Beyond The Tribe - alternative and parallel stories by the fans

Blaze

Episode Thirty One

Seth appeared in Tai-san’s doorway, she was meditating on the floor with some incense burning. Seth put his sleeve over his nose to try and stop the smell, it wasn’t too powerful but he didn’t want to trigger another fit.
He cleared his throat, Tai-san opened her eyes and smiled, seeing him standing there with his arm clamped to his chin. ‘Can I help you?’
‘Yeah, I’d...’ he said, his voice muffled by the thick hessian of his sleeve.
‘Sorry, but I can’t really hear you. Is it the smell? Would you like to go somewhere else?’
She led him out into what used to be the lab. There were still a few bottles on the shelves around the room, but there was mostly cardboard boxes and dust. The smell had gone by now.
Seth didn’t feel comfortable with Tai-san around. Although he was taller, older and stronger, there was something about her calm air that made him feel uneasy. She saw this immediately. ‘What is it about me you find so strange?’
‘Nothing.’ Seth clearly wasn’t willing to speak. ‘Look, Briar asked me to ask you if you could make up some ointment for Bray. Just ten drops of eucalyptus and…’
‘Yes I remember, and ten drops of tee-tree.’ She moved over to a shelf and delivered the bottle. ‘But you understand that healing comes from within the mind. The mind controls the body and so the body can only be healed when the mind is soothed. The emotional side of curing people plays just as great a role.’
‘Sure. Whatever. So is this it?’
‘Yes.’ He turned to leave.
‘And Seth?’
‘Hmm?’
‘We wouldn’t think any less of you, if you told us, you know.’
For the first time he lifted his head and his eyes met hers. Immediately he understood what she meant. But he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. The words ‘about what?’ stuck in his throat. So instead he made a feeble attempt at a glare and walked off.

Ebony had been following him and so when he turned around and came back he walked straight into her. He laughed as he realised who it was. ‘Did you tell her?’
‘About what?’ asked Ebony attempting to look innocent and failing miserably.
‘You know what I’m talking about. Did you tell her about the fit?’
‘No! Tai-san just knows these kind of things. I had nothing to do with it.’
From her great plan to attack she found herself on the defence with hardly any effort on his part. He made no attempt at conversation, so after a short silence she spoke. ‘About last night…’
‘Yeah?’
‘I erm…’ she took a deep breath to prepare for words which she hadn’t even thought of yet.
‘Ebony, why won’t you look at me?’
Ebony became conscious of her gaze fixed on his feet. She lifted her head swiftly and shook her braids in defiance.
He laughed, ‘Why are you fighting me Ebony? Can’t you just ‘give in’? Or is your pride too much for you.’
He paused, but she could still think of nothing to say.
‘Ebony, deny that you feel something for me and I’ll walk away now if that’s what you want.’
Ebony set head up firmly and fixed her gaze into his eyes. She made every attempt to feel calm, to rule her feelings just like Zoot had taught her. ‘Go,’ she said. Why is was this so hard for her?
Seth laughed and walked away leaving Ebony standing in a moment of anguish and despair. But again she set her mind. Bray. She turned her thoughts back to Bray. Yes, once she had him every thing would be OK…

Episode Thirty Two

Seth unwrapped the bandages around Bray’s arm with hardly a word. Ebony! Why was she like that? He knew she didn’t mean it really; she’d soon come running back to him. That was what he was thinking but doubts were just below the surface. She loved Bray, he could see that, he’d known from the first day they’d met but still… he thought he could win her around. She was stronger than he had given her credit for.
Bray cringed in pain as Seth briskly pulled off the last of the dressings, too caught up in his own thoughts. ‘Oh sorry, Bray.’
‘That’s OK.’ He turned his head to look at his arm and stopped in horror. ‘Is that..? Is that it?’
Seth saw the revulsion in his face. ‘Don’t worry, I know it looks bad now but it will heal. There will only be some scarring.’
Bray turned his head away from the arm, dreading to think what his face would be like.
‘Stay there, I’m just gonna boil these up for you,’ he grabbed the bandages and walked out onto the balcony and leant over the rail.

Ellie and Jack were in front of the computer screen typing up a front page article. Jack was surprised how easily Ellie had dropped the idea of the Briar v. Ebony case and was looking at using something far more boring. He wasn’t complaining though.
‘Ellie?’ a loud, deep voice echoed around the mall. Ellie knew who it once and got up quickly to move out into the hall.
‘Ellie! Wait. Where are you going? We’re in the middle of this.’
But Ellie was already going up the stairs. ‘Can’t you finish it Jack? Seth needs me.’ And with that, she disappeared out of sight.
‘Great,’ repeated Jack to himself. ‘Seth needs you, run along then, never mind me.’

And she didn’t reappear until supper. Bray was quite happy to be practised on by Ellie, and under Seth’s instructions she’d boiled the bandages in stuff Tai-san had given them and wrapped it carefully around Bray’s arm as a kind of compress/covering. Danni also reappeared from her room, looking a little brighter than before.
Jack was sitting at a table on his own and Ebony was also sulking in another corner. Seth, feeling sorry for Bray, had taken his dinner in to eat with him and Tai-san was the quiet observer, as per usual.
Ellie came out of Brays room looking purposeful and pleased with herself. She sat next to Jack. ‘What’s up? Why the silent treatment? Oh come on Jack, sulking doesn’t suit you.’
‘It just… you run off and leave me while we were right in the middle of doing something that was fairly important.’
‘Important?' she laughed. ‘We were struggling there Jack, and don’t you think what I’m doing is more important?’
‘I’m sure Seth could have coped on his own,’ murmured Jack to himself.
‘How can you be so heartless! Don’t you think saving lives is more important than the stuff on the newsheet?!’
‘Yeah of course but…’
‘But what Jack? You don’t think it is?! Sometimes I really don’t understand you.’ She got up and walked off, still on a egotistical high.
Jack sighed, how could she twist his words like that? He looked up and realised everyone was watching. ‘What?!’ he called angrily.
The all turned and carried on eating.

Episode Thirty Three

Lex sat near Danni again, keen to repeat the events of the night before. ‘You look er.. better,’ he said.
‘What happened to the new ‘honest’ Lex then?’
‘Fair enough, you look awful. I heard you went back to bed.’
‘Yeah, but it hasn’t helped much, my head is still pounding.’
‘You should go and see Tai-san; she does a great hangover cure.’
‘Why don’t you tell everyone then Lex?’
‘Sorry. Are you embarrassed? Of me?’
‘No. It’s just I don’t really think it’s the kind of thing we should be spreading.’
‘Why not?’
‘Use your imagination.’
‘So what are you doing tonight?’
Danni put her hand up to her head. ‘What? Not again Lex! The last time nearly killed me!’
‘Yeah, but it was fun wasn’t it?’
‘I can barely remember!’
‘You don’t even remember when you told me about the time you were in that fashion competition and you fell off the catwalk?’
‘I told you that??!’
‘Sure did.’
‘Oh my god! I didn’t tell you anything else did I?’
‘What you mean like the time your dad caught you in the car with…’
‘Enough! Oh no! how could I?! You must never tell this to anyone, got it?’
‘Well that depends…’
‘I see that glint, Lex, what are you planning?’
‘Nothing. But if you don’t come tonight I might be forced to see if Seth would like to come out for a drink and you never know what might slip out,’ he teased.
‘Lex! That’s blackmail!’ she said laughing. ‘You wouldn’t dare.’ She paused. ‘OK, so I’ll come tonight.’
‘Great. I went down to the bar today and got some vodka. Don’t worry, we’ll build your tolerance levels up! Maybe you’ll be able to remember a little more tonight.’

After supper Ebony was left to her own devices; never a good thing. She pushed Seth out of her mind and tried to fill it with Bray instead. Bray had loved her once and she knew she could make him do it again. But first she had to get rid of Danni. She was doing a good job of that herself. She could hardly fail to notice that Danni and Lex were getting on so well together. She wondered how she could turned the situation to her advantage. Everything was working out in her favour. Bray was just where she wanted him, out of the way; so the only way he knew what was going on out there was what other people told him. Danni was getting on well with Lex and she didn’t seem exactly on top form at the moment. Where was she this morning? It was Ryan, who knew; Ryan found her. She left the room to look for Ryan.

Ryan had just climbed into bed with Salene when Ebony appeared purposely in the doorway. ‘Oh sorry. I’ll go.’
Salene was sat up in bed, reading. ‘It’s OK Ebony, we were just getting an early night. What did you want?’
‘I er.. just wanted a word with Ryan.’
‘Sure,’ he said.
‘Er.. in private.’
Ryan and Salene exchanged glances and then Ryan got out of bed and followed her out into the corridor, in mystification.
Ebony cut straight to the point. She threw him a piercing gaze. ‘Tell me where Danni was this morning.’
‘What? I er…’
‘Where did you find her?’
Ryan was turning bright red, ‘In… in the corridor.’
‘Which corridor where? Why wasn’t she in bed.’
‘I don’t know.’
‘You don’t know which corridor?’
‘Yes.. I mean no. She was… I can’t say.’
‘She was in Lex’s room, wasn’t she?’
‘No,’ said Ryan’s voice, his guilty face telling a different story.
Ebony smiled to herself in amazement! She didn’t even need to make anything up! ‘Thanks, Ryan. No need to speak, I get the message loud and clear. Did she tell you not to say?’
‘Yes. I mean, she didn’t. because she wasn’t there,’ he added quickly, trying to claw his way out of the hole he’d dug himself.
‘Sure. Whatever. Sleep well Ryan!’
Salene, on the other side of the doorway stopped in amazement. Danni? No! it couldn’t possibly be true… could it?

Episode Thirty Four

There were two rows of three small shot glasses, glinting in the candle light. The two of them sat opposite, Danni watching Lex’s face as he expertly poured the two rows all in one go with only a drop spilt. She laughed with delight as he proudly set the bottle down. ‘Very impressive!’ she clapped. ‘How much practice does that take?’
‘A hell of a lot. I tell you what, after this round you have a go. But the real skill is doing it with your left hand!’
‘This round? This is one round?’
‘Sure is. You had more than his last night, I could hardly stop you once you got going!’
‘Yeah, well try and restrain me this time.’
‘I tried really! But you are unstoppable.’
‘Yeah right.’
‘No I mean it,’ he looked at the glass she was holding in her hand. ‘OK. Danni don’t drink that,’ he said smirked as she coughed and spluttered.
‘That wasn’t fair! I had already started drinking it!’
Lex laughed and picked up his first glass. ‘So any more embarrassing moments you’d care to share with me?’
‘No way! You know far too much about me already. I can hardly look you in the eye,’ she said staring at him full on.
‘Really? You could have fooled me!’
‘But you know what the worst part is? I don’t even remember any of your deep dark secrets.’
‘That’s coz I’m experienced. I mean, that’s because I don’t have any.’
They both laughed. ‘Yeah right. Go on, tell me some of yours, its only fair.’
‘No way!’
‘Right, that’s it. You either tell me something juicy or I’ll… I’ll…’ she picked up her final shot glass and held it precariously above his head.
‘You wouldn’t waste it on me!’ said Lex smugly.
Danni stopped in confusion and then laughed. ‘Maybe not mine, but definitely yours!’ She grabbed his last glass and tipped the contents over his head, laughing.
‘Right! That’s it!’ cried Lex, with vodka dripping from his nose. He leant forward and grabbed her glass and threw it right in her face.
Danni shouted in indignation and then grabbed the pillow off Lex’s bed and bashed it against his head. He was quick to move and pulled the other pillow off the bed and soon there was a full scale pillow fight in process. Danni, after several glasses of vodka, missed most of her well aimed shots and soon collapsed on the bed in a fit of giggles.
Lex grabbed her arms. ‘So you give in?’ he taunted.
‘Yes! Yes OK!’
The two fell silent. Lex, still holding her arms didn’t move, his eyes searching hers. Then he sat up next to her and reached for the bottle. Danni, serious, now sat up. Lex turned his head to invite her to try and pour the next few glasses. And found Danni, her face close by, looking right at him. ‘Danni do you want to try and…’
‘Sshh!’ she put her finger up to his lips and she leant forward to kiss him.

Episode Thirty Five

‘Danni, don’t.’ Lex said pushing her away.
Danni sat back in confusion, ‘What?’
‘We can’t do this.’
‘Why not? Don’t you want to?’
‘No… I mean yes, but think of Bray, Danni. You can’t do this to him.’
‘Since when did you care about Bray?’
‘It's not right, Danni, and in the morning, when the drink’s worn off you’ll realise that.’
The reality began to hit home. ‘How could I do that? Lex, I’m so sorry. What will Bray think?’
Lex smiled sympathetically. ‘I’ve forgotten about it already.’
Danni’s throat was dry now, she couldn’t think of anything to say. The feeling of guilt rose up inside of her and even more when she realised she was still looking at Lex, and Lex was the one she wanted to be with. She stood up slowly and walked for the door, but she didn’t realise how much the drink had gone to her head and she had to stop, leaning against a wall to support herself.
Lex got up and put a supportive arm around her waist. ‘Come on. I’ll take you back up to your room.’
Danni felt a tingle running through her body where he was holding on to her. ‘Thanks Lex, thanks for this.’ She said quietly.
Lex smiled back at her cheerfully, ‘No problem.’

Lex left her to collapse on her bed, and then he pulled the blanket over her and left her to her guilt. Outside in the Mall, he could hardly restrain a laugh. It was too perfect. He must have risen in Danni’s estimation by miles. Lex had seen that Danni was falling for him, all he had to do was to bide his time and wait for the right moment. And when that moment came he had to put it off for longer. Now he was the good guy and Danni was the one who’d realised she was in love. Or in lust, Lex didn’t really mind which. Anyway, she’d be back, he guaranteed.

Lex wasn’t the only one who was overjoyed that night. Ebony too was pleased by what she’d seen. With Seth pushed so far to the back of her mind she hardly even knew he was there. She’d seen Lex coming out of Danni’s room, but better still, so had Salene… She knew Salene would do the right thing. She knew Salene would help her cause, even if she didn’t know it yet. It didn’t really matter whether it was true, about Lex and Danni. If they were together, that was just a bonus.

Episodes 36-40
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