Talent, Page 2

  Chapter 1.

  Present day.

  Marianne darted around her kitchen the way she always did on the mornings she thought she had time to squeeze in a cooked breakfast before getting Sarah to school. Not that she minded. Marianne had it made. She only did what she wanted- her house attested to that – everything crisp, clean and perfect, everything with a place. If it wasn't the maid's annual break, she wouldn't even have to worry about the housework, but today she had company arriving, and she wanted things to look as immaculate as she always strived for. Perfection. But first breakfast.

  Money or not, Marianne always made time to make breakfast, to do homework, to spend time with Sarah. Looking up form whisking eggs, Marianne smiled as she gazed at Sarah sitting at the breakfast table engrossed in rote memorizing her times tables. Sarah had just turned twelve and to Marianne, she was her everything. She had been older than she would have liked when she had Sarah, still Marianne only looked around her mid forties so she had only had off the cuff comments about there not being a man around to play dad. Fact was, Marianne never found it important to complete herself with a Mr. in her life. Nor had it ever been an important thing to hear a Mrs. before her name, Marianne could have whatever she wanted, whenever, no limits -well nearly no limits. Having a child had been difficult, none of the regular avenues had worked – traditional, IVF, naturopathy, acupuncture and the like. Marianne had been deemed barren until the day the unbelievable happened. Sarah had always been her little piece of magic, her miracle.

  The bacon popped in the pan bringing Marianne back to her task. Giving the final whisk to the eggs, Marianne realized that the butter had burnt in the pan. Huffing, Marianne was just toweling up the butter when the toast popped up. Near losing her cool, she was relieved when Keterlyn walked in to the room.

  No matter how long she knew Keterlyn, her confident, relaxed demeanor gave Marianne a twinge of jealousy. She treated Keterlyn like her sister, and had since the moment they met. Keterlyn strode over, looking all of twenty one, dressed in cargo pants and a tank top to reflect the unseasonable warmth they had been experiencing this autumn.

  As soon as Keterlyn saw Marianne's distress she redirected her path, pausing briefly to kiss Sarah on the head as she headed to the kitchen. Sarah adored Keterlyn, and why not? Quite frankly Marianne did too. Her attitude, her strength. Marianne trusted Keterlyn implicitly, even with her life, with Sarah's, though she knew she shouldn't take such liberties.

  "Good morning. Could you use a hand?" came Keterlyn's silky tone as she sidled up next to Marianne in the kitchen.

  Marianne sighed in audible relief. "Yes please. If you get the toast, I'll work on saving the eggs." With that, Marianne and Keterlyn worked together in a unison that could only reflect their utter familiarity forged over time passed in each other's company.

  In no time, breakfast was on the table, though Keterlyn never sat. Instead, she chatted as she picked from the bacon, eggs, waffles, sausages and toast and placed items in a napkin to take with her. Today she would find a few supporting references for her latest university essay. She was smugly looking forward to a familiar essay topic that would see a comfortable win of a high distinction for her-one to add to the collection. The sooner she got to it, the better.

  Marianne sat, polite and poised as always, while Sarah gleefully abandoned reading the times tables out loud to load up on eggs and toast. Since she turned vegetarian, she had been nearly insufferable in her preaching about the woes of animal farming, but at least, Marianne reasoned, she hadn't opted for vegan. That she would have struggled with, besides, eventually a hamburger or meat lovers pizza would win her over.

  "What does your day look like?" Marianne quizzed Keterlyn.

  "I'm going to the library to start working on my project." Keterlyn's tone held the smarminess that reflected back in Marianne's raised eyebrow.

  "The history of the Manx?" Marianne more stated than asked, already knowing the answer. Keterlyn smiled back with amusement.

  "Every time?" Marianne teased.

  In between sips of juice, Keterlyn passively argued her point. "Meh. Gets me marks for originality. Every time."

  With fake nostalgia Marianne swallowed her mouthful of eggs and mused out loud. "Ah, I remember the first time you wrote on the subject they failed you."

  Keterlyn laughed. "I don't remember it that way."

  "Ha. You wouldn't!"

  "I can't help it if I was on the cutting edge of history’s greatest findings."

  "Hmm. Call it what you will." Marianne dismissed before turning to her daughter.

  "Sarah, how's the practice going honey?"

  Sarah took a deep breath before announcing with confidence her deepest wish. "I'm nervous, but I think I've got it."

  "You'll do fine." assured Keterlyn before draining her glass of juice. "What about you. What are you doing today Mar?"

  "Cameron and Ida are coming over with Amy and Josh."

  Keterlyn rolled her eyes, "You mean Mr and Mrs insufferably perfect." Sarah giggled.

  Marianne sighed, "Yeah, I'm fairly certain it's just Cameron and Ida nowadays."

  Keterlyn picked up her piled high breakfast with some difficulty, Sarah watching on as Keterlyn gave her a wink. With a feigned aloofness Keterlyn added to her commentary. "Cool, then I'll see you this afternoon. I'll be back to show you how to make that sauce for your dinner with Toni." Sarah immediately jumped in with a woo hoo sound which almost caused Marianne’s cheeks to redden. All these years, independent as she was, she still blushed when people pointed out her romantic liaisons. With a flurry, Keterlyn left, balancing her bag over her shoulder, her breakfast in one hand and messing up Sarah's hair with the other. In the wake of her exit Marianne sipped her coffee and gave Sarah a mock scolding look. "I don't know what you’re grinning about. I'll be making woo hoo sounds at you when I see you and Benji holding hands next." Sarah blushed as she bit into a piece of toast. She blushes just like me -Magic, Marianne thought.

  A little later, Sarah now at school, Marianne vacuumed in the den. As she did, she failed to hear the phone ring, though she did stop the machine for a moment, thinking she had heard something, but it had already diverted to the answering machine. By then, she couldn't hear the trembling voice on the answering machine left by one of the school personnel asking Marianne to call a mobile number as soon as possible. Marianne resumed vacuuming and finished with enough time to hit the button on the coffee machine to get the milk heating. She smooth back a strand of her hair just as the doorbell rang.

  Answering the door, two middle aged, well dressed men, Josh and Cameron arrived, both looked similar and could have passed for brothers except from the fact Josh carried a Canadian accent, unlike Cameron's low toned Australian drawl.

  Amy and Ida, who were huddled between their respective partners, both almost rushed Marianne hysterically.

  "Oh my God are you OK?" gushed Ida.

  "We couldn't believe it. I was sure you wouldn't still be here!" Amy said, grasping Marianne to her. Marianne looked closer at Cameron and Josh. Both wore looks etched of serious concern. Marianne's heart sank. A creeping cold swept over her skin.

  Pushing Amy back, Marianne stepped backwards into her home. The four followed her inside. The words nearly choked in Marianne's throat. "Why, what is it?"

  A new look of sympathy and realization washed over their faces.

  "It's all over the news. Sarah's school." Cameron offered before he and Josh headed to the den to turn on the television.

  Marianne steeled. "What's happened?" she demanded.

  The sound of the television blared in the momentary silence as Cameron flicked through channels finding the news station.

  Amy broke the pause. "There's a hostage taker. He has Sarah's class and the next year down. Shots were fired. How do you not know this?"

  Not that she wouldn't believe her friends, but in disbelieving fear, Marianne walked over to the television screen. As she watched the images on t
he television she sank to her knees horrified.

  The journalist's hair flew about in the breeze as she spoke from outside the school Marianne had been to for so many occasions. The first day of school when she straightened Sarah's hat and held her hand as she stood next to her in the line in the schoolyard. The same place her little girl had danced her first dance, confessed her first light kiss on the cheek just last month with a boy in her class. In that moment, watching the police tape flutter, the crowds mill about and be held back by officers of the law, Marianne broke.

  Ida, and Amy had known Marianne for almost ten years, since she moved into the neighborhood. The three had bonded over tennis, over Friday night TV dramas, and parent committee activities until their children had gone to different high schools, but neither of them truly knew Marianne. But then, Marianne had taken careful time and trouble not to be fully known, not to let them know all of her facets, or her strengths.

  Marianne was unequivocally resolute in that moment, staring at the television she couldn't hear for the blood pumping through her ears, couldn't see clearly for the blinding rage that built up. By the time Marianne stood, her body was pure will, power coursing through her being, every vein bursting with pressure. The capillaries in her eyes gave way. Although she had always considered herself the weaker of her clandestine group, as she stood there, she knew nothing would stand between her and her child, no force, no evil, no promises made. Right now though, she wished her particular talents had allowed her to will herself to Sarah's side, make the person who held her against her will implode into mincemeat...how she wished for the dark things she could do if she had the power, but right now she had to focus on what she actually could do.

  Marianne summoned the resolve to speak. "I'm going there now." Remaining disturbingly calm, she left the room for the kitchen.

  "All the roads around are sectioned off. There’s gridlock for blocks. I think you might be better staying here Mar." called Cameron, though Marianne was already busy pulling herbs out from where she hung them to dry on the back of her pantry door, freshly taken from her garden. Using a mortar and pestle she quickly ground them, before deftly throwing open her window. Ida and Amy, tearing themselves from the television, approached their friend with caution.

  Muttering in an inaudible tone, Marianne mumbled under her breath, though grew louder as she closed her eyes, keeping her right hand held over the contents of the pestle. Her voice continued to grow until Marianne yelled out as she threw the herbs from the pestle to the wind. "…Come to me…come to me Martin. Come now. As I will so mote it be!"

  Ida, and Amy exchanged a look of pity mixed with concern. Ida reached out for their tormented friend, but Marianne just shook her off, stalking to a chest sitting under a window, and wrenching the knick knacks off it, throwing open the lid with abandon. "Marianne." ventured Ida. "What are you doing? Sweetie. We’ll get in the car and go now. We can sit in traffic."

  "Whatever we can we do to help?" added Cameron who had seen the commotion and joined his wife. Josh remained rooted to the screen.

  "Nothing. Nothing at all." muttered Marianne who rummaged through the contents of the chest. Her three friends peered at the contents curiously. Strange bottles, old books and long knives sat next to velvet bags, talismans and small carved figurines. Marianne pulled out a jar of acorns, tossing the contents into a small material bag she slung over one shoulder. Next, Marianne pulled out a long black handled dagger. Her friends took a step back.

  "Marianne. Put that down. Stop and talk to us." begged Amy nervously. Ignoring her, Marianne put the dagger to her right arm, pulling tight the material. Cameron reached out, and Ida winced, but all was too late as Marianne pulled the blade back. Then they realized that Marianne had just cut through the material on her shirt, almost separating it from the rest of the garment.

  The point was lost on them, along with the other behaviours, but before any of them had a chance to ask Marianne what the hell was going on, a motorbike sounded, halting outside the house. A tall bald man, Martin, stepped off the bike and moved to the front door in time for Marianne to open the door before he had a chance to knock. Martin stood with a bemused look on his face.

  Cameron, Ida and Amy shared a look that reflected their own state of confusion.

  "I’m not quite sure why I’m here." a bewildered Martin confessed.

  Marianne took his face in her hands and looked him deep in his eyes. "I’m really sorry Marti. I need your help. Take me to Sarah’s school. Forget laws and rules. Take me to the school as fast as you can." As if in a daze, Martin responded, unquestioning, returning to his bike.

  Marianne looked back to her friends. "I’m sorry to frighten you. I have to take care of this." Marianne turned on her heel and walked out, hopping on the bike before Martin tore off in to the distance.

  Josh peered out from the den in time to see Amy, Ida and Cameron's aghast face. "What did I miss?" the others looked back at him, unsure what to explain.

  Marianne and Martin ignored red lights, ripped up turf and scared pedestrians off the sidewalk on their journey. Marianne knew there was no going back, no explaining, not really. Did she regret doing this to Martin, bending him to her will, knowing he would cop fines, charges for doing this? Yes and no. For the first time since she had joined her coven, she understood why you could turn your back on everything and everyone in the interests of surviving. Losing Sarah meant losing herself. There was no point without her, and if she had been hurt, she would boil the guilty alive. Another light changed to orange, but she willed it green, closing in on the school.

  Coming to a screeching halt, Marianne jumped off the bike, swiftly closing the distance from the parkland they had halted on towards the throng of people that separated her from the school, from Sarah. Police and people created a barrier, the police preventing people from passing the flimsy tape towards the shoulder-high stone wall that outlined the school gardens. As Marianne closed in she visually sought out an area less dense with people, and when she did, she moved a hand to her side, causing several people to be knocked off their feet, and out of her way. A path to the wall now opened up, Marianne gripped her hands into fists, knuckles white.

  Back at the house, Ida, Amy, Cameron and Josh all watched the TV anxiously.

  Cameron squinted at the screen. "Is that Marianne?" They all looked closely. "How did they get there so fast?"

  Marianne walked towards a line of a few officers, passing them barely noticed- except by one. The officer yelled for her to stop though Marianne ignored him, instead ducking under the police tape and leaping over the stone wall. Before she made it over the wall though, the police officer her had run up to reach her and extended his arm out, trying to grab her before she made it. Taking hold of her right sleeve, it ripped away and he was left with nothing but the sleeve in his hand, and Marianne was over the wall and moving fast.

  Amy sunk onto her haunches looking taken aback. "Oh my God! Did she know that was going to happen? She cut the sleeve so it would rip!"

  Marianne continued towards the main school building, as a man appeared at one of the windows. Pulling out a gun, he started firing at her as she approached the doors to the school, but the shots scattered about her, missing their target and hitting the ground at her feet. Though Marianne continued to trudge forward until she reached the door of the school, when she arrived she didn’t enter the building, but instead threw the bag she carried to the ground. Sinking down, she removing the acorns and the knife, made a circle from the acorns before slamming the knife to the hilt in the ground within the circle. The acorns disappeared into the ground, and cracks radiated inwards towards the dagger. Standing, Marianne entered the building.

  Ida, Amy, Josh and Cameron watched anxiously, barely breathing, waiting to see what would happen next. Minutes passed, everyone waiting with breath bated.

  Ida jumped to her feet as a flurry of thirty five school children burst out of the doors, rushing towards the police. Amy laughed in relief
and Josh ran his hands through his hair sighing in relief.

  Cameron still stared intently at the screen. "Where is she?" he asked. A moment later the coverage had switched to an overhead helicopter, when glass shattered across all the windows on the upper floor. As the crowd below peered into the darkness of the open window, there was a flash and the gunman flew out of the window backwards, flailing his arms as he did until he dropped and hit the stone walkway halfway across the grounds.

  Walking out a few minutes later, a stoic Marianne put her hands out in surrender as police swarmed around her. Looking fervently across the crowd, Marianne locked on Sarah and a smile parted her lips as the cuffs snapped around her wrists. Police instructed her on her rights but it just blurred into the background. Taking a few steps to run for her mother, Sarah was stopped by another parent, fear in the grown woman's eyes as she turned Sarah away. The crowd was quiet as Marianne let herself be led to the police car, content in knowing Sarah is safe, in spite of the fear people would instill in her about what her mother did, despite of the rumours, the gossip, and the fact that everything was going to change with what was going to happen next.