Phantasia

Amanda checked herself over in the mirror one last time. She wiped away the remaining beads of sweat with the rough paper towel and adjusted the clip keeping her dark hair from falling into her eyes. That clip was important to her; it was a present from her boyfriend, Theseus, and it kept her strong in the difficult times of ‘undercover placement’. Times like now. She could feel her heart beating faster and faster through the brown envelope she clutched to her chest. She hated doing what she was being forced into – her friends would never forgive her – but she had no choice.

She crept out of the toilets, peaking around the door to see if anyone was around. The corridors were deserted – everyone would be busy in lessons – and she hurried to the back of the school. They were already standing there, waiting for her. The short, snarling Vespa, the tall, glaring Elizabeth, and their leader: the prim, extravagant Astrid. Compared to them, Amanda was just a frail girl in a big coat. After checking once more to see if anyone was watching, she shuffled over to the trio of Inquisitors.

“You have them?” asked Astrid. Amanda handed her the envelope.

“T-they’re a-all there,” she said, taking a few cautious steps backwards. It would do no good, she thought, there was no escaping now.

“Good girl,” said Vespa, her cruel mouth curled up in a sneer.

“I’m sure the Bishop will overlook your parent’s recent misdemeanours now,” said Elizabeth.

Astrid was looking at the contents of the envelope, her eyes wide and lips mouthing barely audible exclamations. When she had seen enough, she carefully placed the documents in her bag.

“My father will certainly take this news seriously,” she said, “This is all the evidence we’re going to need to have these heretics brought to justice. Congratulations on passing the test.”

***

The Sapphire-Emerald science class gathered at the far end of the school playing field, in an area bordered off by barbed wire fence. This was the domain of the school’s science teacher, Ms James: a woman whose bipolar voice struck fear into even the most courageous of students, among whom she was considered a pyromaniac at best, and a psychopath at worst. A concrete shed, guarded by a myriad of locks, cameras and alarms, sat in the corner of her playpen with its door half open, revealing a disturbing glimpse at the rows of boxes and racks of firearms inside. It was common for Ms James to disappear into her shed during breaks and after school hours, and rumours told of the sounds of whirring machinery, strange smoke and cackling laughter coming from within. Some students even said she hoarded enough weapons to supply an entire army.

“PLASTIC EXPLOSIVES!”

The class grimaced in unison as their teacher yelled in their ears. “This stuff is way brilliant; just watch what it can do!”

She pressed a button on the remote in her hand, and a small box at the far end of the enclosure exploded. Phantasia was the only one who didn’t flinch when the wave of heat buffeted the group. Their teacher clapped her hands together at the reactions.

“And that was just a tiny amount; imagine what a whole load of this stuff could do! Isn’t it brilliant?”

Chapter 14
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