Joshua
September 8th, 2007. 3:12 a.m. Classified location. Nice crescent moon out tonight.
I break into the back door. Dumb bastard never did bother to change his locks. Hallway. Nothing. Upstairs. Nothing. Sister’s out of the house. Good. There he is… all snuggled up in bed. I place knives on the bookshelf beside his bed, fish his gun from under his pillow, stand over his bed and look over him. “Good morning, Rodrigo.”
“Snore… zzz…”
I throw my baseball into his face and recall it.
“Bwah! AH!” Rodrigo springs to life and shuffles his arms under his pillow. “Who the hell?!”
“Looking for this?” I dangle his Colt Python.
“HE-”
I stomp on Rodrigo's neck.“Rodrigo. We’re going to have a little chat. Is that clear?”
Rodrigo looks up at me through wide, horrified eyes. Gross, pitiful noise creaks out of his neck. He claws at my leg, but that just makes me press down on his throat even more.
“Rodrigo.” I see his face start to turn blue, so I lighten my stance. “Am I clear?”
Rodrigo leans his head back before nodding fervently.
“Good. What happened to my stash?”
“It… it… I don’t know?”
“Rodrigo. You’re the only one who knew where it was.”
“I mean it! Seriously! I don’t know what happened to it! Faust just gave me a cut and hid it somewhere else!”
“Oh, really now? Then where’s Faust?”
“Promise me you’ll protect me from her if I tell you… Please…”
“I promise.” I smile. “Faust won’t hurt you.”
“O-okay…” Rodrigo takes a deep breath and continues. “She’s hiding out in San Diego right now… at the Motel 8 we always did business at. She said something about some big deals and transport operations going on down there, but wouldn’t tell me anything else. She said I didn’t need to know any details, just to hold down the fort until she gets back.”
“I see… how long will she be there?”
“Until October 10th…”
“I see… Thank you very much, Rodrigo.” I let go of his throat and head for the door.
“W-wait! Josh!” Rodrigo catches his breath and stands by his bed. “I’m really glad you’re still alive… You’re not mad at me, are you? I’ll do whatever I can to help you get your stash back!”
“Haha, don’t you worry about it man. It’s all water under the bridge.” I recall my knives through Rodrigo,
thump thump
I flick the blood off, sheathe them, and head back to Aegis.
Angela
September 8th, 2007. 4:03 a.m. Aegis. Foggy morning. Curled up in a big blanket burrito in the living room playing Persona 3. I tried to sleep, but Janelle wouldn’t stop crying. There’s beefier boys out there, girl. I hear the front door open behind me. “Wassaaaaaaaaaaaap.” I say without turning my head.
“Angela?” Josh forces a yawn. “What’re you doing up so late?”
“I’m always up this late. What are you doing up so late?”
“Went out for some Jacks. Did you want anything?”
“Nah. It’s cool.” I resume playing.
“I think you should go to bed now. Don’t you have a 9:00 am class?”
“Death is not a hunter unbeknownst to its prey.” flashes on the screen. “One is always aware that it lies in wait. Though life is merely a journey to the grave, it must not be undertaken without hope. Only then will a traveler’s story live on, treasured by those who bid him farewell.” the screen fades to black “But alas, my guest’s life has now ended, his tale left unwritten…” and boots me back to the title screen.
“Okay.” I try to snap the controller in two, but end up hurting my wrist. “Bed time it is.” I fall back into my blanket burrito. “Carry me.”
“Haha.” Josh shakes his head. “You got it.” He carries me princess style, throws me on my bed, and wishes me goodnight before closing the door.
He reeks of blood.
Vivian
September 8th, 2007. 8:21 a.m. Aegis Student Hospital. Cloudy morning. Everything hurts just a little less. I could probably walk if I tried. It’d hurt like a bitch, but I could do it. Dunno about my arms though… I yawn and open my eyes. I’m resting on my right side like usual. Will is still just chilling there. Turn around. Don’t look at him. Don’t let it set in. I turn over to my left side and see someone leave my room and shut the door behind them. On the table next to my bed is a pre-packaged cinnamon roll, a small box of cereal, and a little note that just says, ‘-Yuko’.
Will
September 13, 2007. 12:42 p.m. Aegis Student Hospital. I can feel the sun warming up my cold face. Birds have awoken me. I open my eyes and find myself stuck in a hospital bed. I can barely feel anything… I sincerely hope that’s from drugs… I rub my eye and can hear the Headmaster talking to a nurse outside my door. It’s faint and muted… I can’t make out any of it… The only thing I can really feel at the moment is the hospital fan whirring above me. I want it to stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.
The Headmaster peeks into the room and our eyes meet. She smiles and jogs into the room. “Will! Oh thank heavens! You’re finally awake!” Headmaster pulls a stool up to my bedside and sits down. “How are you feeling?”
“I can barely hear you… but I’m cognisant… Everything feels numb also…”
“Yeah… I thought you would say that.”
“Enough about me, what happened to Oso?”
“He got away, but your team was able to gravely wound him and protect the museum from any major damage.”
“That’s surprising…” For some reason, I start to smile. “Good for them…” I try to get up from my bed, but my legs won’t budge. “What?” I peer down and stare at my legs. I think about moving them, I try to make them move, I even punch my leg. Nothing. I know something should be there, but nothing’s registering. I look at the Headmaster.
“Oso nearly snapped your spine in two.” she sipped her coffee without even looking me in the eye. “We did everything we could do. It’s a miracle you’re even alive right now.”
“When can I start rehabilitation? I need to get back in the field.”
“No.” The coward still refuses to look me in the eye. “We can’t allow you to go back on the field. You’ll just end up getting yourself killed in your current state. If you like, we can get you into an administrative or support role.”
“Don’t. Patronize. Me.” My head rattles as I lock eyes with her. “Give me two weeks… I’ll be up and ready to go in no time.”
She opens her mouth before closing her eyes and sighing. “It’s your tuition. Who am I to tell you how to waste it?” She takes a sip of coffee and gets up from her seat. “If you can’t run for thirty seconds straight by the end of the month, I will have to relieve you from active duty classes.” She looks down at me and offers me her mug. “Sorry. Rules are rules.”
I gently brush the mug aside. “I can do that… just you wait.”
“If you say so.” she shrugs and turns to the door. “If you need help, just call the staff.”
My neck tenses. My teeth click. My throat closes.
She leaves.
This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening. It isn’t supposed to be like this… Stupid teammates… stupid Vivian… if it wasn’t for them, I’d still have my legs… My entire body begins to shake and my jaw feels ready to snap in two. I’m not going to let those little bastards show me up anymore.
Vivian
September 14th, 2007. 7:12 p.m. Sunset. I’m at my dorm kitchen table surrounded by Angela, Yuko, Janelle, and Sejong. All of us have party hats on. The table is full to the brim with alcohol, mixers, chips, pizza boxes, and a confetti cake in the middle. The cake has ‘Congrats on not dying’ written atop it with pink frosting.
“Thanks guys…” I smile and feel a warm feeling rise up in my chest. I may need a crutch to walk and my right arm’s still in a splint and I feel like garbo, but I’m going to feel like garbo with a bunch of alcohol and pizza inside me, so it’s better.
“Don’t thank me.” Angela already began cutting some cake. “I just had the idea. Janelle was the one who baked the cake and ordered the pizza.”
“Then thank you, Janelle.”
“Don’t worry about it.” she smiles. “I’m sure you would do the same for me.”
“Hell yeah I would.” I take a potato chip and eat it. “And thank you for coming, Yuko.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“I’m just here for the booze.” Yuko takes out a cig, looks at me for a moment, then tucks the cig back into her jacket. “... Impaling that sonuvabitch was pretty sick though.”
“I’m glad you got to see it.”
Janelle turns to Sejong. “Um, Sejong. Not that I have an issue with you being here, but why are you here instead of helping out Will with the boys?”
“Because he’s kind of a dick right now.” Sejong rubs her temple. “I’d rather get drunk and eat bad food than go to a rehab session. A better question is why aren’t you helping?”
“Because Angela said she would blast Every Time We Touch on repeat if I went to see him again this week.”
“She’s been there five times this week already.” Angela gets some frosting on her thumb and simba’s Janelle’s forehead. “It isn’t healthy. She needs a break.”
Janelle sighs and wipes the frosting off her forehead before eating some cake.
We all get our own slices of cake and begin digging in. Angela and Sejong just had one slice. I had two. Janelle and Yuko had three big pieces. Yuko already claimed the bottle of cranberry vodka and downed a third of it.
“Ey, Yuko-chan.” I present a solo cup to her. “Can you be a friend and fill me up?”
“Nuh uh. This is mine. Get it from the other vodka and just mix cranberry juice in it.”
“It’s not the same.” I shake my cup. “Pleeeeease?”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No.”
Taking matters into my own hands, I swipe her bottle and run my tongue all around the top of the bottle and stick it in the entrance. Getting real deep in there. “It’s mine now.”
Yuko looked like she was trying to kill me with her thoughts alone. “Bitch.”
I pour my cup a fourth of the way full before sliding the bottle back to Yuko. “There. All yours.”
“I don’t want it anymore. It’s got your germs all over it.” she begins sifting through the bottles. “Where’s the bourbon?”
“Right here.” Sejong pulls a bottle up by the handle.
“Gimme.”
Sejong abides and lobs the bottle over to her.
Yuko catches and cradles it as if it were her own child.
All of us eat, drink, and drink, and drink, and drink. By 8:30, we’re all stupid drunk. Like, really stupid drunk. How stupid drunk? Like… really… stupid…
Hehehe yeeeeee. This is so much fun! I’ve never gotten drunk with anyone before! Or even had parties! Wait… what do people do when they’re drunk? Don’t they usually dance or something? I… I’m not doing that… maybe for Caramelldansen… maybe… Oh… I hope I’m a happy drunk. Please please please please please be a happy drunk.
Yuko
September 14th, 2007. 8:31 p.m. Night. We’ve been playing some game called Mario Party for the past hour. I really don’t understand this game all that well, but Angela has to be cheating. She’s been in first place the entire time. There’s no way anyone’s luck can be this good. “Angela! Quit cheating already!”
“Lol I’m not cheating.” the little bastard grins and shoots a bunch of whipped cream into her mouth. “You just suck at the game.”
“I do not!”
“Yuko-chan…” Vivian leans on me and slurs her speech like the pathetic lightweight she is. “No offense… but you’re real bad… like… real bad… get good… please… for my sake…”
“I am good! You’re just drunk off your ass!” I nudge Vivian off me and watch her faceplant onto the floor.
“Yuko-chan…” Vivian raises her finger and speaks without looking up. “You attacked me when we were on teams.”
“I got the characters mixed up, okay? It’s just a game; calm down.”
Janelle looks at us and shakes her head. “Angy… do you mind if we stop playing for now? Yuko’s getting a little salty.”
“Ugh… sure. I guess.” Angela puts down her controller and shuts off the console.
“Hey! Don’t quit now!” I yell. “I was about to beat your ass!”
“Uh huh… suuuuure.” Angela sticks her tongue out at me like a child. “Wanna play a different game?”
“Like what?” Janelle brews herself another drink and sets the top on fire. “I’m game for anything that’s not a video game.”
“Coward…” Angela rolls her eyes.
“How about truth or dare?” Sejong suggests.
“Really?” I turn to her and squint. “What’re you? Twelve?”
“Out of ten? Yes.” Sejong grins.
“I’m game.” Janelle downs her glass.
“Me too.” Angela shrugs.
“I would also like to partake in the truthing and daring…” Vivian raises her hands and wiggles side to side like one of those inflatable mascots you see at car dealerships.
I sigh. “Sure… Who wants to start?”
“Me.” Everyone says in unison.
Silence fills the room shortly after. Everyone’s looking at each other.
“Is it cool if I go first?” Janelle raises her hand.
“Yeah, sure.” the room agrees.
“Hmmm…” Janelle’s eyes scan the room. “Angela. Truth or dare?”
“Truth.”
“What’s your relationship with Josh?”
“Uuh…” Angela takes another gulp of whipped cream. “I dunno man. Is that any of your business?”
“Not really.” Janelle chuckles. “But you said truth, so now you gotta tell me.”
Angela shrugs. “I dunno.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“I mean I don’t know. Did I stutter?”
“Ugh… you’re boring.”
“I don’t know what I don’t know. My turn.” Angela locks eyes with Vivian. “Viv, truth or dare?”
“Dare me up, bitch!” Vivian finally manages to sit up right. Her face is flush and she’s giggling like a goddamn moron.
“I dare you to kiss Yuko.” Angela turns to me. “Is that okay?”
“Sure.” I shrug. “Just make it quick.”
“Wooo!” Before I can make sense of anything, Vivian tackles me. She slides up over me like a snake, cups my cheeks with her hands, and looks into my eyes with her lips an inch away from mine. Her hair is dangling atop my cheek. Her breath smells like booze and apples. To top it all off, she’s looking at me with that grin. That stupid, dumb grin. She thinks she’s so-
…!...
Warmth surges in my chest. A soft tingle runs up my spine and explodes at my neck, but my face is completely calm. My legs twitch. My fingers curl up and sink into the carpet.
Vivian’s fingertips caress my cheeks. Her lips are soft… so… so soft. I feel her spit and tongue slide their way into my mouth…
… and my tongue starts playing with hers.
Just as I’m about to lose it, Vivian pulls herself off of me and wipes off her mouth. She licks her lips and wiggles her eyebrows at me. “Well~? Pretty good, huh?”
“It was okay… I guess.” I wipe off my mouth with my sleeve and sit back up. “Nothing special.”
2:12 a.m. Everyone but me is knocked out. Angela’s chilling in the bathtub. Vivian’s ass-up, face down on the floor. Janelle snatched the bed. Sejong is curled up on the kitchen table. I’m lying on the living room sofa staring up at the ceiling. What the hell? What the hell? What the hell? Godamnit. GodDAMNIT. Just thinking about that kiss drives me crazy… But… I can’t explain why… Jesus Christ oh my god why why why? If it was just okay, I’d be like, whatever, you know? But no. It’s the best kiss I ever had. Why?! Why was it with Vivian?! Why her?! Why now?! AAAAH! DAMNIT!
A.D.
September 14, 2007. 8:04 p.m. Aegis Student Hospital. Rehabilitation Room #04. I’m here with Josh watching Will trying to walk. He’s between two handrails. His entire bottom half is covered in bandages and casts. Every now and then, it looks like his legs are ready to just fall off. It… isn’t a great sight. I’m not even sure we’re supposed to be in here, but Will insists he has the headmaster’s permission.
Will’s pushing himself up with his hands and trying to swing his way from one end of the handrails to the other. He’s dripping with sweat and breathing heavily through his mouth. I don’t think he’s putting any pressure on his legs. Not that I can blame him. Even if he could walk, those leg casts and back braces would make him walk like a gingerbread man.
“I’m almost there… almost there…” Will’s arms tremble and struggle to cling onto the beam.
Josh is standing next to me with an unlit cigarette in his mouth. “William, stop. Just go back to bed. You’re going to reopen some wounds and some poor nurse is going to have to clean that up.”
“Shut up!” Will yells before falling flat on his face.
Josh rolls his eyes and bends down to Will’s level. “Here. Let me help you up.” he reaches over to Will’s arm.
“Don’t touch me!” Will knocks Josh’s arm away and begins pushing himself up on his own. “I can do it myself!”
“Screw you.” Josh stands back up and begins making for the door. “I don’t need to take this. Go ahead and die for all I care.”
“Fine! Go!” Will barks.
Josh stops at the door frame, looks back at Will, flips him the bird, then leaves. At least he didn’t slam the door...
Just as Will is about to reach the handrail again, he stumbles forward and crashes against the floor once more. “DAMNIT! DAMNIT ALL! AAAAH!”
I stand there with my hands in my pockets… “Hey…” I keep my voice low and bend down near Will. “Um… do you want me to stay here?”
“Just make sure I don’t die…” Will growls.
“I can do that.”
Will plants his palms against the ground and begins doing pushups.
“Will… uh… I admire your spirit, but I really don’t think this is the right time.”
“Just shut up.”
“Okay…”
Will does ten push ups with far better form than anyone in his condition should be able to manage before reaching for the handrails again. He’s able to prop himself up once more.
“Yeah yeah!” I clap, get up, and stand at the other end of the handrails. “Holy crap, dude! Come on! You got this!” Even though I cheer, I can tell that he’s not putting any pressure on his legs. He’s pushing himself forward with just his arms. “You’re doing great… I mean that, could you try putting pressure on your legs?”
Will pauses. He looks at me, grits his teeth with a closed mouth, and slowly adjusts himself to put weight on his legs. His face contorts. His neck turns, yet he is silent.
“Okay... good.” I gulp and begin slowly walking towards him. “Now let go of the rails.”
The moment Will does so, he tumbles forward.
Luckily, I’m able to slide in and catch him just before he hits the ground. “Okay… that was a good attempt. Let’s try again and take it from the top.” I start helping Will up.
“Put me down…” Will looks down.
“You got it.” I follow his orders, let him down on his stomach, and back away.
The moment I let go of him, Will resumes doing push ups at a far more frantic pace.
“I just have to get stronger… I just have to train more...” he mumbles to himself.
His flesh rends, blood begins seeping underneath his bandages, and his skin grows paler with each pushup. A fetid puddle of drool, blood, and sweat begins forming beneath him and spreading out throughout the floor.
“That’s it. I’m calling the nurse.”
“Don’t you dare!” Will cuts into the floorboard and throws a chunk of tile at me.
I parry it, dash-cancel towards him, and put him in a sleeper hold. “Nurse! A patient attacked me and is tearing open his wounds! Someone help me!”
“On it!” a feminine voice calls out from the end of the hallway. The sounds of body armor clanking and shuffling grew closer by the second. Within eight seconds, a staff member fully-outfitted with body armor and syringes poses in front of the doorway.
I release Will from the sleeper hold, but still pin his arms and head to the floor. Barely. He wouldn’t stop flailing like he’s possessed by a demon. It’s a miracle I wasn’t impaled by a limb.
“Will!” The staff cries out and sprints towards him with a syringe in hand. “Stop! You’re just going to hurt yourself!” She slides over and jams a syringe into his neck with uncanny finesse and precision.
“Stop!” Will begins crying. “I can do this! Just… give me... two weeks… I… I can get better… just… need… training…” Within a few seconds, Will finally falls asleep lying in a pool of his own blood, tears, and sweat.