Page 70 of Knox Academy Omnibus
Sawyer told us that Headmaster Knox had cancelled classes for the day - knowing full well that everyone would be hanging after the party - but demanded that we used our day off to tidy up the mess that we created. Which sucked. I got stuck on bathroom duty and was mortified when I had to explain to Sawyer why I’d be needing to keep his shirt for the day. He wasn’t impressed, though Kalen maintained that he was justjealous. I did get to use the shower after I cleaned it though, and Sawyer found me some sweats to wear which was nice of him, so it wasn’t all bad.
Thankfully, my lessons with Sawyer that week were cancelled due to teacher conferences and so I didn’t have to face him again after that. It also meant that I couldn’t return his stuff. Oh well.
The first week of November saw the weather turn bitterly cold. The guys even admitted it was cold, but told me to thank my lucky stars that it was at least dry. They were all super excited for some bizarre English holiday this coming weekend.
“Explain it to me again,” I groan at the breakfast table on Sunday morning.
“It’s not that hard to grasp, Amelie, especially for a smart girl like you. Bonfire night - or Guy Fawkes night - aka tonight, marks the anniversary of the discovery of a plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605,” Kalen sighs, exasperated with me.
“Yes, I get that, but I don’t understand the bonfire bit. Or why they wanted to blow up parliament in the first place.”
“Well it was the Gunpowder Plot. They were going to blow up parliament from underneath it when King James I was there in session with the other parliamentary members.”
“Why?”
“Religion. The plotters were Catholic at a time the country was Protestant-”
“How do you force an entire country to follow a religion?” I pull a face. Seems stupid to me.
“We used to rule the world, we didn’t get that way by playing nice,” Kalen points out. I sense a darker undertone to what he’s saying but I can’t put my finger on what he might be alluding to.
“But...bonfires?”
“Boom! It would have made a big bloody bang!” he cries, throwing his arms up in the air. The twins laugh.
“Who would have thought that you actually know something, Kalen?” Onyx sneers.
“Ha-ha.”
“Actually,” Elsie interrupts. “Whilst Kalen is correct that the thirty six barrels of gunpowder they put in the tunnels under the Houses of Parliament would make a big boom, that’s not what the bonfires represent.”
“It isn’t?” Kalen asks, wide-eyed.
“Sit and actually learn something, moron,” Slate jibes.
“Ok, Elsie, explain,” I prompt her.
“When the plan was thwarted and the plotters were caught, they were arrested, tortured and executed. They were supposed to be hung, drawn and quartered but the rumour is that Guy jumped from the ladder and broke his neck.
People lit bonfires that night to celebrate the safety of the king, and we still do to this day. People also place a dummy - a “Guy” effigy which is a bit like a scarecrow I guess - on the fire to burn as a symbol for Guy Fawkes getting his comeuppance.”
“So you celebrate the execution of a guy who was trying to make your country better?”
“Terrorist,” Kalen fake-coughs.
“Yep!” Elsie beams brightly at me. “The fireworks and sparklers are just an added bonus. You’ll like it; it’s pretty,” Elsie laughs at me.
“Don’t forget the food,” Onyx adds.
“I think you British are crazy,” I mutter.
“Be that as it may, sis, this is your first bonfire night and I plan to make it special!” Kalen smiles.
“I can’t wait,” I grumble dryly. I won’t admit it, but I am looking forward to it. Even though it means being there with the incubator. Apparently they usually have a few fireworks at home, but Kalen talked his dad into all of us going to some big professional fireworks display - even Elsie is allowed to come.Which will be cool, if I don’t freeze first. Unfortunately, Laura is insisting on sending a car for us again. She just doesn’t get it that teenagers don’t find limos cool.
I leave the table and wander back to my room. I was planning on going for a run but I ate too much at breakfast to attempt it just yet. I decide to do some actual studying because not only do I have exams coming up soon, but because I actually enjoy the curriculum too. At the moment, as a second-year student, it places me on the first year of my degree. Normally students would specialise in a subject but because I skipped the final exams year of high school I have to accelerate. School works differently here and they’re trying to claim I would have only just started. Monty explained that means completing all my High School exams this term, and then starting my degree in January. I have no idea what I want to focus on yet though. I know that the SELF class and my self-defence classes have to continue, and I’ll probably keep doing music and running with the guys because I enjoy them both, but I have no clue what I want to do as an actual career path. Let’s face it, at home I wasn’t really planning on going to university.
It’s easy to while away the day studying and listening to music. I even tidy and sort out my room a little. Elsie must be rubbing off on me because it feels good when I’m done. I take myself off for a run before lunch, enjoying the peace my solitude brings. For a change of scenery, I spend the afternoon in the library and the music practice rooms, going over everything for the showcase which is now less than a week away. Slate and I really need to put in some more practice this coming week, especially with the dance moves. I’m still not sure about them, but I practice the steps by myself as best I can.
