《Thus Spoke the Vine》 Chapter 0 ¡°The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who, in times of greats moral crisis, maintain their neutrality¡± - Dante Alighieri ¡°Fucking idiot,¡± he swore as he landed another blow against me. I fell down against the bench, my back aching with the impact. He was over me now, the same bully from my freshman year. He had only gotten worse, eventually even taking to other things. He grabbed my throat, pressing me down against the bench, his other hand cupping my bulge. ¡°Stupid, fucking idiot,¡± he growled, trying to reach towards my zipper. I lost it then, every memory came crashing down around me. With a growl of my own, I reached out and scratched at his face. He cursed when I made contact, hitting the side of his ear. He fell a bit, enough for me to lessen his hold on my neck. I let out another hit, punching the side of his head again and, this time, he fell over. I pushed him off with my leg, standing up and getting away from him as he straightened himself from the bench. He glared at me with a maniacal hiss. He ran forward, hoping to catch me but I didn¡¯t even notice. My hands and legs were tingly. My entire body focused solely on trying to stop him from hurting me anymore, and escaping. He let out a roar as he hit the side of my head, only just making contact when my arm came up to block the movement. I hissed at the sensation, kneeing him in his crotch causing him to keel over. I grabbed his head and kneed him again, using my foot to push him back again. He fell against the floor and I heard others come in. When they saw him and his bloodied face, they looked up at me. I met them, eye for eye, and they cowered until the gym teacher came in, shouting as he wadded in the pool of students. He looked up and saw me, blood on the side of my head from the impact that was only the midpoint of this fight. Wide-eyed, he finally noticed the wounded and groaning student at my feet. He let out a knowing sigh, walking forward to stand between me and the bully. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve seen enough. Get out of here, now,¡± he bellowed, the students complying. He picked up Jaxon by his arm, and then looked at me. Again, that sigh left his lips with a more gravelly undertone. ¡°Get to the office, I¡¯m taking him to the infirmary but I don¡¯t think the two of you should be in the same room for a while, got it?¡± It only got worse. This always happened. It was the effect of paying the principal to overlook little accidents like this. I let out a sigh. ¡°Go fuck yourself,¡± I swore, pulling up my zipper and leaving the bathroom. I pushed out the gym, walking down to the office. I walked into a smaller hallway on the way, pressing myself up against the wall. I cried, harder this time. I broke down into a heap on the floor, gripping bunches of my hair.. My lungs burned, my entire body feeling as though it was being pierced with needles and my hands shook. This entire fucking school, all these people, all these lies. I had to get up. I rubbed away the tears and snot at a drinking fountain. I tried leaning on it and attempted to get my breathing to some stable pattern. I couldn¡¯t do this anymore, I didn¡¯t want to. I can¡¯t. I finally got to the office where the receptionist was getting off a call. ¡°Yeah. He''s just come in, thanks Ted.¡± She put down the phone, folding her hands under her head. She looked at me sadly. ¡°Mom or dad?¡± She asked like clockwork. Mom was busy with a client until the afternoon, so I only had my dad. ¡°Look, love, I¡¯m really sorry - for everything. I just -¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I interjected, ¡°None of you helped before, I don¡¯t expect you to help now.¡± She opened her mouth but quickly shut it, but understood. She nodded and phoned my father, explaining the situation to him before ending the call. She lifted her glasses up, running her hands across her face. She wiped down at her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry,¡± she repeated. She got up from the chair and asked one of the other workers to take over for her while she went to the principal¡¯s office. She knocked on the door and got let in. It was only a few minutes before she came out, but not before she turned back and swore at the principal. ¡°May your fucking snake¡¯s nest burn, you piece of shit,¡± she roared at him as she left. She walked in, taking a box from the printer and slamming it on her desk, shoving all her belongings in it. It was only a few minutes after that when she buzzed my dad in. She came forward and grabbed my arm, pulling me up to my feet and almost dragging me to my dad. ¡°You will do well not to bring him back here. He doesn¡¯t deserve this,¡± she murmured to my father, her voice filled with venom. She turned around on her heel, pressing a kiss against my forehead. "Be safe," she muttered before she left, the box under arm. Chapter I ¡°I¡¯m in Love for Love¡± - Babymetal, ¡®Shanti Shanti Shanti¡¯ The drive home was filled with an unsteady silence. I could see that my father was stressing, leaning against his door with a fury as he drove. We stopped at a red light and the silence was broken with a shaky breath that betrayed his stoic nature. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all that has happened, but this isn¡¯t easy on us either.¡± ¡®Us¡¯, being a euphemism for him and his own interests. There wasn¡¯t an ¡®us¡¯ anymore, I can¡¯t even say there was ever an ¡®us¡¯. He took another breath, steeling himself for some inevitable conflict. ¡°Luckily, we anticipated this, and so we already made arrangements,¡± he turned stiffly, gauging my reaction, ¡°with a boarding school that your uncle works at. The forms were already filled out two months ago...¡± The trailing off, it was his habit but it annoyed me to no end. Still, better to be sent to a boarding school than stay one more day in that snake¡¯s den. It was always one of his threats, sending me off to a boarding school. It seems like he finally had enough and just wanted to get it over and done with. We continued the drive home, the air weighed down with unspoken words, arguments and pleading. Was he expecting me to put up a fight? I just wanted this to be over. Over the years, I had grown inexplicably tired.
We finally got home. He didn¡¯t get out immediately, but just shut off the car and looked over at me. ¡°Just get your stuff ready, your mom¡¯s coming to pick you up in a few minutes.¡± There was a mournful glaze over his eyes before he got out of the car and left. It was the only option to follow his orders so I got up, running up the stairs and to my room. I didn¡¯t even realize I had started crying until I tasted the salt on my lips. I pulled out my duffel bag, sitting in front of it and just wiping at the tears frivolously. When you notice that you¡¯re crying, it apparently only gets worse. I can¡¯t say it was sad tears, maybe more anger. Blurry, I got up from the floor and began packing away anything I thought I might need, it only took maybe fifteen tops. Still, there was a weight to every action and I could only imagine what it was like for him. I could feel a pulsing under my head as a headache slowly came up from the depths. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. It began to thrum before finally turning into a pulsing headache, just under the skin. Frustrated, I reached behind my desk and pulled out the savior. A tray of painkillers, over the counter, had become one of the things that helped my headache, alongside other things. The body high it gave was enough for me to be free for a few hours until it left my system and that was enough of an escape. Two pills usually did the trick, taken down with water although I wanted to take more if it meant having that brain-numb for longer. Two went down, and I shoved the remaining tray and box into a pair of shoes I had put in the duffel bag. Stop them from getting crushed in case anything happened, you know? I had stopped crying, but now it was just quiet. Everything was going to be behind a nice pane of glass soon, and I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it. I heard a honking outside, taking my bag up on my shoulder. Down the stairs, and I saw my dad slumping on the couch. He only spared me a final nod and I gave it back before leaving to go greet my mom. The car had the same silence, albeit less tense and more of just an overwhelming sadness.
¡°I¡¯m sorry it had to be like this Aharon,¡± she said quietly, breaking the silence as we drove down the back roads. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It was either that or something worse happened.¡± She hit my shoulder, glaring at me from the side of her eye. The drive continued until the later afternoon when we finally arrived in front of a time-slip. The building itself was modern, blocky? It still had some features of decades past but it looked like it was trying to keep up with the times. We parked, got up and mom looked at me quietly as we walked to the front office. She was taller than me, maybe a few centimeters taller than dad, which gave her an advantage when walking. A few strides and she was at the gate, waiting to be buzzed in. When we got in, there were two people that were waiting for us. There was the older, stoic man that looked like he was one foot down the river. Next to him was a boy, maybe a year older than me, who wore a school blazer over a haphazardly worn outfit that you¡¯d expect to see at home than in a school. The older man looked up from his clipboard, nodding at my mom first before turning to me. He didn¡¯t spare me much of a look before looking back. ¡°Afternoon, Mrs. Channa,¡± he looked down at his clipboard, ¡°and Aaron?¡± ¡°Miss Channa, my husband and I are divorced,¡± my mom corrected. The older man nodded, looking at me for confirmation of my name. I nodded. ¡°Right then, well we have a copy of your records so you shouldn¡¯t be in too much of a train-wreck. This is Blaze,¡± he gestured nonchalantly to the boy, ¡°and he will be your guide. He¡¯s your class captain, and any questions you have will be directed to him specifically, alright?¡± He didn¡¯t give me space to answer either, gesturing for my mom to follow him further into the office. Blaze looked over me, nodding before walking off into another hall. I followed him awkwardly, but he slowed down until he was astride me. He reached out, patting my back comfortingly, a quiet show of comradery. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, I promise,¡± he said. Chapter II ¡°All day I¡¯ve been wondering, what is inside of me Who can i blame for it? I say it runs in the family¡± - Amanda Palmer, Runs in the Family
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Chapter III ¡°I am the Face of Love¡¯s Rage,¡± Ethel Cain, Ptoelmaea
There is always a question about destiny¡ªthe entire idea of whether one actually has agency in their own life. This entire line of events has been nothing but a question of destiny because, as far as I could tell, I was just a backseat driver in my own life. This only carried on when Geraldt ¡®Jer¡¯ didn¡¯t wait for a response but rather looked over at Samson. The latter pulled out a carton of cigarettes from his blazer. Blaze, for lack of any other word, was not too impressed with their actions but didn''t say anything. He chose instead to flop down on his bed and, for all intents and purposes, become dead to the world. Samson got out of bed, shuffling over to the door while we waited for Geraldt to get up. He did so, but he let out a small hiss when he pressed down on one foot, using the chair to keep him steady. ¡°You a¡¯ight there?¡± Samson looked away when Geraldt gave him a look that spoke enough. Still, Geraldt was adamant and sought out his pair of pants, pulling them onto his safe leg first, before supporting himself on the chair to slip his hurt leg through the pants. I¡¯m sure, had he both, he would¡¯ve jumped, but it was an awkward shimmy to get the pants over his thighs and settle properly onto his frame. With that, he looked up at Samson, sparing a reassuring grin before limping over to the door. Samson was not all too aware and nearly got his face hit when Geraldt jokingly ¡®threw¡¯ open the door, missing him by just an inch of his life. The latter flipped Geraldt off, and the two laughed as they walked down the hallway, and I trailed behind. We were going to the aforesaid leisure room. The sound became clear upon entry, or as clear as it could be. The boys were watching a telenovela, but the television let off an echo effect that made the voices only slightly inaudible. Yet, there were subtitles, so all seemed well. I finally got to see the other group of boys who were sitting in view from the hall. It looked like they were playing a standard game of Go Fish, but I could be wrong. One of the boys looked up at Geraldt pitifully. ¡°Still bugging you, Jer?¡± ¡°Yeah, same as usual,¡± Geraldt retorted, not sparing even a side glance at the questioner, who now leaned back against the chair as he watched a couple fight on the screen. The two, Samson and Geraldt, found themselves at the window of the leisure room after what would¡¯ve been compared to ¡°trudging through mud." Geraldt slumped against the windowsill, cursing at himself as Samson got out two cigarettes, offering the box over to me. ¡°No, I¡¯m cool,¡± was all I said, and Samson nodded quietly, turning over to pull a lighter from the same box. The bottom was singed by a man of taste. He lit his own and then followed by lighting Geradlt¡¯s cigarette, which he just let hang from his lips until it was time for him to take a drag from it. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°You got a girlfriend?¡± I looked up at Samson, realizing that I had just been standing awkwardly. Geraldt was at ease, his wounded foot dangling behind his safe leg as he leaned against the windowsill. He thumbed the bottom of his cigarette patiently, watching me with the same amusement that flashed in Samson¡¯s eyes. I didn¡¯t really have a girlfriend per se. There wasn¡¯t really a lot of room for one, but I guess relationships also weren¡¯t really labeled. "¡¯Nough said,¡± chuckled Geradlt, turning back to look outside the window. He took another deep breath of his cigarette, relaxing further into the windowsill. He rested his head against his arms and watched as the gold hour faded into blue and the space got colder. The lamp got turned on, and that also jerked me out of my thoughts. "A penny for your thoughts?¡± Samson had a way with him, always picking up the points when I was slipping. ¡°Rough day¡± was all I could offer, but he had a knowing look in his eyes that told me he didn¡¯t believe me. He turned back, only for Geraldt to turn like clockwork. ¡°You¡¯re like a lost fart; just get over here,¡± he huffed, gesturing me closer with his hand. I didn¡¯t really have any choice but to comply, but he snapped his eyes back to me when I moved. ¡°Mind the leg, short stuff,¡± he snapped. I realized that I was one step from bumping his injured foot. One movement later, and I was seated between the two boys, staring off into the distance. ¡°You¡¯ll get ¡¯long fine here; just don¡¯t be such a stiff,¡± Samson commented, taking a drag of his cigarette and throwing the ashes off. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s stiff, more just scared,¡± Geraldt added, ¡°nobody ever comes to a boardin¡¯ school on their own.¡± ¡°True, so what¡¯s your story?¡± ¡°Fight,¡± I admitted. ¡°got into a fight, and apparently it was the last straw.¡± ¡°D¡¯you win?¡± One of the boys from the card group asked as he sat closest to us. Geraldt knocked him over the head with his palm. ¡°You don¡¯t ask the cutie that, right?¡± What in Hell¡¯s name? I looked at Geraldt from the side and Samson let out a chuckle that turned into a cough. He snuffed his cigarette on the window sill. ¡°I really should stop these damn things,¡± he coughed out. Geraldt raised his eyebrow accusingly before simply carrying on with his own cigarette. Eventually, Samson left, but he patted Geraldt¡¯s back like a small affirmation. ¡°Why¡¯d you call me ¡®cutie¡¯?¡± I asked, not even bothering to stop myself. I was too tired to care. I really needed to climb under the sheets or take something. ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± He responded, question for question. Before I could answer, a bell rang, and he put out his cigarette, cursing against some hidden enemy. ¡°Right, boy, let¡¯s get some grub,¡± he cooed as he turned around. It took me a while to actually start walking. I was watching a bird on the fields outside run around under the blue light of the sky. When I did turn around, I slammed into his chest. He was waiting for me, but I think he wishes he hadn''t. He let out a yelp as he stepped back onto his injured foot. ¡°Shit,¡± I stammered, rushing to get his arm so I could support him, but he let out a chuckle, half-panting as he moved the weight onto his safe leg. He moved his arm, wrapping it around my shoulders and hoisting himself up properly. ¡°For that, you owe me.¡± The implication dripped off his words, and I looked down at the floor. I could feel my body heat up, and my heart started beating against my ribs. ¡°Not like that, you dimwit, unless. Just walk me to the canteen, and we¡¯ll call it even, a¡¯ight?¡± Chapter IV ¡°Am I alright? I really think I¡¯m in trouble.¡± Petey x Maya Folick, Haircut
The canteen was busy. There were separate tables, all with carts at the bottom but there were three lines that spanned at least a half of the room. Most of the boys were just chatting, barely noticing the influx of students. Only a few looked over as I helped Geraldt. They were greeted with a grimace from him and promptly resumed their own little trek. I felt his arm tighten around me, pulling me closer against his side. ¡°Careful, some of these kids like new meat,¡± he whispered in my ear. Again, his bloody implications were starting to annoy me. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I demanded silently, inching him over until we were both waiting in line. ¡°Why are you caught up in details? Basic point is some of these lads might see you as easy bait for initiations and whatnot,¡± he explained tiredly, waving his hand to emphasize the dismissive tone in his voice. I only nodded, resting him gently against one table while we waited for the line to move. ¡°Plus, you¡¯re under the care of myself and Blaze. Unless they want to get in shit, they¡¯ll do well to stay away.¡± ¡°You make it sound like a turf war.¡± His glare confirmed that it was, indeed, akin to a turf war. He gestured for me to sit next to him and so I did, jumping slightly when his arm snaked around my waist. ¡°Right, so there¡¯s four main groups you wanna keep an eye on,¡± he whispered practically against my ear. ¡°There¡¯s ¡®The Cult¡¯. They ain¡¯t really a cult but they¡¯re called that because it¡¯s made of the prefects and heads. Basically, unless you¡¯re one of those pom¡¯ous types, you ain¡¯t in. They manage the school, you get in good with them and you¡¯re practically set.¡± I nodded, accepting his explanation. ¡°Then there¡¯s the rich kids, an¡¯ their peddlers. They got the ability to get stuff for you, so long as you know who to ask, but always check with the peddlers, don¡¯t go up to them straight.¡± He turned to look at another group of boys that was sitting around a table already. ¡°They¡¯re the ¡®rockies¡¯, the jock kids and the gym babies. They work with the peddlers because you can always get yourself something good from the outside if you ain¡¯t got the cash on you. You either give it back to the rich kids through work or trade, then finally is us.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Us?¡± ¡¯You, me and some of the others - outliers. We ain¡¯t rich, we ain¡¯t big and we ain¡¯t one of the others. We just sit around and handle affairs on our own. Blaze could¡¯ve been a part of ¡®the Cult¡¯ but he decided ¡¯gainst it since they were a little too focused on themselves.¡± ¡°Do we do anything?¡± ¡°We do anything we need too. Samson does homework for the other kids, might look like an idiot but he¡¯s actually smart,¡± he said, leaning back against the table, ¡°when he wants to be.¡± I had only really came to terms with his arm wrapped around me, and was just starting to get comfortable. He chuckled a bit when he felt my body slacken against his but the line moved and the small silence was broken when we needed to get up and go get the food. After a good five or so minutes, we had our food and were ushered over to a table by an expectant Samson. Dan and Blaze were busy talking, not noticing when we came to sit down. Samson inched over on his seat, but did so further when Geraldt came to sit next to me. He rested his elbows on the table, a breach of etiquette, as he ate. Samson had a vegetarian meal. Blaze and Dan¡¯s were notably filled with meat. It was then that I actually decided to look down at my own plate. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t want to eat it, but it almost felt like I was unable. I don¡¯t know how to describe it but it was something I had struggled with for a while. It was like knowing that you¡¯re hungry, but every forkful seemed like too much. The feeling was there but the drive wasn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t deny that the dish made me anxious. It felt like a monster of its own right. ¡°You ¡¯right?¡± I snapped out of my reverie to see Geraldt looking over, concerned. His bushy brows came together over his eyes and you could genuinely see that he was curious, not just nice. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just not feeling hungry.¡± ¡°The size?¡± I couldn¡¯t really admit it. I didn¡¯t even know about it myself, so I just shrugged. Nodding slowly, Geraldt took the dish from me and began cutting it up. I heard Samson shift next to me: ¡°Anorexia, a term used to refer to changes in appetite, not to be confused with Anorexia Nervosa which is the mental form of it. Restricting food, however, can also be a form of maladaptive coping.¡± He said it without taking a breath, like a giddy child talking about his favourite show. Geraldt let out a soft grunt before pushing the plate back to me, the meat cut up into smaller pieces. He lifted one on a fork. ¡°Just one, for me?¡± I wanted to, Hell knows how badly I wanted to for his sake but I couldn¡¯t. There was a part of me that was in resistance, furiously striking against my head, punishing me for something I haven¡¯t even done. I felt Geraldt¡¯s hand on my thigh in an attempt to comfort me. Even then, the realization that I was shaking was on the periphery. I let out a shaky sigh and opened my mouth, letting him put the food in. It was that resistance again, it didn¡¯t feel like I could swallow. My thoughts turned to images of choking on the meat, or some form of sickness from eating it. His hand was on my back, and I could just hear his voice on the outside. ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t push yourself.¡± I had to else I¡¯d be stuck in this cycle. ¡¯Come on,¡ä I urged myself,¡®stop being a wimp.¡¯ I swallowed it, nearly choking as though it would¡¯ve gotten stuck in my throat by force of will alone. I heard Samson¡¯s voice on the edge of my mind, some word of approval or another. Geraldt¡¯s hand was still on my back, comforting me despite the feeling of nausea and fear that shook my body. I felt helpless, guilty even. I didn¡¯t want this. Chapter V "Written on the body is a secret code only visible in certain lights" - Jeanette Winterson
"You want to talk about it?" "Not really, no" I responded as Geraldt and I shuffled back to the room. He nodded, not pushing further. He squeezed my shoulder as we walked, a small sign of support despite the concerning events of the canteen. He didn''t force me to finish the rest, but he did make a small promise to try and get me to eat at least somewhat regularly. Dan was already in the room, slumped back against Samson''s bed. Blaze was pulling bits from his trunk, hidden under the bed. It looked like it was the final night''s change. Samson himself was nowhere to be seen. "Right, when they call Room C, you get haulin'' to the bathroom," Dan droned, running his hands through his hair as if to comb away the strain of the day. I nodded as I sat Geraldt down on his chair at the desk. He growled, moving his leg so it didn''t have too much pressure on the injury. You wouldn''t think he had an injured foot with how well he composed himself. I decided to sort through my bag while we waited. That''s when I realized that in my shoes were the painkillers. It was there, and it stared at me like an accuser. What would they think if they found it? Would they think of me as a junkie? Shakily, I got out the sweatpants and shirt. I kept looking over my shoulder, as though someone was going to be there and pull out the tray. I felt like this hidden moment would be a testament. I got the toothbrush as well, notably missing toothpaste. I couldn''t ask them, surely. They wouldn''t give it to me if they knew. "Room C!" Barked a hoarse voice outside. Dan nodded and stood up. Blaze followed. Geraldt still watched me with that same horrible, prying curiosity. I heard a grunt and struggled, slow steps towards me until he was sitting on the bunk bed. "I don''t think you''re okay," he said quietly. I didn''t respond, still looking down at the bag, the accuser in my shoes. I gulped as I dragged my eyes to meet his. "I''m fine," I coughed. The breaking in my voice was enough of a clue to the lie that left me. He rubbed his temple. He was annoyed, but it didn''t show in his eyes. "Look, let''s just go to the bathroom and we''ll get back," he offered, his voice still soft. I nodded, but I was still stuck in that space. "Hey, look at me," he pulled my chin up roughly so that I was looking at him. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "Just take deep breaths," he lulled, exaggerating his breathing as he tried to get me to follow. I tried, and it did seem to work. I didn''t leave his hand though, nor did he take it away from my face. His hand was warm. It was rough but still inconceivably warm. He stood up, nearly pulling me with him in that staggering movement. Inevitably, I had to follow if I wanted to get the basic evening done. "Put on some sandals, the bathroom can be gross," he said as he limped to the door. I grabbed the sandals, shoving the bag and its incriminating evidence under the bunk bed. It would haunt me tonight, but that''s tonight. I pulled off the ones I wore, slipping on the sandals. Then, it was just a matter of following Geraldt. Blaze was already spitting out the toothpaste and Dan was cleaning his face. Samson had finally appeared and was sitting at Dan''s feet on a towel. He had a book on his lap that, upon closer inspection, was one on chemistry. He smiled up at me before looking down back at his book. Dan waved through the mirror. "You got toothpaste?" prompted Geraldt as he pulled out a toothbrush and travel tube of toothpaste from his pocket. I didn''t answer at first but decided against remaining silent for the rest of my life. Geraldt seemed well enough. "No, I''ll have to get some later," I confessed. Geraldt nodded, grabbed my toothbrush. Twisting the tube open, he pushed out a bit of toothpaste before doing the same to his. "You can thank me later but can''t have you going with stale breath." "Thank you, Geraldt." "Please, call me ''Jer''," he grinned as he limped towards the basin. I slipped in past Blaze, brushing my teeth as the boys got ready around us. We heard a knock on the door and then: "Room D!" "Come on," Blaze tapped my back. Dan flicked the back of Geraldt''s head, earning a hissing from the latter. Rinsing out his mouth, Geraldt finally stood up fully and looked at me for confirmation that we could leave. The night had ended, and I had made friends but also struck myself at odds.
Midnight came, and I had not slept a wink. I could hear snores, and the occasional whimper from Blaze as he rolled in his sleep. The moon shone through the window, but it seemed cold and distant. I couldn''t sleep, not for the life. The visions of the afternoon stuck in my head. The true nature of the situation descended on me and kept me pinned down against my bed. For once, I was aware that I had begun to cry. I bit down on my hand to strangle the sobs and the uncontrollable shaking. I couldn''t do this, not in any form. Silently, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. I grabbed the bag, pulling it out hastily and digging through it for the Savior-Accuser. I pulled out the tray, hating how loud it sounded. I looked around, trying to see if it woke anyone. It didn''t, luckily. I couldn''t pop it out, it would make too much noise. I dragged my nail against the thin foil trying to coax the pill out of the tray. I could almost feel the numbness just out of reach, the sleep that came from it. I wanted it so b those words echoed in my head. ''I don''t think you''re okay." Of course, I''m not, who would be? I needed this for it to be okay. I needed this silence. The crying only got worse, and I was a shaking, nigh-delirious mess. I ripped out the pill, shoving it in my mouth and swallowing It without concern. I threw the tray down into the bag, hiding it back under the bed. I slumped against my pillow with the thin blanket stretched over me. I just wanted to curl up and fade. Chapter VI There is a point where you slip into sleep. It''s a little liminal space where it feels like your imagination is slipping away from you, and it begins to play. I was always proud of my ability to tell when I was about to fall asleep, but, lately, that little hidden space was the only place I wanted to be. It was quiet there, especially when the painkillers kicked in. It would paint its little pictures, and everything would seem fine. Mom and Dad weren''t divorced. I was at least a human in the eyes of my class. It was a world of fantasy¡ªheaven on earth. It slipped by quickly, regardless. I would soon wake up from a hazy dream. I expected to see my ceiling and the posters in my room. Instead, I was greeted with the bottom of a bunk, and that weight settled back on me. This time, it was ruthless. There were two liminal spaces: slipping into sleep and coming out of it. Both were equally dangerous when it came to this shit. I heard rustling next to me, and Samson sitting up and holding his hands before his face, saying a prayer before looking at his hands. He then reached down to touch the floor, blessing the earth. "Vedic," I heard Dan''s voice hoarsely explain. Samson nodded, before finally stepping onto the floor, continuing his prayers. Blaze was still sleeping, but Geraldt had already slid out of bed and was back at the desk, waiting patiently for the boys to wake up. "Today''s your first official day as one of us, lad." Dan asked quietly. I nodded, but I forgot that he didn''t see me under the cover of the bunk. "Yeah," I confirmed, watching as Samson sat in his bed, watching the cool blues of the room move with the rising sun. "We still have about an hour before class starts," he said, coughing a bit on the dryness of his throat. Blaze threw a pillow at Samson¡¯s remark. "Yeah, an hour; le'' me sleep," he spat, turning over on his bed. Samson chuckled, taking the pillow and throwing it back at Blaze, who accepted it with a murmur. He hugged the pillow tightly to him. It was endearing to see. I rubbed at my eyes, pulling out the gunk that had gathered. Geraldt looked over at me, smiling lazily. He stretched out in his bunk with a croaking groan. "I''ll take him over to the office when it opens," he offered, leaning against his chair with a guttural yawn. Blaze let out a grunt of approval. A sudden shrill of a bell and a roar from downstairs disturbed the floor. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere."Breakfast, boys, get up and haulin''" The voice roared before stepping out of the hall. Blaze whined, turning over in his bed and death-staring at some hidden enemy. Samson got up from the bed, crossing the space quickly. He stopped midway, cursing at himself and turning on his heel. He grabbed something from under the bed and moved back on course. It looked like a book, with papers on it. Geraldt let out a chuckle. "Is the pay good this time?" Samson didn''t answer but rushed down the hall for a few minutes. Dan jumped down from his bunk, and Blaze finally slid from his warm nook. It wasn''t a major choice now. I got up and followed the crew, seeing Geraldt look at me curiously. "Well, my foot is still sore," he whined, pouting theatrically. I rolled my eyes and went to pick him up by his arm as we began to shuffle towards the canteen for breakfast. He was breathing heavily, which didn''t bode well. "You ¡®right?" "Been worse," he joked dismissively. I didn''t believe him, but the distant look in his eyes was enough confirmation. "Were you okay last night?" He broke the silence. I stiffened and tried to calm down my racing heart. Did he see it? "Yeah," was all I said, and I knew he didn''t believe me either. Still, we stopped talking when we got to the canteen, and the students walked to their tables with porridge, some with fruit. Blaze and Dan were sitting, again, near each other. They were arguing about something. Samson came a few minutes later, his pocket thicker as he came to get fruits and some porridge for his breakfast.Geraldt and I sat down with the rest. He didn''t eat for a while, content with swirling around his porridge with his spoon. Samson began with the fruits, and I don''t think Blaze and Dan even remembered they were eating with how they argued. I followed Geraldt''s lead. "You''re not eating," Geraldt murmured. He looked at me, almost accusingly, but his eyes softened when he saw how I flinched at his words. "You gotta feel hungry," he coaxed. He dipped his spoon into my porridge, holding it up to my lips like a parent feeding their child. It was condescending at best, but his logic was sound. I relented, opening my mouth and letting him give me the spoon. The porridge was sweet, but still very earthy. Smiling, he took the spoon back and licked it clean. That stupid action and my bloody brain had me blushing. He chuckled at seeing me nearly fold over the table in shame. "Can''t be that bad," he joked, nudging me with his elbow. It was, quite frankly, ¡®that bad¡¯. It wasn¡¯t that the porridge was something, but it was him. His advances were annoying at worst, always inching into the back of my mind. I was practically hanging on to every breath that he took. The headache began to buzz again. I don¡¯t even know if they¡¯re real anymore or if I¡¯m just making them up to justify taking another tablet. His breathing grew louder, and the clattering of utensils against plates and bowls followed. It had become a cacophony that threatened to drown me if I didn¡¯t try and leave, or at least get back to myself. Geraldt tugged on my sleeve, and when I looked, he held a thumbs-up questioningly. I nodded, but I could tell he didn¡¯t believe me. I would honestly say that the breakfast was one of the longest I¡¯ve ever sat through, and one I hope to never sit through again. Chapter VII Samson was the first back in the room after breakfast. He quickly shoved a wad of cash into his satchel, eyeing Dan suspiciously. The latter just chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "How much?" Blaze asked quietly, stretching his arms as he flopped onto his bed. Geraldt sat back down in his chair and watched the movement of the three boys. "It''s not polite to ask a man his salary, Blazie," Dan teased as he pulled down his blazer and wandered to a corner of the room where, on a bar, hung uniforms. Blaze lifted his head to look at Dan before falling back. I rocked on my feet. Geraldt was still not getting ready, nor did he make an effort to do so. He was sitting and watching the room as it moved. Dan pulled off his shirt and began shifting into the new clothes. I looked down but the sudden movement caught Geraldt''s eye who beckoned me forward with his finger. As I stalked closer, he grabbed me by my waist and pulled me down onto his lap. I nearly struck his injured foot but he grabbed my thigh and pulled it aside. It was from bad to worse, and I felt myself melting with shame. Samson whistled lowly like he was catcalling me. "You ain''t going nowhere except the office t''day," Geraldt whispered. He leaned his chin against my shoulder and I could feel his breath against my ear. I shuddered. He chuckled, his arms snaking tightly around my waist. Dan looked over at Blaze with an arched brow and the latter nodded in response. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Dan was dressed and threw a hanging blazer at Blaze who was still lying down. Samson had also been waiting with a smile on his face as he counted how many cigarettes he had in his box. "Jer, can I borrow your bike today?" "Cigarette run?" "Yeah," Samson confirmed, closing his cigarette box before shoving it back into the blazer pocket. "Not a chance," Geraldt responded, his cheek pressed against my back as he spoke. I couldn''t help but melt into his touch when I felt the vibration of his chest against me. He huffed, pinching my thigh. It took every nerve in my body to not let out a yelp but he knew I wanted to. "Stop torturin'' him," Samson said as he got up, dusting off the back of his pants. He looked over at Dan, before following to change his own clothes. Blaze eventually joined in dressing for the day. After what felt like an century, they were on their way to the homeroom. Each one greeted Geraldt in turn, with Samson kneeling close to whisper in my ear: "Don''t be silly, wrap your will-" Samson sped away when Geraldt threatened to stand up and fight him. In that swift moment, he bounced me on his lap and I decided that was enough, dashing from his lap. He looked at me curiously before settling back into his chair. "We''ll head out to the office in a minute," he says murmured, snuggling into the chair as he waits for me to collect myself. Chapter VIII "Right, up and at ''em," Geraldt sighed as he climbed out of his chair. I was still heated after the brief event, but his voice snapped me back to reality. I looked up at him from my bed. He was leaning against the table, keeping his weight off his injured foot as he limped towards a shelf with an assortment of bits and bobs. He grabbed out a pair of pants, followed by a simple button-up. He started with the shirt, pulling it over his sleeping shirt and buttoning it before finally looking down at his pants. "You mind helping?" He asked, looking over at me with an exaggerated pout. "Sure," I responded, getting up from the bed and moving back to the desk. I was at odds with what to do. I could''ve helped him get his boxers off, but I didn''t want to push my luck. He let out a small chuckle at the sight of my dilemma. "We''re just going to put the pants over the boxers. Don''t get too hasty," he teased, sticking out his tongue. I nearly punched him, but I helped him regardless. Once we got it onto his good leg, with me awkwardly holding him, we moved to his injured foot. "You gotta have something looser," I said as I moved the tight pant leg over his leg, trying not to press against the injury. He shrugged distantly, leaning against the table as I worked. "You look cute from up ''ere," he said. I flushed immediately, trying not to look up from my position. This was going to be a long day, by every means known. If I had to carry him everywhere, we''d already at a disadvantage. "I''ll throw you down on your foot, ''Jer''," I retorted. He chuckled, and I found myself chuckling as well. It was much to my own surprise as well. "We''re knockin'' the office first; get your timetable. Then we gotta head to the infirmary to check out this thing." I nodded, already knowing where the office was. I finally stood up and pulled his pants up, struggling a bit with his thighs. "Not so rough, boy; you might just regret it," he continued in that teasing voice that always got me back into that shaking state. I don''t even think this was ''love''; if anything, it might''ve been some casual thing to entertain himself with. I didn''t know if it would be such a bad thing, quite honestly. Still, he was dressed, and now it was left for me to follow. I didn''t do it immediately, and he seemed to get the idea when he limped out of the room. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. There was something heavy in the air after he left. It was a series of jumbled thoughts, unspoken words, and tense sensations that threatened to swallow you if you left them unchecked. I wanted to call him back into the room to let him see me, but I knew that would be going too far. Not to mention, if he did know about what happened last night, he might think I was just playing a game to escape the world around me. Again, that stupid low-thrumming headache came back, and I found myself at the edge of my bag, reaching for those tablets. That sense of peace and finality it gave me¡ªI needed it. To my luck, there were maybe two left, which meant I''d have to be sparing with them if I wanted this feeling to go on for as long as possible. It meant that, if push came to shove, I''d have to find something else to replace the high. It hurt, seeing how it fell, but it was also the only thing I had. It was like being stuck in a rabbit hole that you dug yourself. I didn''t take it, shoving the bag back under the bed and quickly getting changed. I had to move my underwear a bit to prevent the erection from being too open, but that only made everything worse. It felt like I was committing some unspeakable action. I couldn''t get rid of these thoughts. Hell, I could barely manage them. I could hear the tablets calling out to me, promising their sweet release. I had to leave before it got too much. Geraldt was already waiting long enough.
To my surprise, Gerald hadn''t left but had leaned against the wall. He was waiting patiently, turning around with a smile when he heard me open the door. "All done?" "Mostly," I chuckled, dismissing the heavy air that surrounded me. He nodded and reached out to me, holding onto my shoulder as he got his stance right. Soon, we began our trek across the school. The first place was obvious: the office. Geraldt looked down at his watch, making sure that it was the right time. "Let''s walk slower; we''re still five minutes early," he sighed. We adjusted our speed, covering the distance in about three minutes. Luckily, there was a receptionist in the office who saw us and buzzed us in. Geraldt, the type that he was, began speaking before me. "Morning, ma''am, hope you''re doin'' well." "Well, as can be. Cold as all hell," she said. Geraldt chuckled, that debonair smile with its little crooked teeth. "That''s the way it is," Geraldt responded. "We''ve got a newbie here. He needs his timetable." "Oh, a newbie," she said as she donned her glasses. "Well, look at you; aren''t you handsome? He does seem a bit skinny though," she commented almost naturally. "you do any sports?" "Not yet, ma''am," I lied. I didn''t know whether I would actually end up doing sports at all. "I think he''d do well on the swimming team," she mused. The room went quiet for a bit before she suddenly spoke up again: "Oh, I forgot; your name is?" "Aaron de Campos," I answered. She typed on her computer, scrolling for a bit before clicking a few times. The printer next to her whirred to life before spitting out a piece of printed paper. "Right, here''s your timetable." She pulled the paper and handed it to me. I grabbed it quickly and looked down at it. "And I sent an email already to the teachers to have your work brought to you. Tomorrow, though, you gotta start going. There''s no more excuses." "Then who''s going to keep me company?" Geraldt whined, jutting out his bottom lip. The receptionist only laughed. "You came down to reception anyway. Now, the infirmary is open, but you might wan'' to wait a few minutes so that the nurse can get his stuff ready." Primary Author Log: Primary Editing: Chapter 0: Latest Edit: 24/05/08 Ran through Hemmingway and Microsoft Docs Tried to fix issues with Narrative for Future Chapter I: Latest Edit: N/A Going to edit it today Chapter: II Latest Edit: 24/05/08, 13h41 Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.Ran through the same Chapter: III Latest Edit: N/A Going to edit it today Consistency in Formatting (Quote/Border-Break) Chapter: IV'' Latest Edit: 24/05/08 Poll Added (Please feel free to vote, I like the interactions) Chapter: V * Same as Ch.III Chapter: VI *Same as above Chapters: VII-VIII Posted, to undergo editing. * { Formatting the Chapters: Quote Page Breaker Bolding the First Word of Page Breaks for Reading Clarity } Software Used Thus Far: Hemingway (Sentence editing, primarily just for personal review and editing) Quillbot (Grammar Editing) ---- Additional Notes: To Devour the Sun is awaiting approval Wolves of St. Christopher to undergo rigorous editing Currently need to work on: 3, 5, 6, 7 & 8. Chapter IX The nurse inched Geraldt¡¯s foot to the right, then to the left. He didn¡¯t ask any questions but rather understood how Geradlt¡¯s body reacted. He took note of when Geraldt¡¯s breath hitched, and when he suddenly put resistance on his foot to prevent it from being moved any further. After a few minutes, the nurse then sat back and looked up at Geraldt, pushing his Alice band up so it pulled the black mess of hair from his face. ¡°It¡¯s still a bit sensitive, but it looks like it¡¯s getting there. Just don¡¯t twist the foot to the right; otherwise, you¡¯ll pull the muscle again. There¡¯s going to be stiffness for a bit, but I recommend getting an ankle brace to make sure it doesn¡¯t move too much. Compress as usual, but I¡¯m going to write a referral to the school GP so you can get a prescription for anti-inflammatories for a day or two,¡± droned the nurse impartially. He got up and moved towards the desk, snatching a piece of paper from his pad and writing on it. There was a loud banging sound, and the paper was stamped. The nurse turned and leaned against the desk, folding his arms over his chest, and watched as Geraldt tentatively moved his foot around. ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± the nurse said, ¡°just try to keep it from straining unnecessarily. Also, I recommend looking into ankle exercises to get some strength into your joints.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look into that, doc. I¡¯ll take a trip down to the GP today,¡± Geraldt mumbled, climbing off the cot with me as his crutch. The nurse held out the folded referral, and Geraldt took it with a nod. The nurse and the student only glared at each other for a minute, some unspoken word going between them as we left. ¡°Don¡¯t use the bike,¡± called the nurse as we left. Geraldt shut the door with an affirmative groan. ¡°Trouble?¡± ¡°No, just a cousin who lost a bet,¡± chuckled Geraldt as his arm tightened around me. It felt warm¡ªconcerningly warm¡ªto be so close to him and to hear that breathy chuckle. Still, there was something that glinted in his eyes that was dangerous and defiant. Walking back to the board, he pulled me to the side. He stared down at me when I yelped but the intensity broke when Geraldt snickered. ¡°We¡¯re going to the doc,¡± Geraldt declared, ¡°now.¡± ¡°But the bike?¡± ¡°I have two pairs of feet now, don¡¯t I?¡± Geraldt mused theatrically, pointing down at my feet next to his. That stupid, debonair smile and the fact that he basically had me within arm¡¯s length were enough. I didn¡¯t want to see him angry. I couldn¡¯t see him angry at me. I let him guide me to the parking lot, where he stopped. Stolen story; please report. ¡°Might be an issue,¡± he mumbled. I looked up at Geraldt as he stared down at his covered bike. ¡°You fine riding without a helmet?¡± ¡°Do you know how to ride it?¡± I gulped, trying to pull out some courage from somewhere. ¡°I¡¯m the girl¡¯s friend, ain¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You know what I mean, Geraldt,¡± I said jokingly, moving him as if to drop him onto his wounded foot. He hissed at me, reaching up to smack my cheek a little too hard. ¡°Oh shit,¡± he gasped, quickly grabbing my chin and turning my face to the side. His eyes scanned the skin, looking for any damage. ¡°Sorry,¡± he mumbled. I stayed still. His hand was gripping my chin. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I muttered quietly. His fingers were horribly close to my lips, and I wanted to lean into him. ¡°You ¡®right there?¡± I looked up at Geraldt, realizing that I was resting my head on his hand like a pet. He had a smile, but it wasn¡¯t his usual brass and debonair smile but some other sweeter smile, like snow in the early morning. I sat back, instinctively nodding and looking away. The air between us was heavy. Geraldt quickly shuffled, holding onto the supports of the cover. He bent down, unhooking the bottom of the cover before tossing it over the bike. It was beautiful. A red beauty with a small painted detail on the back of a flower and vine. ¡°Other cousin,¡± explained Geraldt, seeing how I focused on the detail. ¡°How many cousins do you have?¡± ¡°About three per uncle, so nine,¡± Geraldt said, standing on his good leg and resting against the bike. He was natural¡ªrelatively natural since his foot was healing and stiff. Still, there was an undeniable connection between him and his bike. ¡°You mind helping me with the kickstand?¡± ¡°Oh, sure.¡± It was a stupid response. I felt like I was a buffoon tripping over my thoughts. I followed behind him and helped him sit on the bike. He stared at me expectantly. It hit me then that he wanted me to climb on the back behind him to kick the ¡®kickstand¡¯ out and in. Had I been given a choice, death would¡¯ve been a good one. I sat behind him, putting my ankle against the kickstand, and waited for a sign. ¡°You not gonna hold on?¡± This was shit, and I was about to fall flat into the abyss. I wrapped my arms around his waist and felt his body stiffen at the contact. I don¡¯t think he knew I was just as tense about this entire situation. Still, he revved the bike into life, and I pushed the kickstand back as he drove forward. The roaring sound of the bike and the gentle purring sent a shock up my spine. Without knowledge, I tightened my arms around Geraldt. I heard him chuckle as we rode closer to the gate. A security guard looked up from his tablet when he heard the bike near the gate. ¡°Do you have permission?¡± The guard asked lazily, returning his eyes back to the paper. ¡°Reach into my pocket there and grab the referral,¡± Geraldt whispered to him, his eyes gleaming with playful curiosity. ¡°Over my dead body.¡± ¡°Had to try,¡± Geraldt huffed with a playful pout. I shook my head, but when he revved the bike more to move towards the booth, I held onto him enough to warrant a hiss from him. He smacked at my hands quickly. ¡°Let off,¡± stammered Geraldt. I finally loosened my arms, and he nodded. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the referral and handed it to the security guard. The guard didn¡¯t bother to read it but looked over and handed it back to Geraldt. ¡°Thanks, boss. I¡¯ll see you in an hour.¡± ¡°Right,¡± the security guard said, opening the gates and letting Geraldt tentatively speed up and ride into the road.