by Helena Yeung, Literary Editor
I sighed and sat back in my seat in extreme frustration. I’ve contacted at least ten people from school, and nobody knows a goth-looking boy with a dark blue wallet. Even Cane doesn’t now who I’m talking about, and she knows practically everyone in our ginormous school. Although I’m lacking description, you would think someone would’ve said they’ve seen him sometime at someplace, but nope. I rumbled through my journal again, retracing my thoughts. Is there anything else I know about him that I haven’t mentioned?
The next day in school, I plopped down next to Cane during lunch, exhausted. I had the same reoccurring dream again, and I swear it gets more and more frightening every time.
“What’s up with you?” Cane ducked her head and glanced at my face. “Marco Lance, have you been sleeping?”
“Ugh.” I took a carrot that has been sitting on our table and threw it at her. She scrunched up a face, then just shook her head at me. “Hey, don’t.” I sighed. “It’s that stupid dream again, with that boy in the end.”
“Ah, him. I’ve kept my eye out today for a depressed-dressing boy ducking his head and dropping a wallet, but nope sorry, nothing.” Cane shrugged, and I threw another carrot at her. “Hey! Don’t worry, we’ll keep looking. Are you sure you’ve never met the kid before?”
“Positive.” I opened my lunch bag and began eating the tuna sandwich I had made this morning. Cane brought in her own sushi today, so I had my food all to myself. “You know.” I said in between bites. “I think I might ask some of the music or arts club. Aren’t gothic people into that kind of stuff or something?”
“I thought you hate talking to people, let alone ask them for help.” Cane laughed. “You definitely need more sleep. It’s interfering with your weird brain.”
“Ugh, this is different. It’s important.” I crumbled up the wrapper and paper bag and tossed it in the trash next to me.
“And what are you going to do once you find out who he is? Are you going to ask him, ‘OH HEY, SO UM, STOP SCARING ME IN THE TUNNELS PLEASE.’” Cane laughed again. “It won’t help your dreams stop once you find out this guy. Just let him be.”
“Why don’t you let ME be.” I shoved her, and she shoved back harder. “Dweeb.” I said, and stood up. “I’m going to go buy a soda.” I walked towards the vending machine, hand in pocket to find a crumpled up one dollar bill. When I got to it, there was quite a line. “UGH.” I grimaced out loud, not caring who heard me. I waited and waited for a good four minutes, when suddenly someone behind me shoved me hard to the floor.
“What the-” I quickly got up, looking up just to harsh sounds of laughter. Three guys were looking at me, sneering. The tallest one had blonde long side hair, and was wearing a leather jacket with sagging jeans. They laughed and stared at me, as if they were waiting for me to say something. So I did.
“Watch it you retards.” I barked, making a disgusted face. The tall guy suddenly seemed shocked, as the other two scowled at me.
“Excuse me?” The blonde guy suddenly got in my face. “What did you call me?”
“A retard. Oh wait sorry, retards are smarter than you. They don’t go around pushing random people and thinking it’s the joke of the century.” I can see in the corner of my eye a crowd forming. People ahead of me in the line stopped buying their soda, and turned their eyes towards me. The guy was now in deep fury, making the angriest face.
“You wanna cause trouble?” He shouted, pushing my shoulder with his fingers. “Cause I can show you trouble.”
“Oh yes, use your hands again. Your brain and mouth can’t do anything.” I shrugged. “Neither can your mom when she brushed that raggedy hair for you this morning.” That did it. He held his fist and aimed for a punch, and smacked me right in the left eye. I fell backwards, hitting the floor hard. My eye shot in extreme pain, and I winced. Was everyone watching me now?
“GET UP YOU IDIOT.” Someone had suddenly kicked me in the forehead, and another shot of agony went through my skull. I wanted to get up, wanted to fight back, but all I did was laid still and closed my eyes. I can sense the boys circling me, smirking with their stupid ugly faces. Why aren’t I getting up? I opened my eyes just to see in time one more kick, aiming straight for my nose. For some sudden reason, something inside me triggered.
“Kill them.”
I can’t remember for the life of me what happened next. Before I knew it, I was standing up again, blood on my hands. My breath was heavy, and my head was pounding. My vision blurred images, flashing screams and sounds surrounding me. I can feel someone tugging my arm, faintly calling my name. I shook my head a few times, closed my eyes hard, then opened them gently. I gasped, my mind was now in shock. Lying on the floor, was the blonde-haired boy. His nose was bleeding, and there were scratches on his right arm. The other boys and everyone else were behind him, staring and shouting panics in unison. I turned next to me, to see Cane holding my arm in deep concern. What happened? Where are any adults when you need them?
“Cane, did you beat him up?” I started to head towards a table to sit down at, and Cane followed me silently. Once I sat down, I realized people were still staring at me with frightened, horrid eyes. What did I do? “Cane?” I took out a tissue from my pocket and began wiping my hands. Was this my blood?
“No.” She said quietly, and took out her own tissues as well. “Here.” She handed them to me, her eyes screaming fear as well.
“Oh okay, did I do it?” I joked, but she just stared through me. How come I can’t remember what happened? “Oh never mind. Where are the teachers? Oh for the love of gracious sakes, I just wanted some goddamn soda.” I rolled my eyes. “Humans.” I grumbled, and Cane shot me a look.
“Marco, how do you not know what just happened?” Cane suddenly seemed angry with me, as if I just beated her up. Her eyes were flaring frustration. I scooted a bit back.
“I don’t know, I just don’t. I was kicked in the face, remember? Maybe it causes five second memory lost? Who knows?” I stood up. “I’m going to wash this blood off. I’ll see you later.” I walked past a bunch of terrified students, not giving any care what they were thinking or judging. I just wanted to get out of here. I headed towards the nearest boy’s restroom and slammed the door behind me. I went up to the sink and looked up in the mirror. My eye injury is quite noticeable, great. Just to be expected when you pick a fight with strangers.
I turned on the water and began washing my hands, scrubbing hard on the blood with soap. Suddenly, one of the stall doors opened, and I turned to see who it was. My eyes widened, and my heart skipped a beat. It was him. It was the boy from my nightmare.
“Oh uh…hi.” He ducked his head and walked past me, and went over to the next sink. I was staring down at him, not caring if he noticed or not. He was in a similar outfit as yesterday, all black and dark. Was he there earlier when I got in the fight? Did he see? “Um.” He turned to me, and I froze.
“Yes…?” I asked, turning off the water.
“Uh…never mind.” He dried his hands and walked away fast, as if he wanted to get away from me as soon as possible. Does he know who I am? I dried my hands and took one last glance at the mirror, grimacing at my eye. Out of nowhere, a sudden sharp thought pierced my mind. I gasped out loud, clutching onto my arm with my left hand. “Oh my god.” I said, and at this instinct, I knew I had to find Cane. I bolted out the bathroom and ran back into the lunchroom, hoping that she’ll still be there. Luckily, she was standing right outside, flipping through her phone. I caught up to her, breathing hard. Cane shot me a weirded eyeball.
“What are you running from?” She asked, then peered behind me. “Did you get into another fight that fast?”
“Cane, I have to tell you something.” I said, trying to catch my breath. She gave a puzzled look, and before I let her answer, I blurted out what I had realized in the bathroom, no matter how crazy I sounded. “That boy, from my nightmares, he spoke to me.” I took a pause. “His voice was in my head when I was on the floor. He told me to kill those guys, I know it was his voice.” I glanced straight into Cane’s eyes, expecting her to either burst out laughing or punch me for being a weirdo. Instead, her response completely shocked me, simple as it was:
“Okay.”
