Chapter Text
"Two, two, one, two! Mic check one, two! One, two!"
A teenage guy was up on stage speaking into the mic. The party had been rocking all night since the football game. Kids were celebrating Hexside's big win over their rival, Glandus High. The party was already starting to get crazy.
"Oh, yeah! Y'all know what's coming up, don't you?!", the guy continued to say. "Come on, I got it right here! I got it right here! Hexside High School, where you at?! We got something to celebrate! Hexside Banshees, 31! Glandus Griffins, 17! We killed 'em, y'all! Yeah!"
Everybody cheered after the score of the rivalry game was announced. With Bonesborough being a small town, it really valued it's high school sport teams. Pretty much everyone would go see them play. Especially when it came to football.
"All right, I want everybody on the dance floor! Come on! What? What? Y'all ready to party? Get up, get up! I though this was a party! Let's dance!"
Just after those words were said, Footloose by Kenny Logins started playing over the speakers on stage. Everyone started dancing either on the floor or by their vehicles. Some had drinks in there hands and where prepared to drink the night away.
"Been working so hard. I'm punching my card. Eight hours for what? Oh, tell me what I got. I've got this feeling. That time's just holding me down."
"I'll hit the ceiling. Or else I'll tear up this town."
"Tonight I got to cut loose. Footloose. Kick off your Sunday shoes. Please, Louise. Pull me off of my knees. Jack, get back. Come on, before we crack. Lose your blues."
"Everybody cut FOOTLOOSE!"
While everyone was having a good time, they had no idea of the tragedy that had just took place. A car had collided head on with a truck on a bridge. The teenage girl inside the car was on her way home. It was later deemed that the cause of the accident was intoxication. Another young soul lost to recklessness of dunk driving. But this was just any teenage girl. The girl was Amelia Blight
Alador Blight stood in front of a podium. The town hall was packed to the brim with teenagers and parents alike who lived in Bonesborough. It had been almost a week since the tragic death of Amelia Blight. Alador to deliver a speech to citizens of the town and the council.
Sitting in the front row was his wife, Odalia. His other children were twins, Edric and Emira, and the youngest, Amity.
Amity kept her head down trying to hold back the tears that desperately wanted to fall.
"I still can't believe she's gone.", said the girl with mint green colored hair. "Out of anyone this could've happened to, it had to be her. Why?"
Emira instinctively put her arm around her little sister.
"We're all going to miss her, Mittens.", she said. "We're all going to miss her very much."
"The important thing now is we need to be here for each other. Pick each other up when we are down.", said Edric. "Healing from this will take time but we can do it I know we can."
Alador taped on the microphone and everyone in the town hall grew silent.
"We are being tested.", Alador began. "A bigger power is testing us. Especially now. . . when we are consumed by despair. When we are asking ourselves why this had to happen. No parent should ever have to know the horror of burying their own child. And yet. . . one of Bonesborough's brightest has lost her life. My oldest daughter. My baby girl, Amelia."
Alador paused for a moment. His words sinking in to the people around the crowd building.
"We have other children to raise here in Bonesborough.", he continued. "And one day, they will no longer be in our. . . embrace and in our care. They will belong to the world. A world filled with evil and temptation. . . and danger. But until that day, they are ours to protect. This is the lesson to be taken from this tragedy. That is our test. We cannot be missing from our children's lives."
Alador looked behind him to signal a council member read the measures they had planned.
"The following measures will be read and voted on accordingly.", said the council member. "A curfew for minors under the age of 18 will take effect immediately. Minors must be home by ten p.m. on weeknights, 11 p.m. on weekends. All in favor say "Aye"."
All members of the council said "Aye!"
"No opposed? Motion carries. Punitive measures will be taken against any individual, group or property owner who organizes a public gathering where minors engage in inappropriate activities. Such activities include consumption of alcohol or unlawful drugs, listening to vulgar or demeaning amplified music, or participating in lewd or lascivious dancing. All in favor say "Aye"."
"Aye!"
"Motion carried. There will be no public displays of dancing unless supervised as part of a school, civic or organized function. Outside of these authorized institutions, public dancing among Bonesborough's minors will be in violation of the law. All in favor say "Aye"."
"Aye!"
"Mr. Blight, your vote, please?"
Alador paused for a moment. He looked around and across the room. His eyes landing once again on his giving family in the front row. The twins comforting Amity as she tried to contain her emotions. Odalia trying to keep a straight face as she always did. As cold as she was, she could show emotion when she wanted. But tonight wasn't the night.
"Aye!", Alador gave as his vote.
"No opposed?", the council member asked one more time. "Motion carried."
From this point forward, everything in the town of Bonesborough would change.