Plans To Poison Tea

Posted on Mon May 1st, 2023 @ 20:11 by Phoebe Hunter & Otis Jackson

Chapter: All Hallow's Eve
Location: Staff Room
Timeline: Early Sunday 24th October
1598 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure

When the deep thoughts hit and made it impossible to sleep Phoebe often found herself slipping from her bed and wandered the halls. It helped her try and organise her thoughts when they became too much The castle was a wondrous place that as a teenager she had dreamed about attending instead of the life she had been beaten for visions and held against her will. She had come so far from those slum filled rooms that sometimes she wondered when the dream was going to end and she would wake up still there, destroyed from the knowledge that the world she had dreamt up was so much better.

The hallways all looked the same in the day but at night the shadows made them all unique and different as she walked to the Staff common area. It was a large room filled with comfortable chairs, tables, a big television and all the supplies you could need to run a school. Phoebe flopped into one of the chairs and scrubbed at her eyes yawning.

Otis stepped out from around the corner of the large room. He had come down to do some marking and wondered for the hundredth time why he had added a theory element to his drama class; clearly, he liked having more work to do. He had heard someone come into the room but it was only when he moved from the kitchenette that he saw it was Phoebe. "Long day?" He asked, not fully sure if she knew he was standing there or not. "I'm making a cuppa."

The woman turned to see the man stood in the small area and raised an eyebrow. She had not seen him or heard him at all. “Something like that. More a long night.” She admitted having tossed and turned after saying night to Matt. “I would like a cup of tea if it is not too much bother. Not sure if my name is on the tea list but it’s two sugar , milk and strong.” She said not having gone through the tea routine with her drama colleague yet.

"We're tea twins," Otis said before he was able to stop himself. "Please forget I said that, it's something my dad used to say and it's as lame now as it was back then." He disappeared back to the kitchenette and made the two cups of tea. He always felt a bit anxious making tea for someone for the first time, it was such a huge thing in this country and everyone had an opinion on how it should be brewed, in what order, and of course, the perfect colour. Satisfied with his attempt, he joined Phoebe on one of the seats and placed a mug in front of her. "Anything you want to talk about?"

“It will be impossible to forget that twiny.” Phoebe called after him smiling at the fact the man said something like that. Hearing the click of the kettle and the soft sounds of making tea for a moment she was 14 and in her aunt's living room having arrived from America. It was a comforting sound, to say the least. “Not really. I’m just on edge I guess. My abilities sometimes have a mind of their own despite my knowledge and control. How about you? Late nights marking?”

Otis noticed the abrupt change in the subject but decided not to comment, for now. He had often wondered what it would be like to be a precog, blessed with the knowledge of what was to come. Or cursed! "Yeah," he answered as he cupped his mug with his two hands, willing it to cool faster. "I thought it would be a great idea to get the students to write an essay on the typical literacy tropes. Well, I'm paying for that spark of brilliance." He gave her a curious look. "You know, you'd be a fantastic subject of a play. The woman who sees all possible futures, poisoned by a cup of tea!"

"It would be quite a simple play. And I am fully aware that you would not sully a simple cup of tea that way." She said with a smile in his direction as she accepted the cup of tea and held it in her hands allowing the cup to warm her hands. She should have brought a jumper or something, the castle could be cold at points. "Sounds enlightening." She added thinking of the local history essays she had set to be marked later in the week.

"Well you're right," he admitted with a grin, "I'd like to think that I'm much more creative than that. Plus, you'd see it coming a mile away right? Unless your control really is out of whack?" It was a subtle nod to her earlier statement but one that wasn't too forceful if she really didn't want to speak about what had her so on edge.

“I would like to think my abilities give me a little bit of self preservation but you never know. Will have to watch who gives me tea.” She teased back but she noticed that he was in a subtle way trying to get to what was bothering her. “I do not know what is out of whack… I just feel on edge. Maybe it is nothing.” She shrugged not at all sure how to explain it.

"On edge? Like something is coming?" Otis asked, moving towards the edge of his seat. He thought of the sentinel at the train station and shuddered slightly. He wasn't afraid to admit, in the weeks since the incident, he had had several nightmares about those cold-red eyes, waking him in a cold sweat. If they were coming back, or something worse, Phoebe would be the first to know.

“I do not know. If I knew I’d have a drawing or something from a vision it’s just feeling on edge and it’s driving me crazy and leaving me to walk the castle at night drinking tea that could kill me.” She laughed, trying to defuse the tension she was feeling in every fibre of her body.

Otis laughed. "I'd give anything for the old days when things were much simpler and we had no responsibility."

“I would give a lot to be back in London not feeling like my skin is on fire.” She admitted. “But maybe it’s something me-related and not team or castle related.” Phoebe was not convinced at all it was but she was trying to be less doom and gloomy.

"I never did thank you for telling me about this place," Otis replied as he took a tentative sip of his tea. "The work we're doing here, it means so much to me, being a force of good, y'know?" He gave the woman a smile. "Seriously, I owe you one, if you need anything my door is always open. Figuratively, this castle is freezing."

"No need to thank me. They needed teachers I am just glad you arrived with seconds literally to spare." Phoebe sat back on the seat getting more comfortable. "Well, it is pretty late. Communal areas are not heated after 8 pm. We should be in our rooms." She knew exactly what he meant and grinned at him and offered a nod.

"You're right," he said as he started to gather his things. "Look, I know I'm still new here but from what I can see already this is a tight team of very talented people. Whatever comes our way, we'll deal with it together. Or Plan B, we find the gits who built these things, we infiltrate their HQ and poison their tea!"

“I like your style.” Phoebe laughed quietly as she gathered herself. She needed sleep and needed to find a way for it. “We’re an interesting team. Are you doing much for Halloween?” She wondered thinking of her own plans but she knew others had similar plans.

"I'm a gay, drama teacher," Otis replied as he dramatically turned on the spot. "Halloween is like my crack, there are many plans. What about you?"

Phoebe was proud that he was sharing his orientation with her but she was fully away that it might cost him with other people since the local government act. “There are many plans too.” Phoebe assured quietly. She don’t wanna let anyone know about Matt yet, even though she was pretty convinced there was something there it just felt too precious to open up to anyone else’s criticism.

"Big plans all around," he said with a smile. "Hopefully we will find some time to share a drink or two and let our worries wash away, for one night at least," he quickly added, especially with the tone of their earlier conversation.

“Hopefully.” Phoebe was hopeful. “Well aren’t we on night duty over Halloween? We can drink tea and make sure the witching hour does not affect anything.” Night duty did not bother the woman in the slightest as Monday she got no classes and just pastoral duties and after-school clubs.

"Spoilsport," Otis said with a grin. "I will stick to tea or maybe some full-fat coke. If I can't get drunk, I'm going to ride that sugar rush all night long."

"Choo choo," Phoebe said as a way of saying goodnight as she picked up her teacup again. It was going to be a long night if she did not get some sleep soon.

Time would tell.