Chapter Six

Sins Of The Father

‘I can’t be arsed,’ Savannah said to Lauren. It was 8.55 am, and they were waiting outside of their English classroom with their similarly bleary-eyed classmates for their teacher.

Savannah was (sort of) dressed in her school uniform - she’d put the jumper and polo shirt on, but, as usual, had replaced the scratchy school trousers with her own black jeans, and clumped around with black boots on her feet. Lauren was the same; the school had long since given up on telling them off for these misdemeanours, knowing they’d never do as they were told.

Today, Savannah lacked the energy to even pretend to be happy in school. After last night’s altercation with Jeremy, followed by the nightmare (she’d neglected to mention this to Lauren. She’d make a fuss; something Savannah desperately didn’t need), all her reserves had been depleted. Not to mention, she had a mild hangover.

‘I know, I know,’ Lauren responded, having heard it all before. For her part, Lauren looked no worse for wear and was raring to go, as dazzling and energetic as ever. ‘You’re gonna be fun today, aren’t you?’

Savannah scowled. ‘Shut up. You’re making my head hurt.’

Their English teacher - a lean, elderly man with sharp eyes called Mr Schofield - arrived at last. He was an emotionally volatile man (at least, as a teacher); it was a fifty-fifty chance whether he’d be in a fun mood or an irritable one. Given his sour face shared the same miserable expression as Savannah’s, the class filled with feelings of dread and anxiety.

Schofield unlocked the door and barged into his classroom. He didn’t bother holding the door open, choosing instead to let it slam back into another girl in the class. The students followed Schofield in, though the majority looked as though they’d rather be walking into oncoming traffic.

The classroom was lined with shelves containing novels, poetry texts, and plays. The walls were decorated with the works of Schofield’s favourite students: from mind-maps, to drawings, to full-length essays. In one corner, beside the interactive whiteboard, was Schofield’s desk, littered with papers, notebooks, and post-it notes. Lining the wall behind it were small postcards of his favourite 70’s and 80’s actors and musicians, accompanied by their iconic quotes.

Schofield slammed his briefcase onto his desk and waited, glowering, for the class to take their seats.

Savannah, half-asleep, stumbled in last. English was both her favourite and least favourite lesson. She enjoyed it because Lauren was in her class, and the pair revelled in either mocking Schofield in his bad moods or joking with him in his good ones. On the other hand, rubbing salt into her wounds, Matthew and Kate (the former friend Matthew had left Savannah for) were also in this class and had the audacity to always sit together. Their laughter made her blood boil. Why did she deserve to have the pain of being cheated on, and have to suffer the added injustice of spending an hour each day in their presence?

Her scowl darkened. When she took her seat, chucking her bag onto the floor, Lauren put a hand on her back. Savannah shrugged it off. ‘’M fine.’

Schofield moved to the whiteboard. ‘Right, get out ‘The Age of Innocence’, and write me an essay answer to the question-’ He scrawled it like a collection of spider legs on the whiteboard as he spoke. ‘One of the major conflicts in the novel is stability versus change. Where does Wharton use this? And,’ he lurched back around. ‘If any of you tell me you’ve forgotten your copies, I will string you up by your ankles.’ He retook his seat, the class silent as the grave.

Out of the corner of her eye, Savannah witnessed Kate’s hand inching into the air. With a jolt of savage pleasure, she smiled at Kate’s terrified expression.

Schofield’s furious gaze snapped to her. ‘What?!’

Kate glanced at Matthew. He turned away from her, so her eyes dropped to the floor. ‘I-I-I’ve le-left my c-copy at home.’

If looks could kill, the one Schofield supplied Kate would have put her further in the ground than her first ancestor lay. He launched a spare copy across the room. It hit Kate square in the chest before she had a chance to lift her arms. Savannah fought against the fit of laughter threatening to break out; a glance at Lauren confirmed she was experiencing the same, for she was quivering with her lips pursed tight and gaze straight ahead. Kate was on the verge of tears.

‘If you forget your book again this year, I promise I will throw something much heavier at you,’ Schofield snapped.

Savannah put her hands together in mock prayer and muttered, ‘please, please, throw something heavier at her,’ loud enough for all to hear. Everyone laughed and Savannah could have sworn she saw Schofield’s lips twitch upwards. She met his eyes and while he wasn’t smiling, they glinted.

‘Right, Lauren, fancy doing two essays while I have a nap?’ Savannah said, already putting her head in her arms.

‘Naw, you can pull your weight for once.’

Savannah groaned and opened her book.

Halfway through the lesson, Schofield stalked around the classroom, checking what everyone had produced so far. Upon reaching Savannah and Lauren he picked up Savannah’s water bottle and mimed throwing it at Kate, who wasn’t looking. The rest of the class, however, were, and a fit of giggles rang around the classroom. Savannah laughed the loudest.

‘Aw, do it, sir,’ she pleaded. ‘Though,’ she dropped her voice so it was inaudible to all except Lauren and Schofield. ‘Use Lauren’s bottle - it’s much heavier.’ He nodded his understanding and moved on.

Part of her felt cruel, most of her felt vindicated. She wore a smile for the rest of the lesson; when the bell rang to signify its conclusion, she was disappointed. Satisfaction returned when she noticed Kate was the first to scarper from the classroom, Matthew trailing after her like a faithful puppy.

Her next lesson was History; Lauren’s was Sociology. Savannah loved History, but it wasn’t the same without Lauren in it. She got on well enough with the rest of the class, but the lesson passed, as usual, without incident. Even if she was caught by the teacher texting Lauren. Thrice.

Lunchtime reared its head, and Savannah exited History to find Lauren and Alexis waiting for her.

She raised her eyebrow at Alexis. ‘Hello, you. Not got a boyfriend you’d rather spend your lunch hour with?’ She held up her hands. ‘Sorry, boy-space-friend.’

Alexis grinned. ‘I do, I just don’t want to. Too clingy. Too needy.’ She shuddered. ‘I want a boyfriend, not a bloody child. Speaking of children, Lauren was telling me Schofield had Kate’s life this morning.’

‘Yeah, he did. I’m still disappointed he didn’t launch the bottle at her. It was full, heavy, and would have hurt a lot,’ Savannah said, her voice turning wistful.

Alexis smirked. ‘Ah, now you’re sounding like my sister. I’m gutted. The bitch deserves worse than that. Mind, I wouldn’t complain if Schofield happened to miss and hit Matthew instead… with his car.’

‘Shut up,’ Savannah laughed.

As they left school, the sound of sniffling reached their ears; Savannah turned and saw that Kate was walking behind her, sobbing. A pang of guilt shot through her and she was about to apologise when Alexis noticed what she was looking at, seized her arm, and pulled her along. ‘No, Sav, let her sob. She doesn’t deserve your apologies. Save them for when you get on my nerves.’

Savannah obeyed and they left the school grounds in search of a café to enjoy lunch in; the guilty sensation deserted her en route.

After a brisk walk, they arrived at a quaint coffee shop, ordered drinks and sandwiches, and sat on the upper floor in comfy leather chairs beside a window overlooking the high street. Savannah sipped at her coffee while they waited for their food. Lauren and Alexis joked about a boy in Savannah’s year, called Joe, who’d asked Lauren out by text last night.

‘He was like, ‘erm, hi ahaha, sorry to message, but I’ve seen you about in school and er, I was wondering if you’d like to get a drink sometime ahahaha’.’

‘Ugh, pathetic! What did you say??’

‘Bitch! I said, ‘ugh, no thanks, can think of a million things I’d rather do’.’ Alexis howled with laughter. ‘Needless to say, I haven’t had a reply. Anyway… did you see the new outfit I got?’

‘No,’ Alexis said, regaining control. ‘Where would I have seen it?’

‘If you paid attention to other people’s Instagrams rather than obsessing over your own, you might have noticed it!’

Alexis shrugged and grinned. ‘I can’t help that I’m just the most gorgeous person to ever exist. Alright, alright, I’ll have a look now.’ She pulled out her phone, found the post, and gushed over the outfit.

Savannah was grateful the conversation was brought to a close when their food arrived. After a few minutes of quiet eating, Alexis spoke again.

‘So, Sav,’ she said through a mouthful. ‘How’d you sleep last night?’

Savannah’s brow furrowed. ‘Fine. Why’d you ask?’

‘No reason. I got up to go to the bathroom at, like, three, and you were talking in your sleep. I heard a lot of the word ‘no’ and even a scream.’

Savannah’s cheeks flushed as Lauren’s head tilted. ‘Oh, that… that was nothing, just a bad dream, y’know.’

‘Savannah,’ Lauren said, her voice cautioning. ‘What happened?’

‘Nothing! It was just a dream! I barely even remember it!’

‘Dreams don’t typically make people scream in their sleep, sis. What did you dream about? Did Matthew call you ‘Kate’ again?’ Alexis said. Lauren sniggered despite her sincerity and hit Alexis’s arm.

Savannah looked from Alexis to Lauren and sighed, resigned. ‘I’m not gonna hear the end of this until I tell you, am I?’

‘Ah-ha!’ Alexis pointed at Savannah. ‘You were lying! You do remember! I’m shocked you’d commit such a heinous offence!’

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Despite Alexis’s attempt to lighten the mood, Lauren shook her head. Savannah looked down at her lap. ‘It was weird… like, really weird. It was so vivid… I’ve never had a dream like it. I was in this desert place, and the sky was red. And, it was like, a battlefield, and there were these strange creatures dead all over the place…’

‘What kind of creatures?’ Lauren asked.

‘There were like… some that were kind of human, except they looked like they’d been dead for years… zombies, but more skeletal, I guess… there was like this lion/eagle… thing. Other… things with wings...’

Lauren’s eyes narrowed. ‘Carry on, what happened next?’

Savannah fidgeted with her fingers, thinking Lauren and Alexis would mock her once she’d finished her recount. ‘Erm, there was this massive black and red fortress thing. I could hear screams. I walked towards it to see what was going on but… I got distracted.’

‘By what?’

‘There… there was a human corpse.’

‘Who?’

‘I… don’t know. That bit I really don’t remember. Clearly, the wine had the effect of giving me strange dreams and that’s all it was,’ she concluded with a nervous laugh.

Lauren wasn’t convinced. Alexis, on the other hand, scoffed.

‘I don’t think that was the wine. You’re obviously just a mental case. Surprised they let you out on day release today, after all that.’

‘Fuck off,’ Savannah said, smiling again.

*

The final lesson of the day for Savannah and Lauren was Psychology. Their teacher, Ms Maddox, addressed them from the front of the classroom. She was a short, pleasant, 50-year-old teacher who was never caught in a bad mood, making her lessons all the more engaging.

‘Right, gang, we’re going to be looking at my favourite topic - psychopathy! Ooooh! So - who can tell me the key comparison between psychopathy, and last week’s subject, narcissistic personality disorder?’

Savannah’s hand shot into the air. ‘All psychopaths are narcissists, but not all narcissists are psychopaths.’

‘Spot on,’ Maddox said, proceeding to write Savannah’s comment on the board. ‘There are three main characteristics that make up a psychopath. Known as the ‘dark triad’, these are narcissism - which you’re all experts on by now - psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. These are all things you will see in your Ted Bundys, your Jeffrey Dahmers, et cetera.’

‘Or, your Jeremy Glasco-Masons,’ Savannah muttered to Lauren, who snorted.

‘So, who can tell me what defines psychopathy?’

It was Lauren who answered this time. ‘Callousness, manipulation, impulsivity, shallow or non-existent emotions and constant antisocial behaviour. These are the people who act religiously against the law without reformation or acknowledgement of the effects their actions have on others, who are completely self-absorbed, lack any empathy or remorse for the crimes they commit, and will happily manipulate people to get what they want.’

Maddox looked impressed. ‘Well done, Lauren, spoken like a true clinician. Now, what I want you to do is, using chapter 3, page 79, is two mind-maps - come up with one that includes the traits of a narcissist and another a psychopath. See if you can find any overlap or comparisons between the two. Off you go!’

Savannah and Lauren nailed the task. They did a Venn diagram rather than a mind-map, which Maddox loved. Near the end of the lesson, she had the pair stand at the front of the class and walk them all through their work. Once they’d finished, she asked, ‘so, any differences between the two?’

Savannah cleared her throat. ‘Well, there’s a couple. The first lies in the grandiosity - with a narcissist, it typically covers a fragile individual and acts as more of a self-deception, although they are obsessed with themselves and lack self-awareness, whereas with the psychopath they genuinely believe they’re better than everyone. Another key difference is with the lack of remorse characteristic. While they both suck people in and hurt them deeply, a narcissist tends to feel pain when this happens - if only because they feel ashamed, worried about what their actions will make other people think of them, rather than actual guilt. The psychopath literally does not care an iota. They can happily tear someone’s life apart and not feel a thing. And, another - narcissists mostly lack criminality.’

Maddox gave them a round of applause. ‘Well done, girls, I could not have said it better myself. You two belong in the field of psychology.’ She winked at them, turned back to the rest of the class, checked her watch, and said, ‘right, there’s ten minutes left and I know most of you have a free period now. So, scat! Go on, away with you!’

They packed away their things and left the classroom. Savannah felt more upbeat now than she had at the start of the day; an added benefit was her hangover had vanished.

‘That was fun,’ she said to Lauren, who provided an absent nod in response - she was absorbed in her phone. ‘Everything okay?’

Lauren shook her head. ‘Just a… friend being ignorant.’

Savannah’s happiness turned to frustration. ‘Are you gonna tell me what’s going on? That’s twice in a few days you’ve reacted like that to a text and you still won’t tell me.’

Lauren glared at her. ‘That’s because it’s none of your business.’

Savannah didn’t respond, a stab of hurt gripping her heart. They walked out of school in silence, Lauren ahead of Savannah, her head held high.

The silence remained until they reached the base of the steep hill leading up to Savannah’s house.

‘Look, I’m sorry for snapping. It’s not about you,’ Lauren called back to her.

She allowed Savannah to catch up with her and they walked side-by-side. She took Lauren’s hand. ‘Okay, I get it. You can tell me anything, whenever.’

Lauren removed her hand from Savannah’s grip. ‘Now isn’t the time.’ She dismissed her with a wave. ‘Look, I’m going home instead of coming to yours. Just need to be alone right now.’

‘Okay, that’s fine. See you tomorrow, I guess. Text me if you want, later on.’

‘Yeah,’ Lauren said, going back to her phone. ‘Bye,’ she said, already walking in the other direction. Savannah gazed after her, perplexed. When she continued walking up the hill, she couldn’t stop wondering whether she’d done something wrong, and wishing that she wasn’t going home alone.

She shook the negative thoughts from her mind when she crossed the threshold of her home. She dumped her bag next to the door and bounded upstairs to her room. Without changing her clothes, or even removing her boots, she fell onto her bed and went to sleep.

*

Theo opened Savannah’s bedroom door and leapt on top of her, yelling at her to wake up.

‘Wha-what time is it?’

‘I dunno, but wake up!’ he repeated.

Savannah pulled him into a hug. ‘In a minute.’ She held him for a few seconds until he got bored and extricated himself. She checked her phone for the time - it was just after five.

‘Where’s mummy?’ Theo asked, an edge to his voice.

‘I don’t know, angel, isn’t she home yet?’

Theo shook his head, his lower lip extended.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘Okay, let’s go downstairs, put the TV on, and I’ll make your tea again, yeah?’

He nodded but remained mute while they walked downstairs. She could tell he wanted to protest Lyra’s absence more. When they entered the living room, Alexis was sitting on one sofa, Aaron the other, the latter wearing a face like a slapped backside. Savannah flicked on the television and placed Theo in his stool before it. He zoned out, forgetting the others were in the room.

‘What’s wrong? She said to Aaron. He glowered into space.

‘Nuth’n.’ He left the sofa and said, ‘I’m going out.’ Without another word, he stomped out of the house. Savannah gestured towards Alexis, who shrugged. As usual, she couldn’t care less.

Savannah sighed and, shaking her head, made her way into the kitchen. Once again, she put Theo’s tea on and boiled water in a pan. Lacking the energy to make anything imaginative, she settled on pasta for everyone else.

‘Savannah!’ Alexis shouted through. ‘What’s for dinner?!’

‘Pasta!’

‘Ugh, again?!’

‘Yes! If you don’t like that, make your own!’

‘Nah, I’d rather fuckin’ not!’

‘Then stop whinging!’

Twenty minutes later, Savannah plated Theo’s food, placed it on the table in the living room, and returned to the kitchen. She debated texting Lauren to check that she was okay, but decided against it. Lauren would simply get angrier if Savannah intruded on her space. Though not contacting Lauren wouldn’t help her own anxiety, it was the better option.

She heard the front door open and, expecting it to be Lyra, went to greet the entrant. To her dismay, it wasn’t Lyra, but Jeremy, mortal drunk. Again.

‘Oh, it’s you,’ she said, tugging at her ear. ‘Up to bed, Jeremy.’ He swayed in response.

He squinted at her, his face blotchy and eyes bloodshot. ‘Girl, ‘ow many times do I ‘ave to tell yi’? Don’ gi’ me orders in my own ‘ouse, you li’l bitch. I’ll do wha’ I wan’. Where’s me whiskey?’

He barged past her and into the kitchen. He pulled open each cupboard, slamming them shut with increasing ferocity when he saw they didn’t house his best friend. ‘Where IS IT?!’

Savannah marched into the room. ‘I poured it down the sink last night. You drink enough at the pub, you’re not bringing it back here anymore.’

Jeremy’s face contorted with fury. ‘’OW DARE YI?! WHO DO YI THINK YI ARE?!’

Savannah stood her ground. She backed her decision to get rid of the whiskey. She’d have done the same thing a million times over.

Until he pulled a knife out of the knife block.

He seemed to sober up, his eyes clearing and his body stable. ‘Yi’ should never ‘ave been born, yi’. Mebbe’, after all these years, I’ll fix tha’ mistake.’ He looked at the knife, then Savannah, and back again.

Savannah stood stock still, filled with fear, her heart racing. Her brain screamed at her to run. She was frozen in place. Her limbs refused to move.

Jeremy advanced.

‘P-put the knife down, Jeremy,’ she said, loud enough that Alexis would hear and have the sense to keep Theo in the living room and out of the way.

A wicked grin distorted his features. He flashed his blackened teeth. ‘I think no’. Aww, are yi’ scared? Yi’ should be. All I ‘ave to do is run this ‘ere blade across your throat, and you’re done. Problem solved. And,’ he took another step forward. ‘No Lauren to jump in and get yi’ out o’ this one.’

She heard more movement in the living room and the front door open. She didn’t risk checking what was occurring. She kept her gaze fixed on the knife.

He was so close. She could smell his noxious breath. She could see the crinkles around his eyes, the pupils dilated in psychotic enjoyment. She could sense his recognition of the feeling of his power reinstated after so long without his children fearing him.

He pulled his arm back. He slashed at her. She lurched back, feeling the blade bite into her cheek instead of her chest. She lashed a kick out, catching him on the knee. He stumbled; the alcohol took hold once more, and he swayed, almost toppling.

Savannah darted past, her own trickling blood warming her face. She made for the pan. Jeremy rose again. Drops of Savannah’s blood coated the edge of the knife like dew on a blade of grass.

Savannah swung the pan; boiling water and pasta alike splashed over Jeremy. He gave out a scream from the depths of hell, his skin sizzling and boiling. His hands went to cover his face.

Savannah’s momentum made her continue the swing. She collected Jeremy’s head with the pan, knocking him to the ground. He wailed and she wrestled the knife from his grip; she slid it away into the far corner of the kitchen behind her, spreading water further over the soaked kitchen floor. Blood mingled with the water; some fell from Savannah’s cut, while Jeremy had sprouted a deep gash along his forehead where the pan had made contact. His face, apoplectic with rage, was red, burned, and bruised.

Savannah stood over him, ensuring she blocked the knife from Jeremy’s reach. ‘Get. OUT!’

Jeremy scrambled up off the floor and ran from the house in a whirlwind of obscene, incoherent screams - she caught the words ‘psycho’ and ‘mental bitch’.

Savannah froze once more in the kitchen doorway.

Lyra was home. She stood in the hallway, pushed up against the wall, having taken avoiding action as Jeremy fled.

Savannah burst into tears, pawing at her face. Lyra darted for her. Savannah collapsed, and Lyra grabbed her. Exhaustion, pain, and heartbreak spread through her. Alexis came out of the living room. She sprinted into the kitchen and brought back wipes and stitches from the first aid kit.

Theo poked his head out of the living room. For a moment, his little face was in shock. His eyes widened and a gap opened between his lips. He burst into tears and ran over, breaking Savannah’s heart further.

Her tears mingled with her blood, streaking down her cheeks.

‘Shh,’ Lyra whispered. ‘You’re safe. He’s gone.’

Savannah stared at the front door, Jeremy’s outline visible. She noticed another familiar feeling in her chest - betrayal.

The next thing she remembered, she was tucked up in bed. The blood had been cleaned off her face, and the wound disinfected and covered.

Her tears would not cease for hours.