Chapter One

Spero Omnes

 

   Mr. and Mrs. Zauron, of number seventy six, Rowms Lane, were not the kind of people any normal person would talk to. In fact, they were not the kind of people any un-normal person would talk to. When ever anything strange and mysterious happened people always blamed them.

   Mr. Zacharius Zauron was a professor at a school called Regina Schola, which is Latin for Queen School. He was a 6ft 6', muscular man with the strength of an ox, and also weighed two hundred and fifthly pounds of pure muscle. He had a brown/ginger-ish hair with side burns and he often didn't shave, so on many days he would have a beard. Mrs. Macy Zauron a thin, blonde elf lookalike. She was a children's story writer and had published many books, which included copying some of the classics for example, Hansel and Gretel which she changed to John and Joan. They had no children which made her lonely sometimes.

   The Zauron's had everything they wanted apart from a nice house, but they also had a secret which only a couple of people knew about. The Black's. Mrs. Black was Mrs. Zauron's younger sister whom she hadn't seen in several years which she often felt bad about and kept trying to convince Zacharius to go down to the other side of London with her. Macy also knew her sister got embarrassed because of them and often went red in the face whenever they turned up in the street. The Blacks had a daughter, which Macy and Zacharius had only seen when she was one year old.

   When Mr. and Macy woke up on a dull, grey Monday our story starts. There was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest strange and mysterious things would be happening all over the country. Zacharius hummed as he picked out his most bizarre tie for going to his Monday job at (…) and Macy typed away happily at her laptop.

  None of them noticed a black spider creep it's way up to their gutter.

  At half past eight, Zacharius picked up his rucksack, pecked Macy on the cheek and made his way to his car. He got in and drove off of number seventy six Rowms Lane's pavement. It was on the corner of the street when he noticed something peculiar - four dead birds lying next to each other. Zacharius didn't realize what he had seen - then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a long Manx on the corner of the street, but there wasn't four, dead birds in sight. What could of he been thinking of? It must have been because he was half asleep.

   He drove round the roundabout and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It wasn't there anymore. Instead a dead bird lay there. Zacharius gave himself a shake and put the birds and cat out of his mind. As he drove towards the company building he thought of nothing except reading his book. But on the edge of town his book was driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of people around. There were gangs of men dressed in scruffy clothing, just hanging around, and women dressed like they worked for an expensive business company.

   He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these standing quiet close by. These were dressed better then the rest, like they worked for a mafia, wearing black suits and long coats. They were whispering about something to each other. The traffic moved on and a few minuets later, Zacharius arrived at the company's gates, his mind back on his book. He was a few minuets late and he knew, that the managers assistant would come and tell him off and the manager himself (Zacharius's younger brother) wish him a good morning.

   Zacharius always sat next to the window in his office on the second floor. He had a perfectly nice morning. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd drive to town and buy himself a bun from the bakery.

   He'd forgotten all about the people who were in London until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily, he didn't know why but they made him feel uneasy. This bunch was whispering deeply too. It was on his way back when he caught a few words of what they were saying.

"The Black family, that's right, him, deserved it -"

"- yeah, their daughter; Rebecca or something like that-"

   Zacharius stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whispers as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it. He rushed back into his car and drove back to the company. He hurried up to his class, seized the telephone, and had almost finished dialling his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and started to stroke his chin, thinking … no, he was being stupid. Black wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Black and had a daughter called Rebecca. He took a sip of his coffee and opened his book.

   He found it a lot harder to concentrate on his book that afternoon and when he left the building at ten past three, he was still so worried he walked into another co-worker.

"Sorry, Mrs. Boil," he grunted, as the tiny old woman stumbled and almost fell. She looked up at him with a expression of anger that it would scare a spider.

"You better be, Zauron, one more mistake and I'm taking you to the manager! Bloody hippies! When shall the world come to it's senses?! Hanging around schools and businesses! I've seen them! Freaks! I can't stand people like them! People like them and people like us don't mix! Goodbye, Zauron."

   The old woman scowled at Zacharius one last time and climbed in her car and drove out the gates.

   Zacharius watched as Mrs. Chemist drove out the gates and hurried to his own car and sped off home, rather happily as it was his last day there and could go back to where he usually went to work. He only did it for his brother. 

 

   As he pulled up onto the pavement of number seventy six, he saw three black birds hanging around on the wall outside his house.

   "Shoo!" he said loudly.

   The birds didn't move but gave him a stern look. This was not normal bird behaviour. He sighed loudly and tried to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. The birds outside screeched and he clenched his fist's, and his ears went red which was usually a danger sign. He slammed the door harder then he meant to, and waited for the shattering of glass, luckily it didn't come, which meant he wasn't going to be told off by his wife.

   Macy had a perfectly normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mr. Next Door's problems with his girlfriend. Zacharius tried to act normally. When he had a little rest, he went into the living room to catch the last report on the evening news:

   "And finally, dead birds? Bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nations black birds have been behaving very unusual today. Hundreds have been found dead in small groups all around Britain. Experts are unable to explain why this had been happening." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most unusual. And now over  Bethany Gruffin with the weather. Anymore showers of dead Black Birds tonight, Beth?"

   "Well, Ted," said the weatherwoman, "I don't know about that, but it's not the birds that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent and Yorkshire have been phoning in to tell me the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a down pour of meteor showers. But I can promise it will be a drizzly week."

   Zacharius sat frozen in his armchair, his fingers clenching the arms. Meteor showers all over Britain? Blackbird's falling dead from the sky? Strange people all over the place? And a whisper about the Black's. …

   Macy came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. He took one and threw the burning water down his throat. Macy noticed he was overly quiet as usually he never stopped talking. A hissing came trough the door, Mr. Zauron's pet snake, Scale slithered up next to him and rested it's head on his shoulder. Mr. Zauron's heart was pounding loudly in his chest. He advised Macy to go to bed as well as himself so she could get up earlier.

   He didn't say another word as they went upstairs to bed. While Macy was in the bathroom, Zacharius crept to the bedroom window and peered down to look into the front garden. The birds were still there. They were looking about as though searching for someone. The Zauron's got into bed. Macy fell asleep instantly but Zacharius stayed awake, he thought of getting an alcoholic drink to make him go to sleep. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Black's were involved, there was no reason for them to near him and Mrs. Zauron. The Black's knew very well what they were, their kind. … He couldn't see how he and Macy could get mixed up in anything that might be going on - he yawned and turned over - it couldn't affect them. …

   How very wrong he was.                         

   He was drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the birds on the wall outside were showing no sign of sleepiness. They simply kept on looking about them, as if someone would turn up. They were sitting there like statues, their eyes fixed unblinkingly in every direction. They didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed across the road, or loud shouts passed them by. In fact it was nearly twelve o'clock when they moved at all, and that was just rustling their wings as a Manx cat watched them from across the road.

   A man appeared from across the street, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd thought he just popped up out of the ground, right where the cat was standing. He was dressed smartly, in a suit. He wore a white suit, black shirt, white tie, black shoes and gloves. He wore a expensive pair of shades and on his clean suit was a blood stain. He had a cigarette hanging on the end of his mouth.

   Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Rowms Lane. He was tall, lean and looked to be in his mid twenties. He didn't do anything, just simply stood there. He put his cigarette out on the wall and blew the last of the smoke out. He had a features on his face which would make the stupidest person in the world remember him. Scars all over his face. This man's name was Sebastian Sionus.

   He didn't seem to realise that he had just arrived in a street where everything and everyone know him. He paced back and forth, thinking deeply. But he did seemed to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the birds, which were still staring at him. For some reason the sight of these amused him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known," he let a smirk pass his lips and carried on talking, "you can come out now."

   From round the corner of the houses came a shorter man, he was an older looking man with a harsh face. He hobbled over to the birds and stroked them. He spat on the ground and crossed over to the other side of the road. The man's robes dragged along the road and when he got to Sebastian he kissed his ring. Sebastian smirked down at the old man and put a hand on his shoulder.

   "Fancy seeing you here, Black Raven."

   The man below him sniggered and showed yellow and black teeth. His silver, scraggily hair, drooped down his head. He wobbled on his twig for a walking stick and together they started to walk downwards the corner shop. The three birds followed behind them.

   "How did you know it was me?" he asked.

   "My dear friend, I have never seen three birds sit there to stiffly."

   "Next time how about I turn you into a bird and command you to sit on a wall, tell me how you feel. I told them to stay there all day,"

   "All day? When you and your pets could have been celebrating? I've had my hands kissed, hugged and best of all, feared."

   Raven sniffed angrily.

   "Oh yes, it's easy for you," he said impatiently. "You'd think your men would be a little more careful, people are beginning to wonder. It's been on the news." He jerked his head back round to the house. "I heard it. Dying birds … meteor showers … Well people like them are not stupid. Meteor showers in Kent, I can bet you that's Orion Belt. He never had much of a brain."

   "You can't blame them," said Sebastian gently. "We're coming back to power. We've had precious little to celebrate for twelve damn years."

   "I know that," said Raven irritably. "But there's no reason to lose our sticks. People are being careless, out in the streets in day light, they should be ashamed. There'll be accidents, then killing's next!"

   He threw a sharp, sideways glance at Sebastian, as though he was going to say something, but he didn't so he carried on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day he seems to be locked away, everyone knows about our kind. He will be locked away for all eternity won't he, Sebastian?"

   "I hope so," said Sebastian. "It was his fault, he is guilty."

   "But what about his daughter?"

   "What about her?"

   "She is a dissident of our friend, she can easily turn it back again." Said Raven with concern in his voice.

   "Ah, but she's not head of the council. Don't worry Raven, everything is according to plan." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette and lighter. He lit it and inhaled.

   "As I say, even if he is going to be - "

   "My dear friend, surely a person a great as yourself can call him by his name? I know it long and confusing, but it's easy here: Fredadiltionalis." Raven sighed. "It gets all too confusing if we keep calling him he, I have never seen the reason of being frightened of him."

   "I know you haven't," said Raven, furiously. "But you're different. You’re the only person who actually challenged him, oh ok, Fredadil -" he murmured the rest of his name.

   "You flatter me," said Sebastian calmly. "Fredadiltionalis had that little bit of power I didn't."

   "Only because people preferred to join up with him, then you, even if you are a Transite."

   "I'm glad it's dark, I haven't blushed as much since Gregory told me he liked my tweed trousers, I haven't worn them since."

   Raven shot a sharp look at Sebastian. "I've heard the rumours that everyone are saying. About how he got locked up?"

    It seemed Raven had reached the point he was most anxious to discuss. Sebastian,  however, was inhaling deeply from his cigarette and did not answer.

   "What they're saying," he pressed on, "is that last week Fred, took advantage of the High Council. And that, his daughter is coming here to live and she is next in line."

   Sebastian smirked. Raven gasped.

   "Oh no … Rebecca … she'd be devastated … Oh Sebastian. …" 

   Sebastian reached out and patted him on his back. "I know … I know … But it's the only way."

   "But Sebastian, she'd be in danger, the other's, they'll disapprove her, try to persuade her -"

   "I know, but we will convince her. I'm Sebastian Sionus, we can not let her do the same or our kind will be in trouble. We do not want another war, I remember the last one,"

   "It was terrible." sniffled Raven.

   "I still don't know how we lost."

   They carried on down the road. But stopped suddenly when a car pulled up next to them. Sebastian headed for the car, he put his cigarette out, threw it on the ground and said, "we will see, Raven, we will see." The car pulled away and disappeared from sight. Raven got his pipe from his robe pocket, lit it and walked back the way they came.

  

   Zacharius woke up feeling tired, he got up and washed and went out for a little walk around London. The three birds were still sat on the wall as he walked out his gate. He passed the same sort of people as the day before and when he got back and went into the dining room then saw Mrs. Zauron's face he stopped in his tracks. She was sat stunned holding a letter. Macy passed him the letter and he read it out loud:

Dear Macy Zauron,

   Due to my husband being locked in prison and myself having to take on a full time job my daughter, Rebecca will have to come and stay with you, as long as you don't mind. She will arrive on Friday the 1st of  September. 

 

Yours sincerely,

Lucy Black

 

   Mr. and Macy exchanged looks of horror. Throughout the week they kept looking out of the window. It was on Thursday when Macy stopped it and calmed down. Zacharius couldn't help but feel like something was going to go wrong, like it always did. They sat and hoped.

 

   Becky sat leaning against the window. It was pouring down. Big droplets splashed occasionally on the window and made Becky jump. She wished she didn't have to come, but it was forced upon her, she had just flown in from New York and back to her home town, London. A crack of thunder and a flash of lightning. The bus stopped again and another soaked person got on. Her stop was only seconds away. Ding! Becky rang the bell and made her way down. She jumped from the bus into the drizzly weather.

   She walked back along the road looking for Rhynda, the name of her aunt and uncle's house. She passed some new looking house's and was splashed by a car, spraying dirty water all over her. She swore under her breath, as if the empty street would hear her. She carried on and had to duck under the branches of a tree that had never been trimmed and stopped at an old looking house. Upon a stone was the name Rhynda engraved into it. She looked at the stone and then up at the house but jumped back and fell surprised by the three black birds sitting on the wall.

   She picked herself up and opened the gate up to the front porch. She rang the bell but heard no ring. She rang it again, the same, no answer. Either it was broken or they were not in. She decided to use the knocker, but there wasn't one. So she tapped lightly on the door not banging too hard encase the visible crack enlarged and the glass shattered.

   Becky used the time waiting to admire the door. Upon it was a Phoenix. But she soon got fed up and walked around the back. She tried the handle and to her surprise it was open. She stepped in and she wished she'd stayed outside as it was colder in there then outside. She shivered as she called her aunt and uncle. No answer. Just silence.

   Becky waited. She turned around to look behind her, the kitchen wasn't in good condition. When she turned back around, she almost screamed. Standing near the kitchen door was a very tall man. At first Becky thought of him to be a mass murderer but a smile spread on his face, and he looked much kinder. "Hello, Becca," he said walking up to her and towering over her. His head was almost touching the ceiling in this part of the kitchen. He bent over and picked up her bags. "Your aunt is in the dining area, first door on the left." Becky nodded and squeezed through the half opened door.

   She walked into the warmth of the dining area. She was immediately covered with a towel, with someone drying her hair with another towel. The smell of food entered her nose and she soon realised she had nothing to eat since breakfast at six o'clock that morning. She was pushed into a chair.

   "Hello Rebecca, how are you? You must be hungry? Are you warm enough? How's my sister?"  

   Question after question was thrown at Becky. She answered them all while eating. The door slammed and Zacharius walked through.

   "Becca I've put your stuff away, your room is up the stairs and first door on the right. You can go up when your ready."

   Becky nodded. She felt very uncomfortable, and very shy. "Well, I'll go up now then." She got up and left the room. She walked up the stairs and into her bedroom. She couldn't be bothered to do anything, she was just too tired. Being laid down on he bed for more then a couple of minuets she was fast asleep, not making a sound.

   Zacharius and Macy were talking quietly amongst the evening news. For some reason, they were not allowed to tell her anything until they were told to. For the next few weeks Becky would be known amongst her own kind for doing nothing. She couldn't know. She couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in loud voices: "To Rebecca Black - spero omnes!"