Young Writers Society

Riley

I walk into the living room. Everyone but Reg is sitting down, and he is looking them all over carefully.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Reg thinks one of us is up to something." Sal says. There is something slightly off in her voice. A slightly hysterical edge only I would have noticed. It was what had kept me alive down south, my eye for detail.

"So, Sal, why'd you do whatever you did?" I ask her, smiling.

"It wasn't me!" She protests, her voice cracking a little.

"It was you, I know when I'm being lied to." My smile disappears when she says this.

"Riley, where's your proof?" She demands. The edge of my mouth turns up in another half smile. I was glad to find my old skills weren't fading like I had assumed they were.

I bend down so my face is inches from hers, "Sal, I know. Your voice is a centimeter off key. Your breathing is uneasy. I have an eye for detail. It's saved me many times. Now, answer my original question."

Reg Carter

I watched angrily as Riles interrogated Sal like she was a helpless puppy wretched from the streets. I knew that if it was her, I'd shoot her for the very fact she'd chosen to use the name "The Ghost", I wouldn't have the slightest disregard for the fact she was selling out the Fishers to a Political communications Journalist.

I let Riley do her thing, it was more useful than wasting a shotgun round on a kid who'd got way over her head. However, if she didn't answer the question, my bottled up anger would have nothing to do but overload... overboil and the gun might just accidentally go off.

"She's been sellin' us out," I growled, "Killed the bastard she was sellin' us out to earlier today before he could run anything to print about the Fishers. Dunno where the blimmin' heck you wandered off to Riles."

Riley

"Where I went is no concern of yours, Reg." I say, a little more coldly than necessary. He gives me a look.

"You lot, leave." I say, gesturing to the rest of them. They all scramble to get out of the room, besides Sal. Reg stays.

"That order was meant for you." I tell him. He gives me another look, then leaves. I turn to Sal.

"Look, I can't kill you, because your sister would shoot me. I can't make you leave, 'cause you'd sell us out again. So, basically, I'm putting you on house arrest for a while."

"House arrest?" She asks.

"Yes, and I'll have at least one person watching you at all times." I say, and storm out of the room to find Jimmy. He could be on first watch.

Cleo

Riley makes us all leave. I press my ear to the door. Jimmy pulls me back.

"Are you really that stupid?" He asks.

"Uh, no." I say coldly. I push his hand off me.

"It looks like it."

"At least I know how to use a gun."

"At least I know not to kiss someone I haven't seen for three years." He says angrily, his eyes narrowing.

"At least I'm not a dumb ass who screws up the only relationship he'll ever get." I retort. I feel hands press my shoulders, and then I find myself against a wall, bleeding, with Alis glaring at me coldly.

Eve

I didn't want to leave Sal with Riley, not knowing what was going to happen.

How could she do this? I asked myself. We had finally started getting along.

Jimmy and Cleo started fighting, and the next thing I knew, Alis got involved. Cleo was against the wall when I deiced to step in.

"Stop it, guys." I say, taking Alis away from Cleo. "This isn't the time. We all make mistakes."

Alis glared at me, but she stopped harassing Cleo. Alis and I had started to get along, too, but then things got really crazy.

Riley walked into the room and up to Jimmy.

"Jimmy, you're going to have to make sure Sal doesn't leave the mansion or try anything funny." she said, then looked at me. "Eve, you'll do that tonight."

She gave us all our shifts, then left.

Alis

"At least I'm not a dumb ass who screws up the only relationship he'll ever get." Cleo says. That was over the line, way over the line. I curl my hand into a fist and slam her into the wall. I smile with satisfaction.

"Stop it, guys." Eve says, "This isn't the time. We all make mistakes."

I give Eve my most evil glare, but leave it at that.

"Jimmy, you're going to have to make sure Sal doesn't leave the mansion or try anything funny." she says, "Eve, you'll do that tonight."

She doesn't mention me in any of the shifts. that was probably smart. Leaving me and my sister alone as of now would only mean her death.

Ace

I took the long way home, and arrived back at the mansion while Riley and Reg were yelling at each other. Not wanting anyone to ask where I was, I skirted the room and went into the kitchen. It was medication time, anyway. Listening only vaguely to the conversation, I took my needle from the bag in the back of the fridge, filled it, and jabbed it into my arm, not even looking around to see if anyone was watching. Maybe Alis was, and maybe she'd come say something to me, but probably not. Not after what had happened the last time she tried to pull that stunt.

When it was done, I stuck it back in the refrigerator and wandered out into the hallway where Alis had Cleo against the wall. I turned away. I just didn't care at that point. Whatever they wanted to do, well, that was for them. I glanced at Eve, giving her a look that said, 'Don't worry about them; they're not worth it.'

Riley came in and started handing out shifts to watch over Sal. She glanced at me for a moment, and I shook my head. It had been ten minutes or so, but the substance in my veins was already starting to make me feverish, giving me chills, making me feel like I shouldn't have eaten that mushroom ravioli. "Give me two days or so for the side effects to go away." Normally I didn't have them, but I'd had my medicine changed and my dosage increased the week before. I wouldn't tell anyone. My cell counts were going straight back to what they'd been when I was thirteen and I felt like it was going to be over soon.

And I wouldn't tell anyone.

"Two days then, Ace," Riley said quietly. Maybe she knew. But I still wouldn't tell her.

The small crowd of gang members dispersed, but I stood there, rooted to the spot with my back against the wall. "Thanks, Riley," I said when it was just us. "Takes...uh, takes a lot of heart to do what you just did with...you know." Maitea.

"You're welcome. Now go to bed, Ace, you look pale," she returned. So I did.

Eve

It was about time for my shift, so I went swiftly and silently to Sal's room. Jimmy was waiting for me.

"She shouldn't be any trouble." Jimmy said to me. My eyes flickered to Sal, who was sitting silently on her bed.

"Thanks."

"No problem. By the way, thanks for breaking up that fight. I'm mad at Cleo, but I don't think she deserves what Alis was about to do to her."

"It was nothing. I just didn't want anyone to get killed. Even if Cleo might not be our favorite member, we might regret it later."

At that, Jimmy walked out. Sal and I were finally alone. I felt angry, and disappointed, at her

"Why?" I asked her. "Why did you do it?"

She sighed, and there was silence for a while. Finally, she spoke.

Maitea

I sat thinking about what Riley had said. So I couldn't see Ace in the mansion anymore. That was just going to complicate things, but I didn't have a choice. Life was tough.

I realize I am the last person sitting in the bar. The owner comes up to me.

"You staying here much longer, girl?" He asks me.

"No." I sigh, and stand up.

"Do you have anywhere to go?" The man asks me, a hint of concern creeping into his voice.

I knew I didn't, and I decided to not lie for once in my life, "No, not really."

"Well, I have a guest room above the bar. You can sleep there, if you want."

"Really, but...." I protest. Did he have any idea who he was helping.

"I know who you are, I've seen your picture with the others in the wanted magazine. I lost my daughter to the cops a year ago," a tear leaks down his cheek, "anyone who's against them, I'll help."

"Well, thank you, very much." I smile, maybe the world wasn't as bad as I thought.

Reg Carter

I couldn't particularly blame Riles for not giving me a shift to watch over her, hey, she'd probably be dead already if she weren't a young girl. Hell, I wouldn't of even cared that much had she not used the name "The Ghost". I wandered into the kitchen and caught Ace standing there, he was pale and seemed to be leaving, I guess to lie down and think about everything he's been through. Wouldn't do him much harm.

"Hey, Ace," I muttered, "Sorry 'bout earlier. I ain't angry with you, just. Well, you know."

"I know."

"Good," I replied, placing my hand on his shoulder and then walking up to the fridge, taking out a small cider, opening it and sipping it gently with my back against the counter. Other people seemed to always have the need to quench their thirsts at the same time as me, Jimmy and Alis walked in abruptly silent with each other.

"Ain't like you two to not be gettin' along," I mused, "This Cleo girl can't be worth that much trouble. Mind you, I aint seen her around much, all I can see is that when she is around, you two are at each other's throats. Typical, en't it?"

They were silent.

"That Aurelie girl still 'ere?" I said, changing the mood.

Riley

"You're welcome. Now go to bed, Ace, you look pale," I say with a sigh, then go to the kitchen.

"That Aurelie girl still 'ere?" Reg asks.

"Yes, and she's staying.' I say, walking in.

"Why th'..."

"Because, Reg, we can't have her running off and alerting people. Besides, she might actually be useful."

"What if she ain't?"

"Is there a problem, Reg?" I demand. He doesn't say anything, so I add, "Good, then we're all in agreement. I have a phone call to make." I say, and walk out of the kitchen and into the living room. I shut the door behind me.

I whip out my phone, and dial. She picks up on the first ring. "Maitea, there's something wrong with Ace." I say.

Sorry I haven't posted in a while guys, I've been away for a few days.

Jimmy

"It was nothing. I just didn't want anyone to get killed. Even if Cleo might not be our favorite member, we might regret it later." Eve shrugged.

I didn't say anything then, I just nodded before leaving the room. I should have stopped Cleo from ever coming here. Why was I such an idiot? Cleo was a good person, at heart she was. She just obviously wasn't very good when it came to fitting in.

Shaking the thoughts out of my head, I headed back to my bedroom. Looking after Sal wore me out, surprisingly. At least I was somewhat coming in handy in the group for once. It wasn't like Sal said much though, which didn't disappoint me. I wasn't in the mood for talking.

As I lay on my bed, I thought. Maybe I should just leave the gang? It wasn't like I'd done anything good for it. In fact, if anything, I'd made things worse. I sighed heavily. Where would I go though? The gang was all that I had right now. At least some people actually cared about me in this gang, unlike back home.

Hey, back now. Haven't had time to read it all yet, but I'll post soon.

Eve

"Look, I had my reasons." Sal said to me. I just shook my head.

After that, we didn't talk for the entire night. I was getting kinda tired, but I didn't close my eyes for more than the time it took to blink. It was a long night.

When morning came, Reg walked into the room for his shift. I was glad to get out of there.

"Hey Reg." I said as I walked out the door.

He turned to looked at me.

"Don't kill her."

He smirked, but nodded. I didn't fully believe that he was going to listen to me, but I had to trust him. He would know that Riley might not be too happy if he did kill her.

I went right to my bed and went to sleep. I only slept for about an hour, then got up. I went to go talk to Alis.

Reg Carter

I looked at Sal gingerly pulling up the chair and then staring deep into her eyes. I could smell her fear, just like I'd smelt it on my sister when we were running. It was so clear, even to an ordinary human. The scent of a raise in sweat, a faster pulse and a dying need to shiver off the weight of their conscience.

It was silent momentarily, before she spoke.

"I'm surprised Riley gave you a shift," she said.

"She didn't," I grinned, tormentingly, standing up from the chair and circling her like a hound about to attack it's prey. I put my hand into my back pocket and pulled out a 9mm pistol, sliding it gently across her cheek. It was like teasing her with her life infront of her very eyes.

I then cocked it, slowly before resting my index finger on the cold metal of the trigger. She was shivering and crying, wanting to yell but didn't want to get shot either. Then, Alis came bursting in for her actual shift. I quickly hid the gun before she could notice anything had occured.

Then nodded to Alis and left the room.