by Madoc Fox
Sitting repairing the dents in tin helmets at that afternoon’s work session Oscar became heavier handed, his actions notably more aggressive. If anything he was causing more damage to the helmets than he was repairing, though the Institute did not really have much in terms of quality control so it mattered little. As long as the children worked hard and silently, that was all that mattered.
“Psst, Osc what’s the matter?” Piggy hissed from an adjacent workbench. Oscar was so wrapped up in thought he had failed to notice Piggy sitting on the workbench next to his.
“Nothing, I’m fine.” Oscar was not in the right mood to disclose any feelings, and his thoughts were too confused to be worth talking about.
“Come on Osc, who else you gonna speak to?” Piggy whispered in a jovial manner but the implications of this question only received a stern stare from Oscar, comprehension finally dawning on him. Jokingly though it had been said, it was true – Flynn had already seen to it that the few people who had spoken to him at lunch time were thoroughly put off doing so again.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t…” Piggy stopped as the matron walked past.
“I know,” Oscar interrupted once the matron had moved on and before Piggy could finish his point. “This Edmund situation has got the best of me, no one seems to buy my story. Or…” he added “ …if they do, they’re too scared to say anything”.
“Hmmm, someone really needs to confront him.” Piggy said thoughtfully, his furrowed brow suggesting he was at least attempting to formulate a plan to this effect.
“Perhaps, though I hardly think he’ll change.” Oscar said glumly, looking towards the bench where Edmund slouched at the rear of the workshop. He didn’t bother repairing the helmets and instead chiselled chunks out of the wooden desktop with his trusty knife. A gang of youths of similar age sat in close proximity and Oscar wasn’t surprised to see Flynn in amongst them. It would seem that Edmund had formed the beginnings of a formidable army within the Institute grounds.
At the end of the work session Oscar felt drained. It was not just the laborious chore of hammering out the helmet dents but also the realisation that one could only sustain a certain level of anger before it became tiring. He now had to resign himself to the current mood of the Institute, feeling alienated by the other children who had unjustly been poisoned against him. Not wishing to eat but merely return to the dorms for an early night he was surprised by the scene that soon unfolded before his eyes as he left the workshop.
Oscar’s relationship with Piggy was one that had been formed on forced terms. The two of them had known each other for only a short while and the camaraderie they had developed was more a result of circumstance and limited choice than how Oscar perceived typical friendships would be forged. This is perhaps why Oscar was so taken aback by the sight of his chubby companion standing toe to toe against the unnatural goliath that was Edmund.
Jeering children formed a ring around the two verbal combatants, a wall that pulsed organically as those further back shoved and clawed their way forward to the epicentre of the entertainment. It was strange in itself that the children were behaving in such a boisterous manner, for Oscar had rarely seen them so animated. As he passed through the crowd to get to the middle - finding he had little need to push or shove as most children merely gave way upon seeing it was him- Oscar found himself filled with emotion as his friend stood proudly defiant against Edmund.
“You’re a liar and a bully,” Piggy courageously said, his finger thrust accusingly in Edmund’s face. “Tell everyone what really happened to Oscar, Edmund!”
Despite his shaking legs, Piggy gave quite the imposing impression. Edmund, whose defence had been compromised by this outright confrontation, seemed stunned by the surprise attack. Not use to being challenged so brazenly a panicked look had entered his eyes. The other children seemed to have sensed his hesitation, one or two of them bravely giving a whoop or yelling “hear, hear”. The wavering crowd confounded Edmund further, causing him to throw an appealing look to Flynn and the rest of his outfit for support. But the gang remained silent, no longer so sure of the imposing leader they had thought themselves to be following. Edmund glanced around wildly, a manic glint in his eyes, slowly turning to triumph as his gaze alighted on Oscar. The moment of doubt had passed.
“’Ere, what lies have you been spreading Osscar? This little piglet..” The surrounding crowd murmured in laughter, as he continued. “…seems to think I have done something wrong?” Looking innocent was not a strength Edmund could play to and despite his best efforts his jutting chin just gave an illusion of stupidity.
“Quit the act Edmund. Okay, you can try to kid everyone with your big stories. But all of us know what you’re capable of.” Oscar turned imploringly to the crowd as he spoke, the many uncertain faces clearly showing the weak hold Edmund had.
“Oh, really? How can you say that Oscar, after I saved you?” The dig was cheap and fell weakly on the ears of the audience. Spurred on, Piggy jumped back into the argument in a second.
“You’re scum Edmund, everyone here suffers because of you. Tell the truth or I’ll…” But the inherently empty threat was all too easy to detect and Edmund leapt upon it with ferocity.
“You’ll what Pig-gy?” Silence sat heavily on the wall of children who by now had ceased jostling each other and were drinking in every moment of the extraordinary confrontation. Edmund moved forward, his giant stature making the chubby boy seem to shrink in comparison. His gang also appeared revitalised, leaning in ready and alert. Sensing catastrophe Oscar stepped closer to the pair, ready to dive forward if the precarious situation rapidly exploded. Yet to everyone’s surprise it was not Edmund who ignited the fuse
“…or I’ll get you Edmund.” Piggy finished, before lunging forward and swinging his rear leg towards Edmund’s crotch. Easily, Edmund blocked the kick and started for Piggy but Oscar threw himself at his arms before he could translate the movement into a proper punch. Oscar attempted to wrestle with Edmund, at one point even holding a slight advantage as he had one of Edmund’s arms twisted back on itself, but it was short lived. Even before Edmund’s superior strength could win out, one of his cronies, a short stocky kid named Gregg had waded in and ripped Oscar away.
Punches and kicks were thrown wildly within the scrambled cluster of boys, so much so that the surrounding children rapidly drew back to provide more room for the entertainment. It was messy; the type of fight that came from high tempers and dirty tactics, though fortunately it was short lived. The crowd dispersed in an instant when a matron named McKay came storming down the corridor. She was a large woman in her late fifties, with arms as thick and hard as tree trunks and she had no compunction about manhandling unruly children. Oscar, Piggy, Edmund and Gregg found themselves semi-entangled but otherwise deserted. Their audience had fled. Matron McKay stepped forward and wrenched the boys apart, grumbling in her thick accent as she dragged the boys back by their collars.
“Ye silly boys, weel ye n’ver learn?” With one swift yank she pulled Piggy up and plonked him aside. Piggy looked surprised to find himself in one piece, the worst of the damage being a few small bruises and shallow scratches.
“Right, well, what am I goona do wit yers?” With his growing pessimism Oscar was expecting the full front of the matron’s anger to be directed solely towards himself – perhaps a bit spilling onto Piggy – and was lost for words when all of them received a telling off. However his initial suspicions were soon justified when only he and Piggy were sent to bed without dinner.
“Thanks, George” Oscar told Piggy as they made their way slowly back to the dorm. “You really came through for me”.
Piggy beamed. No one called him by his first name anymore and whilst he didn’t mind Piggy so much, the gesture was clearly appreciated.
“That’s alright mate, can’t let you fight this one alone. Though I’m glad you jumped in when you did.” The chubby boy reflected. “I think he would have beaten me to a pulp!”
&nb
sp; “We just need to get you in shape for the next fight…Piggy!” Oscar joked. Hungry and tired he couldn’t help but smile as he spoke, and though it hurt the cut on his cheek to do so, he didn’t mind at all.
Chapter 6
Over the coming days both Oscar and Piggy found themselves becoming more alienated. In the dining hall they were often sidelined, forced to the edges of any table that would take them. Communication was limited, even with those who had formerly been allies. The protest outside the workshop had acted as a useful demonstration against Edmund and indeed both Oscar and Piggy suspected that many of the children perhaps were not as united with Edmund as they had first thought. Yet few were inclined to show any outward signs of dissent and many wanted nothing to do with Oscar or Piggy thanks to the trouble they now equally associated with them – not just with Edmund and his gang.
Unease hung everywhere like a thick blanket of fog and many of the children who had become accustomed to the former monotony of their days now had to contend with the fiercely aggressive backlash from Edmund and his gang. The humiliation he had suffered in front of the majority of children had only fuelled his desire for dominance. Clearly Edmund had seen how slight his hold over the other children really was and was seeking to reinforce his authority. Since the fight and the consolidation of Edmund’s gang it was almost seemed as though the act of tormenting other children was a badge to wear, a membership of an invulnerable group that existed outside the matrons’ radar.
Within days Edmund had recruited a gang of around ten older boys who seemed to actively enjoy their new posts, harassing any children bold enough to stare them in the eye. Seeing the ease with which the children accepted this new authority Oscar began to understand why he was not believed in the first place. The defences of the children were weak. Well used to being trod on, they accepted every new blow with resignation, working to adapt and tolerate the new conditions as quickly as possible. Without any strong belief in themselves to anchor their views and believe in their own rights, the children were actually reinforcing the tyranny. Nothing Oscar did was changing it. So demoralised were the children that they could not even cling to the last spark of resistance, clearly paraded in front of them by Oscar and Piggy. If anything they were collaborators in the effort to stamp the spark out, Oscar thought bitterly. In this light the scene outside the toilets became clear. Anyone affiliated with him was instantly punished; Edmund was reinforcing the notion that the Oscar and others who opposed him were the cause of such misfortune.
Yet Oscar couldn’t help but feel that he at least was fortunate, given the circumstances. His previous experiences had given him a hardened disposition that helped steel him against the things the gang were doing. And despite his disapproval of the ‘troublemaker’ status he had somehow acquired, it was proving to be a useful shield. Yet Piggy was not so fortunate. Not only was he a more vulnerable character to begin with but he had been on good terms with many of the children who now shunned them, so he felt the loss more keenly. Worse still, given his role as instigator of Edmund’s public humiliation Piggy found himself the focus of sustained attention from Edmund’s gang, often returning to bed with bruises, cuts and sores from the day’s encounters. One bully, Gregg, seemed to shadow him everywhere for potential beating opportunities.
Despite every reassurance on Oscar’s part and encouragement in getting through the minefield of daily torments the gang dished out, Oscar could only look on helplessly as Piggy slowly succumbed. Oscar watched as the essence of Piggy’s character gradually drained away so that the once upbeat joker began to hollow, wasting slowly until only the husk of the previous boy remained. For every blow he received and conversation he was shunned from, a piece of his being was chiselled away.
It was difficult for Oscar to console his once beaming companion and having seen the braveness exhibited on his behalf, he longed to repay the debt. More so since he had previously counted Piggy so harshly as an irritating acquaintance, rather than grasping the true friendship he had been offering all along. Oscar racked his mind for a way to help him, yet this was not a situation he had any familiarity with. With no possessions of real value or even advice other than to keep your head down it was difficult to find a way to help the boy. Yet Oscar resolved to do something before it was too late. There must be a way, if only he could think of it.
Several weeks had passed since the confrontation outside the workshop. It was night time, and most of the children were spending what little time they could grasp, quietly socialising before a new day would start afresh, stretching before them in all its tedious monotony. Oscar pulled himself upright on his bunk, leaning down to watch Piggy as he threw himself listlessly onto the bedding. Piggy had only just returned from the canteen but could not be coerced into much of a conversation. Sighing, he eventually turned his back on Oscar, muttering vaguely about an ‘early night’.
Oscar leaned back into his less than soft pillow, yet he could not help but feel angry. The past few weeks had been unusually busy and his emotions were running riot. He would have to keep himself in check from now on - practice cold calculation and trust no one, except for Piggy of course. From the corner of his eye Oscar watched Edmund and his gang mildly tormenting two younger children. The boys were new to the Institute and the gang had demanded that the boys undertake a ‘welcome’ initiation.
Edmund and Flynn held one boy aloft by his ankles, while Gregg and another of the gang, Teddy did likewise to the second. They appeared to be treating it as a competition, waiting to see whose head would turn reddest by the time ‘lights out’ was called. The remainder of the gang looked on, jeering and placing bets with their frugal possessions. As the entertainment began to dull occasional shakes were administered. Yelps issued from the two boys but were swiftly answered with unsympathetic jabs to the stomach.
After ten minutes Oscar had had enough. Peering towards the exit he could see a matron sat just outside the dorms, yet she was turning a blind eye to the spectacle within. Oscar swung his legs round in preparation to jump down from the bunk, readying himself for the inevitable second brawl.
“What, Osscar?” Edmund said clocking the movement from his opponent’s bunk. He didn’t wait for a response. “They said they wanted to do it. Didn’t you?” Edmund turned to the kid he held aloft, administering another sharp blow to the stomach.
“Yesss…” the child croaked, though it was barely recognisable as an affirmation.
“Put them down Edmund, they know you’re the boss, you got what you want.” Oscar ground the words out, difficult as it was not to attach an insult. He was hoping that Edmund might focus on his sudden submissiveness rather than the dangling punch bags in front of him. It didn’t work.
“I don’t think so. You come over here and help them if you’re that bothered.”
Other children tried to ignore the scene, torn between interest at the outcome and the desire to keep their own low profiles. Clearly no one wished to be part of a similar spectacle as the previous one – they knew too well how bad the repercussions could be.
Oscar looked hard at Edmund, trying to decide. It would be nice if it were only a bluff. Indeed, most of the Edmund’s gang were all too keen to talk the talk but when it came down to it they couldn’t see anything through. It was by pushing his luck and judging the extent to which they would actually go to that Oscar had so far escaped the prolonged oppression which Piggy had been subjected to. This was Edmund however, and bluffing he clearly wasn’t. Wishing it hadn’t come to this Oscar eventually jumped off the edge of his bunk. Matron Clarke with her timing perfect as usual, appeared at the door.
“I hope you’re not intending on trouble as usual Oscar? Perhaps you had better turn right around and get back into your bunk.” Despite his reluctance to yield, Oscar was relieved. The objective would still be achieved and without having to turn nasty. The matron would have to insist that Edmund release his captives. As if on cue she turned towards the two dangling boys; red in the face they looked almos
t on the verge of passing out.
“Edmund, do you really think that is suitable treatment for our new members?” Even Edmund’s primitive brain understood this question to be rhetorical.
“Please drop the boys, Edmund”. And that was it. With the casual reprimand still hanging in the air the matron finished her patrol around the dorm and strolled on out of the room. The damage had been done. In view of every child of the Institute the matrons had concreted their allegiance with Edmund -it was an undeniable confirmation of his position of power.
Clambering up to the top bunk, Oscar could hear a whimpering from under Piggy’s bulging blanket. It was clear today had been rough and Oscar was still struggling to find a way of helping him out of this rut. Leaning back into his pillow Oscar was beginning to think there was no solution, no way out. And just like that, it came to him. Finally, he thought to himself, a way to help Piggy. Looking across at Edmund he smirked. How poetic. Happy to finally have something he could do, Oscar rolled under the blankets and curled up, beginning to work on his idea. As the lights dimmed one by one, to darkness he slowly drifted off. Visions of alternate Institutes flashed through his mind, entwined with the distant sound of small creatures scratching away at the woodwork and scurrying overhead in the attics.
Being well practised at waking in the early hours, Oscar soon pulled himself out of his slumber, eager to help Piggy. It must have been close to midnight and the pearled moon was attempting to shine its meagre rays of light through the windows. Quietly lifting the edge of his mattress Oscar gathered together his tools before alighting from the bunk.