Today Flame didn't come to school. 

Just when I need that explanation so badly from him. I could hardly sleep the whole night, tossing and turning, just thinking about what had happened. Though it haunted me I wasn't afraid of him, I knew there must have been some kind of answer. Some kind of reason.

I was at my locker getting my books out. Suddenly there was a hand on my shoulder, it pulled me back. I fell over backwards and hit my head on the ground. My vision blurred for a moment but as it came back Frank was standing over me, smirking.

"Where's your little fire-haired freak?" he asked in a mocking tone.

I didn't reply. "Well?" he tilted his head.

I stayed silent, freezing. There was never a correct answer to give Frank. Besides I didn't know either.

 "Am I going to have to beat it out of you?"

No reply. 

He picked me up off the ground and shoved me into the lockers. It knocked the wind out of me and before I had time to react he was already upon me again. Raised fist to punch me. I closed my eyes and waited for the impact. Pain erupted in my left leg as his big fist pounded into it. Tears formed in my eyes but I blinked them away and held back from screaming out in pain. Frank raised his fist once again. I looked away.

Nothing came, I turned my head back to see my younger older brother Jake blocking Frank's fist with both of his small dark hands.

Frank took his fist back. "Why are you protecting her pip-squeak?" 

Frank was so genuinely confused. He had no idea who my brother was that was for sure, or that I even had a brother. Information I would never let him know. 

Jake ran off. I will have to thank him when I get home. His bravery allowed me to catch my breath. Inside I was smiling and there was a warmth in my chest but I didn't have time to dwell on it. Frank glared at me he raised his fist again. I quickly swiped my hefty maths textbook out of my locker and blocked his fist with it. I then threw the hardcover book as hard as I could into his stomach. He crumpled to the ground. I grabbed my books off the top of my locker, closed it and ran as fast I could away from him and all the people watching.

I couldn't help but smile at the small victory my brother and I had accomplished. 

***

It was lunchtime; I walked out of the classroom and looked down the hallway, checking for Frank. He was nowhere in sight. I quickly ran to my locker opened it and stuffed my books in it. I knew one place that Frank wouldn't follow me; the construction site. I also wanted to look around to see if I could find any clues to what happened. Frank or his friends were nowhere to be seen, though I still hid within the crowds of students. I quickly ran to the glass doors that opened up into the construction site.

I walked in and the doors closed behind me. Dust covered the ground. Some of the walls had been broken and stretched. I traced the broken plaster with my fingers, thinking of that gray wolf I had seen. Moving further down I knew there were bodies that had been laying on the ground defeated and broken but they were all gone. Pools of blood remained though a thick layer of dust covered them I almost didn't notice until I stepped in one and the red-brown revealed itself.

Looking closer at the pools of blood and how the dust laid I saw that there were parts it was thicker and it seemed that the bodies had been dragged. I followed this pattern and they had been dragged out of the frame of where a window would have been. 

Gone as if nothing had happened. Aside from the blood, it seemed strange to me that they would leave the blood if they had gone into all the effort to remove the bodies, but my question quickly had an answer. 

Rain fell through the broken ceiling and started to disturb the dust and the blood.

I could have told the teachers or the police. But this was a giant monster of a wolf, I was sure that if it was truly real that it would find me and kill me too. Memories of it tearing into those people within a cloud of dust reminded struck fear into me. 

The school would find out anyway. At least if they did and I was found out the wolf couldn't blame me for it happening. My logic was so flawed but I just needed to hear Flame's side of the story.

So as the rain began to pour, I decided not to say anything and walked out of the construction site. My morals clashing but ultimately fearing for my life.

***

I calmed down after school when I had band rehearsal. I play the French horn.

The notes flowed freely out of my instrument adding to the beautiful sound of the whole band. The trumpets next to me played loudly making their part stand out above the whole band. The flutes added a beautiful flowing sound like a bubbling creek. The conductor stopped us and said, "Now Prelude and Pursuit please."

I got out the sheet. The conductor got his hands ready and we started. The clarinets started off making a creepy sound like someone sneaking up behind me. My skin crawled. "Bar seven," the conductor said and the bassoon and bass guitars joined in with the creepy sound. Then the rest of the instruments came in all making the sound build up. Then we paused for half a beat and the brass came in with similar melody just less creepy. The flute and clarinets played in again making it sound a bit happier and very grand. Then the brass started playing long notes giving it a slightly creepy sound again. There was a bar rest and the conductor drew it out. Then the percussion started playing. One of the students held wooden sticks and hit them together making a rhythm. Another percussion instrument started playing with the sticks. The drums started too with the same rhythm. The clarinets played a single note of the percussion. Then the flutes joined them. They built up then there was one note played by the band and the high brass came over with the same rhythm playing loudly they stopped for a bar and the rest of the band played the rhythm then back to them. The whole band started playing the rhythm and the brass just playing long note filling in the gaps. The low bass came over with the rhythm and then we came back to the beautiful building up sound. In built-up more and more until we played one note quick and sharply. Then the Glockenspiel took over with the rhythm. We all play one note again. It kept playing then we played two notes. We all started playing long notes and the trumpets took over the rhythm. We built up then faded away and the drums continued the rhythm with the triangle coming in. The brass play long notes that sounded creepy and then faded away. The high brass played a rhythm then the low brass repeated it. This went on for a while. Then the whole band joined in. The cymbals crashed and some instruments played loudly and above the rest. We then came back with the original rhythm. We stopped then the bassoon bass guitars and clarinets played the melody that they played at the beginning just faster. We all came back in at different times building up but then the tempo slowed and the music turned grand and beautiful. We held the last note for a while. The percussion played the original rhythm again. The flues came in backing them. After a few bars, they stopped and all the instruments came in at different times. We held a long note that had a despairing sound to it. Then the flutes and bells played the original rhythm again and we all held a note that was grand and glorious. The percussion played the original rhythm through it. When they had finished the whole band stopped.

Band was a safe space for me. Sure I didn't have any friends but I felt like I was a part of something, it had got me through some very difficult and lonely times, even if I wasn't the best.

***

The sun was setting as I walked home. I was weighed down by my heavy bag and my awkwardly shaped French horn in my hand. 

There was a man down the street, he was on crutches. He was wearing a long brown coat but it was dirty but more than dirty, plants grew out of the dirtiest parts looking almost like embroidery. He wore a broad-brimmed hat that obscured his eyes so all I could see of his face was a short brown beard. As I walked past he smiled at me and I got a glimpse of his face, his green eyes sparkled.

Weird.

So the link to Prelude and Pursuit is http://youtu.be/oAepttxQNX8 if anyone wants to watch it. It is a very amazing piece that I have played in my own band.

edited - 14/5/2016

edit 2 - 21/6/2020