6 Mark Street

Mount Phantom

Francis Bay

Saint Louis

In a prominent high school known as Mount Phantom Highschool, the bells rang, concluding the end of school for the day.

Students rush out of their classes to talk to their friends and get prepared to go home.

In one class a boy with faded black hair was taking a nap, obnoxious of what was happening around him.

"Evan." The boy heard a faint voice but did not pay it much attention.

"Evan..." The voice resounded again, this time the boy managed to hear it clearly, it was the voice of a girl.

"Evan Belmont!" Tired of calling the name, the girl positioned her hands together before striking it down on Evan head-on.

Pang!

"Ow! Who did that?!" The boy was wide awake by the strike, small tears struggling to leave his eyes—a small yet faint bump growing on his head.

The hand strike hurt like hell.

"Evan you're so annoying, one of the many reasons I hate you! It's time for us to go home and yet you are here sleeping!" The girl seeing him wide awake yelled before huffing her way out of the classroom.

"What the hell is her problem sometimes." Evan, the boy who was napping, rubbed his head in pain.

"You two never get along huh?" Another voice was heard from his right. Evan turned his head to see a boy who was 5'11, the same height as him enter the classroom.

"It's not like I ain't trying man. She's just..." Evan grumbled. a bit angry at the girl who hit him in the head, but stopped mid-sentence with a sigh.

"There's nothing I can do about it, Marc." Marc came closer to Evan before chuckling, "Don't say that. You two are siblings, sooner or later you two will get along."

"Not real siblings though and I think that's why she hates me. Maybe she believes I am invading her space and thinks of me as a burden for her parents."

The girl who just hit Evan's head name is Amber Duncan. She is just a year younger than Evan yet her pride and arrogance know no bound. Ever since he moved into her home after his parents died she developed some sort of hatred for him.

In truth, Evan wasn't even sure if her hate for him was because he moved into her house or because of something that occurred in the past.

All he knows is if he's going to continue living with her then their current relationship would need to change somehow.

'What a pain.' Evan grumbled once more.

"You're just overthinking things." Marc noticing Evan's grumpy mood shook his head before rushing him, "Come on, let's go to the arcade and chill out, our other friends will be coming too. It will be fun."

"I can't. Haven't you heard of the news?" Evan stares into his friend's green eyes. Marc Perkins is his full name, the current Student President, and the most popular kid in the school mostly because of his looks and beautiful green eyes that would suck any girl into his gaze forever.

"It's getting dangerous in Mount Phantom. People have been mysteriously disappearing and the death rate has increased during these five years, nearing even the Mount Phantom Disaster of 2015, which was only five years ago. The government even made an 11:30 PM curfew for citizens who live in Mount Phantom."

"Do you have to remind me of that gruesome period? Marc sighed as he nodded his head at Evan.

"You're right, how can I, the Student President be so stupid to put fun before our safety." He reprimands himself before running out of the classroom while shouting, "Thanks for the reminder, Evan! I'm on my way to tell our friends that our plans are canceled! Have a safe trip back home!"

"Hey, you could have at least wait for me!" Evan shouted, but he was already gone.

"Marc sure is energetic." Evan laughed before beginning to pack his stuff up.

"I wonder why he had a relieved look on his face though?" He asked himself before shrugging the question off.

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Leaving the school compound, Evan headed towards the taxi stand to wait for a taxi.

Just as he left a figure flashed by him, stepping on his foot.

"Hey—" Feeling the pain and noticing the huge shoe print on his shoe, Evan was about to lash out.

But the words he was about to say were stuck in his mouth, a bewitched look on his face as he paused in both body and mind.

The figure was of a girl. She wore the same uniform as him except for the color difference. His uniform was full red while hers was red and black showing that she was a senior, just a grade and year above him.

This girl's blue hair glittered like diamond, waving around like the ocean. Evan could only see her back profile, but he was immediately captivated by her.

"Is she new here? Why does she look like she's in such a rush?" Evan questioned twice to himself. He may not know every student at Mount Phantom High, but there's no way he would be able to forget someone like that girl whose back profile could turn him into a fool.

BEEEEEEEEEEP!

Evan was snapped out of his trance by the beeping of a car's horn. Turning his head to the right, he saw a driver staring at him with an irritated look.

"Uncle Ben?" Pleased to see him, Evan hopped into his car.

"Uncle your— foot!" The driver by the name Uncle Ben wanted to curse at Evan, but stopped himself just in time.

"Thanks for the ride, Uncle Ben." Evan chuckled as he made himself comfortable in the vehicle.

"How's your day going Uncle Ben?"

"It was going great until I lay my eyes on you! And stop calling me Uncle, I am not that old!" Uncle Ben gritted his teeth, regretting picking up Evan.

"Hm? Then at what age do you consider old? You are already 47..." Evan teased, enjoying his uncle's company.

Ben James is a distant family member of Evan's adoptive parents. His current occupation is a taxi driver.

He currently lives with his adoptive parents as well since he lost his house gambling.

You could say he's a gambling addict.

"I only consider a person old when they're dead! Also, I am 41 years old, get it right!" Uncle Ben retorted while focusing on driving, afraid Evan would cause him to crash with his words.

"Sure thing old man." Evan stopped talking right then and there as he turned his head to his right to pat something.

"Are you saying I am dead?" Uncle Ben said silently, relieved that Evan stopped talking.

"You're overthinking things, old man. Say, Uncle Ben why don't you stop gambling and get your life together? I have heard from Uncle Lionel numerous times how talented you are in the field of business." Evan recommended.

"No, it's too much work operating a business alone." Uncle Ben said while muttering curses to himself.

"If not then how about coming to work at my future business!" Evan said with a kindhearted expression, but when Uncle Ben saw his look in the rearview mirror, he laughed. Evan looked like a shrewd, cunning old fox! The type of individual he used to deal with a lot during his prime.

"Why are you so chatty again brat?" Uncle Ben stopped laughing and sighed, his mood changed.

"You know I cannot. I have to keep looking for Sam." He said with a sad look.

"Sam..." Evan expression became ugly.

Exactly five years ago, a disaster struck. Many said it was a disease, some claimed it was the work of god. However, on that day over 100,000 thousand citizens of Mount Phantom died.

All of their deaths were caused by choking, causing many people to believe it was either suicide or some sort of dangerous gas released into the atmosphere.

Either way, it was a mystery. Sam, Uncle Ben's one and only child and Evan's most cherished little cousin died during that disaster.

And he and Uncle Ben remembered it clearly like it was yesterday.

Evan clenched his fists together. He is probably the only person on the planet who knew that The Mount Phantom Disaster of 2015 wasn't some disease or dangerous gas.

Maybe it could truly have been god, but would god be so cruel to simply kill off so many people in one day? Evan didn't think so.

What he saw that day left them with many scars. The people that died were choked to death, yes, but it wasn't caused by suicide, disease, or gas. No— they were all killed right in front of his eyes.

People in white garments were fleeing while being chased by demon-looking creatures. Said demon-looking creatures were being butchered, killed, and eaten by certain white garment individuals, and above all this was a battle Evan could never forget.

The battle caused nearly half of Mount Phantom to become a burning wasteland. To this day, there are still flames of the battle lingering over there to the point people began calling 8 Mark Street to 10 Mark Street, Hell Paradise.

Evan still remembers how one of those demon-looking creatures took Sam away. He wanted to chase, but he and Uncle Ben were injured by it, he as an eleven-year-old was no match for it.

When the battle was over flames engulfed the entire region burning away the little green left to ashes.

It was a miracle that Evan and Uncle Ben even managed to survive.

When they looked over the battlefield they found Sam. His body burnt to a crisp and his body looked very skinny.

Uncle Ben thought it was because of the flames that caused him to become skinny, but Evan believed it was the demon that caused it.

Of course, Evan didn't tell anyone his assumptions or what he saw that day. I mean, who would believe him? No one.

Evan's parents also died in that disaster, though their bodies were not recovered to this day making Evan believe their still alive somewhere.

"Uncle Ben you and I saw it that day. Sam is dead and I am sure if he was still alive he wouldn't want to see you in this state." Evan tone was filled with sorrow as he said this.

"No! He's not dead... I am sure of it! I just need to keep looking... that's right, keep searching..." Uncle Ben shouted before calming himself down.

"Then... would you believe me if I told you he is right here in this vehicle?"

SCREEEEEEEEEEECH!

Uncle Ben suddenly hit the brakes causing Evan to tumble inside the car.

"Hey, what was that for—" Evan screamed in anger feeling like today was a horrible day for his usual typical day. First, it was Amber, then that blue-haired girl, and now this.

'What a pain.' Evan rubbed his head which began hurting again before raising his head to stare at Uncle Ben.

His words were stuck in his mouth as he looked at the serious expression filled with rage on Uncle Ben's face.

"Don't you ever say that again." Uncle Ben controlled himself from sounding too angry, but couldn't help himself from sounding a bit furious.

"Alright, Uncle Ben." Evan nodded his head seeing how serious he sounded.

'But he's really right here. Always with me.' Evan thought to himself, his eyes guilty as he continued patting the little boy's head who no one could see.