Jaro Briggs

"What?" I rasped with utter confusion.

"Are you deaf?" Lana mocked entering into my house with firm seriousness in her tone. "Where did you guys graduate school?" She added a question.

"At Shady Vale High School. Why?" I answered.

"Bring that book you showed me yesterday." She ordered.

"It's Monday morning. Shouldn't you be at school at this hour?" I expressed my curiousness unable to keep track of this damsel's eccentric behaviour.

"I bunked." She sounded irritated. "You wanted me to hear your story. Now is your turn. I am ready to listen. Make my while worth it. If I find out you are fabricating false things or thwacking the truth, I will be the reason for your quietus. Quit squandering seconds and hurry up. Quick," She stopped.

With no other option left, I started my car.

"I thought you were still belabored and delirious from yesterday's events. You still seem to be in inhibition. Especially now, when things are rough with your boyfriend, clash with your chum and Roger is on the loose. This will surely add more to your poignant and worth. You already are feckless now," I expressed my concern suspecting her gall behavior.

I don't think she has the heart to take in her Mom's defiance and deadly nature. Not yet. This may tear her apart even though every part of me is itching to expose Michelle's true colours.

"You know my Dad used to tell me this little tale when I was younger." She articulated out of nowhere, seeming to be lost in her own world. "There was a spider. You know spiders, they are predators and prey on insects," She implied.

"Once a baby fly fell into a web of a spider. It was very small, scary, and lost. The spider wanted to feast on its prey but instead pitied the fly. Taking care of and well fed, the spider raised the fly as if its his own child. Eventually, spider grew old and couldn't pick much prey. On the other hand, fly grew into a healthy fly," She said looking at me with her beautiful blue eyes.

"One day, the spider couldn't find its food. It was devastating. Hunger blinded its humble nature. It saw the fly. The fly which it took care of as its child. It ate the fly," She ended the story, wiping a tear from her eyes that I didn't notice until now.

"You see, I always loathed the spider for behaving ruthlessly in my childhood. But as I grew older, I understood the nature of animals. Spider killed the fly because it didn't have feelings and emotions. The very thing that distinguishes humans from animals." She concluded with a heavy sigh.

"What if my Mom is a spider? I and brother are the files?" She said with disturbing dismay.

"In your story, there was no one to the fly to help and fight back. But here you have. You and Ben are not files, Lana. You guys are humans and I believe you can fight back the spiders in your life," I assured.

She gazed at me with intensity, her beautiful pink lips curling into a slight smile. It's one of her silent thank you, without actually saying thank you. I smiled back.

..................

We got out of my car, staring at the Juvenile school in front of us. Shadyvale Juvenile School it says. We drove up 30 miles to the place where I and Michelle met and spent most of our teenage hood.

"You think they are gonna let you in?" I asked raising a brow.

"You thought I drove up 30 miles with an imbecile like you without any preparation? I have my ways," She taunted showing me her fake ID with the name Mary Cannon. The same ID she used to get into the bar.

"Classic Lana Mary Pipes," I smirked, spelling her full name. She rolled her eyes and went in.

"Yes, Miss?" The guard stopped her.

"Hello, I am Mary Cannon and that is my uncle Jaro Briggs. These are our IDs. I would like to talk to your warden about something," She spoke swiftly with ease. She is very great at acting according to the situation and making it favorable to her condition. Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

The guard went to talk to his warden over the telephone.

"So am I your uncle now?" I folded my hands.

"Don't be such a prickly flower. Act along," She insisted.

The guard let us in and led us to the warden. The warden is woman a looked around 65-70 with salt-pepper hair and a rumpy face. She wore blue-framed glasses through which her brown eyes glammed, her nameplate written as Ava Allies. 

"We are so sorry to bother you but Mam we would like to have a little information about someone who was here in the past. My mother," She didn't finish.

"Is your Mother's name, Michelle Cornelle?" Warden raised her chin.

Lana's jaw almost dropped to the floor. I, myself am stunned to hear her say Michelle's name. No wonder Michelle leaves an impression in everyone's life but this warden might have seen thousands of children come here in her life. Even after 20 years, she still remembers her? Damn, Michelle. She never fails to surprise with shocks.

"Oh come on, you resemble her so much, expect the hair. After all, how could I forget that pestiferous brat," She sighed adjusting her glasses that were falling to the bridge of her nose.

"Yes. I would like to know about her. Why was she here? How was her behavior? Also, how do you still remember her after all these years?" She blinked, astonished.

"Didn't your Mumsy say?" She said giving a sluggish smile. "Look kid, I can't disclose anything without the right paperwork from you," She included and started to leave.

"My Mom is not well. She's been acting weird lately. So, her doctors asked to have a detailed background check on her mental health and behavior from the past," Lana said swallowing a breath. "So, I need to know everything. This is important." She added, taking a few documents from her fancy shiny black purse.

I thought she bought it for style as it matches her red black shirt and black jeans or to keep her phone. She came in here with a plan. The warden went through the papers. "Alright then, let me check the log book," She gestured us to wait and left.

We sat. "I went to my Mom's hospital and secretly typed a doctor's letter from the psychiatrist ward of the hospital, stating she has a mental illness. For which we need to examine the detailed past life of the patient for curing her," She blew a strand of her curly brown hair.

"Beauty with brains," I clapped, mesmerized by her talent. I don't know if I should be scared or thrilled.

Ava Allies came in with Michelle's records.

"In 1998, December 18th, your mother Michelle Cornelle was sentenced to a 6-month stay at this Shadyvale juvenile school by the higher authorities after the inquest. The reason was she maimed her classmate Shari  weeks. She drove a mathematical compass into her right ear. She was severely injured " The warden spoke.

"Oh," That was all Lana could speak.

"But how did you recall her even after all these years?" I interfered.

"She was a real nightmare. She got into petty quarrels with fellow members here all the time. She was rebellious and riotous. That girl has some serious issues with her temper. I could barely handle her," She hypothesized.

"Also, there is a personal reason to remember her," She blushed reminiscing something. "Her Dad, oh that Adonis. Hans Cornelle and I went to the same school as him. He was amazing. A real Greek love god. He stole my heart the moment I laid my eyes on him. But he said his heart only beats for that witch Moe, Michelle's Mother," She snapped.

"Too bad Moe cheated on him. Later he was also sentenced to prison for killing his wife Moe. She deserved to die. He admired and adorned her like a goddess. If only he married me, I would have been your grandmother kid," She ran a hand over Lana's shoulders. That startled her.

This warden bitch is crazy. A lunatic lover. "He was such a great father. He loved his daughter a lot. He visited her here every week and also specially requested me to keep an eye on his daughter's well-being. I could never say no to him," She laughed like an old mean hag.

"Anyways, I helped Michelle stay out of all the troubles here for him and then she left after her punishment ended. I never saw her again. If I didn't manage her, her punishment would have also been continued longer due to her irrational and malicious behavior," She added.

"You try to get the help Michelle needs. She seemed to be disoriented and damaged from the beginning. Convey my regards to that brat, kid." She patted Lana and left.

Q/A

Q. What is the craziest incident you experienced in your childhood?

A-

Author's Note:

Hey, my lovey dovies. This chapter is my personal favorite. Hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. Please vote if you like and comment your views. It would mean a lot.
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