Lotus Power: Lotus Blood, #2

Chapter One

I let my arms hang down over the clear water, chlorine stinging my eyes, ready to go, more than ready.  I was high on my starting blocks, ready in my coiled spring. All the rest of the school were sat or stood around the Olympic size swimming pool, chanting the names of their school houses and waving home-made banners.

Crouched on the next starting block was Sienna, from the Chang House. She glared at me and looked me up and down, her face full of disdain. She was tall, willowy and stunning. Beyond Sienna, on her own starting block, crouched Uma, my room-mate from the Panda House. She smiled at me and opened her mouth to shout something, but yelling burst out behind us. We all glanced round at the narrow pathway, marked out by red and white ribbons, leading away from the pool and down to the sports track.

This was the final event of Sports Day, the House Triathlon; running, cycling then swimming. I was waiting for Junior, my huge twin brother, who for some insane reason had been selected on our team; rugby or weightlifting yes, but not cycling, not Junior.

More shouts erupted and younger kids screamed then a lad I didn’t know from Panda House careered into sight, followed by Simon, my boyfriend, both pedaling furiously, their legs flying, really going for it. They nearly crashed into each other but flew apart at the last moment, battled the last few yards then threw their bikes down and tore up the steps into the pool complex.

Simon reached out, tagged Sienna’s outstretched hand and she dived into the pool in one long fluid movement. Behind her, Uma threw herself into the water. All around me, Panda and Chang students were going crazy screaming, Swim! Swim!

Bro, where the Hell are you? I blasted out in my head and Junior came straight back.

Crashed ... nearly there!

There was more shouting and Junior wobbled into view, covered in dirt, fighting to keep his bent out-of-shape bike going in a straight line. He threw it down and staggered towards me.

Come on! I screamed at him.

Sienna and Uma were already half way down the pool.

Sorry! he gasped out, swung his huge hand, missed mine and smacked me across the arse.  I threw myself in and dolphined underwater as far as the marker. I could just make out the two other racers in the distance, distorted through the water, their arms and legs whirling in clouds of bubbles. I came up and the cheers rolled over me as I thrust forward, my arms and legs going like pistons.

Rhythm good, very good, I surged through the water. Up ahead there was a thrash of spray, as the two others hit the wall at the end of the pool and turned for the final lap. I was getting there, catching them; Doable, as my swim coach back in England used to say. Doable, Nam, it’s doable! And I believed him, as I threw myself at the wall at the end of the pool, up and over in one perfect tumble-turn stroke, and then I was away after Uma and Sienna.

Up ahead, I could see their splashes and flashing arms, harder and clearer now as they tired and I was catching them fast, hunting them down, flying through the water, hauling handfuls of it out of my way. They were going in slow motion, only just ahead of my finger tips now, then level.

I caught Sienna’s shocked eyes as she half-turned to breathe and we went at it stroke for arm stroke, then I was past and threw my fingers out, clipped the timing pad and collapsed back in the water, breathing hard.  Junior stood over me, head back roaring and all the Mossie House students were going berserk, girls and boys shrieking their heads off, jumping up and down in the stands.

Uma swam over into my lane and hugged me. Sienna glared at us, thrashing her goggles in the water.

Where ... did ... you ... learn ... to ...  swim ... like ... that? she asked, slowly and carefully so I’d understand her. I looked Thai, so I obviously couldn’t speak English very well. For a second, I considered replying in Thai, or pretending not to understand, but this was the first time she’d even bothered to speak to me and I had few enough friends, without making enemies.

Learn to swim? In Manchester, I replied, not even out of breath now.  I was a County Champion for my age group.

Oh, but you look ...

Yes, Thai. I’m half Thai. She looked confused. And half British ... Ow! I squealed as Junior grabbed my hand, hauled me out of the water and we high-fived.  Simon stood next to him, grinning stupidly at me. I pulled a face at him and pumped my arms in the air. Then, the sound system crackled into life and the voice of Miss Peeps, our headmistress, squealed out, high and harsh.

Here are the results of the House Triathlon. First, Sienna Richardson ...

What?

... second, Uma  Odinga. Nam Richardson was disqualified ...

Why? I screamed, as boos echoed around the pool complex.

... for inappropriate touching.

I sprinted the twenty yards to the announcer’s table.

Miss Peeps sat there, her round fat face turned away, talking to a prefect.

What touching? I demanded.

Miss Peeps turned her head slowly and stared at me in surprise, her body overflowing her chair, like it had been put on upside down and stuck.

Miss Rodgers? Did you have a question?

My blood boiled up through my veins and that was not good. That was the sure sign I was about to totally and uncontrollably lose it. Not good at all, but this was the first thing that had gone right since we had come to this dump of a school. And it was mine.

I breathed in hard, then out and held my shoulders down then spoke slowly and deliberately.

I don’t understand, Miss Peeps. What touching? Why was I disqualified?

St Inkle’s has very strict rules on contact between students. I’m sure you’re aware of that, Miss Rodgers?

You stupid cow! Of course I’m sodding aware of that. And it’s why I can’t even go near Simon, or be alone with him. 

Luckily what came out was, Of course I am, Miss Peeps. But, what touching? I don’t understand.

Ron Rodgers touched you, on your posterior. Your .. backside.

He’s my brother!

Which makes it somewhat worse, I’m sure you’ll agree?

It was an accident.

I’m sorry, Miss Rodgers, rules are rules.

The blood boiled up my neck and across my face, I opened my mouth to scream at her and a hand touched my shoulder. I whipped round and Uma stood there grinning at me. I breathed hard through my teeth, holding on, just.  Uma held her hand up and high-fived me.

Great swim, Doll.

I nodded hard, not trusting the screaming held inside. She grabbed my hand as I turned back to Peeps and dragged me backwards and threw us both into the pool. We hit the water and floated apart. I sat down on the smooth tiled pool bottom and watched her kick away, then closed my eyes and counted.

I can hold my breath for a really, really long time and when I finally pushed off and floated upwards, my head was pounding and my eyeballs hurting. I burst out of the water and gasped in a lungful of the hot humid air. Living in Bangkok was like being stuck in a giant sauna on constant full blast. The standard joke was there were three only types of weather; Hot, very hot and flipping hot. And, then of course there was the rain.

The light had changed and the pool complex was empty and quiet, except for two bright green birds with long tails perched on Miss Peeps’ table. They bobbed their heads at me and chattered away, echoing in the empty concrete bowl.

I doggy-paddled to the side, hauled myself out and sat a moment with the heavy late afternoon sun beating down on me, trailing my toes in the water, looking out over the river.

The school leaflet described St Inkle’s as a Bangkok riverside paradise. It was certainly riverside but paradise had got lost somewhere.

A long-tail-boat blasted past, its high nose painted red and blue, festooned with white and yellow flower garlands. The Thai guy at the back waved to me, as he dipped the long shaft, with the whirling propeller into the water and the giant engine roared. Junior had told me that they used old bus engines, because they were cheap and powerful. They made a hell of a noise as they shot the boat through the water, dodging round the passenger ferries and small stubby tugs, straining to drag giant cargo ships though the murky water.

A hundred yards away on the far bank, rickety wooden houses stood with their support stilts in the water, lost in time and dwarfed by the ultra-modern sky scrapers that had grown up around them. The sky-scrapers rose up tall and proud, full of glass and stark against the darkening sky, their windows flashing with the sheet lightning that danced across the clouds. The rainy season had come early and monstrous storms rolled across the city almost daily. 

The two birds pecked at each other, still chattering then screeched and flew up in an explosion of feathers. 

You there, Simon? I pushed out into my head space and for a moment got nothing back, then Simon’s smooth confident voice came back at me.

Of course. Just waiting for you to stop messing around in the pool.

A shadow moved over by the changing rooms and an arm waved. I stood up, grabbed my towel and nonchalantly wandered round the pool, followed by two CCTV cameras. I reached the changing room door and bent down as if I’d dropped something.

Hiya! Simon stood grinning behind a pillar, out of sight of prying eyes.

Hiya yourself, I said facing away, as the first drum-roll of thunder rumbled across the river.

I’m still getting used to hearing your voice in my head, Simon said and shook his head at me.

Yeah well, I didn’t ask for it. It just started happening, didn’t it?

It’s still a bit freaky though.

I blame Mum. It only started after we broke her out of Hell and she sent us back. I reckon I got it from her. And think yourself lucky, I get Junior, you and Olivia, all your voices in here, I said and slapped my forehead.

I just worry you can read my mind and that would be embarrassing.

I can’t read your mind, you know that. It’s more like getting text messages, but in my head.

Simon lowered his voice and slid his arm around my waist. That’s good. It would be very embarrassing, if you knew what I was thinking right now. 

I closed my eyes for a second, holding onto the feel of his touch on my wet swim suit then took a deep breath, sighed and pushed his arm away.

Later, Simon. After Prep’s over?

Usual place, Simon said and blew me a kiss, as he slid away into the Boys’ changing rooms and away from prying eyes.

Apart from normal friendships, relationships between boys and girls are not tolerated at St Inkle’s, read the enormous, ominous and miserable boarders’ rules handbook. Even holding hands would lead to a warning and possible suspension. We’d found that out the hard way on the day we arrived. I’d hugged Simon and been hauled over the coals by Miss Peeps. It was better to pretend we were nothing but friends, and hide away from the blanket of security cameras pinpricked throughout the school grounds.

Our hidey-hole was down in the damp, dark maze of cellars, under the crumbling boarding-house building. We’d discovered them purely by chance and now spent as much time as we could down there in the warm darkness. It wasn’t the most romantic setting, surrounded by the filthy walls that were constantly wet with water leaking from the school’s rotten plumbing, along with the stink of the drains, but it was better than nothing. 

The dinner gong sounded as I finished getting changed, and the shadows were lengthening as I trotted across the hockey pitch towards the crumbling façade of the boarding house block.

It towered over the rest of the school, in stark brooding contrast to the bright modern science block, swimming complex and state-of-the-art boat house and sports pitches. 

It had been built, on the cheap, in a mock-Gothic style only forty years ago and looked utterly ridiculous and out of place in downtown, modern Bangkok. Towers, full of grotesque carved gargoyles and ornate stained-glass windows, rose up into spiky spires, and down below giant arched doorways lead into high ceilinged corridors. When it had first been built, it must have been impressive, but now the tropical heat was rotting the building from the inside-out, and it was infested with insects and bugs, feasting on the cheap, untreated materials. 

The dining room was a cavern of clattering trays and queuing kids by the time I got there. My name was ticked off on the mandatory meal list, as I joined the queue snaking its way towards the buffet – two daily choices, one Thai and one Western. I spotted Simon, already sat down at a table with some of his friends.

Mr sodding popular.

He waved. I was just about to smile and wave back, when I caught Peeps, sat at the teachers’ high table behind him, watching me with her beady little eyes. I turned away and bumped into Uma, who already had a tray full of steaming spaghetti and meat sauce.

Hey, Nam. I’ll grab us some seats.

Thanks. I said and smiled at her as she strode away, slim, sleek and graceful, her light blue T-shirt in perfect contrast to her dark skin. Like me, this was her first term at St Inkle’s, and we more than looked out for each other.

I finally reached the giant stainless steel trays of food, and all that was left was rice and red chicken curry, not even a single strand of spaghetti. I ladled myself a plateful, grabbed some juice and found Uma sat in front of the high table, where Peeps and the other teachers sat glaring down at us, back-lit by the almost constant lightning flashing across the red and green stained-glass windows.

Sorry, Doll. There was nowhere else, she told me.

Never mind. We’ll just have to whisper our evil plots to each other. Shoot, this curry’s spicy! My tongue was on fire. I grabbed the water jug and was just about to drink straight from it, when I caught Peeps glaring at me. I downed two full glasses and fanned my tongue.

I thought you liked Thai food, Doll.

I do, but that is evil.

Yeah, you’d have thought in a school with twenty seven different nationalities, they’d have more variety.

And that’s why the fees are so low, cheap, cheap, cheap!

Uma’s face turned from conspirational grin to horror. I froze, hardly daring to breathe.

Sorry, Miss Rodgers, what did you say was cheap? Peeps asked from over my shoulder.

Mobile phone credit, in the school shop.

Miss Rodgers?

Sorry. Mobile phone credit in the school shop, MISS Peeps.

Really? she screeched, turned on her heel and stomped out of the dining hall, swatting her hand at some younger boys who were daring to have some fun.

What did you do to make her hate you so much, Doll?

Dunno, Ooms. It started the day we arrived. She seems okay with Junior, tolerates Simon, and takes everything she can out on me. God, this is way too spicy.

I pushed the curry away and reached for my trifle dessert, which had melted into a puddle in the bowl.

Nammy! shrieked a young voice. A small figure shot between the tables and threw herself at me.

Olivia, Oily Darling, you look beautiful! She was dressed in pink and yellow pajamas, ready for bed. She’d broken out of the line of five, six and seven year olds snaking past, on their way from evening TV up to bed.

You won the race, you won! I saw you.

Yes I did, didn’t I? She was Simon’s little sister and stunningly cute – all long blonde, bouncing curls and huge blue eyes. I couldn’t make out any of my boyfriend in her, but I loved her anyway. We’d been to Hell and back together, literally.  And, ended up exiled to this dump.

Oli-via, Miss Kite’s sweet voice echoed across the fast emptying dining hall. Bed-time. I waved at Miss Kite and she smiled back. She seemed to love and care about all her kids, but somehow especially Olivia, so I was cool with her. Olivia kissed me on the nose and ran off, her little arms pumping.

Wish I had half her energy, said Uma.

Wish I had her looks, I replied.

Huh? You’re gorgeous, you silly cow. You just don’t know it. That’s why I call you Doll.

Yeah, yeah, whatever. Come on, let’s get to Prep, before we get in more crap from Peeps. 

We dumped our trays, grabbed our bags from the lockers and hit the Prep room.

The only desks left free were right at the front. Head of Prep, Sienna, glared at us from her high desk.

Good of you to join us, she said, as the window behind her whited out. A second later the thunder clap exploded and Sienna shrieked, holding onto her desk top, her eyes wide.  The thunder rolled round us, then faded. I smiled sweetly at Sienna and opened my books, as Uma slumped down next to me, her body rigid, her eyes fixed and glazed.

Ooms? I said and shook her arm. It’s okay, it’s only thunder. She rolled over towards me, her eyes upturned white eggs in their sockets.

Uuuuama!

Behind me, Sienna screamed.

I slapped Uma’s face hard and her whole body convulsed then she grabbed me hard, her face right up in mine. Hold onto yourself, Nam, the harsh whisper burst out of Uma’s mouth, so unlike her light, gentle voice. Hold on, darling girl!

Uma collapsed against me and I held onto her tight and stared up at Sienna, stood over us, her hands over her head. Her mouth was moving but no sound came out. Another flash burst across the windows, and in the same second a rip of thunder tore the air apart.

He comes. He comes! Sienna shrieked, put her head back and let loose a howl of pure horror. She threw herself on the floor, writhing around. The lights went out, the world went white and, in the same instant, yet another thunder bolt ripped the air apart. Screaming kids and crashing desks erupted around us. I threw myself across Uma, holding her down.

I’m here, Blood of my ... Give yourself...! howled Sienna, thrashing around on the floor next to us, babbling and screaming.

A blast of stinking rotten oranges erupted out of her, and a streak of crimson exploded out of the darkness. 

Simon! I shouted over the clatter of falling desks and screaming kids. White light tore the room apart again and I was up on my feet, as Miss Peeps tore across the sea of desks towards me, then the blackness closed in again. And, out of the darkness streaked three scarlet women’s heads, Krasue. They shrieked across, flicking their tongues, trailing red-black smoke.

I had my hands up ready but they flashed away as the world whited out again and the air split apart. In that moment, I’d caught an image of Peeps standing over Sienna, screaming, Shut up, shut up!

What the flip was that Doll? Uma said as she crashed into me and held on. All that red.

You saw them?

Course I did, you silly cow. They were so fast.

Blood of my blood! screamed Sienna again. I’m here!

Come on, I said, grabbed Uma’s arm and hauled her away from Peeps and Sienna.

One more flash and a tall figure swayed towards me.

Simon!

Thank you.

Nam, you okay?

Yeah, yeah, fine.

You saw them?

Course I did. Where’s Junior?

Here. Crap! roared Junior behind me, as another blast of thunder tore the air. But, in the flash, I’d seen the double doors behind Junior and they lead out into the gym. I pulled Uma and pushed Junior and Simon, stumbling over cowering bodies on the floor.  We smashed through the doors and stood panting on the wide wooden planking of the basketball court. The windows were wide and high, and just enough light filtered through to show us the wide expanse of wood, empty except for benches and a pummel horse.

Where the hell did they go? Simon muttered next to me.

They buggered off before you could blast them, replied Junior as I walked forward hands ready, twisting and turning, like something out of a TV scene when police raid a house.

What were they? Uma’s harsh whisper, cut through the silence, and Simon did a double-take at her.

You saw them?

Of course I did, Simon. I’m not blind.

Another one of the blood, I said, turning in a slow circle.

You what, Doll?

Nam means you’re one of us, if you can see them, said Junior, his voice coming out high and strung out.

Uma opened her mouth to ask something else but another rip of white light burned the darkness back. The roaring faded, leaving a low rumbling, and the weak light turned green as water poured down the gym windows. The rain had come.

We were in a tight circle, me leading and Simon at the rear, a team set-up we’d honed on the spirit infested temple, above my Grandmother’s house in Southern Thailand, and used it to fight for our souls in Hell itself. We moved on through the gym, towards the store-room and wide doors leading outside to the river. The pounding rain grew even louder, as we reached a row of benches and paused.  A tangle of ropes, bars and mats was thrown together against the windows, next to the store room door which hung open.

Junior, could you chuck one of these and see what happens? I said and kicked one of the benches.

Sure, sis, he said and picked one up like it was a large stick, balanced it on his shoulder, then tossed it up and forward. It crashed into the ropes, flipped over and landed half through the store-room door. He bent down for another bench but I put my hand on his shoulder.

A low whining cut through the air, growing like someone was turning a volume switch. I pushed Uma and Junior behind me and stood shoulder to shoulder with Simon, our hands up ready. We knew a Krasue when we heard one. The whine went up into a wail, then straight into a shriek. The door glowed blood-red for a second, then two Krasue burst out, furious flashing yellow eyes, snaking green tongues and went for us.

Simon caught them in the same second I rammed my right hand forward, ripping the first one apart. The other one was held by Simon’s force, for the time it took me to slam it out of existence with my left hand.

I reached back. Power up please, bro. Junior slapped my hand and raw energy surged into me, my teeth chattering with the force. Junior was our team’s battery, and without him we would be writhing in agony in the Devil’s Hell for eternity. 

Doll, what the hell was that?

I put my hand up, to show I’d heard Uma and shook my head at her.

Tell you later, Ooms.

Simon took a tap of energy from Junior. We strode forward together and stopped. The rain beat a furious tattoo on the windows and roof, but there was no other sound. We crept forward and paused ten feet or so from the store-room. I didn’t fancy strolling through there and straight into a Krasue tongue; my hand shivered with the memory of pain beyond pain. 

Junior, I said. Try another bench ... I broke off as I caught a sliver of red in the window, screamed, pushed Uma hard and whipped round, falling backwards as the flying head tore over, so close the hot blast caught my hair and the stench of rotten oranges hit me full on. I slammed my feet up at it as it whipped past, but I was off balance and the Krasue twisted, then it shot forward over Simon’s head and out through the wide doors.  The doors slammed back against the wall, the red glow flared then faded away.

What the hell is it? shouted Uma.

A Krasue, and we’ve got to stop her! Simon? I shouted as we ran forward, trailing Uma, slammed  the doors back and stared out into the sheets of water pouring from the sky.

Crap! shouted Junior.

Crap indeed, bro.

There were still no lights, just a few distant yellow glows from street lamps. I walked forward and gasped as the water pounded my skin and head.

It’s hot! The rain in Bangkok was never cold, how could it be when the damn place never dropped below thirty degrees? But, this was like lying under a hot tap on full blast. Instantly I was soaked through to my underwear. The two boys walked out to me and Junior swore as the steaming torrent hit him. Uma grabbed my arm.

Doll, tell me, what’s going on?

Uma, please go back in. It isn’t safe. We’ve got to find that Krasue, before she goes berserk and hurts people.

You’re going to fight it?

Of course.

I’ll help you. I’ve fought the Shetani, back home. I had to.

Sis?

Junior stood pointing. I followed his finger and could just about make out the wide river through the deluge, and the red glow spreading across it from a ferry boat moored against the bank.

Let’s go, Doll, said Uma and we strode forward, paddling through the ankle deep flood water. The hot deluge relented slightly, and I could see there were actually four long wooden ferry boats lashed together side-by-side.

This isn’t right. This is what he wants, I said and Simon put his hand on my arm.

Maybe, Nam, but we can take one Krasue. We have to.

A river cruiser covered in bright lights churned past, packed with people twisting to music on the upper deck, and down below couples sat at tables loaded with food and drink. Two long tail boats raced each other down the river, dived in front of the cruiser and swung round in front of us, revving their engines hard. We’d reached the first moored boat and I stepped onto the thick rope holding it in place.

Simon, come with me. Hold her and I’ll take her out. Junior, wait here with Uma, and watch your backs.

Okay, Doll.

I stepped forward with Simon and stopped. The rails of the ferry boats were covered in birds, with long heads and sharp pointed beaks. Beady olive-black eyes bored into me.

Nam? whispered Simon.

I see them.

The long tail boats sped in circles in front of us, churning the water, rocking the ferries.

Let’s do this, I said and pushed Simon forward across the bobbing deck. We had our hands up ready, mine back against my shoulders – spring loaded, and Simon’s arms spread wide, fingers splayed, ready to catch the Krasue and hold her.

I ducked down and looked up the length of the ferry and there was nothing, just row after row of seats covered in birds.  I edged across the gap and onto the deck of the next ferry. At least we were sheltered from the pounding rain under the ferry canopies. I crouched down on the wooden decking and there was no red glow, or floating dismembered head and entrails; just hundreds, thousands of birds, crouched there waiting.

Nam!Uma’s voice cut through the rain thundering on the ferry’s roof.

What?

They’re Izulu. Lightning birds, get out ...

Behind me Simon screamed. I ripped round as the Krasue burst out of the last ferry going straight at us. I slammed both hands forward and it flew apart, trailing red streaks out over the water. Then it all went wrong.

At Simon’s scream, the birds rose up and let loose a high skull-piercing shriek. I had my hands over my ears when the first bird hit me and dug its needle beak into my arm. I screamed, backed away and crashed into the metal rail, as beaks bit into my neck.  I was covered in birds, wings beating at my head, needle stings biting in. Feathers exploded around me and the birds blasted away. Uma stood there hands out then pulled them back, ready to go again, but the huge flock of beating wings flew up and away into the night.

You okay, Doll? 

Simon! I screamed, but he was gone.  I leaned over the guard rail and caught sight of his long arms sticking out of the water, way away from the river bank.

I kicked my shoes off.

Nam, wait! shouted Junior.

He can’t swim! I screamed back and threw myself into the water. I went under and fought my way back up, keeping my mouth firmly closed. Fish lived in the river, huge cat fish, but the water was murky and dark. I burst out and peered through the lashing rain. I could just make out a still shape in the water, away towards the circling long-tail boats.

Shouting erupted behind me, but I powered through the water, towards the still body shape, tearing through floating pieces of vegetation, crashing through the water. An arm stuck up. I grabbed it and pulled. It fell apart, disintegrating into pieces of splintering wood and twigs, and the stench of rotten oranges hit me. The long-tail boats turned their bows towards me, their garlands swinging as the engines went up into a high scream.

I waved frantically but they kept coming, side-by-side, straight for me. Uma shouted and I dived down, deep into the dark water as the wooden hulls flashed over and pulled me around in their undertow. 

Close! 

I drifted up and gulped in the hot air. Junior and