Faster! That's all I keep telling myself. Faster!
Running from gangs and bullies is a common thing for me. I'm always an easy target for every new school and city I move to. For a while, I blamed it on being a new kid, but then I realized since I was a tall, muscular boy, the bullies and gangs felt intimidated by me, and would take great pride by beating me up. I always get beaten up, and it was most likely going to happen again. More like in a few seconds.
I took a left down a long, dark alley. Large, messy rats rested at the edge of a dumpster, watching me run past them, and then watched my pursuers run past as well. There were four boys. All of them were wearing baggy pants and t-shirts a size bigger than what they really were. A common thing for rebellious youth to do. They were all seniors, and I was a junior. One sixteen year old against four 17 and 18 year old seniors was not going to turn out well. Not for me at least.
I got to the end of the alley and a fence about 10 feet high blocked my exit. Using my momentum, I jumped and placed one foot on the fence and pulled myself up, flinging my legs back and performing an excellent front-flip handstand over the fence. I landed and turned to see the bullies right there, already trying to climb the fence. One of them stood in shock at my acrobatic skill. It was rather easy to do. I was a natural at it.
I kept running, hoping the fence would slow them down enough for me to escape. I was mistaken. In a moment where I turned to see if they were after me, I slammed right into a streetlight pole, and fell down to the ground quickly. My forehead was throbbing, and I was seeing triple of everything. What terrified me most is when I saw twelve seniors standing over me.
After my dazed moment was over, I found myself being carried down an alley. Each boy had a limb, and I knew I was a goner.
"You're fast, but not fast enough. Your stupid acrobatics won't save you here. Not in my school!"
I had heard about this kid. He'd been to jail several times. His name was Bruce. He was a good-looking kid, and he was a monster. I'm talking like seven feet tall and muscles that I could only dream of, and he was about to rip my insides out.
"So, your name is Alex now, is it? Alex Wisdom? What a dumb name! Almost sounds conceited, or boastful. It sounds like you think you are a know-it-all or something. Well, you are not a know-it-all. You are stupid, and will forever be stupid. You have a nice face too. Too bad I have to rearrange it."
He was right. I did have a nice face. Not a boyish face that all the girls go gaga over, but the face of a man. My build was more like a twenty year old man instead of a sixteen year old boy. It's also true that every girl that has ever met me makes a comment about my good looks. I never met my dad, but my mother and brother said I look a lot like him.
My mother and brother! Oh they will be upset when I come home all beaten up. My mom is scared to death about me. She always worries about where I am and what I do. I know it's because she loves me. We've had a rough life together. It's always just been me, my brother and my mother.
My brother cares a lot about me, as I do for him. He's twenty-two. Mom lets him stay with us, and he earns his keep and helps my mom with finances and stuff. He's gone a lot though, and he never tells me where he goes. There never used to be so many secrets between us. But I'm getting too distracted, seeing as how I am about to get my face smashed in.
Two of the bullies pulled me up and pinned me against the wall. Of course I struggled. Better than just standing there.
"Now, it's time to teach you who the boss of New York is."
"Bit of a stretch, wouldn't you say? Boss of New York? I can barely understand why you are "the boss" of the school, but there are thousands of people in this city that could kick the crap out of you. Even I could!"
I had a knack for running my mouth, and it got me in a lot of trouble when it came to fights. I just challenged Bruce in front of all his buddies, but he had the power right now.
"Easy to say while you are pinned against a wall."
"By your tools!"
The two boys eased on my arms a little bit, and looked at Bruce.
"They do what I say because I earned my position as the toughest guy around."
"Oh, so "the toughest guy around" needs help from his lesser buddies now, is that it?"
"I don't have to listen to this!"
That's when I felt it. A fist slammed into my gut. I retched, and then let me go. I fell to the ground and writhed for a moment, before Bruce started slamming his boot into my gut. If I hadn't been in agonizing pain, I would have fought back. Now I was going to be labeled a big wimp.
After they got done kicking me, they took all of my money. Pretty sad that seniors were still taking money, much less still bullying. I got up a few minutes after they left, and walked back to the school. What a sucky way to start my first day of school, and I have not even been there yet! I was going to be late, so I was already going to be on my teacher's bad side. The principle too!
I walked up the stairs and pushed open the double doors leading into a huge hallway. It was empty, which meant that I was late. I looked at the small piece of paper that was crumpled in my pocket. First class. History. Well, at least my face wasn't bloody or anything. I guess Bruce forgot to do what he said he would. I walked into the classroom and the teacher stopped in the middle of his "back to school" lecture and stared at me.
"Nice of you to show up, Mr. Wisdom. Better late than never! Although, I would advise you to show up on time from now on. I am Mr. Forester. Class, this is Alex Wisdom. He just moved here from Tennessee."
The classroom just stared at me. A few girls snickered and the rest just ignored me.
"Please take a seat, Mr. Wisdom."
I sat down at a desk in the very back. As I approached my desk, my heart almost jumped out of my chest when I saw the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Literally THE most beautiful girl ever. Her hair was long, black and wavy. She had emerald eyes and soft, gentle looking lips and a small freckle just below them. Her nose was small, but so amazing to look at! And her face! Her face was perfect! She was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a modest black t-shirt with a red flame in the middle. Her eyes met mine and I almost fainted.
I sat down and started sweating. I was sitting next to the hottest girl in existence. I was already distracted! I looked at the person to my right. A boy, about my age, was looking right at me. He leaned over the desk and whispered, "Hi, my name is Tim. Welcome to New York!" I shook his hand and he smiled and went back to listening to Mr. Forester.
The whole entire class I was thinking about the girl next to me. I literally spent the class thinking of what her name might be. Trisha? Elizabeth? Something that went with her looks I'm sure. The next two classes I had with Tim and the girl, and I spent those two classes thinking about the girl too.
The bell rang for lunch time and Tim showed me to the cafeteria. Pizza. Typical! Every school I went to always served pizza on the first day. Tim and I sat at a table and he started eating. I had no money, thanks to "the toughest guy around".
"So, how are you liking it so far?"
"Liking what?"
"School?"
"It's alright, I guess. Who's that girl with the black shirt and red flame on it?"
"Why do you ask?"
"She hasn't spoken to anyone, and she looks like she doesn't want to be here."
To be honest, I suck at lying, but Tim believed me. It had nothing to do with the fact that I was obviously in love with this girl.
"Her name is Adrianna Hill. That's all I know. She's a new student here just like you."
"How come she wasn't introduced at class?"
"She was, but you weren't there."
"I'm going to go talk to her." I got up and went to her table. She was sitting by herself, looking down at her tray. She was lost in thought. The way she twirled her hair with her finger was breath-taking.
"Hi."
Her eyes met mine. She wasn't scowling at me. She just smiled, said hi, and went back to her thinking. I sat down in a chair across from her.
"Is it okay if I sit here?"
She didn't say anything. I took that as a yes and started eating my pizza.
"I hear you are a new student too."
She nodded and said, "Yep."
"What's your name?"
"Adrianna."
"I'm Alex."
"I know."
I was already intimidated by her.
"How has school been so far for you?"
"It doesn't matter. I have dyslexia and I get distracted to easily to even realize that I am in school."
"You're dyslexic? Me too! ADHD runs in my family also. At least, that's what I am told."
"Hmmm."
She sounded bored. Was I annoying? I didn't want to be. Before I started talking again, Bruce, my new enemy, approached the table and leaned rather close to Adrianna.
"Hey girl. I heard you are new, and I thought since I was such a nice guy, I'd be the first guy here to welcome you and offer to help you out and show you around."
"You've already been beaten to the welcoming part," she said bitterly.
Bruce turned to me and scoffed.
"This punk ain't nothing! I just kicked his sorry butt before school. You don't need to hang around that loser."
"He seems more friendly than you."
Either she was too nice, or she was trying to provoke Bruce into killing me. I was hoping it was the first.
"Come sit with us."
"No," she said.
"Look, no one says no to Bruce. Have you not heard of me?"
"No."
He grabbed her by the arm and tried to pull her out of her chair.
"Let me go!"
I got up and pulled him away from her and he fell to the ground.
"Don't touch her again!" I screamed.
His face became dark, and I mean in a murderous way.
"Didn't you learn your lesson in the alley?"
"Apparently not," I said.
He slowly rose in front of me. He was at least a foot taller. We stood in silence. Everyone was staring now. I hate bullies. I blinked for a moment and then something weird happened. My hands felt like I had just rubbed two baloons together to create static electricity. It has only happened a few times, and I was in a fight each time.
Bruce punched me so hard I went flying backwards and crashed through a table. I've been punched before, but never with that much strength. Before I was even up, Bruce already had a chair to use as a weapon. I was going to die. I had really made this kid angry, but I was pretty angry myself. Probably angrier, but I could be wrong.
I grabbed a lunch tray, and as lame as it sounds, it actually did stop his chair from knocking me out. Right now I was wishing a teacher or principle would walk in or something, but for the time being I had to fight him.
He threw the chair at me and I swiped it away with my lunch tray. Bruce ripped the tray from my hands and grabbed me by the neck. His strength was incredible! Even though I couldn't breathe, I had to give the kid props. But now I was afraid for my life. I brought my leg back and slammed it into his stomach. He dropped me and stooped for a second before his face turned purple. I was officially a dead man.
He screamed and tackled me through another table, and I started swinging my fist hard on the back of his head. To my surprise, he was getting hurt. You think someone as strong and powerful as this guy was, you'd think he was an invincible god or something. But there are no such thing as gods. Everyone is vulnerable.
He picked my clean off of the ground and literally pitched me across the room. I went through another table. I was bleeding now. I hate blood. I was a bit confused, but like the idiot that I am, I just kept getting up. My face met his fist as soon as I was up, and I went back down. I was off the ground again. Apparently Bruce liked throwing people.
I crashed through another table. That was the last time I would be thrown. Bruce grabbed me by the collar, and I grabbed his arms and pushed them off, then with all the strength I could gather, I sent my fist, and my anger, right into Bruce's chest. He flew backwards farther than he had thrown me, and he went through two tables before falling over a third. I was officially freaked out now. My arm was glowing.
Only Adrianna and Bruce seemed to notice the glowing part. The glow died down and everyone started cheering for me. I wasn't feeling very excited, because I knew Bruce was going to murder me now. I'm dead serious. I was scared I was going to get stabbed tonight.
I ran as quickly as I could out of the cafeteria. Where had that strength come from? I knew I was strong, but this was...otherworldly! I honestly felt like I was Peter Parker discovering that he was a human spider. I'm not sure what I discovered. Maybe I was just really strong. There are other people who can do that stuff. But still, why was my arm glowing? Did he punch me so hard my eyes were playing tricks on me?
I decided I should go home. I started cutting through alleys as quickly as possible and I was almost home, until this homeless guy stopped me.
"What are you running for?"
His voice was husky and deep. He looked kind of sad to me.
"Just on my way home."
He started laughing. What a nut! But then I realized that a snake the size of my room was right behind him.
"DUDE! THERE'S A FRICKIN PYTHON!" I screamed.
He kept laughing and soon I was staring at a lion. Do you know that feeling you get when you see a spider right in your face or hear the sound of something dying that is precious to you? Imagine that time infinite. I was face to face with a lion with a snake for a tail. The lion growled and I backed away slowly.
"It's time for you to die, Alexander."
The lion jumped and I ducked and rolled under it, and then I ran for dear life home. The lion thing was chasing me and I went faster and faster. I was going to die. I was about to be eaten by a lion that was disguised as a homeless man. Only in New York!
I was nearly home, screaming bloody murder and my brother walked out of the apartment, running toward me.
"Alex! Alex calm down! What's wrong."
Thank the Lord he saw it. His eyes got wide. Very wide.
"How did he get past me?"
"What?" I said.
"Alex, go inside."
"What! No, Julian! You're coming with me!"
"Shut up and act your age! Do as I say!"
I said nothing to this and ran for the house. I felt like a coward, but then I went and grabbed an old sword Julian kept in his closet. He told me never to touch it, but I didn't care. I ran back outside to see my brother with the lion in a headlock.
"Give me the sword!"
I ran up to him. The lion broke free and bit my brothers arm.
"ARGH!" He screamed and slammed his fist onto the lion's head. "SWORD!"
I threw the sword, and Julian caught it. He raised it, ready to strike. The lion swiped at his arm. The sword flew, and then the lion jumped on my brother, and before my very eyes, clawed at his torso, ripping chunks of skin from him. He screamed and his breathing became gargled. He was choking on blood! I ran for the sword and picked it up. I turned with the sword held high, and then the lion jumped for me. I held out the sword, and it went right through the lion's head. The lion fell on me, and then it slowly disintegrated.
I got up and ran to my brother.
"Julian!"
He looked at me, his eyes barely closed. He was dying.
"Al...Alex...You're...You're not..."
He stopped talking.
"I'm not what!?"
"I love you, Alex."
His eyes closed and he stopped breathing. My mother ran outside and we both cried together. We cried until we had the funeral, and then we cried some more.
I loved my brother, and in an unexplainable moment, he was killed by a beast. I thought that was as much as my mind could take at this point, but then I learned something else, and it was something much bigger than I ever thought was possible.
