Robin Hood: Sell out chapter 3 part 1

Chapter 3

Still two months ago

I was so frustrated! Although I had acted (relatively) calmly in the museum the whole episode had only served to tick me off. I always knew the Haves of this town were ignorant and shallow, but I had no idea how much.

This was what I was ranting to Will as we walked down a quiet high street at two o'clock in the afternoon.

“I mean at first I just thought they were saying all that stuff about the mine executives and Baxter being responsible for the town’s wealth (well their wealth) and how the Have Not’s are just lazy lay abouts doing nothing for society to spite me! But now im not so sure they are, I mean they honestly don’t have a clue, they don’t even know the half of what goes on in this town past their own ten foot high gold plated steel gates!"

Will said nothing.

"It’s like what are the parents telling these kids? That money grows on trees; taxation is punishment to the poor for their uselessness? What makes them think that the way we are treated is fair? What do they say so they just accept it without question?"

Again Will was mute.

"And George Baxter, who dose he think he is?" my voice dropped steeply into a false silky falsetto. "Enlighten us then, what are we turning into?" my voice back to normal I said “what is it with him and questioning my every move? For the past five years every sentence he's said to me has been a question! I can't stand him!"

Still Will said nothing

“Who is he to question my actions when he lives the life of royalty, going on holidays to far off places at the tax payers expense, all because he's Robert Baxter’s son, he claims the taxes go to the town, I doubt it! This town hasn’t been renovated since the 1970's!"

Though Will was still silent his head had snapped up at the mention of Baxter’s name, but he soon drifted back into his trance like state, ok something was up with him.

"What?" I asked with a smile, hoping to lighten my friend’s mood if not my own.

Not looking at me Will replied "What, what?" with no real emotion. If that couldnt get a reaction out of Will (It’s just a little saying we have when one of us asks what, the other asks what, what? And for some strange reason we can’t keep a straight faces.)Then something was seriously wrong.

"Will is something wrong? Its just you've been a little off today, in the museum,now." I asked.

Still he was mute.

"You're not usaly this quiet so something must be up, whatever it is you can tell me you know, Will?" I said.

And nothing.

"Will?" I asked.

And again Will was silent.

"Will! Your not even lisoning to me are you!?" I said pushing him hard on his shoulder so he lost his balance.

Getting back up Will looked shocked and ticked off.

"What did you do that for?" He asked rubbing his shoulder.

"Because you weren’t lisoning to me. Now, are you going to tell me what’s wrong?" I said hands on hips.

Will looked at me, then at his feet and said "It’s nothing, just my problem."

Which was completely not like Will my confident cocky best friend, he must have seen the disbelieving look on my face because he continued.

"It’s nothing; my dad just got fired that’s all."

"What, from the garage? Why?" I asked Will's farther was a top notch mechanic, the best, and he loved his job, why on earth would anyone fire him?

"Baxter, that’s why! He bought out the garage dad works in and sacked the lot of them, what’s to knock it down for somat." Will said this with his voice dripping in hate and hurt; I had a feeling this wasn’t all.

"So mums panicking about not been able get by with only one income, so dad went to Baxter, well Baxter’s representative, and asked when they would get there severance pay. And his rep just looked at him funny and said never. So here we are struggling and dad won’t even get severance pay! And I have to work extra shifts at the builders yard, but even then mum and dad wont take a penny of it when I offer, I said let me pay board to them for living here and they said no." He finished.

Will's mum was a waitress at the same cafe I worked at part time, so I knew how much she'd get paid, and trust me that is no where near enough to live off.

"Well can't he find another job? I mean there are loads of garages in town; he'll find a job easy." I said trying to find a light in this tunnel.

"Huh, not likely, Baxter black listed Dad from every last garage, service station, car dealership and car rental business in Locksdale, and its all Dads trained to do." Spat Will.

"Wow, you kept all that to yourself? When this happen?" I asked.

"Last month." he replied.

"Right." I said, Baxter really had gone too far now.

"He can't do that!" I said, anger and the sense of injustice pulsing through me with all the force of a hurricane.

"He can, he's Robert Baxter he can do what he likes." Will said as we reached the end of the high street.

"He shouldn’t be able to." I shouted back at him. On the corner sat an old woman in dirty damp clothes she held a tin for donations and a sign that read

"Robert Baxter stole my house!"

She spotted a policeman walking down the street and quickly stuffed the sign behind her back and smiled sweetly at him. He smiled back and when he looked away again she showed him the two fingers. Policemen worked for Baxter.

Out of habit I dropped money in her tin; there were lots of beggars in Locksdale.

"This isn’t right, it’s not fair! This town is Baxter’s responsibility, he should be trying to make it better not make everyone’s life miserable. How many people have suffered at his hands, how many people lose their money, jobs, their homes" I indicated to the old woman “People around here can scarcely afford to keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table never mind anything else, he can’t keep raising taxes and introducing more taxes, someone has to stop him."

“Yeah and who’s gunna do that? You?" Will asked.

I thought about this for a moment, why not? This can’t go on, so why don’t I be the one to stop it.

"Yeah" I said "I will." I started to walk again.

Will ran ahead and stopped me.

"You know im joking, right?" Will asked.

"Will, Im going to do it, someone has too." and I pushed past him.

“Good for you girly." the old woman with the sign said.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"I said, good for you, you are right someone has to stop him." She replied.

“Hello, where have you two been living for the past 100 years? The Baxter's own this town, always have and always will. And besides your just one short, scrawny 16 year old, what could you do? Everyone who has ever stood up to a Baxter suffers for it!" well I wanted the old Will back.

"Oh come on, you don’t actually believe all those stories do you?" I scoffed.

“Not stories" The woman said “The truth, Baxter’s make their enemy’s pay, and then they vanish, all Baxter’s are pure evil." she ranted, I rolled my eyes.

“See, its true what do you think he'll do to you? He'll not let you off because you’re a girl you know. Robin put this stupid idea out of your head and let’s go home." He said grabbing my arm and starting to walk again.

"No Will!" I said shrugging him off. "Im going to bring down Robert Baxter (somehow) No matter what you or anyone else says all right?" The street was starting to fill up again noticing this Will said.

"Keep it down; do you wanna get us arrested? Look get over it, your one person, what can you do?"

Standing up a vacant stare in her eyes the woman said “Not one person."

“Huh?" Will said.

She grabbed my hand with both of hers and her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

"Hey let go of me! What do you think your doing?" she started to shake.

"Get off?" Will said trying to pry her off but her grip was like a vice.

“Destiny has plans for you Robin Hudson." She spoke her voice changed, a lofty spiritual tone.

"What? How do you know my name?” I stopped struggling and looked at her.

"Can we get some help over here!?" Will called still trying to remove her nails from my skin, ouch.

Two contrasting lads, a little older than me and Will ran over to help.

“And you Will Spencer, Mark Johnson and Jhon Walker." Will and the other two guys looked at her alarmed.

"How do you know our names?" I asked her, fearful of the answer.

“Destiny holds much in store for you, Rise again!" she shouted and raised one hand to the heavens and even then I could not get free. Upon the words "Rise again" a burning searing pain grew on my right shoulder grabbing it a yelled in pain, the others did the same holding different areas, stomachs, arms, legs.

"Robin." Will said clearly freaking out.

"He will strike in the heart." The woman said looking me straight in the eyes; fear washed over me like a tidal wave, what is happening.

"Who?" I asked by voice shaking. "Who will?"

She looked at my as if I had asked the most simple question in the world, realised me and said.

"Destiny." And with that sank to the floor. Teetering on the spot she cupped her head in her hands and then looked up at us staring at her in horror and asked.

"Can I help you kids?"

It was too much for me, I couldnt take it. I ran, away from Will and the two guys who had tried to save me, not looking back until I was safely behind my bedroom door.