The Flower and the Serpent

by Madeleine D'Este

  ‘You must be really proud,’ Violet said, swallowing her sarcasm. Her acting skills useful in so many ways.

  Angelika gave a half-shrug. Her jumper slipped off her shoulder, revealing a white singlet strap and a flash of bare skin. Violet was a head shorter and three sizes wider, and conscious of every inch. ‘It's going to be hard work,’ she said. ‘But hard work doesn't bother me.’

  ‘Shakespeare is difficult. Getting the iambic pentameter right. 'Be not the flower be twisted but the serpent',’ Violet said with perfect enunciation, showing Angelika exactly how it should be done.

  ‘You know your lines already?’ Angelika slurped from the can. ‘You're good.’

  Violet blinked slowly, fighting the urge to shake her head. ‘No,’ she replied, deadpan. ‘That's one of your lines, Lady Macbeth.’

  ‘Oh. There are so many of them,’ Angelika said with a flick of her wrist.

  ‘Really? But we only have a few days—’

  ‘I've got a good memory. Anyway, we don’t need to learn every word. He said we could take our scripts on stage.’

  ‘But wouldn't you want to? For Alan Wolf?’

  ‘He's some big deal, isn't he? Cool.’

  Violet gritted her teeth. Angelika really was a complete imbecile. ‘You're not nervous, with all those people looking at you? Under the lights. Judging your every move.’

  ‘Not really,’ she said, wiping her mouth. ‘It's only a school play.’

  Violet snapped her mouth shut. Only a school play? She glanced around for Ravenswood. If only he could hear the treachery from his leading lady. Despite his terrible decisions and worse dress sense, he was as committed to theatre as Violet was. He'd sack Angelika immediately if he heard this.

  ‘If you say so...’ Violet cleared her throat. ‘...but if you need any help with your lines or advice...I know what it's like to be in a leading—’

  ‘I'm sure I'll be fine. I've got Mr Ravenswood. He wouldn't have chosen me if he didn't believe I could do it. And Rowan, my deputy or whatever it's called. We'll be working together.’

  Violet clenched. ‘Understudy.’

  ‘Hey, Angelika.’ Jez sidled up, pushing his fringe from his eyes.

  Violet's stomach cartwheeled. ‘Hi Jez,’ she said brightly.

  ‘Hi. I didn't see you there,’ he said to Violet, but with a sideways glance at Angelika who seemed more interested in her fingernails.

  ‘Been busy?’ Violet shuffled closer to Jez, blocking his view of Angelika.

  ‘Real busy.’ He nodded, biting his lip.

  ‘I thought so. I called. A few times. You probably didn't get my messages. What have you been up to?’

  ‘Stuff.’ He shoved his hands into his pockets. Angelika sauntered away back down the stairs towards the drama room.

  ‘Banquo is a good part,’ Violet continued. ‘You did well before lunch. Really good for a first read through.’

  ‘It's alright.’ Jez turned his head. ‘Wait up, Angelika.’

  ‘Maybe after rehearsal—’ Violet started but Jez was already gone, running to catch up with Angelika.

  ‘That's not a good way to treat your girlfriend,’ Angelika said, loud enough for Violet to hear.

  ‘What do you mean?’ Jez grinned. ‘I'm totally available.’

  Violet's stomach sank like a stone.

  As Jez shifted his fringe again, his sleeve slipped down to show the leather strap around his wrist, the same brown leather strap with a press-stud she'd stroked on the night of The Sound of Music closing party. They’d snuck away from everyone else to the playground in the park, smoking and drinking cask wine, talking and kissing. If she breathed deeply enough, she could still smell the musty scent of pot, sweat and spicy oriental incense woven deep into his shirt.

  Violet squinted from the top of the stairs as Angelika walked away with Jez at her heels. No one was bulletproof. She must have a flaw, some type of frailty. Violet cracked open a Coke and took a long glug, spluttering as the sweet bubbles burned the back of her throat. She ripped open a Mars Bar. Chocolate and gooey caramel slipped down her throat, but in three bites it was gone. She glared at the empty wrapper. She turned right around and bought another.

  Jacinta and Holly loitered outside the drama room. They were huddled together, pointing at celebrity hairstyles in one of those airhead teen magazines. Violet frowned. Holly? With one of them?

  Violet wiped the chocolate evidence from her mouth. ‘Wasn't she terrible?’

  ‘Who?’ Jacinta said, vaguely lifting her head from the pages. ‘You mean Angelika?’

  ‘It was embarrassing,’ Violet scoffed. ‘I’d be embarrassed if I were her.’

  ‘It's only the first read through,’ Holly said, shuffling her weight from foot to foot. ‘This Shakespeare stuff is tough. Not everyone knows it like you do.’

  Violet puffed out her chest. ‘She shouldn't have been chosen if she couldn't handle it. But some of us find Shakespeare the ultimate pleasure.’

  Jacinta guffawed. ‘She looks the part. She could be on TV.’

  Violet pressed her lips together. ‘This isn't Home and Away.’

  Violet noticed Angelika turn their way, a slight crease across on her forehead. What good hearing she must have.

  ‘I wish I looked like that.’ Holly sighed and twirled her dead-straight hair.

  ‘She and Lionel look so great together. Proper royalty.’

  ‘You think?’ Violet said, her mouth twisted. ‘She's only here because Ravenswood wants to get in her pants.’

  ‘You're way off,’ Jacinta said, eyebrow raised. ‘I don't think she's his type.’

  ‘Time to go back in,’ Holly said.

  Jacinta closed her magazine and whispered to Holly, ‘Time to get away from the green-eyed monster.’

  They left Violet alone in the doorway. Holly rubbed the back of her neck and glanced behind her.

  Violet narrowed her eyes. She squeezed her forehead with her fingers. The dull thump deep inside her eye socket was getting worse. The brick walls loomed over her. The school encroached on her shoulders and crushed at the sides of her skull.

  Violet dropped her hand and hurried to join them. ‘I only want what's right for the play. For everyone. I don't want us to embarrass ourselves, especially in front of Alan Wolf.’

  ‘Sure.’ Jacinta raised an eyebrow and Holly stifled a giggle.

  Violet grabbed Holly's arm while Jacinta went ahead to claim a seat. ‘Thanks for the support.’

  ‘Ow.’

  ‘How can you defend Angelika? After what she did to me? And why are you talking to Jacinta anyway? You know she's a stuck-up bitch.’

  ‘She's alright,’ Holly muttered.

  Violet snorted. ‘You never learn. How many times have they kicked you in the face?’

  ‘What's got into you?’ Holly recoiled and then shook her head. ‘I know you're angry but you need to calm down.’

  ‘You have no idea how I feel.’

  ‘I know it sucks, but—’

  ‘I don't need your pity.’ Violet waved her hand dismissively. ‘Go sit with your new best friend.’

  She stomped to the opposite side of the circle, sat down and tapped her foot as she waited for Holly to join her with a proper apology.

  Holly skulked into the spare seat next to Jacinta.

  Some friend.

  ***

  THE DARK HAND

  I am here.

  I am there.

  In the normal, in the every day.

  In the strange.

  I am everywhere and always.

  I hear them.

  I see them.

  They ignore you, put you down, insult you behind your back.

  How dare they treat you this way?

  They are unworthy, they are nothing.

  They need to be taught a lesson.

  I am here for you.

  I understand.

  I am your friend.

  Not like them.

  And I have the power.

&n
bsp; I am the answer.

  I can teach them the lesson they need to learn.

  I can help, when no one else can, like no one else can.

  All you need to do is let me help you.

  All you need to do is let me in.

  It's that simple.

  I am waiting here for you. Ready whenever you need me.

  I am not going anywhere.

  I will never let you down.

  Chapter 4

  VIOLET

  As the cast dawdled back in from lunch break, Violet sized them up, one by one. Fool. Idiot. Bimbo. Waste of time. Angelika fan. A possibility but a total wimp.

  Holly and Jacinta giggled over a private joke. How could Holly be so naive? No matter how many times they shoved her, pulled her hair and stole her school bag, deep down she still yearned to be one of them. Violet had always suspected but Holly had finally revealed her true face.

  Violet's real best friend was cross-legged on the floor, neck craned over her notebook as she murmured and picked at her scabby cuticles. Lila had vowed a million times to stop her disgusting habit, but the resolution went out the window whenever she got nervous, which was all the time.

  Violet took the seat next to Wayne and Jason, selecting her first targets. Both boys were tall with athletic triangular torsos, they'd be hot if they closed their mouths when they breathed. As a general rule, she avoided any contact with them, but these were desperate times.

  She pasted on her friendliest smile and butted in. ‘You guys got yourselves good roles. McDuff and Duncan.’

  ‘S’alright,’ Jason said, with a half shrug. Wayne grunted and continued talking in riddles, something about half-forward flanks and torpedo punts.

  Violet licked her lips and leaned in again. ‘A shame about the swords, eh? Real swords would have been cool.’

  ‘Yeah. Sucks.’ Wayne looked up at her this time. ‘Plywood swords are bullshit. I was hanging out for some real sword fighting.’ He thrust an imaginary sword at her. ‘And I thought there'd be more girls here. Double bummer.’

  ‘Real swords would have been totally authentic.’ Violet nodded. ‘I don't understand him. They're not that dangerous.’

  ‘We could've handled ourselves.’ Wayne lifted his chin and skimmed his fingers over his bristly flat-top.

  ‘Ravenswood's a dick,’ Violet said, a gleam in her eye.

  Jason popped the collar on his polo-shirt and looked away. ‘He's okay.’

  ‘He dresses like a weirdo.’ Wayne curled his lip at Ravenswood as he adjusted his purple paisley scarf in the doorway.

  ‘He's no fruit. Didn't you hear?’ She leaned in with a whisper. ‘He gave Angelika a lift to school this morning. If you know what I mean. Very cosy.’

  ‘Who'd blame him? If I had half a chance.’ Wayne grinned.

  Jason pulled a face. ‘Nah. That's bullshit. She was on the same bus as me this morning. She got on at her usual stop.’

  ‘That's what I heard.’ Violet pressed her hand against her chest. ‘But don't you think it's a bit off? I mean he’s only a few years older than us but it’s still wrong.’

  ‘It's none of my business,’ Jason said. ‘You jealous or something?’

  ‘You got the hots for Ravenswood, Vile-ette?’ Wayne boomed, his voice carrying across the room.

  A few seats away, Lionel and Angelika glanced up and tittered behind their scripts.

  ‘No,’ Violet spluttered and lowered her voice. ‘I just don't think it's right. Teachers and students.’

  ‘This is the first I've heard of it,’ Jason said, crossing his arms. ‘You're the one spreading the rumours.’

  ‘Yeah. Whoever smelt it, dealt it.’ Wayne nodded.

  Violet swivelled away from them and clenched her teeth until they creaked. She should have known these two idiots would be a complete waste of her time.

  ‘First Witch,’ Jason said. ‘First Bitch, more like it.’

  Cockheads. With a harumph, Violet moved to another seat and started scoured the room again. But it was full of losers wrapped up in their little worlds: Friday night's party, Saturday's game, who pashed who behind the bike shed on Tuesday after school and other world changing events.

  Lila flopped down beside Violet. ‘I'm concerned about the curse. No one seems to take me seriously.’

  ‘Sorry?’ Violet said, she was contriving her next tactical move.

  ‘This play attracts all kinds of evil. Maybe that's what the bus driver was talking about?’

  ‘The only evil is sitting over there with the blonde hair.’ Violet folded her arms.

  ‘It's been documented throughout history. I thought you'd get it. You know all about the theatre.’

  ‘Curses and bad luck? It's all mumbo-jumbo. I thought you'd left all that shit behind after that seance.’

  ‘Listen. It's not all bad, I found the cleansing rituals in a book. If someone says the real name, we have to send them out of the theatre, but we can lift the curse if they spin around three times and say, “If we shadows have offended’. Then they can come back inside. All clean again.’

  Violet rolled her eyes with a sigh.

  ‘But the cleansing will only work if we all do it. All of us. The whole cast and crew. We've got to be strict about it. I have to get everyone to agree.’

  ‘Fat chance.’

  ‘We have to take this seriously,’ Lila said, her voice cracking. ‘Like the bus driver said yesterday. There are powerful spirits in this world. We can't go around tempting fate. Otherwise one of us is going to die.’

  ‘She didn't say that. You're upsetting yourself over nothing. She was just some nut bag.’

  ‘But here. In this place. You know the stories.’

  Violet sighed. ‘Too many horror videos. There's no such thing as ancient burial grounds.’

  ‘No. It's all true.’ Lila said wide-eyed. ‘It's all true. My uncle used to work at the Council. He saw the records and told me all about the original white owners of Beacon Hill. They were some weird religious community cut off from the rest of the church.’ Lila lowered her voice. ‘The stories. About human sacrifices. It's all true. It happened right here, on this very spot. Under our feet. The whole of Beacon Hill is cursed. My uncle says it's a gateway to hell.’

  ‘Your uncle, the drunk?’

  ‘Evil exists, Violet,’ Lila said, her face stony. ‘Old sins cast long shadows.’

  ‘You're getting worse than Dahlia. When did you start hanging out at The Three Torches?’

  ‘But haven't you felt it? The strangeness? Something isn't right.’

  Ravenswood clapped his hands and the ever-obedient Lila turned to him. Violet muttered a silent thank you to Ravenswood who was the only person guaranteed to stop Lila's ranting.

  ‘OK, players. Let's pick up where we left off. Act Three, Scene One.’

  The last stragglers back from lunch scrambled for seats, and everyone rustled their scripts.

  Jez cleared his throat and began.

  ‘Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all,

  As the weird women promised.’

  Violet's heartbeat quickened as she watched his lips form the words. The rest of the world faded away and there was only him and her, like the night in the playground.

  ‘Like yesterday,’ Lila hissed in her ear. ‘The bus driver told us to be wary.’

  ‘She also said one of us would shine like a star.’

  Ravenswood frowned at Violet and Lila, his finger pressed against his lips. Lila leaned back and shoved her chewed fingers straight back in her mouth again.

  Across the circle, Rowan massaged her temples. Violet scanned Rowan from her boots and her ripped jeans to her black t-shirt with its silver gothic lettering. Where had her pale denim and pastel jumpers gone? Was that a stud in her nose? But even with her new tough look, Rowan was a soft target.

  Violet lazed back into the plastic chair and counted the minutes until the next break. This would be a cinch.

  ***

  Dear Journal
/>   I never used to believe the stories but now I know they're true.

  My head hurts like when a storm is brewing. A hard pain presses behind my eyes. And there's a sour taste in my mouth: metallic, bitter, nothing I recognise. And my tummy is jittery all the time.

  I saw the shadow in the mirror again today. Behind me. I tried to laugh it off, pretend I didn't see it but it's no joke. The shadows are very real.

  Everywhere I go I feel them. Waiting. Breathing down my neck. Following my every move. Shadowy hands hovering just above my shoulder.

  They want me. They beckon to me, but I won't give in.

  I have to distract myself, stay with people and stay away from the darkness.

  It's worst when I'm alone.

  The voice is so soothing. I know I shouldn't listen, but the words make so much sense. Maybe I do need it. With the help of the shadows, I could put everything right.

  No. I mustn't listen.

  I am happy, I am positive, I am in control of my destiny.

  I am happy, I am positive, I am in control of my destiny.

  But the affirmations aren't working. Maybe it's me. Maybe I just need to try harder. I need to say them more often along with my prayers.

  I don't know what else to do.

  I mustn't listen.

  I mustn't.

  I must be strong.

  But the shadow’s call is stronger.

  I am happy.

  I am positive.

  I am in control of my destiny.

  It can help me. It understands me.

  I am happy. I am positive.

  It can help when no one else can.

  I am in control of my destiny.

  All I have to do is let the shadows in.

  ***

  VIOLET

  ‘Congrats.’ Violet sidled up to Rowan with her most endearing smile. ‘Getting the understudy role and everything. It’ll be good for you.’

  Rowan looked up from her notebook, biro in hand. ‘It was a bit of a surprise, but yeah, I guess.’

  ‘But twice the work,’ Violet said.

  ‘I hadn't thought about that.’ Rowan chewed on her pen.