Songs From Friday Afternoons [Bellarke]

September 3, 1965

September 3, 1965

     A freckle-faced twelve-year-old boy with a mop of curly black hair is rowing down a stream in a miniature canoe, humming to himself. Bellamy Blake. His canoe bumps along the rocks, causing the air rifle to shift in its place, but it doesn't fall into the stream. Eventually, he docks his canoe and pulls it farther onto land. He looks at it, hands on his hips, head tilted to the side. It's painted bright yellow and blue—too obvious. He grabs handfuls of leaves and scatters them over the canoe in hopes to camouflage it. It covered the top, but left the sides exposed.

     After thinking about it, he went off to find some branches to conceal the sides of the canoe from view. He drags two branches back to the canoe and lays them over the sides before stepping back and admiring his handiwork. Then, he notices the '55' flag sticking out the back. He walks over and yanks it from the canoe. Instead of lying it in the foliage, he takes it with him, leaving less of a trail for anyone to follow.

     He walks a significant way away from the canoe before laying out his map and making himself a drink with the powdered Tang he's brought along. He examines a compass, determining which direction he'll go before packing up the map, downing his drink, and heading for the meadow.

     Clarke watches through her binoculars as Bellamy walks through the long grass. He's looking around, the grass up to his chest. He stops once he sees her. They are standing across the meadow from one another, each watching the other. Bellamy is smoking a pipe, which he takes from his mouth to blow the collected smoke from his lungs. They stare at one another.

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One Year Earlier

     At the Church of Arcadia, Bellamy is sitting in the audience with the rest of his Junior Khaki Scout troop, boredly watching the Noye's Flude play. He looks around, and once he's sure no one's watching him, exits the pews and wanders out of the church. Outside of the church, children are in costumes, depicting two of each animal that was brought upon the Ark. He slides past them, not wanting to disturb them, and not wanting his Scout Master to be notified of his leaving.

     Bellamy makes his way to a separate part of the church, looking around to make sure there are no adults watching him. He passes a group of kids playing recorders, stopping only to drink from the water fountain. He wipes his mouth on the back of his hand before continuing on down a hallway. There's a sign next to the hallway which reads 'Dressing Rooms'. With his thumbs in his pockets, he makes his way to the very end of the hallway, where he can see racks of clothes and faintly hear girls' voices.

     Out of curiosity, Bellamy enters the room and steps through the rack of clothes. He sticks his arms through a second, parting the clothes to reveal six girls dressed as birds sitting in front of a dressing room mirror. Bellamy brings his fist up to his mouth, clearing his throat. All six of them turn around in their chairs. The one in the middle is beautiful; she has blond hair and is wearing an all black costume. Her blue eyes look at him coldly as he addresses her.

     "What kind of bird are you?" he questions.

     Instead, the girl next to her answers. "I'm a sparrow, she's a dove—"

     "No," he interrupts. "I said, what kind of bird are you?" he points to the blond haired girl.

     She pauses a moment before answering him. "I'm a raven."

     "Boys aren't allowed in here," the sparrow girl tells him.

     "I'll be leaving soon," he assures. His eyes fall to the blond girl's hand. It is wrapped in bandage, and the blood has bled through it. "What happened to your hand?"