The path to the academy stretched forever, that distance coupled with the sun on his back adjusted his attitude, Jacob ruminated in a mood beyond pissed off. He needed to relieve this stress in some way, to someone. Gan would know some wimps they could thrash about for a bit. Before Kage they had a hold on some old friends from grade school.
A snarl infested Jacob's lips, a wheeze blistering with rage seeped from between his clenched teeth. There was an order to things in the past, those of higher tiers devoured the lower ones making them bow. Yet, on that first day they arrived at the front gates encountering Kage head deep in his novel with its burgundy cover and knitted spine, the air changed around them. All of them, including Jacob, fell into his trap.
For a while, he blindly listened to the dream; all that came with it. A beautiful lie that gave their fractured selves a false hope, this falsity supposed to last their entire life leading to their self-made graves. Or so, Jacob had thought. Despite the glances from afar, he would by chance fall upon Kage, spying a new side not seen ever.
Jacob clung to those cunning words he spoke on the first day.
Even in the hospital recovering from his second take with death did Jacob seek out his silhouette as an example of a way to live his own life. He used it to conquer the fear of the monster so long ago tormenting his own dreams, squeezing the rationality from himself.
A morning or three after the fight, he wound up changing the channel on the television and what was he to see but an image capturing his bloodied friend knee deep in a carnage unlike the modicum he imagined. Then and there he realized the true meaning behind Kage's words. It was not the plea to last and move further like they believed.
No, they were the simple groans of a diseased mut seeking a glorified death. The excursions of effort baked with sweat that Jacob heard every so often were not for training but instead testing the boundaries of whether he would die that occasion. Since this epiphany Jacob wondered whether he ought to confront Kage on this matter, but why should he?
They knew one another but it was his life, and Jacob had trouble enough leading his own. There wasn't a profound line of advice or comfort he could give to someone so hellbent on his suicide. Further, he wouldn't follow such a fool to the grave.
Kage was a tragedy lying in wait.
A tragedy that Jacob was unable to detach himself from. His demeanor called to him in the most vivid of dreams. Slumbering or not, the dream woven companion wormed his way to the boy's heart thus able to strung the strings clear enough to rattle what was left of an abandoned emotion. Hope.
Suicide or not. A fearless hope shined from him like a beacon on a pitch-black night, not a cloud in sight. Then, what would it feel like to have such fearlessness? If he got close enough would the nightmares end? Would his mother not have been eaten? Could he return from that park without soiled drawers?
He didn't so much as cling to it like an obsession but as a general hobby, one he very much enjoyed. Yet, all things became apparent when tested by scrutiny.
An unobtainable truth that he saw alone.
A truth too drowned in fear for him to formulate to anyone else. Under such influence what is a boy to do other than find a reprieve? Some momentary attack to send the opponent concussed.
This attack occurred last night when he heard his phone ring mid technique. Contemplating his action, Jacob imagined the look of shock that would capture Kage's face. For once it would be nice to see that he wasn't the only one living in fear. If he had picked up that phone and heard a request, a question, a plea, perhaps some begging. Yeah, Jacob may have gone and checked his sister for the guy. The distance between their houses was under ten blocks making the journey barely a nuisance.
But that was not the way he called. It was a demand, a vie for control in order to force him to submit to a lower tier Evolved. The hierarchy was falling apart, Kage just put the nail in the coffin.
Once that phone call ended, Jacob went back to his love, shutting the blinds enveloping the two of them into a pitch blackness which left the sounds of their voices the only tangible sound…
Well, that and the slap of their flesh.
Sweet scents blew from overhead, carried by the wind, serving to arouse him and incur a rapid salivation inside his mouth.
Should he go to the academy? His father's likely gone for work leaving Sam still hung up in bed. He could very easily return to her side then lay out for the rest of the day. Craning his neck to think, he judged that there was still enough stamina in him to get the juices flowing for until night and then some.
With thoughts of sex still perusing about, he unwittingly came to the entrance of Petell Academy. As he approached, two armed guards, each in an opposing booth to the gate, eyed the latecomer with a visible frown.
"Your tardiness just keeps on stacking up, doesn't it, kid?" The one on the left chuckled out from the bush of his orange beard, scalp completely barren, let alone for a whale-shaped birthmark that suffered under the morning sun. His position as this guard had been solidified long ago, ever since his retirement from the policing of an archaic strip mall now in disrepair.
His compadre in the brutally unair-conditioned days was a college graduate sunk so low in his seat that everyone assumed he snoozed while on duty. But, just by the waggle of the man's ears every now and again, his activity was deeply passionate. It took the elder a month before he realized the meaning behind the guard being low in his seat. Under the desk faced away from the gates hid a custom Benelli M4 stationed alongside two boxes filled with shells as well as a partner piece of a Sig Sauer P320. It wasn't too long after this realization did the man also start bringing his licensed handgun and rifle, approved to all law enforcement personnel.
The man's hand fell to the waist side, in position to drop further if needed. Ever wary was a veteran.
"Dontcha worry about that." Blurted Jacob, pointed chin and all contorted to a smug smile. "So, why can't you just say neither of you saw me here, that I was already inside by the time you came into your posts? It's not like regulars can actually do anything to stop us, can y'all?"
An exchange of almost telepathic messages sent solely from a tired yawn made the bald man shiver with the giggles. "Ah yes. We are so helpless." Bowing his head, the man squeezed out a snort before figuring out more of his sly response. "Will you ever be able to forgive us?"
Out of range cussing commenced as Jacob trotted past them. Coming to a halt, he peered into a window to an empty classroom on the first floor, taking stock of his face. "You fucking bitch… Can't even stand up to those shits at the gate… shit, not again." He pounded a fist to the cement wall creating a nicely sized indent the shape of his fist.
"Jacob!?" The call came from behind him forcing him to reflexively check the caller. He should have known what he would find.
Isaiah led the charge with Gan and Claire in tow, a first for him. His approach came with manic flailing. A cycle occurred where Isaiah would fall to his knees but dash off just before Gan could catch his heels, yet it was not a desperation for his life but shot across the distance and into Jacob.
His friend's voice suddenly knocked the wind out of him as the boy's body flung itself into Jacob's. Wheezing for breath the words in between were incomprehensible with a single word cracking the hard stubbornness, "Run". Isaiah was then tossed meters away by Gan's steaming palm.
Jacob wouldn't dare take a sharp stance at the face of his prior leader now having taken his rightful position. Instead, he remarked on the floor, breathing bated to not incur direct punishment. Foolish was he to believe Kage was the only one who terrified him. Little did he remember of the bloody massacres that incurred by the two of them playing with their victims.
A buried memory of Gan having changed the background to his phone screen to that of a damp overcast alleyway, trash bags slashed open, contents sprawled about, but center frame smiled Gan and Kage each sharing a fist to either side of a poor man's jowls. The buttons to the man's shirt ripped apart, demonstrating a permanent mark from one of Gan's punches that melded itself into the structure of his chest.
Jacob doubted he used any hypertrophy for it, simple natural strength. A shudder carried over from the memory.
Gan dropped a palm onto Jacob's right shoulder producing a discomfortable groan as the recipient nearly buckled under its weight. It then squeezed tighter leaving him wondering whether his shoulder would pop from its socket or be dissolved. However, Gan wasn't so barbaric. There was no one in the entire school as good when controlling or managing their ability or a recently formed aura. He wouldn't dish out justice in such a fruitless way.
"You're going to answer my question."
"Gan, what ar-"
"Yes or No. Yes or No are the only words you are permitted as your response." The hand implied the threat causing Jacob to strain his legs from bursting through the pavement. Gan waited for an acknowledgement never given.
Lifting him by the collar, Gan spat a limpid texture to his concha. "Did Kage call you last night?"
'What? That's what this is about? That fucker ratted me out because I didn't go to check, so he sends his god damn dog after me?'
Jacob's eyes chewed into Gan's, "You buncha bitches crying about a phone call?" Smacking his hand away Jacob bent at the knees when landing, all the while maintaining the stare. He then relented from the stare pressing a thumb against his collar straightening it out. A move he would certainly regret. "Can't believe a guy can't have one nigh-
"So…" Jacob no longer sensed the world around him. Completely enveloped by Gan's aura that trapped him in a folding notebook, crackling from the moisture which ravaged its worn pages. Ink splotched wrinkles of the pages, an ink of blood. It swirled Jacob into the cage established by its maleficence. The scent of death, the sight of death, the love for death stood out from all others. But, he was not alone in this cacophony of rot. As the last light flickered in sanity, Gan's silhouette spread over the glossy surface of this world.
Where Jacob may have dove straight for it any other time, he knew the impending destiny that lay beyond. Rumbling, his footsteps went aching a shard of remorse.
"It was true then. You abandoned one of us. And then, what did you do in that room of yours? Tell me Jacob, we're friends, aren't we? I've seen your mags, I've seen your mother, I've seen your girls. There's no secrets left in this circle that we don't know about." Closer did the rumbling continue. Jacob scrambled for a way out but discovered no new elements to this abyss.
Finally, all that could be conjured was a nastily shrew grit, "You don't know anything about me, you pathetic fuck! What did I even do wrong, huh?" Out of breath, out of ideas, and all out of composure he felt unable to produce a modicum of relief for himself. The self-imposing figure bloomed in all directions blocking free flowing thoughts.
Jacob attempted to reel in Isaiah still sat on the ground while Claire, too scared to move, stumbled slack jawed. "Guys! Help me beat some sense into Gan, he's gone loony!" They didn't budge an inch at his plea. Met by…
'What is that? WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!?'
Before Isaiah averted his gaze, there was a brief shake to his chin. Disapproval. They all disapproved of him, whether it was his father, Kage, even the friends he trusted with his life. His spot in their circle died or was it just finalized?
'What the hell did I do?'
"Man the fuck up; stay still. There's no way out of this other than kneeling then paying what's due." Gan's hulking arm cocked back.
No escape was his choice. Regrets streamed forth.
'Why didn't I train as extensively as the others? Sure, I did some, but it was half-assed in comparison.'
Jacob took his classes relaxed in the idea of solemn sloth of adequacy when seen by others below him. He was just good enough to pass by without issue. After the battle with Hochi and Pochi, he thought some solace was granted. The fear malnourished allowing the rest of him to take off, so he did. Nabbing Sam in her moment of weakness, Jacob's heart throbbed when so far away he wished to bring them together forever. Perhaps he truly was nothing since the beginning, another ordinary individual straying too far in the spotlight of the main attraction.
Unable to block, dodge, or withstand the hit, Jacob relaxed his body and took it head on with no brace to minimize its damage.
But, then out of the corner of his eye the sought image of the guards stayed vivid. The orange bush of the elder curled upward as a deservedly smug grin calmed his wrinkled features. Yet, it wasn't the elder which ignited shame within the boy but rather the one who always seemed close to dozing.
The guard now perched his chin into either hand admiring the oncoming assault between the Evolved pestilence. Although such regulars could not participate in the deed, they took great pleasure in voyeuring the situation. This guard even forgot to make attentive sense of his firearms as the boy who had previously insulted them took great injury.
'Just…
Please…
Let me see Mother again.'