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| Source: https://pixabay.com/images/id-2354583/ |
”You think he’s gonna show?” Jose yelled in Charlotte’s ear.
”Oh, he’ll show,” Charlotte stood on her toes, straining to see above the crowd. One hundred conversations overlapped each other in the Gold City Hall, bouncing off the walls until the vowels and consonants became a single roar. ”You would think a mistress would at least get a better seat,” she complained to herself.
”What?” Jose leaned into her, his elbow poking her ribs.
”I said, ’You would think they’d have brought in extra seats!’”
”Yeah, but no one cares about some nobody Healers! Look!” Jose pointed.
A woman with coiffed blonde attired in a navy pants suit strode into the front row. ”Janice,” Charlotte thought, ”She sleeps in a separate room.” Behind Janice was a young man in a Mage school uniform, his hair cut with military precision. ”Ugh.” Seeing the mayor’s son, Orville was always jarring to Charlotte. He was in the same year in school as her. Same year, but a different school; Mage school, school for the elites. ”Who am I, anyway?” she whispered.
”You’re special.”
For a moment she thought it was in her head, then she saw him behind the lectern, microphone clipped to his lapel, a grin splitting his face. The conversations around her tapered off like lights going out in the city windows as one by one, people join each other in silent darkness.
”You are special, no matter what happens. No matter if you vote for me, or for the other guy (and I sincerely hope you don’t).” There was a communal chuckle, and the mayor basked in it.
”Bob,” thought Charlotte, ”His name is Bob Stillman and he likes it when I scream it.”
”These past four years, I have seen how special the people in this city are. I have seen unemployment rates drop.” A cheer burst from the right of the auditorium. ”I have seen a drop in violent crimes.” Another cheer. ”And I have seen a rise in the average test scores of our students.” Applause swept the room and all who were seated stood.
Before the crowd could settle back in their seats there was a muffled pop. Shields sprang up all around Charlotte like blue umbrellas. Jose reacted before she did, the warmth of his shield encasing them in a protective bubble. The conversations started again, but this time vowels pitched higher, consonants stuttered. The bullet spun through the air, arcing toward the lectern.
Fire Shield.
It was the mayor’s signature move, a wiggle of his fingers and a wall of fire coursed around him. Inside the shield, Charlotte could see him begin to summon.
”Let’s get outta here, ” Jose grabbed her elbow.
”Okay, okay,” stalling, Charlotte raised her own shield. She wanted to see what Bob would do next.
There was a whoosh as fireballs burst from the lectern. The crowd jostled with a collective gasp as people pushed towards the doors. Charlotte found herself spun around, then pinned between two broad-shouldered martial artists. It wasn’t until she was in the lobby, that she realized Jose’s hand was still wrapped around her forearm. They were pushed backward, Jose slamming into her, the weave of his blue polo scraping her face. Giving up resistance, Charlotte allowed the crowd to push her through the foyer, all the way to the service elevators.
Like a wave after its crest, the crowd receded, leaving Charlotte bear-hugging Jose. They were cousins, but in her mind, that made it even worse. She pushed away from him, bumping a redheaded Mage student wearing a crisp white shirt and khaki dress suit.
”Oh,” the Mage gasped a giggle, ”I thought I smelled a Healer.”
Annoyed, Charlotte drew mana into her hands. She would let the Mage taste her signature move. Not too much, just a nibble, the smallest hint of what healers were truly capable of.
Lightning.
”Ouch!” the Mage jumped, ”What the?”
It was then, and only then that Charlotte realized who was standing next to the Mage, his blue eyes wide with surprise. ”Where,” she wondered, ”is his security detail?” For lo and behold, it was he of the military crew cut and Mage school uniform, it was Orville, the mayor’s son. Before she could piece together a sentence, the crowd surged again.
They moved sideways and then forward, Jose pulling so hard on the back of her polo, she thought he might tear it straight off her. Then there was the door and they poured out of it like a bucket of rocks turned on its side.
Wriggling free, Charlotte felt the cool shadow of someone bending over her. “My wallet,” Orville held out his hand.
“Wha - ?”
“I know you took it. Give it back and I won’t report you,” behind him there was a loud boom. Glass showered down on them, sparkling in the sunlight like cut gems.
“I didn’t take anything,” Charlotte felt the ground underneath her lurch. Limestone pelted her shield. “Look out!” her words came too late. A chunk of marble fell right on top of Orville. He staggered, then crumpled to the ground.
“Let’s get out of here,” Jose appeared at Charlotte’s side, bumping against her shield.
Charlotte hesitated, then pulled her shield around Orville. She knelt on the sidewalk, glass biting into her khakis. “I really hope you forget me,” drawing mana into her hands, Charlotte put her fingers on Orville’s temples, “But I’m not sure I can forget you. You irritate me too much.” Above her, smoke curled out of the building windows and an alarm began to blare. Jose glared at her and she glared back.
“Ma’am,” a uniformed guard approached from the left, “We can take it from here.”
Charlotte let the guard in her shield, waiting until he had positioned himself to continue the healing. She stood, and dusting the glass from her pants, dropped her shield.
“C’mon,” Jose took her elbow.
“First, hand it over.”
Jose dropped the leather wallet into her palm. Satisfied, Charlotte flipped it open.
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Cross-posted to 12 Short Stories
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Those of you who have been reading my nonsense for a long time might recognize the characters from the last two short stories. I have been thinking about rewriting The Culling for some time. I wrote it during a period where I was trying to find my novella-voice, and it kind of sucks.
Okay, so it sucks to the point that I've considered removing the link to it on here. The problem is, I still really like the characters, their stories, and their futureverse. All of them except Charlotte.
I shouldn't say it that way. I like her, but I failed to give her the weaknesses that would make her likable and relatable. This is my first attempt at writing her differently and I have no idea if it works.