Might shut him out.”
“Maybe he did have something to do with it!” Sarika exclaimed. “Who says he didn’t?”
“Okay!” Jessica shouted, tears streaming down her face. Her pale skin had turned bright red. “Okay. What can I do? What do you want me to do?”
“Oh, we just want you to squirm and be miserable,” Sarika replied. “Leila’s dad, who sits on that board with your dad, already has the photo of you poisoning the park and running away. He should also have the recording we just made, so . . .”
Sarika shrugged.
Jessica took a step forward. She balled her fists and shook them at Leila and Sarika.
“This isn’t over,” she snarled. “And you!” She pointed at Gwen. “How could you? I made you in this school. People only know you because of me.”
“Maybe I don’t want them to anymore,” Gwen said, crossing her arms. “You’re a bad person.”
“Shawn?” Jessica said, her voice weak and sad.
“I’ve got nothing to say to you,” he said, staring at her hard. “You manipulated me. Threate
ned me. Made it seem like your family would shut mine down if . . . I broke up with you. I’m my own person.”
“Whatever. Fuck all you.” Jessica turned on her heel and stormed away, her shoes smacking hard against the floor as she disappeared down the empty hall. “This isn’t over!” she shouted, her voice echoing in the hallway.
“Yeah, it is,” Leila said. She leaned back against the lockers, the metal surface cold against her back, and slid down to the floor. Sarika knelt down and threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly. Shawn edged up cautiously to join in, his embrace soft and barely noticeable.
“Hey,” Leila said to Gwen while Sarika and Shawn hugged her. Gwen looked pensively at them, offering a small smile. “Get in here.”
They hugged in the hallway until the bell rang.
THREAD: CLEAN UP DAY AT THE THOMAS MANSION (SATURDAY!)
SUBFORUM: PHILADELPHIA
CLEAN UP DAY AT THE THOMAS MANSION (SATURDAY!)
Posted by WithouttheY
SEPTEMBER 1st, 2017 | 1:02PM
Hey everyone!
After the accidental poisoning of the grounds around the Thomas Mansion, Philadelphia’s GRID Magazine, that local mag that talks about the environment and sustainability and all that, is organizing a clean-up crew to fix what’s happened in the now-preserved and donated area.
If you’re coming, please bring protective gloves that won’t absorb too much liquid. Those weird yellow ones your grandparents have under their kitchen sinks will work just fine. You know the kind.
Also, if you have buckets, brushes, and tear-free shampoo, that would be very welcome. While we haven’t found too many poisoned animals in the area, we will be expanding the search beyond the grounds to look for sick animals that wandered away from the area after being poisoned.
So protective gloves are key, because as cute as squirrels and chipmunks and rabbits might be, when they are delusional and poisoned they’re mad and will bite. Wouldn’t you?
We’ll meet at the grounds at noon on Saturday, and bagged lunches will be provided as well as snacks, thanks to GRID. We’ll be cleaning until dark, and into the weekend. Questions? You can DM me for my cell number.
Thanks so much!
RE: CLEAN UP DAY AT THE THOMAS MANSION
Posted by DontCallMeGwenifer
SEPTEMBER 1st, 2017 | 1:16PM
See you soon!
RE: CLEAN UP DAY AT THE THOMAS MANSION
Posted by Dr. Cordova
SEPTEMBER 1st, 2017 | 2:02PM
Check your DMs / texts. I’ll be by with a crew from the Academy of Natural Sciences this afternoon, as well as through the weekend with whoever we can spare.
We’re all very proud of you girls.
RE: CLEAN UP DAY AT THE THOMAS MANSION
Posted by Toothless
SEPTEMBER 1st, 2017 | 2:17PM
HEY.
RE: CLEAN UP DAY AT THE THOMAS MANSION
Posted by A Dash of Paprika
SEPTEMBER 1st, 2017 | 2:23PM
LOL.
RE: CLEAN UP DAY AT THE THOMAS MANSION
Posted by Shawn Jawn
SEPTEMBER 1st, 2017 | 6:02PM
I am so in. I got my father to donate some materials too. I’ll be there with the rest of B.E.A.C.! Or, you know, who we’ve got left and all.
RE: CLEAN UP DAY AT THE THOMAS MANSION
Posted by A Dash of Paprika
SEPTEMBER 1st, 2017 | 7:15PM
Well, well. Look who it is. Just kidding, glad to have you, Captain Planet.
RE: CLEAN UP DAY AT THE THOMAS MANSION
Posted by WithouttheY
SEPTEMBER 1st, 2017 | 7:18PM
Come on, Paprika.
XXVIII
“I need some cleaner over here!”
“Someone toss me a sponge?”
“Hey! I need a bathing basin, I found a sick rabbit.”
“What do we do with empty bottles?”
The voices around the grove were loud and frantic as people walked through the area excitedly, passing materials back and forth to one another, bags wrapped around their shoes as they made their way over the poison-sprayed earth. Leila knew most of the poison was gone, but she couldn’t tell the others how she knew. Walking on the ground didn’t leave her with the massive pains it had earlier, just a dull ache. And her hair was starting to grow back, in a way that felt strange and unnatural, oddly fast. She could almost feel it happening. Leila smiled and nodded at people as they walked by, each with that familiar look in their eyes, the sort you gave to someone who you kind of know because of the Internet, but not really. She’d never posted photos on the board, and neither did many of the people on the site, but somehow, she could just tell.
“How’s it going over here?” Leila asked.
Sarika, who was busy scrubbing out some of the blue poison from the rocks surrounding the dryads’ trees, wiped her forehead with the back of her arm and wrung out a rag into a bucket next to her.
“Slow, but I’m making some dents. Look.” She pointed at some of the nearby stones, which all shone with the clean, slick reflection of water, as if it had just rained an hour ago. “But of course, there’s still all that. Stay away from there.” In the opposite direction the stones still glimmered with the blue color, like a filmy slime. “But hey, we’ve got time, right? We do have time?”
“We do. I feel better,” Leila said, nodding with a smile. “Have you seen Landon?”
“He was over doing some repairs at the Trust earlier, but I think he’s helping your, um,” Sarika stopped, looking over at the dryads’ trees in the circle. Landon, Jon, and Mr. De La Costa were standing there talking to one another, hands on their hips, heads nodding in excitement.
“I think you can say it,” Leila said, warmth coursing through her chest.
Sarika smiled.
“He’s over there with your dad.”
Leila stepped over the ring of stones and walked into the circle just as Landon dipped a rag into a bucket of cleanser. He looked up at her and smiled.
“I just don’t understand how a tree can wither up and die that fast from that cocktail of, what was it? Weed killer and—” Jon had started.
“We don’t have to dig into it, Jon, really.” Mr. De La Costa said. “I feel bad enough as it is, you know.”
“I know, I know,” Jon said, nodding. “Sorry. It’s just, you know, interesting.”
“Right.” Mr. De La Costa said, and grabbed a sponge. Lisabeth walked up behind Jon and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Hey darling,” Jon said, giving her a kiss on the cheek and turning back to the trees. “These two look fine, but damn. That’s such a tragedy. I can’t even imagine how old this girl was.” Jon ran his fingers over the bark of one of the dryads’ trees.
“It really is sad,” Lisabeth said, her head tucked over Jon’s shoulder. “I’ll get started cleaning around the roots here. Leila, you need anything?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks, Mom,” Leila said. Liz smiled and hurried off as Leila stared at the tree.
It was Tifola.
Leila smiled sadly. Jon had wondered how old the tree might have been.
He really had no idea.
And really, Leila had no idea either. The dryads had left so many questions unanswered, and she wondered if they’d ever awaken and talk to her again. While life seemed to be returning slowly to Philadelphia, flowers re-blooming, trees sprouting buds, scientists scrambling madly around town, there was no sign of the two remaining dryads in the grove.
“Leila, you have any more of that paint remover?” Jon asked. He picked up a small bucket with a rag in it near the stones, a spray bottle dangling off the edge.
“Sure, Dad,” Leila said, a blast of warmth coursing through her chest. Jon smiled and then spritzed the large oak, scrubbing
at the large red X on the bark. Bits of bark flaked off as he scrubbed. Leila winced.
“Careful there,” Leila said, as pieces of the bark fall off the tree.
“Don’t worry, it’s made of an orange and citrus solvent. It won’t hurt these any further. You were right about this place, Leila,” Jon said, taking a step away from the dryads’ trees and setting his hands on his hips. “It does have this magical feel to it.”
“I agree,” Mr. De La Costa chimed in, stepping towards them and nodding. “I’ve apologized for my daughter already, yes?”
“Hah!” Jon smiled and patted Mr. De La Costa on the back. “Seriously, Patrick, relax. As far as anyone is concerned, we found the mice. I mean, technically we did. Your secret is safe with us. Isn’t it?”
He looked at Leila expectantly, and she nodded, offering a soft smile.
“As long as this place stays safe,” Leila said, shrugging.
“Good, good.” Mr. De La Costa said, wringing his hands. “It will. You can rest assured of that. I’ve already put in some proposals for a restoration project for the mansion. And some of the Academy staff will be around to work on the mice habitats.” His eyes looked beyond Leila, towards the entrance to the grove, where Jessica was angrily spraying water over the dried-up shrubs and bushes. Leila scowled.
“Gentle, Jessica!” shouted Mr. De La Costa, shaking his head. Jessica glared at him and sprayed the water about wildly.
“God damn it,” Mr. De La Costa muttered. “Excuse me. Jessica!” He stormed off towards her.
Leila looked over at Landon, who grinned at her. Shawn, Britt, and Mikey were closer to the mansion, working on the stones around the grounds there, but she could hear Britt’s distinctive loud laugh echoing through the bare trees. She grabbed a rag out of the bucket, and approached the center tree.
Karayea.
She removed the bottle of cleanser from her belt, and sprayed the red X at the front of the tree. She scrubbed gently.
“Leila, come on, you really need to push into it,” Jon said.