Chapter 30
Chapter thirty
Isla
In a blur of illuminous greens and yellows Elsa bounces on the balls of her feet fast enough to send my head spinning.
Who knows how this girl has so much energy all the time? It’s no wonder her gran, Pam, is so fit and healthy with having to chase this kid around daily.
‘We go now?’ She, not so subtly, whispers eyeing the wooden door beside her.
I shrug. Fuck it. Realistically, they probably heard her elephant flapping footsteps the second we rounded the corner of their corridor.
It’s a good job this child happily stays in the confines of the stadium because she’d be a little terror out there. Although I doubt she’d make it very far without altering any of the guys on watch.
Elsa squeals, ramming the door open so hard it smacks off whatever is on the other side of it.
A group of wide-eyed women take in the energetic ball of coloured tutus as she jumps in the middle of the door frame, sturdily planting her feet hip-width apart beneath her.
I stifle a laugh at their gaping expression.
Okay, so I knew inviting Elsa in on this plan would be eventful, and no, I’m not above using a smiley kid who no one can say no to in trying to get these girls to the party later. We’re not the closest so I knew I was already at a losing advantage in my persuasion skills.
In a loud, clear voice, Elsa raises her chin, hands propped firmly at the waist of her tutu, announces that they are all invited to her party tonight.
Well she added that part. But I must say it’s a nice touch. Nothing like a good guilt trip to get people moving and the party going.
Elsa sneaks a, not so subtle, wink my way, which looks more like a long blink.
Then she’s pouncing on Amelia, handing her a handmade invitation.
Before Amelia can get a word in, Elsa makes her way around the others, handing each of them theirs as well, before promptly exiting the room, but not before throwing a parting statement.
‘I need to tell maw maw you all coming!’ And with that she skips out.
I’m not going to lie to myself, I’m a little agape at her confidence.
But I'm also not in the least surprised. Elsa isn’t one for a long chat, more of a let's get everything I have bouncing around in my brain out into the open and then boost. And I kinda respect it.
Oh, and for a little kid, she takes no shit.
Liam tried to persuade her that it was bedtime for the pigeons and that meant bedtime for her.
She was having absolutely none of it. It lead to Elsa lecturing him for a solid minute about how she is not a bird and will not be told what to do by no man.
A phrase I’m certain she’s heard Pam say in the kitchen.
I’ve not let him forget it since.
‘What’s this, Isla?’ Amelia asks, waving a piece of paper with a party hat drawn on the front of it. Oh, and a rather scary-looking skull that is wearing it.
‘We’re having a barbecue later and thought it would be good for us all to get together. Maybe socialise a bit.’
‘Will everyone be there?’ Isabella asks, as she picks at her hands from where she is sat next to Amelia.
‘Well, there will still be people on guard and whoever is out but yes, The Skulls will be there too.’
‘I think I’ll stay—’
‘You can’t just stay in this stuffy room for the rest of your lives getting waited on like brats.’ A rather blunt voice states from behind me and I cringe.
Elizabeth has never been one for words, and her outspokenness is surprising, but she does have a point. She’s been acting differently lately, and it’s nice to see her slowly coming out of her shell after all of this time.
‘What are you on about?’ Clover gets up, walking towards us.
‘She means,’ I stand between the two. ‘We want you guys to live. Have fun now that we’re somewhere safe.
All we’ve done is be crammed in tiny rooms, scared of the outside, and now we have space to walk around.
Go explore, get drunk, fuck, do anything but what we’ve been doing these past few years. ’ I plead.
Amelia’s face softens and hope blossoms in my chest. She’s always been the more outgoing in their group.
‘Isla’s not wrong and although I would have worded it a little differently,’ Amelia directs a pointed glance Elizabeths way. ‘Liz has a point too. We need to change something, this isn’t a life, and we no longer need to live this way, why are we forcing ourselves to?’
‘Just because I agreed to come here doesn’t mean I want to socialise with them.’ Isabella grumbles.
‘Argghhh,’ Luna groans rolling her eyes. ‘You are all being fucking ridiculous. We’re bored shitless in here, and anyone who says differently is a liar. All you’ve done is bicker since we got here!’
Unsure of the right thing to say I look between them all but they don’t meet my gaze.
‘Please, just try it. Bring as many weapons as you want. You don’t even have to stay long, just please give it a go. Then I’ll never ask again, and I’ll make sure Elsa doesn’t either.’
I'm well aware I sound like I’m begging, and I don’t care at this point. They need to at least try this, or else they are going to die in this room, never having even tried to live.
‘You need to embrace your fear,’ Luna storms to where Liz and I are at the door. ‘If you don’t hone it and use it to empower you. It will continue to consume you, just like it is right now.’
Luna doesn’t allow them to rebut as she leads us out the door, slamming it behind her.
‘Who knew you were a motivational speaker,’ Liz jokes as we head back down the way we came.
Luna huffs, ‘someone needed to give them a kick up their ass.’
I just hope that whatever all that was, was enough to do just that.
For their sakes if not anything else. Each of them deserves a chance at happiness, whatever weird way that would look for them.
It’s no secret the world is different now, but that doesn’t mean we can't make the most of what it is now.