1/2 -John-

 

-John-

4 years later

I sigh “I'm home, Trye” I call out to my leader, shrug off my school backpack, and hang it up to the left of the mudroom door.

I take out my “lunch box” that's secretly full of weapons, medication vials, experimental tubes, beakers, communicators, and track markers. I bring it with me upstairs as I'm snug in my “Legacy of Hawthorn” series, chuckling at the thought of being like them. But crying and yearning inside to get out of my monstrous life.

“Hey! Stevron!”

Ohh it's Drake again. I look up at him politely. “It's Stevenson. Drake, sir.”

He scowls “Well Stevron. It's Sir Drake.”

I try not to laugh at this. Is this his way of giving an entry to his presence? It's the most laudable thing I've seen from him in hmmm? Days. No Hours! It just gets stupider every time.

“Are you smirking?” He says bewildered. Then through his anger and embarrassment, he snags me and reads the title only to tell me later. “Dude! You're still reading first-grade stuff! Pathetic! Thought you were the nerd nowadays but “Legacy of Hawthorn” Pft. Without reading it I can already tell you one.”

I raise my brow, challenging his stupidity.

He cocks his head and smirks “There are none! It's just some story about thorns. Now you got homework to do.”

“Well  Alkic Drake, have you finished yours?” Professor/ Commander Abital sneers into the hallway and slowly without a sound makes his way down the stairs to our levels.

Drake changes his whole composer. “No, Commander Abital”

“And you, John Stevenson?”

“Yes. Professor.”

He stares at me for a second more. “Well let me add to it.” He leans into my ear and whispers harshly without change of volume “ Stop reading fantasy and start reading our reality.” Out of the middle of my nowhere, he shoves a book straight into my stomach.

I hold back my belch of pain and give him one solid nod and make my way toward my room.

Just as I open my door I feel a presence beside me.

“And your reflexes Stevenson. 10:30 PM! In-room 345!” He strides off into his corridor. And Slams the door shut and through that noise, he shouts “Alkic! Room 15 Cutshal will need you! 5 seconds!”

And with that, he runs off with the same book Commander Abital gave me but at a different level.

I send Trye a message to see a message from him saying he’s in a meeting with James.

That's nothing good, at least that's what I hear about him.

I walk into my room and then walk right back out, then inside again. I go past my office, into my kitchen, and way down near Trye’s office.

Let me explain a bit, I'm in a hotel, mansion, school, and resident apartment. Whatever you want to call it. I live in this sector, level 2 of the 12, room 145. I've lived here for the last hmm four years exactly. Taken in from Trye when I was seven almost eight. The day I- alright no that day is over with, cat do anything to change it, I have to be who they want me to be today. That's basically what I've been taught for the last few years. I'm in this “competition” they call it to see my family again. The list of education and practices while isolating me for the first year or two. I met James and worked with Tyre a lot along with Jack. I only saw my friends if I was forced to abuse them. Last year I was supposed to kill Sam but he faked death with me and ran away. He said that he plans on seeing me soon. I was tortured for letting him lose, they say his death would have made a great achievement. That his DNA and genes are extraordinary and were needed for their experiment. Aaron is the head of this organization. James is his assistant. I have three bodyguards, with two security men, each “student” has seven professors/ commanders and five “mates” peers that work with me in some practices. Our practices are fighting of three sets. Physical - reality, Physical - allusion, and mental.

I sigh frustrated by my new train of thought, I'm losing choice hear, on what I do, how I talk, who I talk to, and how I think. It's all of it.

“Hey, man. Lose the smoke would ya.” Jack shoves me over a bit. He exhales his vape and laughs a Rusky musky laugh that reminds me of the way Tyre was. 

I zone out a bit, recalling the time Tyre laughed his voice ghosts me. The whole situation does the part when I feel defenseless. “Johnny… I'm scared. Where’s mommy and daddy?”

“Yo’ want yo mummy n daddy. Well, lemme tell you somen’ they dead. Heh, yea. I killed 'em” The drunk guy tells us, chuckling like it's funny. 

I clench my fists, that laugh. 

I clear my throat from the sudden urge to cry. I lose my smoke “Sup man. What's new? Your still smokin' huh.”

“Seems like it. Want to join me?”

I laugh, shaking my head “Rather not.”

He nods, “I get you, trying to stay clean and everything for your family's sake.”

“Where you headed?”

“ Early date with Aaron.”

I raise my brows. That's even worse than James!  “Dude Head Aaron!”

He smirks “Yep! It's nothing bad though. He’s proposing a new role, well I'm leveling up” He coughs through his shouting “If you want to call it that. Says he might train me to be one of his assassins. You know with the lab and all.”

I nod. “Way to go my man!” I dab him up “Good luck!”

He grins “But imma miss you my bud. I'm in his sector now. Playing assistant or something”

I slap his back and walk him out of my sector. “You got this. Just call me when you need me. I'll be in the same places.”

“Yea-” He suddenly goes rigid. Drops his vape, and starts to shake. I back away for a second trying to understand this situation. He has moments like this once in a while. But he normally laughs it off after a minute or two. Then he starts shouting his fears. His fears are my fears. It's bound to come in at the point with all these psychotic teachings around. It feels a bit brotherly to be honest, we go to each other during our worst moments. The only thing thats keeping us apart is eather, issues within eachother or time.

Jack grabs my shoulder. “John!” He wheezes. “He’s going to show me his lab!” He coughs, eyes bloodshot. “The LAB John” He tries to shout but he's barely over a whisper. “With all the people that look the same. The Lab that my family is in it. Two of each! dOUBLe John!” He holds my hands with more intensity. His hands shake harder, body joins the movement. “That vape. Its poison! STOP ME, John! They're going to use me! The Vape. the vaaaaaaaa”

He collapses onto his back, head almost hitting my door to the main room.

This is a test. I tell myself, no reaction. NO reaction.

I slow my harsh breathing. Cout to 100. Think through my last ten minutes with Jack. My last ten minutes with him…

DAMN, IT! I bite my tongue to stop myself from shouting.

He’s going to be one of them

Ten more minutes…

I have ten minutes!

I bend down expect the vape, hold it, and feel the weight, size, and heat from his firm hold. Then I open it and take out the nicotine vile, take out my sniff tube, and soak some of that in. I stuff it in my back pockets and head over to my office. As I go I mumble some mental notes into my speaker talking and thinking at the same time. It is one of the best ways I get my ongoing important thoughts and ideas.

Once I make it to my office, lock my doors, and take a bigger inspection on the drug, I count down my minutes hoping I get at least five minutes to track down Trye and hope he’ll give in one more time to save one more life.

I make labels and locate and scan fingerprints. I try and recall how many times he takes it and buys new ones. I make sure I have the company's name, address, and number. I look through the ingredients and try to figure out what is different than the normal ones and how it was that way. 

Suddenly I recall this morning when he was moaning, waking up with this girl. I walked down the stairs ready for school and just as I was handing over my dishes to my maid and thanking her for a nice morning conversation. James taped my shoulder and scared the heck out of me, but I didn't jump of course, or make any sices of my fear visible. He handed me a box, that was covered in raping paper, he set it at my spot and told me not to open it. I nodded and went on with my morning, brushed my teeth shaved, and got my deodorant on. Then again just as I was about to leave the house, on my way to school, he stopped me to tell me to wake Jack up and to make sure he takes his nic. He said it like a joke like Jack would turn into a monster if he didn't get his nic, which is true. But now… I realize it must have been more than that. I go back into my records of that morning and find the exact words he used;

He turns to leave, then turns back to me laughs, and says “Also, make sure he takes his nic because if he doesn't. He’ll be screwing up this place, looking for it.” He chokes out another laugh “And ill kill him for it. So, make sure you inform him it's on the table.”

I knew it.

 

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 10.05.2023

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Widmung:
all readers! Keep in mind this is half of the book the next one will be out soon! Give me ideas! im still a young writter! tell me what to work on, or what you think of it! Was it what you were expecting?