Trevor and the boys were now resting in their afternoon break. The schoolyard was as busy as always. They were just a grain of sand in the middle of so many people, although they felt quite important and outstanding in comparison to the others.
Trevor had an aluminum bottle in his left hand. He hid it in his jacket and only showed it when going to take a quick sip. Everybody who had the guts or was confident enough to ask him what it was received the same response: water. The boy always said it so earnestly, without flinching, that nobody dared to ask twice.
'Maybe it is, indeed, only water. He is such a strange guy that I would expect anything from him', Wallace thought.
Just by looking at his "partner", Wallace had the urge to get a cigarette. However, doing something as outstanding as smoking in the middle of the schoolyard was just idiocy. It was much easier to hide alcohol or something like that.
'I don't drink, though. I hate the taste. My only weakness is cigarettes.'
Trevor noticed that Wallace was looking at him. Usually, he would just turn away, but he raised his eyebrows. Wallace found it strange and let his guard up.
"Oh... that's right. You told something to me this morning that I barely could believe. I decided to ignore it for the time being as we were going to get busy, but now I remembered."
"Ah, that thing about the pet shop?"
"Yes, yes... It seems that the jap is talking frequently with my cousin, huh?"
"Yup. I could hear a little of their conversation. Thank God that your cousin doesn't have the same low and weak voice as that scrawny boy, otherwise, I wouldn't hear a thing.
"Well, it seems that he goes there every afternoon. I don't know how long this is happening, but it has to be a good while. They seemed pretty intimate, you know? And I think that both have a thing for each other."
"Oh, yeah!" Trevor celebrated as he took a long sip of his bottle's content. "The missing details are here now. Good thing. It's good to know this."
"You said you had a thing for your cousin before, didn't you? Does it get you jealous or something?" one of the boys asked.
Wallace glanced at him as if what he had just done was a cardinal sin. Nonetheless, his worries showed to be unfounded as Trevor only chuckled.
"Well, I had a thing for her, but nothing serious, you know? Just bullshit you think and feel when you are a horny teenager in your early teens. Something like that.
"Anyhow, I am not really jealous. I am just flabbergasted that a girl like my cousin would fall for a boy like him. But that's good. That's very good..."
"Good in what way?"
"I saw him hanging out with her before. I thought it was a one-time thing, that they had just met, so I let it clear that he shouldn't approach her no matter what. I never saw them together again after that, which showed that he was obedient... So, I had no idea that he was going against my orders.
"Now, we have two things to punish him for: my lunch, though I could borrow some money from some weaklings and get food; and the fact that he is still seeing my cousin against my orders. This will be one hell of a bloody party, don't you think?"
The group nodded in sync.
"Ah, there is another detail. Although he goes to the pet shop every afternoon, today is a special day. I heard her saying that she is going to his house this time. It doesn't seem to be something erotic, though. She just wants to see his cat. "
The group went silent after Wallace disclosed that information. Not because they were especially shocked by what they heard, but rather...
'He got silent all of a sudden, the boss...' one of them thought.
They got chills running down their spine as they witnessed Trevor's eyes getting more and more distant. His face was strangely calm, as peaceful as the countenance of a dead person.
"That's good, too... I can already see what we are gonna do. I think that'll be funny."
****
'Damn it... Why do I always end up being the one helping the teachers out? That sucks', Hayato thought as he walked down the street.
'It is dark already. I barely saw any sunlight all day...'
He didn't like the feeling of arriving at school early in the morning and getting out late at night. Since he had to be at school all morning and afternoon, the evening was the only period when he could chill and do other things. Losing his only free time helping teachers out was not a hobby he was fond of.
Hayato nearly forgot to check his phone that day. There were so many things to do and he got so disturbed throughout the day that he didn't have the time to think about anything else.
As he slipped his hand into his pocket, he felt a twinge on his left wrist.
'This will hurt for a while... I should put that ointment that mom often used on me before. It always helped', he thought while looking at the round burn mark on his wrist. It was no light burn whastoever. As Trevor promised, that wound would leave a scar.
Once looking at his cell phone, Hayato didn't have any surprises. He didn't have any friends as nobody wanted to party up with him only to be beaten by Trevor. Most of his relatives were in Japan, they barely had the time or cared enough to ever message him.
The only messages he got were from three people. One of them was from his mother.
"Hi, honey. How are you? Mom's good and having a lot of fun here... and a lot of work as well. I miss you and Dad so much I am nearly dying. Don't forget to behave. I will get very upset if I go visit you and receive any complaints from the school or neighbors! If you need anything that has nothing to do with money, just ask me. Otherwise, go talk to your beloved and (SUPPOSEDLY) generous dad. Love U ^-^ :3"
She was in Europe doing whatever (he didn't really know, because he never bothered to ask her).
"Hi, son. Good morning. The money for tomorrow's food is in your account. I paid the household bills as well. Busy with work, but I am doing ok. I know things might be a bit depressing around there, but soon enough I will visit you... or not. I have many things to do here, after all. But maybe I will send you a ticket, so you can come to Osaka. I just don't promise I will always be around. Ah, anyway, we can discuss it later. You don't need to answer this message. I know you are upset with us."
His father was in Japan taking care of the family's business. He had to go there after Hayato's uncle and grandfather died in a car accident. He took the responsibility for himself and had been working hard to keep things in order.
Hayato knew that his father didn't need to work that much. He probably became a workaholic because of his depression after losing part of his family so tragically.
The next message was...
"Tess? Oh, shit. I forgot!"
"Hi, Hayato :P
"When are you coming home? Got extra duty in school? Or are you too shy to spend the night with a girl in your house? xD
"Anyways, I will be waiting for you s2."
Hayato ran across the streets with all his might while cursing himself for being so dumb. After he got tortured by those guys, his mind got so distant that he forgot that Tess said she would come to visit.
'Damn it. I wanted to get things cleaned and organized before she arrived... I don't remember how I left things in the house, but I hope it is not that bad. What if it is a mess and she thinks that I am an irresponsible, dirty boy? What if she finds Dad's prohibited magazines and thinks they are all mine!?'
The more he thought about the bad things that could happen, the more anxious he got. He ran like he never had before. His hands trembled and his sweat was strangely cold.
When he arrived at his home, though, he stood still, looking at the entrance. He stared at the floor, right beside the suspiciously opened door of his house. There, a cigarette pack was on the floor.
Hayato had a good memory. That was one of the few things he could brag about...
'This brand of cigarettes is the same that Wallace always smokes.'
His eyes slowly moved toward the opened door. His heart throbbed so hard that he thought it would explode. He felt a bitter taste in his mouth, which was dry.
'But, there is no way, is there? I mean, why would they be here? How the hell do they know where I live? They basically tortured me this morning. Do they want more?'
He put one leg after another, climbing the steps, then reaching his door. His house had all lights turned off. The light of the lamposts and the moon were the only ones illuminating it, which gave off a gloomy aspect, as if it was abandoned or haunted.
Hayato took a deep breath before entering his house. He hesitated for a moment and nearly tripped once taking the first step, but he managed to push forward.
The boy looked left to right, letting his eyes get used to the dim light of the moon and the outside lamposts invading his house.
He took another deep breath, which for some reason made his hair stand on end. A chill ran down his spine.
Hayato never believed in any sort of superstition in particular. He didn't even have time to think about such things. However, that night he discovered that bad omens might be real. Sometimes, a human might feel something that has yet to happen.
He heard something coming from his left. From the kitchen.
Almost automatically, he walked in that direction. He barely had any control over his own movements anymore. His eyes were glazed and his field of vision was extremely narrow.
"Everything will be okay", he muttered without thinking.
He stopped in front of the kitchen's entrance. The moonlight got stronger as a lonely cloud floated away from the moon. The kitchen was not as dark as before.
The first thing Hayato laid his eyes upon was a man standing in front of him, or someone with the same height you would expect a grown man to have. In fact, it was just a boy.
'Trevor...! So, he is here. He really is here...' It felt like his worst nightmares just came true.
He looked at Trevor's hand. He held a kitchen knife that was covered in blood. Hayato could hear the blood dripping on the ground as if the sound was being produced right beside his ear.
The boy moved his eyes to his right, noticing Wallace and another friend of Trevor holding Tess. While Wallace kept both her hands behind her back, the second guy had his hand on her mouth.
'She is fine. She doesn't seem hurt. That's good. They didn't hurt her. They didn't...'
"Meow..."
After hearing that weak and faltering meow, Hayato's eyes moved again, this time to the center of the kitchen.
On the floor, he saw his cat, Felix. A puddle of blood formed under the cat's body, getting wider every second.
'Only the powerful can operate in the world, the ones below them were operated.'
Felix did not meow anymore, no matter how long Hayato waited. That one was the last. The last he would ever hear in his life.
"Lie. That's a lie, isn't it? It's a prank", he mumbled.
He stared at Trevor. The latter smiled when seeing Hayato's expression.
'The weak have the right to cry. That's their only right.'
"You know, jap... I saw my father being executed in front of me", Trevor said as he fully turned to Hayato and slowly (very, very slowly) walked toward him.
"My father killed many people. He robbed many, too. Even my mother. Probably, this guy who invaded our house held some grudge against him at the time... Anyway, the fact is that he killed him. He killed my father. And, you know what? When he was walking toward my father to kill him, he had the same eyes you have right now, jap.
"See what I am saying? Everyone has it inside them. This desire for power, this inclination to evilness. And that's what is important in our world. People like this are those who rule. That's why I always claim I bring out the best in people through my actions. The best, I repeat. I am a kind person, after all."
The smile didn't leave Trevor's face. Hayato had never seen such a genuine smile on his face before.
"So, I have your girlfriend at my mercy, I broke into your house, and I killed your adorable cat. On top of that, I am still the one who holds the knife here. What will you do... Hayato?"
In the blink of an eye, the kitchen disappeared. Trevor, his friends, and Tess disappeared. It was only Hayato standing there. Everything around was black. His vision blackened completely.
The only things that remained were him, the knife floating a meter or so away, and his dead cat.
'I thought that, if it was me, with my goodwill and kind heart, I would be able to take care of you and give you a decent life. But, you know what, Felix? If I was someone crazy and unstable like Trevor, you wouldn't be dead right now. If I was someone who could stand still before others' threats and inflict fear and pain, you wouldn't be dead right now.'
A tear slowly ran down his face. His vision got slightly blurred as his eyes watered.
"I am sorry for everything. I am sorry for being so weak."
'The strong rules. The weak are ruled...
'That is what it's all about, right? I will only survive if that's what I keep in mind, right?'
The teardrop fell from his chin and hit the ground. The sound of its fall should be nearly inaudible, but it vibrated through Hayato's soul.
He glanced at Tess, whom he could see again as if there was a spotlight pointed at her.
'You are the last thing I have to protect. Then, so be it.'
Hayato tightly closed his hands into fists. He kept the same expression on his face, then stared at Trevor. The latter seemed to be overjoyed when seeing that Hayato was really indulging in his "best side".
Both took the last step forward, prepared to fight to the death. A battle to decide their fate. Hayato would never be the same, nor would Trevor.
'Be stronger', was Hayato's last thought...
... before THAT happened.
Once their feet touched the ground and they raised their hands to attack each other, something popped up in the middle of the kitchen. It looked like it had always been there, such was the abruptness of its appearance.
It was a blue sphere. Its presence made the air get rough and turned the atmosphere around the house into a hellish stove. It was hot and dense. The pressure it exerted around was immense.
The group only had the time to look at it for a few seconds before the sphere shone with enough intensity to explode the eyeballs of anyone who dared to keep them open.
Hayato closed his eyes, feeling his skin burning with such intense light.
A whistling sound invaded their ears, sharp and annoying. It felt like their brains would melt.
Then, as fast as it appeared, the sphere was gone.
****
A television in a certain house in Europe broadcasted the daily news early in the morning. Nobody was watching it, though they surely should... Breaking news right on the first hour of the morning spread across the globe as something beyond imagination happened.
"Today... Oh God... I am sorry, I just can't" The anchorwoman put both her hands on her face. She sobbed for a while as she shivered intensely in her chair. Someone from the staff hurried near her with a glass of water. She drank it in one go, then breathed heavily.
"I apologize to the viewers for my lack of professionalism, but that's not something I can simply say without showing any emotion. I just can't."
She took another long breath.
"In today's morning, authorities from many countries of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania notified that, all of a sudden... the entire American continent simply... it simply vanished from the map."