Spark • Xavier Thorpe

seven

Elvira winced under the bag when she felt her kidnapper tighten the ropes around her wrists, cutting the circulation off. She secretly hoped that whoever had taken her was trying to kill her, she was in the mood to fry someone. Suddenly the bag was ripped off of her head, and Elvira was met with the light from a projector.

It took one sweep of the room to know that her and Wednesday's kidnappers were students from Nevermore, not experienced kidnappers. What a shame.

"Who dares breach our inner sanctum?" A voice boomed from the darkness behind the projector light. Elvira recognized the voice immediately, despite the siren's attempts to disguise it. Bianca Barclay.

"You can take the mask off, Bianca," Wednesday spoke. Elvira heard a frustrated sigh come from Bianca, and she watched as all the people surrounding them dropped their hoods, and removed their masks. She raised an eyebrow when she saw that the person closest to her was Xavier. "Wait, I preferred you with it on."

"How did you two get down here?" Xavier asked, his tone hostile. Elvira cocked her head at this.

"Rowan showed us," Wednesday answered. "Left pocket."

Xavier glanced at his fellow Nightshade members, before glancing at Elvira, and making his way over to Wednesday. He reached into her left pocket, and pulled out the drawing that Rowan had given to Wednesday. As Xavier looked at the drawing, he backed up slightly towards Elvira.

"I tracked the watermark to the Poe statue, then I solved the riddle," Wednesday informed them. Elvira coughed slightly, and she heard Wednesday sigh. "Then we solved the riddle."

"Wait, there's a riddle? I thought we just snapped twice," one of Bianca's friends, Kent, said. He turned his head to Elvira and she immediately recognized the jagged pattern of red on his cheek. He was the siren she had electrocuted earlier on in the day. Everyone in the room rolled their eyes and shook their heads.

"Well, aren't you the brightest in the bunch?" Elvira taunted.

"The Nightshades are an elite social club," Bianca spoke, before Kent could retaliate at Elvira's comment. "Emphasis on elite."

"We have roof parties, camp outs, the occasional midnight skinny-dip," Yoko spoke.

"And Yoko's an amateur mixologist," one of the other sirens spoke.

"She makes a killer virgin mojito, it can get pretty wild," Ajax told the two. Elvira raised an eyebrow at the virgin mojito part. Wasn't the whole point of a mojito the alcohol?

"Wow, do you guys even have a bedtime?" Wednesday asked sarcastically. Elvira found joy in all of the Nightshade members smiles falling. "Last I heard, the Nightshades had been disbanded."

"Yeah, the group kind of lost its charter thirty years ago after some normie kid died," Xavier spoke. Elvira had already loosened the knot on her ropes, and she slipped her hands through, balling the rope up in her hand. What a lousy kidnapping job.

"But we have a lot of wealthy alumni, so Weems looks the other way as long as nobody makes any waves," Yoko continues.

"Someone like Rowan?" Elvira asked.

"We booted that loser last semester," Bianca responded. "Question is, what are we going to do with these two? Only members are allowed in this library.

It was silent for a minute before Xavier spoke up.

"I say we invite them to pledge."

"What?" Someone asked.

"Wednesday's a legacy, and Elvira is easily the most talented person at Nevermore," Xavier told them, glancing down at Elvira. The brunette blushed at his compliment, and then began to smile at the furious look on Bianca's face.

"After the crap they pulled in the Poe Cup, there's no way in hell," Bianca refused. "We talk about not making waves? The two of them are literally a tsunami."

"Upset that we beat you at your own game?" Elvira jeered, earning a glare from Bianca.

"Let us save you the trouble," Wednesday said. "We're not interested in joining."

This made everyone in the room frown in confusion, even Elvira. Sure she wasn't a huge fan of clubs or extracurriculars, but the Nightshades at least seemed interesting. It was just one more way for her to get under Bianca's skin.

"You're seriously turning us down?" Yoko asked.

"Can you believe it?" Wednesday retorted.

"Untie them," Bianca ordered.

"I freed myself five minutes ago," Wednesday announced, and then all eyes turned to Elvira.

"What? You think if one Addams can do it, the next one can't?" Elvira asked, before showing them her own untied rope. She heard Xavier laugh under his breath, before she stood up.

"This is ridiculous," she heard Bianca whisper to Yoko. Wednesday snatched the drawing from Xavier's hand before turning to leave. They made to leave but Kent moved to stand in their way.

"Are you looking to be electrocuted twice in one day?" Elvira threatened, raising her hand with electricity sparking between her fingers. Kent's eyes widened, and he immediately moved out of the way. Wednesday took Elvira's rope, and then tossed both strands of rope at the siren, before they headed for the stairs.

When they were halfway up, Wednesday paused and looked back at them.

"It's amateurs like you who give kidnapping a bad name," Wednesday spoke, before turning and continuing up the stairs. Elvira offered them all a false smile, before following her cousin, ready to get the rest of the sleep she needed.

***

The next morning, Elvira found herself in the quad along with the rest of the students, bright and early. It was Outreach Day, how exciting.

"All students will report for their volunteer jobs at ten a.m. sharp, followed by a community lunch and one. As you know, this year Outreach Day culminates in a very special event. The dedication of a new memorial statue, in the town square, which will also include performances by Nevermore students. As representatives of our school, I trust you will all put your best face forward."

As soon as Principal Weems was done, teachers began to had out the assignments to each student. Wednesday and Elvira received there's, before Enid came bouncing up to them.

"Yes! I got Pilgrim World. I do have natural people skills, and a love of performing, so it's kind of the obvi choice," Enid told them, and Elvira laughed lightly at her. "What did you two get?"

"Uriah's Heap, whatever that is," Wednesday answered.

"Ew. It's this weird, creepy antique store. You'll love it though," Enid assured her. "What about you Elvira."

Elvira opened her assignment.

"I got the Weathervane," she read, which Enid nodded in response to.

"That's the cafe in town. I think you'll like it," Enid said. Elvira nodded and then Enid looked over to Ajax. "I'm crossing my claws Ajax and I will be outreaching together."

"Oh my god, I got the Weathervane," they heard Xavier say, as the three of them looked over at Ajax and Xavier. Enid and Wednesday both looked at Elvira at his comment, Wednesday with an eyebrow raised, and Enid with a huge smile on her face.

"I guess you'll be having a good time," Enid commented, and Elvira rolled her eyes.

"We'll see," she replied. Principal Weems approached the three, and Enid gave them a smile before scurrying off.

"Wednesday don't worry about your cello. I'll have it brought to the town square this afternoon," Principal Weems says, taking both Addams cousins by surprise.

"My cello?" Wednesday asked.

"I caught your rooftop serenade the other night, impressive," Principal Weems informs her. "I volunteered you to accompany the Jericho High School marching band at the ceremony. I'm sure it won't be too challenging to play an uplifting Fleetwood Mac melody."

"As long as you promise to hang me as a witch afterwards," Wednesday responded. Principal Weems' smile didn't fade, but her eyes did widen the slightest at Wednesday's statement, before she began herding them to the school buses, so that they could head off to Jericho.