...

9 views

She's Sweet But Psycho
Mei Li tucked and rolled. The chubby boy that swung at her balanced himself just in time to avoid diving headfirst into the sand. He spun and glared at her.

  "you're just messing with me right?" he fumed "fight you bastard"

In his anger, he swung the makeshift club clumsily at her but she easily dodged the strike

  "Are you sure Jackie?" she mocked him "I'd hate for your mama to come complaining...again" Mei Li grinned arrogantly at him. As if she'd ever fight him. The last time she beat him up his mother had shamelessly reported her to her stepmom and Mei Li had been beaten and starved for three days. Now she planned to remain on the defensive till he got tired, then she'd go in for the kill.

  His face turned red at her mockery "At least I've got a momma, at least mine didn't kill herself because she hated me"

Mei Lei's face darkened dangerously then slowly her lips curved in a smile
    "what did you say?"

Jackie that fool couldn't sense her bloodlust and confidently repeated "your mama killed herself because she hated you, you killed your momma with your bad jinx"

   Mei Li studied the scar on her wrist for a bit but she still had that sweet...sickly sweet smile "and who told you that"

  "my momma told me, last time when you broke my tooth, she said you're bad for killing your ma and she said it's good since you're momma was an awful person"

Mei Li turned to him the grin nearly splitting her face in two and her dark eyes where crescents. She moved closer to him "oh sweet beautiful Jackie"

The boy blushed at her endearment even as he still glared stubbornly at her

Her next words came out in an airy whisper  "Jackie? have you ever been killed before...no? drop the key, then run Jackie...run"

For a few seconds, Jackie seemed stunned. The few kids watching their fight started shouting

   "do it, Jackie"
"run Jackie run"
"oh no she's gonna kill him...should we call his ma"
"no! we'll all get in trouble"
"Is this a fight or a battle?"
"Mei Li challenged Jackie for that weird key so...it's a battle"
"good means we don't have to stop them...Mei Li looks..."
"Like she wants to eat him?"

While Jackie stood in stunned silence Mei Li already charged towards him "you won't run Jackie? fine...then die Jackie die...and when you get to hell, say hello to my mama"

Jackie dodged the first few attacks, but she was so fast that all he could do was defend himself. He held on for a short while but soon sweat beaded his brows and he started to wheeze. Jackie's chubby face scrunched up in pain as Mei Li moved through his defences and her bony fist struck his left eye. He fell and clutched his eye, the boy gave up on appearances and dignity and started bawling on the ground.
When she saw him screaming in the sand Mei Lei straightened and grinned down at him "we'll go to the swamp court. now!"

*****

About twenty children were gathered under the shade of a few trees. They were between the ages of 6 to 14. They each sat on a small log of wood. Five kids were in front. Three of them where the swamp leaders and the other two where Mei Li and Jackie.

   One of the leaders a slim boy with red hair and glasses raised a small school bell and rang it. There was complete silence. Besides him, there was also a cute girl in a pink bunny onesie and a blonde-haired boy chewing on gummy bears. They took turns speaking:

leader 1: "Mei Li versus Jackie who is innocent"
leader2: "bring out...the Defenders"
a row of five kids marched in from behind a large tree. They wore long robes and their heads were covered with paper bags that had silly faces and numbers 1-5 drawn on it.

leader3:" two of you" he was talking to Mei Li and Jackie "pick a Defender...ladies first"

Mei Li smirked. The rule ladies first had huge advantages. She knew that Jackie had already lost this case. Her best friend Magpie was a Defender. Although the leaders made Defenders cover up to make the selection by luck it didn't prevent her from always picking Magpie. Because Magpie's hair was fluffy and long. It made the bag on her head look larger than normal. She scanned the defenders "I pick Defender 3"

  "I pick Defender 2" Jackie answered almost immediately as if he was afraid something bad will happen.

It was time for the unveiling. The two chosen Defenders stepped forward while the other three took off their paper bags and found a log to watch the case. The two remaining paper bags were removed. One was a blue-eyed boy named Orion that all the girls liked and the other was...Magpie.

Mei Li stared in horror at Magpie's number. Now that she looked at it it didn't look like a 3 instead it was a...2.

She clenched her small fists. Damn her inability to read. She often confused both numbers. But seriously whoever wrote the numbers was equally at fault. It looked like something a drunken chicken scribbled.

  Mei Li raised her hand "Mistake..."
Jackie interrupted her before she could talk "no! no mistake you clearly said number 3, Orion is number three so that's that"

Mei Li smirked at him

Leader 2 cleared her throat "enough you already chose so no backsies"

Mei Li sneered in her mind, of course, she'd refuse, leader two never liked Mei Li after she stole her crush. Mei Li had had an argument with leader two but when leader two had won Mei Li had gotten angry and went on a date with Arthur, a kid Mei Li felt was too boring but leader two seemed to like. Since then they had been at loggerheads.

Mei Li turned her poisonous smile to her "you're not still upset about Arthur...are you?...I'll give him back okay don't cry baby bunny"

Leader 2's face blushed red, nobody except Mei Li knew she had a crush on Arthur "you..." she sputtered

leader 1 rang the bell "enough! both of you...let this trial begin"

Mei Li and Jackie sat down as the defenders began. They already knew what happened but whether their accused was wrong or not their job was to defend. It would be a rapid exchange of words. Mei Li's fear was the fact that Magpie was a savage defender. She never knew her greatest weapon will be used against her.

  Orion began "Mei Li is not at fault, she is innocent"
Magpie: saying the same thing in different ways don't make it true"
Orion: She was provoked by the mention of her mother
Magpie: she should have first brought him to court instead of hurting him
Orion:...well she shouldn't have but he deserved it and besides they had an agreed battle, not a fight
Magpie: she hurt his eye what are we to tell his parents
Orion: that he fell
Magpie: of course...onto a fist
Orion scratched his head and turned to Mei Li in silent plea. Please restrain your friend a bit has she no pity. Mei Li shrugged. Magpie noticed their exchange and gave Mei Li an apologetic smile.

Magpie: Mei Li's violence will destroy this court it will destroy our land(by land she means the little patch of dried soil and rock where the kids pitched tents pretending to be a village)

The other children nodded their heads

"she should be punished"
"yes she nearly killed him, I was there"
"and what did you do to stop her?"
"how am I meant to stop a mad girl...didn't you see, her smile was so creepy"

"Silence!" leader 2 rang the bell "Defender Orion do you have anything else to say"

  Orion cast a sorry glance at Mei Li and shook his head

Leader two smiled "then let's vote who is innocent"

"I have something to say"

Leader two frowned "...speak"

Mei Li smirked, "What is the greatest rule?"

Leader two's frown deepened "snitches get stitches"

Jackie's eyes widened and he turned to beg Mei Li, she ignored his plea

   "Jackie blabbed to his mom about our last battle...and because of him, I was starved for three days" There were gasps of surprise. She had kept his mother's visit a secret to use and blackmail him, but it seemed she had to use it now instead.

  She continued "we are both not innocent but you should choose...who is more guilty"

The three leaders turned to each other. After some time their inaudible whispers stopped and leader 1 spoke "Jackie you are found guilty of the greatest offence of all...snitching" he shooed a fly and continued "as punishment, you are not allowed near the swamp for a week and your snack rations for that week will be given to Mei Li. The key, the cause of your battle will also be given to her since she won"

leader three spoke "Mei Li for causing harm to a member of the swamp you are also banned for a week"

The case was closed.

*****

Mei Li laughed in glee as she twirled home. She didn't care about not being able to go to the swamp for a week, she had other places to hang out. Mei Li held the emerald key in her palm and dreamed of opening a treasure chest filled with gold. She thought of how she would use her treasure to teach her wicked stepmother and stepsister a lesson.

At last, she reached the front door. It was slightly open and she could hear voices coming from inside. Her stepmother and a strange man's voice.

  She tucked the key into her pant pocket. Before entering

  She heard her stepmother whimper. She smiled at the prospect of her stepmom being scared of this person "please be patient Mr Ford she'll be back soon"

"If she ain't back in two minutes am taking this 'ere little one"

She hid in a corner and peeped into the room. She was right her stepmother was huddled in a corner with Aria, her stepsister in her embrace. Her stepmom furiously shook her head and glared at the door "no! you can't take Aria t...that brat should be back soon...y...you can take her"

  By the door, Mei Li grinned. She wants to get rid of me aye. Well, she can try but it's not gonna be easy. How dare she after making father leave.

Mei Li roughened her outfit and poked herself in the eyes. It started to water and a tear rolled down her cheek. Her expression turned miserable. Then she sniffled and pushed open the door. With her head bent and her clothes dishevelled she successfully looked pitiful and weak.

  Once her stepmother saw her she jumped from her seat and rushed towards her "idiot child I should have put you on a short leash. Where have you been?...nevermind that, look this nice man here wants to help you okay? he'll take you somewhere nice...hmm don't worry about your clothes he will get you better ones"

Mei Li looked up at the dark burly man "Mister is that true"

The man frowned but nodded "yes"

Mei Li's eyes shone with gratitude "oh thank you, sir, for helping my darling sister and me...we will leave with you now" she turned to Aria and grabbed her hands "darling Aria come on let's follow the nice mister"

Aria and Stepmother's face darkened like the bottom of a pot. Aria glared at Mei Li and snatched her hand away "you b**** you're the one being sold off not me! right mother?"

Stepmother glared at Aria's outburst but nodded "Mr Ford the child's here...take her already and after this, my debt no longer exists"

  Mei Li looked panicked and began wailing "m...mother please don't send Mei Li away. Mei Li is a bad girl but she's s...sorry please forgive Mei Li waaah"

"go you evil child you killed your mother but you can't kill me" her stepmother shoved her towards the man. Darkness flashed in Mei Li's eyes. However, to that simple push, Mei Li plunged forward like she'd been hit by a bulldozer. Her head knocked on the chair's edge and she blacked out.

*****

Mei Li played possum till she felt the man lay her in the backseat of a car. The car reeked of grime and cigarettes. It was also very old and groaned like the haunted house she used to play in. Worse was when he started the car, it sputtered and coughed before dying. The man alighted in a flurry of angry and impressive curses. He didn't do anything when he got down except hitting the car and glaring it into submission. Whether or not it was due to fear the car didn't misbehave again. But even then it still sounded more like a person with lung disease than a car.

Mei Li snuck some berries from her coat pocket into her mouth. She watched as the familiar houses disappeared from view. When they passed Greenview City gates she finally removed the shiny new pocket knife that she 'borrowed' from Mr Murray's shop. She flicked the blade and slowly placed the cold steel by the large vein on the side of Mr Ford's neck, the same vein that a nurse had told them that they should be careful with.

The man froze in horror and his wide eyes met her smiling one in the driving mirror.

She gave him her best Cheshire cat grin "oh Mr taxi driver can you take me somewhere...pretty please"

*****
This is a novel I'm starting you can find it on wattpad and Webnovel same title and cover. @Michael18Hosea
© MH17Angel
#Wattpad #Webnovel #sweet #psycho