Legend Of Marauder: The Dawn Of Supremes

11. The Myth of Finch

‘If you want to express something, try vanishing,’ Simon was getting even more annoyed.

‘Fine,’ Susan said getting up. ‘I’ll get my story one way or the other.’

Natasha and Patricia followed.

‘Good riddance,’ Brendan said in a low voice, lowering his head at the same time. ‘I thought they’d never leave,’ he added. When he looked up, he saw Samantha walking towards their table.

She sat right in front of them.

Simon stood up and motioned Brendan to follow him but Brendan just sat there as though he had decided to confront his enemy like a man. Simon took his tray and went to sit at another table far away from them.

‘So, Orphan boy,’ she began. ‘Your birth father tries to kill your mother, your mother dies while giving birth to you and your adoptive father commits suicide.’ She shook her head in cruel pity. ‘What do you have to say for yourself?’

‘How do you know that’s how he died?’ Brendan asked her, his expression dazed.

‘ “Drug overdose”?’ she teased. ‘You should have told a better lie than that.’

Brendan stared at her, trying to think of a way to get rid of her. ‘Is that what you came here to say to me?’ He finally found a question to ask her.

‘No, of course not,’ she said chewing on a cupcake trying to look innocent. ‘Have you ever heard of “The Finch”?’ she asked suddenly, lowering her voice at the same time.

‘The bird?’

‘No, you dimwit, that’s what they call her.’

‘Call who that?’

‘Some say she’s a witch and others say she’s a ghost.’

‘Who the hell are you talking about?’ Brendan, for the first time, seemed interested in what she had to say.

‘Do you want to hear the story or not, Orphan boy?’

‘Say your stupid story and get out of here.’ Curiosity spoke for him.

‘Well…’ she began, ‘People say that she is the very first person to live in this city. They say she was filthy rich until she was driven insane by the potions she brewed.’

‘What potions?’ He asked her, curiosity getting the best of him.

‘Magic potions. She would brew you a potion if you bumped into her and needed help…’

‘What kind of help?’

‘Finance issues, love, bully problem etcetera. They say each potion she brews for you comes with a bad side.’

‘What do you mean?’ He was now becoming intrigued.

‘Well…’ she continued, ‘…she would give you a potion alright but with it she would also give you a rhyme which would explain its side effects. Some people are said to have been desperate to solve their problems they wouldn’t even take the rhyme into thought.’

‘But what would it benefit her?’ he asked his intrigue increasing.

‘Some say she would be taking your soul and others say it’s just part of her insanity. If you go into Bradwield Forest, there’s some kind of portal which takes you right into her realm,’ she said waving her fingers in a mysterious manner.

‘You’re crazy, Samantha,’ he said half smiling in mockery. ‘You watch too many movies.’

‘Oh, no I’m not crazy, Orphan boy. Rumor has it that she is three centuries old and the last potion she made she gave to your father. The dinosaur now rightly extinct.’

Brendan’s heart began to pound fast. ‘That’s nonsense, Samantha and you know it.’

‘What does the potion do, Orphan boy? Did he tell you what it does? Maybe it was to bring back long lost love but it was a dud, just like you!’ She grinned in a wicked way that terrified him then she stood up and left.

‘Man, I thought she’d never get away from you,’ Simon said to him as they walked back to their classes after recess. ‘What were you guys talking about anyway?’ he asked.

‘Nothing important.’ He was still pondering over what Samantha had told him.

‘Come on, Brendan, I’m your best friend. You know you can tell me anything,’ he said convincingly.

He sighed. ‘She told me this stupid story about a finch,’ he answered him.

‘You don’t mean “Tha Finch”, do you?’

‘What’s the difference, Simon?’

‘Well, The Finch’s story isn’t just a story, it’s technically a legend.’

‘Yeah, right,’ he chuckled in mockery. ‘What kind of a name is Finch? Sounds more like a fable to me.’

‘Well, they call her that because she doesn’t stay in one place… just like a bird.’

‘Then they should have just called her “The Bird” instead.’