Harridan
VIII: Tendrils of Darkness

James' house was stiff and filled with dead silence, mostly. Kieran came down with her black ankle boot flats on the wooden stairs. Black jeans, a black top, a black cardigan, and a matte black helmet were the first thing Francine saw with the basket of linens in her hold. Dorinda joined Francine along the stairs, also with her own basket of linens. Kieran stepped into kitchen but only stayed to grab a waffle off the small pile Anna made. Magnolia was typing on her laptop and James was hogging down some of the waffles too, with cream and berries.

"The dance starts at seven," Magnolia said, although it came more as a threat.

"The game starts at six," was all Kieran said.

"What game?"

Kieran sprayed cream on it before dipping out of the kitchen - unceremoniously - and drove herself to a long... snail-paced... unhurried... larghetto day at school. AP French too lost its vigor. The yawning, irksome delay of chemistry with Mrs. Kobliska made the tiring, somnolent day grey. Biology and Mr. Burgundy; English with Dr. Eggman; Maths with Mrs. Rousey; Mr. McMahon and his world's history class? It was all languid, and lingering, and tiresome.

The day just stalled on and on from Kieran and Logan exchanging stolen glances throughout the day. The Friday air and the anticipation for the basketball game. Blaine, particularly, was drowning in school spirit; she was wearing a hoodie with a lion's mane and ears. Over it was a white and blue argyle vest, like the school mascot. She was also serving her usual $4 school spirit cupcakes, the way she did for basketball, baseball, football, swimming, lacrosse, soccer, chess, cross country, track and field, water polo, cheerleading and volleyball events! All New Bristol High's sports. All her proceeds went into funding the affiliated sport of the day. On a good day, that was easily $4 000 in funding!

After art, Blaine came skipping down the hall with the dregs of her cupcakes reduced to a single tray. She had permission from Principal Avery to always miss classes to sell to students, teaching staff, cleaning staff, school visitors, anyone who passed the intersection with the bronze Roary the Lion statue. Kieran leaned against Blaine's locker with her $4 stretched out like a drug dealing purchase.

Some of Blaine's cupcakes were blue icing with white sprinkles and some were white with blue sprinkles. The cupcakes came in two flavours: vanilla and blue velvet. Kieran took a blue velvet cupcake with blue icing. Blaine watched Kieran take a mouthful of it, lifting her downed spirit. Blue icing smeared on her nose and top lip.

Blaine rolled her eyes playfully and looked to the oncoming traffic. "Man sandwich, nine 'o clock," she stated. Kieran turned to face Logan approaching. She squealed and buried her face against the locker. "You have it bad," Blaine sang.

Kieran rubbed her face with the side of her hand aggressively. She straightened up and cleared her throat. "Blaine, Kieran," was all Logan said as he passed them. Kieran blushed underneath the blue streaks on her face. Blaine shifted her focus back on Kieran, but not before Logan bellowed, "see you at the game!"

Blaine puckered her lips suggestively in response. "Shut up," Kieran ordered. Blaine chuckled then shook her head. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Every time I see him, my mouth gets dry and if feels like my heart is trying to jump out my ribs."

"You like him."

"After one date? A double date."

"The guy speaks Kieran, is that such a crime?" Kieran hugged herself and looked aside. Peeping out from underneath her motorcycle gloves, her hands were tinting black. "Hey." Kieran turned her crestfallen eyes onto Blaine's glistening, owl-shaped, green ones. "If you want to go slow, tell him that. Worse-case scenario, he calls you a prude and I get to beat the shit out of him." Kieran leaned against the locker. "We can sit together at the game. As student body president, I have courtside seats to all the home games."

Kieran nodded and looked at her hands cooling off. "Blaine, I haven't been this out-of-my-skin since..." she admitted, not looking away from Logan and his friends hyping themselves up.

"Tell you what, come to the game in costume." Kieran's eyes went wide. "Listen," she jeered before Kieran could argue. "You and James in costume, me and my dad in costume. Costumes are fun and light-hearted. Yes, Magnolia dressing you as Wednesday Addams was piss-poor, to say the least, but it's for fun. It will lighten the air, and also open up conversation. Now, go home! I once straightened that bush once, and it felt like arm day turned into arm week."

Kieran coiled a lock over her gloved finger. "I'll see you at the game."

"Hey," Blaine called, tugging her back. "My dad told me about the cottage thing. You have no idea who...?" Kieran shrugged. "What if you're being stalked?"

Kieran felt shivers down her spine from the passed letters. The scary part wasn't being watched; it was that whoever it was knew about her capabilities. They possibly had capabilities too. She shook her head, hearing Doreen's stone-cold words ring in her ear: "never use your capabilities outside the house. And never tell anyone about them, either. The consequences will be dire for all involved." It's all Kieran heard when she felt sharing it with Blaine would lift the weight. Now more than ever because Doreen wasn't around to shoulder it with her.

"You have no clue who did it?"

"Not the slightest." Kieran walked away, breathing out a heavy sigh.

Another note awaiting her one her desk was expected, now, but Kieran came home to find nothing there. Just the plain desk with the lamp, her stationery, and her copy of the Picture of Dorian Grey. The Wednesday Addams costume was laid out on her bed expectantly and made her deflate even more than the dreary day had. Anna - like clockwork - made a light lunch; grilled chicken salad. Kieran rushed through her homework before locking her bedroom door. Swallowing hard, she set her phone to record with her costume barely in frame.

"This is Kieran's video diary, part two," she sighed, still sitting at her desk. "I've always known my capabilities follow my emotions. Suppressing it long enough to release it safely was always tricky, but I've managed somewhat well." She bit her lower lip with her arms folded on her desk. "I never noticed how calming it is to my capabilities to be around Blaine, not until today. I saw Logan coming and it felt like I needed to use more restraint. Call it a crush, call it infatuation. I don't like someone having this sort of control over it, over me. Especially not a guy."

Kieran coiled locks of her hair around her fingers as she stared aside, pensively. Her pout, meanwhile, was crestfallen with her down-turned eyes. In the silence of the grey and pink room, Kieran reflected on what she knew about her capabilities; both with Doreen and alone, after her passing. The one constant Kieran saw through all of her difficult times was a bubbly, green-eyed ally.

"I think why I react to Blaine the way I do is because of how our friendship developed. I could never find it in me to talk to anyone when I started at New Bristol Elementary," Kieran went on absentmindedly. "My capabilities were manifesting more rapidly than I knew how to control. I was terrified I might accidently use it in public. Then, there she comes, signing very sloppily but legibly. I later found out that she learned for me. She got me speaking again."

The soccer player looked to her recording phone and breathed out. She ended her video and looked at her hands, tinting. The tendrils radiated off her. Her lightly rippling fingers made the silvers slither between her fingers. She watched it reflecting on her black screen. Kieran tilted her head with an arched eyebrow. The dark, thick eyebrow was perfectly curved in her reflection as she played with the shadows, watching herself. Her singularly arched eyebrow furrowed with her other, examining her eyes' reflection on her phone.

"I wonder if..." Kieran started recording again. "Kieran's video diary, part three. I once saw my eyes go completely black. Irises, sclera. Some of the veins around my eyes too. I'm going to try and re-do it." Kieran inhaled. She focused on her eyes' reflection, watching her unchanging eyes. "I remember being really pissed off. At Magnolia for the cottage, at James for..." Kieran clenched a fist. Her video caught the black mist starting to flow off her "... for being James." Tears swelled in her eyes. "I was angry at myself, for the fire and--"

Kieran's lips parted when her eyes blacked out. She formed a ball in each hand. Her room began to rattle as it filled with darkness, that spread. The shadows blocked out the sun. The darkness was blinding. The rattling came to a soft halt, but the blackness stayed. Kieran flared her hand in a lightning-fast motion. The shadows swirled about the room, toppling over the bedside lamp, shaking the vanity and the ottoman at the foot of the bed. Kieran gathered the shadows and condensed them to razor-like obsidian. The jagged edges caught the freckles of light that seeped in, showcasing the solidification.

The quiet was welcoming with the solid shadows behind her, like a hand fan. The veins around her eyes - Kieran saw in her video - also protruded from the blackness pumping through them. She inclined her chin and parted her lips, drawing the excess darkness back into her. The solid blackness clanged against each other and broke formation. They hovered above the bed, clamouring from bumping into each other. Kieran slowly closed her fingers, and the shadows went intangible again.

"Honey, can I come in?" The blackness vanished throughout the room. Anna let herself in, regardless. She found Kieran turning off her phone and looking around in confusion. "I found this stuck on the front door," she stated and handed over the thick cream paper from Mommy. "I didn't read it, but..." Anna sighed. "I'm not going to say it, but you know what I'm going to say." Kieran nodded as she read:

My dearest Kieran, your powers make you uniquely qualified to be mine. Nobody will stand in my way.

Nobody, my love.

Kieran set the letter aside. "Ominous," she stated. "Anna, do you think this person would... kill... for me?"

"No," Anna replied then read the letter. "No, no. I'm sure they wouldn't push it that far."

"They bought a house for me, fixed my bike, and god knows what else. You were right, this is too much."

Anna nodded then caressed Kieran's cheek, making her smile. "Tension is really high in the house right now. Magnolia will probably think it's a sick joke, so wait until after the dance, okay?" Kieran nodded. "Okay. In the meantime I know a private investigator, if you like me to start ahead?" Another worrying nod. Anna pulled her into a hug and Kieran squeezed her tightly. "Oh," the housekeeper replied. "Honey, it will be okay. I promise nothing will happen. I promise." Anna stood straight and glanced at the costume. "I'll leave you to get ready."

Kieran sighed her exasperation at the costume but began to get ready, upon the housekeeper's exit. In the shower’s warm water, she washed off the shampoo and the bad energy she accumulated in her yawning, long day. The fragrance of peaches in her hair products were also aromatherapeutic and went with the body scrub. The feel of her conditioner she massaged her scalp with also eased her foul mood. She cupped her soapy hands together. Black mist started to form in her palms.

She balled her hands and took a deep, steady breath with her eyes closed. Kieran took another deep breath and a third before rinsing her hair. While rinsing, she continued taking deep breaths and felt the energy inside her subside. She stepped out of the shower and braced herself for the evening to come. Kieran dried out her hair quickly to get started on her makeup - something she hadn’t mastered yet, since Blaine insisted on doing it for her whenever the occasion arose - and took her time with it.

With a towel wrapped around her torso, Kieran picked out dark reddish-brown lipstick and dark eye shadow and started working carefully and meticulously. Her hands were steady around her eyes, and it paid off! She was chuffed with her handy work! It was rare that anyone in the compound got to dress up. She did her hair and finished with the two trademark braids. Kieran shook her head in the full-length mirror in her closet.

The soccer player rolled her eyes as she stepped out of her room with her purse. From the mahogany barricading, she saw Magnolia and James at the foot of the stairs conversing amongst themselves. Kieran sighed and shook her head before making down the stairs, in the black kitten heel Mary Jane shoes that had buckles on the front. Magnolia was grinning from Kieran's descent in the white-collared black dress.

Kieran shook her head and walked towards James' car. A red BMW Z4 convertible. It wasn't impressive. Cars in bright colours - except for Blaine's yellow Fiat - were a symptom of attention-seeking, in Kieran's opinion. James cruised through the streets with the top down in his chalk-striped, dark-colored suit and tie Gomez Addams' costume. The matching stick-on moustache tied the whole thing together. His salt and pepper hair was also gelled back to match the look.

The school was filling quickly with New Bristol supporters as well as those of Weston High. The players were warming up, dribbling the ball back and forth, and shooting hoops. James and Kieran side-stepped the court-side seats towards Blaine in her old cheerleader uniform with her blue and silver puffy pom poms. Blaine wrapped her arms around Kieran, giggling, then pointed onto the court, to Logan doing drills with the rest of the team.

Peter returned from the concession stall with popcorn. The police chief too had on his old uniform, but not a police uniform. His New Bristol High linebacker uniform. Cleats and all! The back of his blue jersey still had P. Sulkin over the 40 in white. Kieran shook her head with a small smile when the police chief winked at her. She turned from the football outcast to the main focus of basketball when the starting buzzer started.

Suddenly, the whistle blew, and the game began. The Weston coach was pacing back and forth, shouting out instructions to his team. Unlike Mr. Gravely who gave more demure yells from where he stood. Naturally Blaine was cheering on Donnie - and not the team - watching the captain-center defended their basket. Logan, meanwhile, was noticeably a little sloppy in his role as shooting guard. He missed a wide-open shot for a three-pointer.

Kieran could see the fluster redden his Chinese features and started typing her foot rapidly. Blaine looked to the shoes Kieran wore and suppressed her laugh. "You know Wednesday made a point that she doesn't like pilgrims," she stated, pointing to the shoes.

"If the buckled shoe fits," Kieran answered dryly.

Blaine nudged her shoulder into Kieran's. "Calm down. Your boyfriend has plenty of time."

The soccer play exhaled shakily but nodded, turning back to the gripping game. Basketball was a sport she didn't understand, yet deduced that the first half was a losing game. The players were quick on their feet, passing the ball back and forth, trying to get past the Weston team’s defense. The crowd was on the edge of their seats, watching every move. The lions and the wildcats were back and forth-ing tensely. The lions were playing a weak offensive game. Kieran felt her heart racing when two Weston players had Logan sandwiched. He was stalling.

The referee blew his whistle to end the first half and Logan smirked devilishly, leaving the score at 19-14 to Weston. Their players wore a white uniform with deep brownish-red contours and writing. Glowing from his soaking wet form, Logan made for the bench. He did a double take at Kieran. She gave a stuttering smirk and he huffed before grinning. He joined the team to re-strategise, with Donnie. Music drowned out Mr. Gravely's pep talk when the New Bristol cheerleading team, with Roary the Lion, took to the floor for their halftime show.

Weston's cheerleading team also did a showcase, and both squads rejuvenated their respective school's school spirit. Kieran gave a round of applause with everyone else. Blaine cheered loudly and shook her pom poms. When she roared, "go Donnie," he looked to her usual seat and winked at her before returning to the court.

The second half wasn't making anyone on New Bristol's side feel any more confident. Blaine ran her hands over her face then through her hair. She got so angsty, that she pulled out her big blue bow and tied her sleek, straight hair into a ponytail. Her wide eyes got wider when she edged on her seat when Donnie defended their net. The New Bristol side writhed when Weston side scored. Kieran matched her uneasiness when Logan had the ball. Fortune was on New Bristol's side, though, and Logan managed a redeeming three-pointer.

The cheerleader and Wednesday Addams were holding thumbs simultaneously sweating bullets throughout the second half. James and Peter were watching their wards and the game. The chief of police wrapped his arm around both girls when the last ticking minutes grew too much. The pressure was taking its toll on the whole team: Logan was substituted for a Cheurfa twin and Marques replaced Quinton. And it did nothing. The captain too was losing steam; even with his girlfriend roaring his name endlessly.

With only seconds left on the clock, the Weston star player took the ball and made a daring leap towards the basket. He soared through the air, the ball in his hands, and made the winning shot. The crowd erupted into cheers as the team celebrated their victory of 30-21. Blaine pursed her lips watching the lions' retreat. Kieran gave her hand a firm squeeze before she and James got into his car and Blaine and Peter got into Blaine's, for the father-daughter dance.

The open-air drive in Jame's cherry red car made through the school traffic, with Weston cheering the win over the home team. Along Main Street - around the corner from the school - the traffic didn't cease with cars still pulling into the town square for the mayor's dance. A whole two hours after it started! There wasn't much that was missed, anyway. The most prominent of note was the best dressed duo award, which went to D'Sean and his six-year-old, Yuneisia Harris as Doc Brown and Marty McFly.

The music pulsated throughout town hall. Female students and their fathers or father figures were piling into the hall for the evening. A good few of whom come from the basketball game to support sons, nephews and grandsons. Gretchen (who was dressed as her grandfather, the mayor, and her grandfather was dressed as her) was organising the partygoers to their designated seats then saw Kieran, and James pressing down his moustache. “Madigan,” Gretchen sang while scanning over her seating chart. “You’re at table 3. By the white orchids.”

Kieran as Wednesday followed James passed the tables of other families. James pulled a seat out for her and she forced a small smile as she sat down. Next to her were Bonnie and Clyde and next to him were the three musketeers. Clyde shifted his water gun into his holster after pretending to shoot a few girls passing by. James sat next to her, not saying much to her either.

While the two other fathers with them were talking, Taki Taki by DJ Snake began to boom through the speakers and Paxton grabbed Ainsley’s wrist and pulled her out her seat. The other little girls followed them too. The sophomore dragged the junior to the heart of the dancefloor. The fathers also went elsewhere, unearthing their cigarettes.

Kieran looked around at the other costumes in the hall: batman and Robin; Wood and Buzz Lightyear; the Phineas and Ferb was really cool; Holmes and Watson; Mickey and Minnie; there was also a Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall; an Alvin and the Chipmunks; a Fantastic Four; even a Mystery Incorporated! Kieran's shoulders drooped then she looked at her hands, feeling the dim hall's lack of lighting make her restrain a challenge.

"So," James began sheepishly but spun to face her. Kieran inhaled deeply and felt control return. "Do you want to talk about your father?"

"What's there to talk about?"

James shrugged a shoulder. "You tell me."

Kieran slouched. Kieran ran her hands over a fish braid. Kieran looked over the phony moustache that was starting to peel off. "Magnolia never speaks about him," she admitted. "All I know is, he wanted an abortion and she never heard from him after Princeton."

"I'm glad Maggie didn't listen to him."

"You're glad there's hostility under your roof?"

"I'm glad there's a young woman in the world who's not consumed by her self-image, or social media, or fixated on trends. You follow your own interests and that is really refreshing. Although I don't appreciate how that tongue snaps like a whip, sometimes."

"People have all the virtues I dislike, and none of the vices I admire. Magnolia, particularly."

James hummed a chuckle then poured himself some of the lemon and mint water from the jug. "You cast a warm light on people you care about, Kieran, and a cold shadow on those you don't." Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the Findɴovel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Life's too short for pussyfooting and too long for grudges."

"You seem to be holding a pretty hefty grudge against your mother."

"You're in finance, not family therapy."

James nodded then patted down his moustache then gave a small shrug. "Kieran, I love your mother. I don't like seeing you fight with her. My mother and my sister didn't get along either. When my mother died..." He took a long sip of his water. "It's a pain she has to live with for the rest of her life. That is not a pain I wish on anyone." Kieran looked passed him to see Blaine and chief Peter walking in, lighting up the room. Kieran exhaled heavily then shook her head, looking away. "You could start be not keeping secrets from her."

She did a double take at that and swallowed hard. "I-I don't know what you're..."

"No need to play coy. We both know." James narrowed his eyes on her. Goosebumps ran down Kieran's arms. He was seeing through her. "Kieran..."

Her lips parted and she leaped out of her seat. Kieran started panting when she stalked off. Looking down at her hands, she detoured off her route to the restroom and made for the double glass doors. She bolted right passed Blaine, unsuspectingly, and continued through town hall. Blaine left her pom poms with the chief then followed after Kieran.

Breathing turbulently, Kieran shoved and squirmed passed partygoers, security and staff. She all but shoved an alien out of her way with black mist dripping off the young woman. Kieran thrust open the doors leading to the parking lot and stopped to catch her breath. Heart racing wildly, and strong enough to burst through her chest; vision blurring at the edges; hands permeating and quaking uncontrollably.

Kieran hunched over the brick wall of the front garden, taking deep breaths. Tears poured out her as she sobbed to herself. The jagged breathing continued with muffled sobs in between. Kieran looked at her shaking hands and exhaled deeply. In place of plain transparent air, Kieran let out a puff of black, illuminated by the decorative streetlamps that were all around town hall. Kieran gasped. Kieran exhaled again. Kieran's breath was black. She watched in fade away under the lamp's direct light, sizzling almost.

Ebullient Blaine hardly noticed a thing when she came strolling behind her. "You okay, super star?"

"Blaine, go away!"

Kieran sniffled and covered her mouth. “Hey, it’s a father-daughter dance,” Blaine countered. “Gretchen’s here with her grandfather; Sophomore Jordan and her uncle are here; Freshman Jordyn and her cousin are here; Donnie and Macy? The way I see it, it should be called a father-figure-daughter dance. And TBH, after all the sizzling beef between you and Magnolia, props to James because God knows my dad would've put my mom and I out if we were in your situation.”

"Leave me alone!"

Blaine scrunched her goo-goo eyes and her thin eyebrows and never looked away from the sobbing form. "Rie...?" Kieran hugged herself and shook her head with Blaine watching her rear. "This is me you're talking to."

Kieran watched her entire hand engulf in the surrounding shadows. Biting her lip, her breathing grew unruly. The darkness spread under the dress' long sleeves and Kieran strained trying to pull it in. She growled lowly, unable to pull herself together. She straightened up, panting, then took off in a pained jog. Blaine followed her unquestioningly. Kieran spun around to see Blaine trailing after her.

"Please get away from me."

"Rie..."

"Please," Kieran begged through her clogging nose. "I promised my gran not to tell anyone," she sobbed. "Not even you." Kieran sniffled, hunching forward and hugging her stomach. "I hate been this alone. She was the only one who understood it."

Blaine held her hands up in surrender. Instead of backing away, however, she signed. Kieran watched as she stepped under another decorative streetlamp: you're never alone, when you have me. Kieran shook her head and continued sobbing. The black filled Kieran's eyes and Blaine's eyes stretched wider than was natural. By the streetlamp's light, Blaine also saw the darkness come off Kieran in waves. I will always be here, Blaine signed. No matter what.

Kieran shut her eyes and what little control she had, was gone. The abrupt darkness snuffed out the entirety of Main Street. A brief panic ensued in the dance. Cell phone lights illuminated James looking to the off-turned lights then around the room. In the blink of an eye, he took to a full sprint. He rammed down the arriving Donnie and Macy - dressed as Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper, respectively - and chased himself through the building.

The darkness that exploded from Kieran was short-lived. Dissolved by the streetlamp. When her eyes opened, Blaine was gone. Kieran sniffled roughly, looking around. She turned around to find Blaine laying on the ground. The harrowing ear-splitting, bone-chilling shriek that came out of Kieran made the shadows tremble and recoil. Gashes and claws that ran so deep, her cheerleader uniform was shredded and bones beneath were visible.

Unmoving emerald ones staring dead ahead. Kieran wrapped Blaine in her arms, shaking her profusely. No words came out, just an endless screaming fit of indistinct rambles. The blue and white dress was solely red like the stone ground. The scream echoed down the street and into the building, a calling song to James. Kieran pressed Blaine into her chest wailing like a siren. The dark blonde hair coated in blood from Kieran's hands.

James came sprinting down the front stairs, following Kieran's raw voice. He staggered to a halt, panting. He went pallid. Peter followed after him, with Donnie and Macy close behind. "Stay back!" James held his hand up to Donnie. The police chief made his way towards the chief financial officer. James pressed a hand into his shoulder. Kieran's shrieking worsened and Peter did a double take.

"No," the chief bellowed. "Blaine!" He shoved James aside an fell next to Kieran. "Blaine!"

James peeled Kieran off Blaine, restraining her hands behind her back. Kieran fell limply against James but didn't stop screaming. Not even when Peter was frantically on the phone with 9-1-1. Atop the stairs, a crowd had formed with a sobbing Donnie at the front and Macy buried in his side. Kieran turned away from him and buried her face into James' shoulder. She looked back at the body in front of her, unable to keep her eyes away for long. She sobbed loud enough for it to echo.

The serene on Blaine's face didn't match the grotesque of her body. She retained that sweet smiley face on her full cheeks. Blood-stained or not, nothing could take away from that kind and warm expression. Even her stunning wide green eyes held onto her kindred spirit. It made Kieran tremble even more, feeling the lifelessness in fair hand. The carnage around her failed and it was just Kieran and Blaine. The way it had always been. Another blood-curdling scream.

But it was just Kieran and Blaine.

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