Harridan

Once again, Donnie and Kieran returned to New Bristol High, creating an uneasiness amongst other occupants. Janice was dabbing lip gloss onto Kieran's uncanny and full brim. The harridan's eyes, however, told a different story. Dark circles from the sleeplessness, red and swelled from the crying; an exact replica of Donnie's hazel eyes. He tried to hide it by playing with his tasseled hat simultaneously humouring Macy. The sky-blue robes and matching hats were the focal point of the day. Magnolia, naturally, was missing in action. She was hardly missed; with Janice faffing with Kieran's appearance.

Kieran put her tasseled hat back on, forcing it down over her unruly curls. It was Donnie who stepped up and shifting it to the right angle. Like their robes, the graduation caps were also sky blue. Macy was taking nonstop pictures of them on Janice’s phone even before they were gathered in front of Janice’s car to take photos proper. James had a hand over Kieran’s shoulder, and just as quickly realised what he had done. He was equally fast to notice she didn’t pull away. Janice and Donnie alongside them, too, notice the harridan didn’t move. Macy grinned with them and continued taking pictures of them.

Donnie looked passed her and made for the football field. Kieran turned after him. In that direction, Principal Avery and chief Sulkin were on the approach with an officer on each side. Kieran gave a small gasp and shied behind Donnie. Donnie coolly slid his hand into her reassuringly. "Mom," the basketball player called warningly.

It was James who stepped passed them defensively while Janice held Macy at her side. James shielded Donnie's rigid disposition with his stretched-out arm. "Something wrong, gentleman," the chief financial officer asked stoically.

The officers around the principal focused solely on Kieran, whose attention was on Peter and his hardened eyes. "Ms. Arclight," Principal Avery began, "I'm afraid I must ask you to exit the property. There are parents and students who do not feel comfortable with your... er, presence." James looked to Kieran warningly. "I have your diploma," he added handing over the rolled certificate.

"Unless you're charging her with something, you have no reason to chase her away," James voiced. "Nobody is pressing charges, and no property was damaged because of her."

"Would you press charges against something like that," Peter hissed.

"It's fine," Kieran mumbled. "I'll go."

"No," James roared. "Peter, you've known Kieran since she was a child. Name one time she ever hurt someone intentionally," he pressed. James fell silent expectantly and gave the police chief a chance to answer. Peter exhaled only. "Principal Avery, Kieran is on the honour roll, in the top percentile with a 4.85 GPA, with nothing nearing a warning on her record. Either we all step aside and proceed, or you risk unleashing holy Hell from me."

"Sir," Peter replied, "I'm going to ask you to return to your vehicle, and leave." Kieran noticed how the New Bristol Police officers had their hands at the ready; either at their tasers or their pepper spray. "I'm asking you calmly, for the sake of sparing you from embarrassment. Please desist."

Kieran grabbed her diploma from the principal and stormed off. "Rie," Donnie called then hurried after her. Kieran flung the hat aside and continued. "Hey," he declared, grabbing her arm.

Kieran's eyes were fully black when she turned to him. He cupped her cheek with his ring finger held out, to spare her the pain from his iron ring. The harridan, despite the full sun she was under, crunched shadows together, earning a group of classmates in identical robes. Donnie leaned his forehead into hers. Spectators, however, took in the soccer defender; a churning figure of black wisp and mist. Her eyes closed, feeling his warmth contrast to her capabilities' cold climate.

The misty shadows on the ground re-shaped into a gorgeous Celtic knot swirling around them. Donnie leaned his head over hers and watched the interlinked lines slither and coil around them silently. Their own shadows fuelled the pattern. Kieran sighed, relaxed, and the knot faded away. Parents and students hurried off with the display over. Kieran looked at her fingers fade back to normal. Donnie rested her hand in his palm.

"Can't I just puppeteer them," Macy asked. Donnie held his arm out to her, and she joined the hug. "It would be so easy."

"It's fine, Maceira," James stated. "That won't be necessary. We're leaving." He looked to Kieran's nonchalance. "Donovan, you're welcome to join the rest of your-"

"Funny," Donnie cut in.

Janice beamed at him. With that, Janice mouthed: I'm proud of you.

"Can I suggest Mad & Milky," Donnie pressed. Kieran looked up to Donnie - with his arm around her - and gave a weak beam. She leaned into him.

Macy hummed dreamily. "Gingerbread and dulce de leche shake!"

Their presence at the town's leading dive was equally as disturbing to other patrons, and staff. A literal shadow was cast over Kieran and her unwavering scowl. The whispering jeers, the shameless pointing, the judging stares. Dealing with them since third grade was one thing; being made fun of for being special-ed. It was something else entirely to be mocked for something she spent years and years trying to hone. Something she didn't choose yet didn't despise either. Macy, next to her, was fanning the mist out of her face while sipping her gingerbread and dulce de leche milkshake.

Donnie blew a tendril out of Kieran's face, only for her turn her fowl face on him. He combed a stray hair out of her face. Kieran exhaled lightly then slouched into the red booth. The cherries in port milkshake in front of her lost its value, along with the platter of poutine they were all sharing. Steamy, crispy fries with a creamy cheese sauce and bacon! Macy was munching on crispy fries by the mouthful; wolfing down insatiably.

A ruckus horde of laughter came through the door, earning a deviation of attention. Kieran gave a black exhale of relief and slouched slightly against Donnie's arm. Coming in, however, some in the group were still wearing their graduation hats. Kieran shifted uncomfortably and set her hands on her lap. James scooped a cube of bacon onto his fry and balanced it vertically on the bulb of his nose, making both Kieran and Macy giggle.

Donnie caught the flickering ends of Kieran's smirk before she looked at him. "What," she asked.

"You could come with me," he offered. "Get away from..." Donnie looked across the dessert bar. There, at the cupcake conveyer belt, were a few players from his basketball team "... here." His hazel eyes returned to her. "We have contacts in Hanover. I'm sure one of them would..."

"A harridan surrounded drunk students? Even one that doesn't hunt for her dinner is risky. Colleges are wayward buffet, heavily populated by other orders," Janice interjected. "But maybe New Bristol isn't the best place you." Janice saw Kieran's unchanging expression shift from her to next to her. Janice followed suit. "James?"

James wiped his hands off then defeatedly tossed his napkin onto the table. "This's a futile conversation. Kieran doesn't want to leave, I don't want her in town so, we've come to a compromise." Janice glanced to Kieran briefly. "She'll stay at her grandmother's cottage and keep her time in town very, very limited. Anything she needs, I will get for her."

"You want to stay in a place where people hate and are afraid of you?"

"It must be Thursday," Kieran retorted to Janice. "There's nothing for me out there. There's nothing for me here. The cottage is neither here nor there, literally."

"You could always live with Uncle Joey, in New York," Macy offered. "The mafia's looking for a new butcher."

"What did I tell you about phoning Uncle Joey," Janice hissed.

"But they opened a pizza shop. He and Big Romero said I could..."

"Not while I'm breathing," Janice cut in. Kieran gave a weak smile then linked her fingers around her milkshake. "Living alone, out there, away from society sounds very harridan, but you don't know much about being one. The isolation could be maddening; the quiet, overwhelming. The lack of electricity and indoor plumbing?"

"As opposed to paying water and electricity and acquiring debt just to get by?" Donnie shrugged his agreement then turned back to his mother. Kieran, however, didn't desist. "I've spent years there; I know how to live off grid."

"You'd have to keep interactions into main town very limited."

"You say that like it would be difficult." The medical examiner blinked quizzically at the harridan. "I know how to find berries that are safe, to purify river water, to fish. The cottage is fully paid up and I don't have a reason to be anyway passed the Welcome to New Bristol sign."

James looked to Janice for a reaction when their table was too silent for too long. The medical examiner looked over the harridan then huffed. "Fine, suit yourself," she caved. "But there is the matter of that same-species consuming." Kieran rolled her eyes. "Be grateful New Bristol's only morgue is conjoined to the only funeral parlor. I can look at cremation schedules and coffer types. Nobody will miss a rump roast here, or a filet human there."

"Corpse embezzlement?"

"Go too long without long pork, you start deteriorating," James began.

"Without enough vitamin human, you could possibly... very possibly... get hangry and go into stasis until you've gotten your fill. Or worse, you get your fill and don't stop."

"How long is 'too long'?"

"Let's not ever try and establish an answer to that," Donnie murmured. James pointed a fry at him in agreement. Kieran rolled her eyes. "It's not like poor old Mr. John Doe is going to need his hands underground."

"How's 'poor old' Mrs. Doe going to feel when she tries to hold his hand one more time and-- oops," Kieran retorted.

"You're awfully sympathetic to your food."

“This is so fucked up,” Kieran replied breathlessly. “Does every meal start with death?”

“Does every hamburger start with a slaughtered cow?” Kieran watched James stuff his face. “Now suck it up, you sound like a vegan.”

"Fine. I'll take the pallor mortis McDonalds."

Another eye roll escaped her and her eyes landed on Logan and his friends, wolfing down the cupcakes on the conveyor belt. Her eyes filled with rue but all she did was blink his way. Like clockwork, he turned away from her. Donnie rested his arm more firmly over her shoulders and shifted closer to him. It only elicited more whispers from the other seniors on the basketball team and the girls with them.

It was only a glimpse into the barrel fire outside.