Under Her Cursed Scythe

In the classroom, lies and bitter words were passed from one ear to another, poisoning hearts like venom.

Apart from Joshua and Cain, everyone else (not just those who were around Joshua's desk) had swiftly immersed themselves into the thrilling and intense "discussions" concerning the Jinx.

During the spreading of these pieces of information and "news", someone exaggerated certain statements; someone included their little pieces of thoughts as well as comments; and someone added lies. The action of throwing shades on someone just became so intriguing all of a sudden. Even for those who normally did not involve themselves in such behaviours-as though they had craved for this moment of unveiling this deep, dark desire of destroying others with words- they couldn't subdue themselves from spreading unreliable rumours, and fail to detect the sulphurous smell embracing the room.

"Stop!" someone shouted in a loud voice like a lion's roar and banged his table with his fist, abruptly.

People in the classroom even those who had been engaged in other conversations, began to stop their chatting, turned around and gaped at the owner of the voice who could no longer endure the gossips that were contesting around him.

"Stop! I said STOP!" the voice thundered.

Joshua stood up from his chair and made his way to the far back of the classroom where most of the gossipers had gathered, while his voice ascended level by level until his shout was loud and clear enough to grab everyone's attention in the room.

As soon as everyone had grown hushed and the noisy room had turned into a place which was nearly as quiet as the library, his footstep discontinued and he declared loudly, taking on a scolding tone, "Listen to yourself! Listen to the things you've said about Alivia and her family! Look me in the eye and tell me they are real!"

Joshua's normally twinkly face turned stern and no one had ever seen him so enraged before.

"Come on! Show me the facts! The evidence! The police and the officials should have said something about the things you've said, right? The distressed calls for help, the kidnapping, the missing children… Come on! You all sounded so certain just now!" he challenged.

Under any normal circumstances like this, Joshua's peers would have mocked him for being so darn serious, or would have simply asked him to shut up. Yet, like any other incident of bullying or injustice, whenever Joshua stuck up for someone and started to lecture others with lessons of morals and equality, no one ever rebelled against his rebukes. All, uncharacteristically, listened to him, appearing to be paying full attention at his words.

"I-it's still an assumption at the moment…"Albert stammered. Joshua had caught him by surprise but he soon became amused by the attention he had easily gained from the effect of Joshua's one simple question to him. "But I am going to find proofs to-"

"Does it have anything to do with Alivia or her family?" Joshua cut in, stressing every word carefully and loudly.

"No, I've never said there is a linkage between these cases and the Jinx. It's the girls who started it…"

Joshua's pupils immediately swivelled to stare intently at the two girls who had initiated the gossips.

"Did you enjoy poisoning everyone's ears with your lies?" he asked and glowered at them. "You remember the first Shakespeare we read? Othello killed his innocent wife because of the false accusations that were fed to him! You might think it has been exaggerated or just a story but it's true … 'Words can kill'." he quoted. "You… will be no different from the murderer you claimed Alivia and her mother to be if those words spread out and shallow-minded people come to believing in them!"

There was a moment of what seemed to be a silent reflection where most of the people in the classroom kind of lowered their heads, their eyes glazing down with shame and embarrassment, while a whiff of fresh, fruity fragrance (which successfully covered up the sulphurous gas surrounding the room and "forced" it to recede)-caressed in the air.

During this happening, Ashley also found herself eased from that sensation of constant itchiness on her neck the instant she felt guilty for her actions. (It is worth noting that when her fingers left her skin, two fang marks were seen).

Yet, this quiet and remorseful atmosphere only lasted for a brief moment when Regina lashed out with fury.

"Why are you defending her?" she murmured with her fist tight. "We didn't make anything up! We heard distressed screams outside her door! It was just last month! Right, Ashley? We both heard it!"

"We thought we did…" Ashley replied, in a low, abashed tone. "But now that I have thought about it more carefully, I think it might be because someone was watching a horror movie in the house…The television was on…at that moment."

"Ash…how could you…"

"I'm sorry. I don't want to make it any worse now."

"No! No! No! This can't be it! How… It doesn't make sense!"

"What doesn't make sense? Everyone can see that there's no truth or facts in what you are saying. Why doesn't that make sense to you?"

"No, I mean, why her? Why the Jinx but not me?"

"What?"

Regina released a gruff sigh before she yelled, "LOOK AT HER FACE! IT'S ASHEN AND OBNOXIOUS! It's like looking at a face of a ghost, an ugly one! You should be looking at me! I'm the prettiest girl of the class, not her! Why do you have to care for her but not me? I doubt that she can even- even... What the- " Her voice trailed off and she clamped her hand against her mouth, as though transfixed at her own outburst. She hadn't expected to go so far-to actually speak out her vile thoughts so thoroughly. Normally, she would keep them to herself or among her few "best friends" but a moment ago, it was like she couldn't control the words coming out of her mouth, as if there was an insidious pressure driving her to blurt out those dark and narcissistic thoughts in front of her classmates.

In reaction to this, gasps of surprise and astonished whispers fluttered through the classroom and people began to criticize her, throwing her the disdainful looks with silent accusations. Meanwhile, Joshua's forehead creased and his expression darkened even more. He pivoted around after heaving what seemed to be a sigh of disappointment.

"It's all your fault!" Joshua's footsteps halted and his head was back at Regina when her high and shrill voice hit his back. "You only care about her!"

"I think you have got me wrong. I care about a lot of-"

"You care a LOT MORE about her!" Regina burst. "How- how about my feelings?"

"Your feelings? I-"

"I like you!" Regina raised her voice over the shuffling clatter of her classmates while crocodile tears were blasting from her eyes.

She needed to justify, an excuse, for her snotty statements and impertinent insult towards Alivia.

"How can you not feel it? Do you know what I've done in order to make you pay more attention to me? I tried to be better. I tried to be...NICE!" she blurted her last word with extra emphasis as if it was a big deal for doing that.

"What?"

"Can you blame me for venting my anger on Alivia?" As she was asking that, there was a second or two where her chin slightly tilted upward and her watery eyes narrowed as they wandered among her classmates, looking down upon them, giving them the look of a predator to its preys and daring them to say a word, before she returned her gaze back at Joshua.

"Do you know how hurtful it is for me when you only care about the Jinx but not me?" she intoned and gazed at Joshua with feigning innocence written in her eyes.

"W-what are you talking about?" Joshua waggled his head at Regina's ridiculous accusations. "I don't-"

"I guess that's a no then." Regina hastily concluded, not allowing Joshua to complete his explanation, and dramatically ran back to her seat.