The sent of fear assaulted me along with the beginning of shouts of alarm shock and horror. the boy was now a minotaur, and he was bellowing in fear. some exotestal dread gripped my heart . i court my refection the the glass of the window and my jaw practically feel off as i saw a wolf-man hybrid, slack jawed staring back at me and i understood what was going though his mind as penny dropped. if the boy was now minotaur, and then i must be the wolfman. everything i new and believed went out the window. that was me in the reflection and John Rami was the young minotaur in front of me.
" Silence!!" i Howled in terror the sent affecting my ability to reclaim any calm, "Rami quiet"! this is when i noticed my voice had changed as well, oh well got to roll with the punches. "John breath." i almost pleaded. it was easier to try to get someone else calm than my self.as i tried to return the office to tranquillity. the boy was still in a state of panic and still yelling his lungs out. then i remembered some thing to help.
"37195" i never used the numbers until now i had been disciplined for this more than once. with a deep breath i commanded " be still, stand and look at the window please" that seems to have been the trick as john is now silent he bolts to a sitting possession his eye dilated with confusion. as he gets up look around at me with a mix of bewildered terror and shock. i could taste it still, i don't know what is going on, but resorting some peace seem like a good first step.
John see his reflection, and faints. my training kicks in and i put him in the recovery position, with in a minuet he is snoring away. at least he is quite ish now. then the yells form outside started gain volume and variety, i could have sworn that there was at lease one of joy. have i ever stated how much i hate mirrors, this is why.
i turn to the sound of thundering foot steps and think if I'm a wolfman and John is minotaur, who and what is coming though the door. why do i have the sent of rabbit in my nose?
as Julia now a rabbit kin came bounding though the door, and proceed to faint, poor lass. though why was Julia the one coming to investigate, she was not what i would consider intimidating.
i really get better at introducing people before they enter the room, any way Julia Smyth assistant head sectary as a human was the shortest adult at 1.5m (5ft) on site with a bouncy personality and quick humour with a reputation for "horizontal dancing" with the warden. with this moment of quite i should introduce some of the other people who work here.
lets start with the warden Leonel King a shroud and, intelligent, approximately 1.85 m (6,1 ft) with a tan. if i had to guess what he now is some for of lion-human hybrid would be 1st on my list
Jonathan Strauld assistant warden, a stickler for the rules. approximately 1.75 m (5.9 ft), head of administration (sectary) Wayne Bruce the only person i fear more than the warden 1.60m (5.3 ft) also hates bat man and DC comics and films in general. Xikarte Lui ( Kate) the kids lest favourite of all of the adults head of the medical centre in E block, i have heard her described as a vulture, by colleges and kids alike 1.90 (6.3 ft)
as the snores cease I'm out of time for introduction, young John is starting to wake and i need to stop any more screaming or bellowing.
"Raise and shine John." trying and failing to project confidence
"please say that was a nightmare." came a pleading response with his eye firmly shut
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"I can't unfortunately, unless we have having the same nightmare" a tone of defeated in my voice.
John still had eye closed. not that i could blame him i wished that i could unsee everything i had today.
"you need to look at your self in the window, i will guide you if you need to keep your eye closed." my voice unsteady
"Thanks, i will take you up on that" John said not daring to open his eyes, as i guided him. " please don't yell" i requested
"Why would i?" with a fleck confidence returning to his speech
"open your eyes and find out" an air of trepidation in my voice,
he gasped in shock, but did not yell. i could see the realisation in the boys face, "that is me, isn't it?" less a question and more a statement
"I'm not getting out today, am I" John added with dejection in every syllable. while screams and shouts permeated the air "panic seams to spread like wild fire" I responded with a tone of despair then add "unlikely, unfortunately. but don't loose hope the courts have order you released to day. i will see what i can do but no promises." i stated realising the same was true for me as Julia started to stir.
"Julia , are you ok?"
"No" came her reply, "why did you have to scare me like that and why on god green earth have a wolf mask at work?"
"you are not going to like this, but have you seen you self in a mirror?" i ask already knowing the answer
"No, Why?" she says with her eyes opening up and turning to face me and John. she shots back in alarm ears up looking for an exit.
"calm down Julia Smyth! and go to the window" the stern tone was back. i am not initially sure how i was calm but i thank which ever god responsible it any way. Julia nearly faint again on sight of her refection.
"Julia, we have no time for round 2. we need to get a lock down done now! now i need you to breath!" i practically yelled at her, with a softer tone i said " you ready?"
"OK, OK, I'm good now, and not really" came a quite reply, good enough was the only thought that when though my mind
"good, I'm going to push the button to start the lock down. do you know what you are doing?" an air of authority in my voice
"Yes, and i am ready" Julia replied with confidence as i walk to the desk. my hand went to the concealed button on the under side of the desk, and with a breath pushed it.
the lock down alarm screeched into life, my hope was all the guards training would kick in at the familiar sound. it was much louder than i remember, it was disorienting. but it had the desired affect. i ask Julia for a hand escorting John to his cell, and then the dreaded debrief on why i had use that button but that is a later problem to deal with.
while on our way down i noticed some thing John was not just a minotaur, he was a Craetian minotaur, wait as in Crete? i looked a Julia, she was not a rabbit kin, she was alpine hareperson. looked in to a glass window, and saw not a wolfman but the wolfman. Huh?? the??? why dose John get a myth, Julia get a standard animal and i get suck with the? hang on why is the the under lined? why can i see the species and sub species? I see several other guards, most seem to be dog or cat breeds, stuff like blood hounds, common house cats. i catch a glimpse of Ben Black head of the floor in B block, he is also a minotaur, but a lesser minotaur. huh? i have a thought or rather 20 buzzing round my head. when i see yet another guard but he is an oxkin. when i get a chance i need to sit down and attempt to work out what is going on. also work out what the difference between a Craetian minotaur, a lesser minotaur and an oxkin.
lock down to about 10 minuets to complete an new record with every head accounted for. the kids seemed to have run to there rooms in fear, which all thing considered was not a surprise. with all alarms blessedly silent with no screams or yells, the dreaded call for a meeting came loud and clear at least I head 30 minuets to prepare for it. i new that all of the heads will be there for this.
this was going to be unpleasant, though they cant fire me i finish in 2 hours so what is the worse they can do? is the thought in my head as i stand out side the warden office at least i have one person on my side, Julia had offered her help and i had to graciously accept it, she would not take no for an answer and bless her for it.
"thanks for this, Julia" i stated
"no problem" came a reply of steel as the door of oak open ,
"is this for heaven or hell? i joked my body full of nerves
"nether and both" came the response, the trace of a rye smile on her face as we stepped in ready to face the music.