Summary

Travis Mortlock is a transfer student at Sokashi High school. While it seems as if Travis is an all around good guy he harbors dark secrets that will soon make light thanks to the help of a unexplained phenomenon known as still-life. Travis along with his friends will come face to face with death itself.

The Loudest Sound No One Heard

She clenched her mouth shut and wrapped her hand against her lips to keep the sound of panting from being heard. She heard footsteps coming closer to the bush she hid in. All this time she had wanted to give up on life and now that she starred death in the face she wanted nothing more then to live. She closed her eyes and counted backward from ten. Her mother had told her it was a way to lower her heart rate when she was nervous or scared. She began to hear the footsteps get farther away from her. She began to tear in relief. Was it really over? Had her killer lost track of her? She heard the leaves rustle from behind her. In a flash she turned around to face her predator. She yelled at the top of her lungs but her cries were never heard.

Travis awoke from the loud beeping of his alarm clock. He slammed on the buzzer and rolled over on his stomach. His body was still not used to change in time zones. All his life he had lived in the United States until now. His older brother had gotten a management position in a business firm in Nagano Japan. Due to his brothers transfer, Travis was forced to come along. He had applied for a school for foreigners.

The school was called Sokashi High. Students who came to japan from across the world came here. It was usually frowned upon by Japanese since it made for foreigners only.

Travis turned his head when he heard Killer his puppy crying by his bed side. Travis had always wanted a siberian husky since he was very little but his parents had always told him no. His brother bought him one before they came to Japan as a bribe.

"Let me get ten more minutes Killer." Travis muttered, but Killer continued to cry. "Fine. I'm up." Travis jolt out of bed and marched to the bathroom to wash up. When he was done he got dressed and headed downstairs to his kitchen. He pulled out dry dog food from below the sink and placed it in a bowl. He placed the bowl on the floor next to another one filled with water. Killer began to munch at the food. Travis noticed a small bag with yen inside attached to a letter. He crumbled the letter and threw it away. He slung the money in his bag and headed out the door.

Travis pulled out a map from his shoulder bag. The map was given to him the day he registered for class. It was already November when he started and school was already in session. He had only arrived in Japan two days ago and didn't know his way around town. Looking at the map he noticed there was a bus route that lead to his school. He found the bus stop and waited. When the bus arrived he rushed on and exited when his stop came up. Unfortunately he had got off one stop too soon and had to walk the rest of the way. He was able to find the school but he was ten minutes late.

Travis rushed past the front gate and into the building. He made his way up to flights of stairs. He reached the second floor and looked for the class room with the label 2-B. When he found it he slid the door open and stepped into the classroom.

The classroom was set up so that there were three rows of seats that were in twos. The teacher looked over at Travis. "How can I help you young man?"

"I'm a transfer student."

"Ah yes, we were expecting you. Please come introduce yourself."

Travis walked toward the front of the class. He smiled and said. "Im Travis Mortlock. Nice to meet you all."

The teacher pointed to a backseat by the window. It was next to a boy with Brown jagged hair. Travis nodded and walked to his seat. He placed his bag behind his chair.

He looked over at the kid boy sitting next to him. He starred out the window unfazed by Travis. "I'm Travis."

"I heard the first time. Names Stefan."

Travis tried to offer Stefan a handshake but he ignored the gesture.

When lunch came around Travis mad his way downstairs to the courtyard. He had brought himself lunch from home. He cast himself on the floor and began to munch on his sandwich.

When lunch was over Travis went back to class. Stefan was no where to be found. It seemed for the rest of the day he was absent from class.

Once class was over Travis left the school and was headed out the front gate when he spotted two Japanese students holding bats in their hand. They were harassing a girl.

Travis stepped in front of them. "Didn't anyone teach you not to hit a girl?"

"Mind your business punk."

"This is school property and I'm a student here so it is my business."

One of the guys went to hit Travis with the bat but he swiftly moved aside and kicked the guy in his balls. The other guy let go of the girl and went to swing at Travis he dodged the hit and punched him in his face. Both thugs were now on the floor.

Stefan looked down from the roof of the school and watched as Travis took down the two students. He grinned and then turned away.

Travis helped the girl off the floor. She was carmel skin with long black hair and brown eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yea, thank you."

"No need for thanks. Thats just the kind of guy I am." Travis smiled at the girl and then headed on his way home.

When he got there he found Killer laying down on the sofa. He sat next to him. "Your not supposed to be up here." Killer tucked his face in-between the cushion. "I don't care you know." He leaned his head back and drifted off to sleep.

Travis arouse when he heard the door close. He looked and saw his brother playing bags on the dinning table. "How was your nap?"

Travis got off the sofa placing Killer on the floor. "Do you need help Jason?"

"No, I'm okay I can handle this. How was school?"

"It was different."

"Did you make any friends."

"I'm tired. I'm going to bed." Travis answered voiding his brothers question.

"Okay goodnight Travis."

Travis walked upstairs with Killer following behind. He made it to his room close the door behind him and threw himself on his bed. He closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

Travis awoke at the same time and followed the same routine as the day before. When he got to school it was early so he took his seat in class but there was still time to spare. The girl who he had saved the day before made her way to him. "I didn't introduce myself yesterday. I'm Danielle."

Travis smiled. "Nice to meet you Danielle."

"I'm glad to see a new face in this class."

"Hey Danielle. What can you tell me about Stefan?"

"Stefan? What do you want to know?"

"Does he always cut."

"Yea, he's always causing trouble ever since last year. I was in his class back then too. He would get into fights almost everyday. Jessica has tried talking to him but he always ignores her. He doesn't have many friends he just sticks to himself."

"Guess that means I'll be sitting alone most of this year."

Class started and Stefan was a no show. Travis spent most of the time looking out the window. He noticed from a far that someone was on the roof. He caught a glimpse of the persons hair and it resembled Stefan's.

Travis looked at his watch saw he had three more hours before lunch. He then looked at Danielle who sat toward the front of the class. He found himself faintly attracted to her. She had likable features. A marvelous bust and a firm tush. Then he looked over at a boy the boy sitting next to her. He wasn't as attractive. Travis was attracted to both men and women. He found sexuality to be more then just gay or straight. He did what ever he felt he liked. He didn't care what people said about him nor was there much to be said. Travis was an all around stand up guy. No one really cared what he preferred. On top of that he was a good looking individual and took advantage of that.

When class ended Travis jetted out and made his way upstairs. He found a passage way that lead to the roof and took the secret stairs up. He pushed the steel door open and starred at the vast sky.

"Travis right?" He heard a familiar voice from besides him.

"Yea."

"I saw your fight yesterday. Your fairly good."

Travis grinned. "It was nothing really. That's just the kind of guy I am."

"Funny so am I."

Travis pulled out a sandwich from his bag and took a bite. "Great place you got up here."

"I know. It's where I come to do most of my sleeping."

Travis with food in his mouth muttered. "That seems productive."

Stefan began to chuckle. "Hell yea."

Travis walked toward the rails and looked over.

"Hey Travis do you wanna maybe hangout after school. There's this ramen place not to far from here or not I don't care."

Travis turned to Stefan who face seemed anxious. "Sure that sounds like a plan. I'll go if you come to class."

"Class? What for."

"So I won't be bored alone." Travis explained finishing off the rest of his lunch.

Stefan muttered. "That's selfish."

Stefan went to the remaining of his classes that day. It was the first time since school started that he almost had perfect attendance for a day. Once school was over Danielle walked over to the two.

"You guys seem to be on friendly terms."

"Did Jessica send you over here?" Stefan said.

Oh no, I just came to see Travis off. See you tomorrow." Danielle smiled at Travis and turned to the door.

"Good bye Dani." Travis uttered.

Danielle turned around and nodded then went off.

Travis followed Stefan to a ramen shop three buss stops away. "I've never eaten authentic ramen before."

"I guess since you lived here for only a short while I'll let it slide."

"Gee thanks thats mighty kind of you." Travis joked.

"When did you get in anyway?"

"Less then a week."

"So your a noob."

"In a way I guess you can call me a noob Stef."

"Stef? A nickname."

"Yea thats usually my thing. I give all my friends nicknames."

Stefan and Travis ate Ramen and then went there separate ways. It was dark outside when Travis got home.

"Your home late." Jason muttered from the couch.

"Yea, I was with a friend."

"Thats fine theres left overs in the fridge."

"No thats fine. I'm going to bed." Travis marched to his room and went straight to bed.

When Travis got to school the next day Danielle was standing by the front gate passing out fliers. Standing next to her was a girl with fire red hair. Dani waved at Travis when she spotted him.

"Travis this is Jessica."

"Yea, I remember you introducing yourself the other day. I noticed to got Stefan to go to class. Thats usually my job as class rep but I'll let it slide since your new."

"What are you two doing?" He asked.

"Passing out fliers for the school festival coming up next week. We are trying to get as many people to come as we can. I'm sure you'll make an appearance. You can come with me and Danielle if you want." Jessica handed a flier to Travis.

"I'll see if I can make it. See you two in class." Travis headed into the school when he collided into another student. The student was tan skinned, slightly taller then himself with very short black hair and green eyes.

"Sorry." He muttered.

"No, my fault."

The guy put his hand out. "The names Blaine."

"Travis. I'm a second year."

"Me too. I've never see you around before though."

"Yea, I just transferred here."

The school bell rang.

"Well, Travis maybe I'll catch you around some time."

Travis nodded and the two headed to class.