Felix's POV:
I was in the backroom of Phoebe's magic shop with Jake, Sam, and Andy. We had been stuck in the alternate universe for days, and they were just itching to go back to their normal, happy lives. Everyone, but me. In fact, at that moment, they were moaning and groaning about how much they missed home.
"I miss my Nǎinai, and my parents, and my normal annoying sister!" The Chinese-Australian teen cried, Andy.
"And I miss food." Sam whined.
"I wish we could go back." Jake sighed.
"Hey Felix, you're awful quiet, don't you want to go home?" Sam questioned, looking at me.
I huffed, annoyed. Nobody knew about my home life, and I didn't want anyone to know anyhow but; my three – dare I say – friends were getting on my nerves and were downright pissing me off.
"No."
There, I said the truth, but knowing them, I should have just lied and said I did, that way, I wouldn't have to explain why. Telling them what happened behind closed doors is the last thing on Earth I'd want to do. But I've already opened my big, stupid mouth.
"What?" Jake screamed.
"Why not?" Andy inquired.
Sam just swore. They all stared at me with an incredulous expression etched on their faces, mixed with both anger and confusion. That's it. I snapped.
"No I don't want to go home!" I yelled, infuriated, "Here, Oscar can walk, my parents actually look at me, hell, they even like me! Here, it's not as personal when people call me weird, or a freak, or a fag, amongst all the other names I'm called every day of my life. People here don't shove me into lockers, or attack the way I look. In this universe, I'm not just some emo dude that gets pushed around and threatened. I can forget about my guilt, just for a little while. Here my parents don't…" I froze. I had already ranted about the other shit in my life, but I almost told Andy, Sam, and Jake the biggest secret of my life, and that, I did not plan on revealing.
They looked at me with a stricken expression on their faces.
"Your parents don't what, Felix?" Andy asked, gently. As if he were talking to some scared kid.
I couldn't tell them. I wouldn't.
Andy's POV:
I'd always been a bit concerned about Felix, ever since we got put together in a group for our school excursion. I had seen that sad, nervous look in his eyes, the unexplained scars, and faded bruises. Something was wrong, and his rant didn't help my suspicion, in fact, it's made it even worse.
I'm a smart guy, high IQ, good grades, but I'm also a perceptive person. Felix talked about how his brother could walk, the accident never happened. The accident being that his brother, Oscar, hadn't fallen out of the tree they were climbing and isn't wheelchair bound. He also talked about his parents liking him, and not doing something to him. I had my suspicions, and I hoped, prayed that they weren't true. So I asked Felix,
"Your parents don't what, Felix?"
Felix's POV:
I was home late, again. But my parents didn't care. Not in the 'laid back parenting style' way, but in the 'I couldn't care less about what happens to our fifteen year old son' way. Ever since my little brother's accident that robbed him of the ability to move his legs, my parents couldn't even look at me. I walked into my house, and my father glared at me.
"You're late."
"I know."
Without any warning, he backhand slapped me across the face. He used so much force, that I fell to the floor, both hands pressed to my right cheek. Tears welled up in my dark brown eyes.
"Don't be late." HE snarled, kicking me in the side and leaving the room. I noticed my mother in the corner, just standing there.
"You deserve more pain than that. You're responsible for Oscar's accident. I hate you. He'll never walk again." SHE spat words full of venom.
I laid there, on the floor in front of the door, openly crying, filled with crippling guilt; and it suddenly occurred to me, that my life would forever be changed.
That was the first time I was hit. It most certainly was NOT the last.
With those five words spoken by Andy, I found myself panicking, feeling claustrophobic, and on the verge of having a full blown break down consisting of crying my eyes out. But I am Felix Ferne, and I simply do not do that. So instead I blurted,
"They hit me."
Sam's POV:
I was shocked. Felix… is… abused? He got enough shit at school, but to go home and get shit there too…
Jake's POV:
I couldn't help but wonder how long this had been going on. Sure, he always looked like some scared, innocent kid, but I just assumed it was because of the bullying, not something that happens at home.
Sam's POV:
I realized that I didn't really know anything about Felix's home life, all I knew was that his kid brother is in a wheelchair.
Andy's POV:
My heart stopped, and my stomach dropped. So I was right. He is abused. All I wanted to do was go over and hug him. But I was most certain it would be awkward and unwelcome.
Felix's POV:
They all stood and stared at me in shocked silence. I was surprised myself; I didn't think I'd say that. I guess the secret's out. They then knew the truth. That I'm some idiot, helpless weakling that gets hit by his own parents.
I'm a monster. I've ruined everything. My entire life was one huge fuck up. Our group dynamic is tainted, and it's all my fault. I am the one who tried an unmaking spell, causing us to be here in the first place.
Suddenly, it felt like the weight of the world collapsed onto my shoulders, a crushing feeling of sadness and despair overwhelmed me. I couldn't be strong anymore. I fell to my knees, tears pouring down my face, sobs racking my thin frame.
Weak and pathetic. That's what I was. That's what I'll always be.
Jake's POV:
After a few moments of complete and utter silence as we pondered over what Felix confessed, said teen does something I never in a million years thought he'd do. He fell to the floor, hands covering his face, and started… crying. Felix's strong façadecrumbled to show the real him. A sad, frightened young teen.
Sam's POV:
I couldn't even imagine what Felix had been through, hell, I couldn't even comprehend the experience of being physically hurt by the people who were supposed to love and support you the most. But it was like an unspoken agreement that we – Andy, Jake, and I – go over to the thin figure on the floor, and offer any means of comfort.
Felix's POV:
It was like any other night. I sat in the family room until Oscar had gone to bed, and was out of earshot. THEY looked at me, eyes filled with fury and accusation. My eyes filled with terror, knowing exactly what was coming next. What I didn't know, was that tonight, was going to be the worst beating of my life. THEY told me that Oscar was being made fun of at school for his disability. Oscar was extremely upset and has been making a picture showing him getting bullied.
"If you hadn't pressured my poor baby boy into climbing that damned tree, he wouldn't be getting bullied right now. It doesn't help that his older brother is an emo faggot that should die and rot in Hell." My mother hissed, glaring murderously at me. HE started taking off his worn, black, leather belt. Uhoh. I thought. SHE picked up a discarded beer bottle from the coffee table, and held it in front of her in a menacing manor. SHE walked towards me with a firm yet loose hold on the glass; SHE meant business. I had begun to back up, hoping I could make a break for the front door. This wasn't going to be an ordinary beating.
My so called father grabbed my wrists, dragged me towards the middle of the room, and suddenly pulled up my shirt, in my shock; he managed to get it up over my head and onto the floor. I tried to cover my skinny body, but they laughed cruelly at me and pushed me to the ground, shoving my face into the brown carpet. HE hit my bare back with his belt, metal buckle hitting me between my shoulder blades. My skin split and blood trickled down my back. I cried out in pain.
"Shut up!" Roared my mother.
SHE went to the kitchen and grabbed a roll of duct tape, came back, and taped my mouth shut. I had violently shaken my head trying to avoid getting my mouth taped, but it was all in vain, I failed. HE hit me four more times with the belt, five deep gashes in total, along my back. They bled heavily. SHE then smashed the bottle against the top left part of my head. Tears and blood ran down my face.
I wanted to die. I'd never felt so much pain in my entire life. My parents assaulted my beaten, half-dressed body. They punched me until I was black and blue, kicked my abdomen 'till the sickening sound of my ribs cracking filled the air alongside my pain filled whimpers.
I felt sick; maybe I would pass out soon. I thought. I could barely breathe, and the tape silencing me wasn't helping matters.
When the blows tapered off, I hoped the abuse was over. It wasn't. Another item was brought in from the kitchen. It was a shiny, sharp, stainless steel, large, kitchen knife. "Hold him down!" Instructed my father. SHE complied. I was on my back by then, blood from my cuts seeping through the carpet. My mother slugged me in the face a couple of times, and I breathed heavily (and painfully), trying to control my bawling. HE took the knife and made a cut on my lower stomach.
"This is for crippling Oscar."
Another cut.
"This is for being a disappointment."
Cut.
"Fag."
Cut.
"Stupid."
Cut.
"Emo."
Cut.
"Worthless."
Cut.
"Unwanted."
Cut.
"Ugly."
Cut.
"Nobody."
HE cut me one more time.
"And this… is for ever being born."
I would never forget his quiet, livid, tone.
I laid there, for God knows how long, before attempting to push myself off the floor.
There was an agonizing, sharp pain in my ribs, and I cried. Helpless, weak, broken.
Suddenly, I felt comforting arms around my shaking frame. Someone was gently rubbing my back.
Andy's POV:
I sat cross legged on the floor of the back room. Carefully, I took Felix's head, and rested it on my lap. I brushed his long, black hair out of his dark eyes and off his pale white face. Sam reached over and gently wiped the warm tears off of his cheeks.
"It's gonna be okay Felix. We'll get you through this. I – we can help you." Jake assured.
Felix's POV:
I found myself with my head in someone's lap, another person was wiping my tears, and a third person was consoling me. I tried to sit up, but whoever was brushing my hair off my forehead – Andy – held me down. Not in a rough way like my 'parents' but in a concerned, protecting fashion.
I was still sobbing, but I had calmed down a little.
"They punch, kick, slap, cut burn, and push me. They break glass on me and hit me with belts. They mock and belittle me. They swear and insult me. Neglect me. Nothing I do is ever good enough. They've broken my bones and tried to kill me." I confessed, holding onto Sam's T-shirt.
Sam carefully removed my hands from his collar, and once again wiped my tears.
"I always wear sweaters so nobody will see how weak I am."
"You're not weak, Felix." Andy retorted.
"Can… can we… see…" Sam trailed off, not really wanting to say what he meant to me.
"I guess." I replied.
I've already told them about the abuse, what's the difference if I show them the scars?
I sat up, and removed my heavy, black hoodie, along with my black and white T-shirt. I sat there, shirtless, completely mortified about the condition of my body. My back, chest, and abdomen were littered with an array of different sized scars, and healing cuts, along with many fading bruises. I was also suddenly aware that my collarbones were extremely prominent, as well as the fact that my ribs were so visible, you could practically count them. Every dip of my spine could be seen. I looked like a lost, starved puppy that got hurt too many times.
The three just stared at me, probably disgusted by my body's appearance. I noticed that I still had some deep, unhealed cuts from the last time I went home. Damn, it felt like forever since we were in our own world, where we actually existed. Back when we had normal routines, mine being hanging out with Oscar, avoiding our parents, and trying to ignore the bullies.
Jake's POV:
I stared at Felix. Damn did he ever look unhealthy. His bones poked out, and even his hip bones stuck out. There were hundreds – maybe even thousands of scars covering his upper body. Pale white, pink, and purple scars, some raised, crisscrossed, long, short, older, and newer.
"How. Long. Has. This. Been. Going. On?" I asked, teeth clenched in anger over what's been going on in Felix's life. I never knew his life was so hard.
"Since a few weeks after I got Oscar paralyzed." Felix answered, so quietly that the rest of us could scarcely hear him.
"First of all, the accident WAS NOT YOUR FAULT. And second, that was years ago!" Sam exclaimed.
"Are you saying that you've lived in an abusive household for years?" Inquired Andy, trying, but failing to keep the worry out of his voice.
"Yeah." He whispered.
"Does your brother know?" I questioned.
"No."
Felix's POV:
Somehow both my parents and I managed to hide the abuse from Oscar. Honestly, it wasn't that difficult.
"How did you hide it from him? I mean, y'all live together 'n all." Jake wondered.
"I believe what you're trying to say is 'how didn't he hear you?' Well, the answer would be that a) he was asleep when they beat me, and b) I didn't scream. Or cry. After a while, I stopped trying to fight back. Fighting just made things worse. They also barely ever hit my face, and if they did, we told him that it was the bullies at school. He never suspected anything." I explained.
What I didn't know was that my last statement was very, very wrong.
Oscar's POV: - Normal Universe
I didn't understand what I was drawing in my Nowhere Boys comic. It was my brother, sitting on the floor with those other boys. He was shirtless, his upper body littered with cuts, scars, bruises, and welts. He was… crying. It didn't make any sense. Nothing up until now had indicated that he was so injured. Also, Felix never cries. Where is my brother? What's happening to him? Somehow, I know that this is really happening; it's not just my imagination. Felix had been hurting for an extremely long time. I never noticed, until I lost him.
Felix's POV:
"Why didn't you call the police?" Jake's question interrupted my thoughts.
"Because if the cops took away our parents, Oscar would be devastated. Social services would take us away and that would tear Oscar apart. I couldn't do that to him. He loves them, and they him. Assuming the police believe me, that is." I replied.
"Man," Jake mumbled, under his breath, "he sacrificed everything for his brother."
I grabbed my T-shirt, and pulled it over my damaged body. I curled up into a ball, hugging my knees to my chest; a few silent tears still ran down my face from such an emotionally taxing day.
Andy knelt next to me, and wrapped his arms around me. My breath came in gasps, and I feebly grasped onto his shirt sleeve, burying my tear-stained face into his surprisingly muscular chest.
"Alright Felix, if you can't go to the cops, then if we get back to our dimension, we'll help you. I, none, of us want you to get hurt anymore." Sam told me, truly compassionate.
"You can stay at any of our houses." Jake piped up, adding in his own support. The others nodded in agreement.
"You don't even have to ask. Just come to one of us, and we'll help you. You're always welcome Felix." Andy added, advocating for the group of three.
Upon seeing my hesitancy, Andy pleaded,
"Please Felix. You can't go on like this. We could never live with ourselves knowing you were getting hurt, and we didn't help you at all. You're our friend, let us help you."
I looked at them, their faces displaying compassion, sincerity, and concern. So this is what it's like to have friends who care about your wellbeing.
"Alright." I sighed, in defeat. "Let's get out of here. Let's go home."
We all stood up, and had a group hug.
"Well isn't this touching?" A voice deadpanned.
We broke apart, to see Phoebe, hands on her hips, and a slight scowl grazed her features.
"What's wrong?" I inquired, pointedly.
"Another elemental attack."
"What aren't you telling us?" Jake demanded, suspicious.
Phoebe hesitated. Whatever she left out must've been bad, 'cause Phoebe never, never hesitates. It's just not in her nature. Typically, she's quite blunt, not one to beat around the bush.
"The attack is only directed at one of you, and the Restoring Demon is hell-bent on killing that that certain someone." She quickly stated.
I noticed that she didn't look at us, but at the ground. She hasn't done that before. It was way out of character. That was a very bad sign.
"Who's the target?" Sam questioned, sounding nervous.
Phoebe stayed silent.
"Well?" Jake pressed.
Anxiety ridden energy and tension filled the room as we wait, subconsciously holding our breaths, for Phoebe to tell us who was being scoped out. My palms were clammy, and I was slightly shaking.
Andy's POV:
I have a feeling I'm not the one being targeted. But knowing that one of my friends is wanted dead…
Jake's POV:
I'm almost one hundred percent certain that I'm not what this particular elemental attack is about. I don't know how, I don't know why but I'm sure…
Sam's POV:
The Restoring Demon isn't after me. I didn't do anything worthy of having a demon after me to restore whatever it is that happened. I hope…
Felix's POV:
Realization hit me like a freight train. My spell… my unmaking spell…
Phoebe's POV:
How am I gonna break this to these strange teens? Not that I cared or anything.
Felix's POV:
My fault.
Andy's POV:
"Felix."
I noticed the already pale teen go even whiter, to the point that he looked the same shade as freshly fallen snow. His dark eyes were wide, but not in shock. In realization and fear.
I myself was admittedly slightly relieved that I truly wasn't the biggest risk. The other two had about the same expression as me. Relieved, yet horrified.
"Why Felix?" I blurted out.
Phoebe's POV:
I certainly did not want to tell them why Felix is being targeted. It could damage their new friendship, and trust, as well as their elemental bond. But, they needed answers. I had to tell them. It was for the best.
"The Restoring Demon is looking for the magical disturbance," I paused, subtly glancing at Felix, "and that magical disturbance… is Felix." I finished explaining.
The boys looked to Felix with questioning expressions plastered to their faces, waiting expectantly for him to explain.
Felix's POV:
This is a literal nightmare.
They're going to hate me.
I was selfish.
Now, I'm going to pay.
"I felt so badly about Oscar's accident, I wanted it to never have happened. So, I turned to magic. I tried an unmaking spell. I just never thought that it would unmake us. I couldn't deal with the guilt anymore; I'm really, really sorry guys." I elucidated, softly.
Someone stepped up to me, and I flinched away, preparing myself for a blow that never came. Instead, a gentle hand was placed on my shoulder, in a comforting gesture.
"Felix," a pained Sam addressed me, "I'm not going to hurt you."
I nodded, slightly embarrassed about flinching away from my friend.
"Wait. You said that the demon wanted to kill Felix. What if we can't protect him, and he dies. What happens then?" Andy asked, very concerned.
"Order is restored." Phoebe answered, not elaborating on her response.
"Does that mean that we can go home?" Jake inquired.
Phoebe looked unusually uncomfortable.
"Yes." Unease laced her reply.
So if I die, they get to go home, order is restored, everything goes back to normal, and all it costs is my existence is ceased. It didn't sound half bad.
"Felix can't die here!" Sam exclaimed, forcibly.
The others nodded in agreement. I was astonished. They actually want me around? It's been a long time since someone actually wanted me around. Even Ellen didn't really want to be around me.
"How do we stop the demon, and go home?" I turned to Phoebe, awaiting her explanation.
"We need Alice's book of shadows. There's a spell in there that'll bring her home, and take you to your own universe."
"Felix, do you have a book of shadows?" Andy questioned, hesitantly.
"Yes, I do." I replied as I took a small black book out of my bag. I passed it around, allowing the others to see. Once it got back to me, I put it back into my black shoulder bag.
"We need to start looking for Alice's book. Where do we start looking Phoebe?" I asked, anxiously.
"Where my sister was last; the forest." She answered, gravely.
"You mean the exact same place we were last in our own world?" Jake roughly spat.
"There's something not right about that forest." Sam stated, shaking his head in thought.
"Let's get going. We can't afford to waste time." I urged.
After squishing Sam, Jake, and I into the back seat, Phoebe driving with Andy riding shotgun, of the green van, we arrived to the forest fifteen minutes later.
"So how are we gonna find Alice's book of shadows?" Jake asked, sounding drained, probably wanting to go back home.
I honestly still didn't want go home. What about Oscar?
"Should we split up? We'll cover more ground." Sam suggested.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Andy reprimanded, pointedly looking at me.
"Oh… right." Sam sputtered in response.
"Perhaps someone stays with Felix, and the rest of us split up?" Andy proposed.
"Guys, I'm right here," I pointed out, "and I don't need babysitting. There is the occasional time where I can fend for myself. Look, I'll be fine, and if I'm alone, the rest of you have a lower risk of the demon coming after you. I agree with Sam, we should split up. Rendezvous here, in an hour." I concluded.
They all sighed, defeated. I didn't see why they cared; I mean, whoever got stuck with me would be in the most danger.
"But Felix, the demon is 'hell-bent' on murdering you. We should stick together."
"I'll. Be. Fine." I uttered through clenched teeth, frustrated.
"Alright boys. Here's a rough map of the forest. There's a river that ironically splits the forest into five. So! Let's assign each one of us one section each. Sam, you'll take this one," Phoebe pointed to the lower left corner, "and I'll take this one," she indicated to the next portion, "then on the top; left to right, it'll be Felix, Jake, and Andy."
"Sounds good." Sam agreed.
"Well let's get going." I directed, and began a quick paced walk to my section. Everyone scattered and went their own way.
Restoring Demon's POV:
Must. Restore. Order.
Destroy. Disturbance.
Kill. Felix. Ferne.
Order. Must. Be. Restored.
Phoebe's POV:
I needed to find my sister. Only her book of shadows could save her now. I would stop at nothing to get that book back. Even if it meant one of those weirdos got hurt. I wanted my sister back. Alice has been gone for ten years. I missed her.
I frantically started searching for her book of shadows. Behind every tree, bush, and plant, under every rock. I checked for raised ground that the book could've been buried under.
Andy's POV:
I still didn't believe in magic. But the others were convinced that this book will take us home. If it can somehow do that then, I'll look for the silly thing. So far, nothing.
Jake's POV:
I couldn't find that fucking book! I wanted to go home. This universe was just too strange. I missed all my friends. We needed that book; I just hoped one of us finds it.
Sam's POV:
I was hungry. I had looked for that damn book for half an hour. I just wanted to go home. Was that so much to ask? I missed my family, friends, and Mia. I searched everywhere for it. I've checked and rechecked any possible places it could've been. It's simply not here.
Felix's POV:
Breathless, exhausted. Three were chasing me. One grabbed the back of my shirt, and I twisted away to release myself. I sailed over a fallen tree, and madly dashed further into
the forest.
Let me explain how exactly I managed to get myself into that predicament. When I got to my section of the woods, something felt… off. But I ignored my gut instinct, convinced myself that I was just paranoid. Ever since the abuse started, I had been a nervous wreck.
I should've turned back, or got help. But I could've put the others in danger. I started my hunt for Alice's book of shadows, and within twelve minutes, I had found it in a large deciduous tree. By found, I mean I saw it suspended thirty-five feet in the air, stuck in a bunch of branches. I instantly knew it was what we were looking for the moment I laid my eyes on it. I had to get it out of the tree. So I set down my backpack which I had grabbed from the shop before leaving, and put my necklaces and the talisman into it. I decided to put my suspenders in too; just so nothing could get caught on the branches when I climbed the fucking tree. Better safe than sorry, right? Which turned out to be a really bad idea. Climbing the tree, I mean.
I reached up to grab hold of the lowest boughs, but they were a few inches too high, so I jumped as I high as I possibly could and just barely was able to grasp onto the thick branch. I swung my legs to build up some momentum, and heaved myself up onto it. Crouching, careful to keep my balance, I reached up for the next one, grabbed hold, and proceeded to climb until I was on the same limb as the book of shadows. Don't look down, don't look down. Ever since Oskie's accident, I had been a bit wary of heights. The book was nestled in the outer parts of the clustered branches, and I slowly inched forward towards it. I wrestled it out of the offshoot's clutches, and made my way back to the trunk.
I lost my hold of the tree, and accidently dropped the book of shadows to the ground. I stabled myself and attempted to get down in one piece. Note the word attempted. As I lowered my body to the branch underneath the one I was on, my belt loop was snagged on the limb. My fucking belt loop! I was hanging thirty-five feet in the air, the only thing keeping me from smashing my skull open on the ground below was my back belt loop, and I was TERRIFIED.
I wondered if this was how Oscar felt when I held his hand when he slipped from the tree.
The familiar feeling of crippling guilt overcame me, and a few stray tears made their way down my cheeks. Drawing in a quivering breath, I pulled myself together, and extended my arm to grasp the same branch that was hooked stubbornly on my pants. Once I felt that I had a sufficient hold on it, I began to wiggle around to free myself from that damned tree. My palms were sweaty, and my nerves were shot. My arms ached from the strain. But, I did manage to unhook my loop… and lose my grip on the rough limb.
I fell. From a height of thirty-five feet. Just like Oscar. It was my own fault. Just like
Oscar's.
I landed on my arm, face-down. My head smashed into the forest floor. The sickening sound of bones breaking filled the otherwise silent air. A sound I knew, far too well. The sound and the feeling of blood steadily trickling out of my body were the last thing I was aware of before I lost consciousness.
I came to a few minutes… or hours… (I really had no idea when) later. I decided that I should do a self-assessment of my injuries. I could wiggle my toes, so my legs and spine were fine. My left arm was broken. Ribs bruised. Lastly, a nasty laceration on my forehead. I opened my eyes and saw the blood. My blood. Using my good arm, I pushed myself up, and shuffled painstakingly slowly to my bag, and Alice's book that conveniently landed almost on top of it. Using only my right arm, I managed to put the book into my bag. Steadily, I stood up, and lifted up my book bag; feeling extremely lightheaded. I immediately knew I had lost too much blood.
The pounding of three sets of footsteps was suddenly upon me. I turned around to see a truly horrifying sight. The demon had inhabited three people. Demon Bates, Demon Sergeant Riles and Demon Oscar.
I clutched my injured arm to my chest and began to run. Bates got a fistful of the back of my white tee and I wrenched out of his strong grasp and away from him, leaping over a fallen tree in the process. I headed further into the dense brush. I didn't make it very far before I got so dizzy and nauseated that I was rendered unconscious and was flung to the ground.
Sam's POV:
Jake, Andy, Phoebe, and I were all in the prearranged muster point, but Felix didn't show up. I had a bad feeling about it. None of us found Alice's book of shadows, and now Felix is MIA.
"Where is he?" Jake shouted.
"Maybe he's just late? Or tired?" Andy suggested.
"I dunno nerd," I shook my head, "I have a bad feeling guys."
"I say we give him five more minutes, if he doesn't show, we go look for him. Deal?" Phoebe advocated, authoritatively.
"A lot could go wrong in five minutes!" I exclaimed, worry and resentment towards the suggestion evident in my tone.
Felix's POV:
Five minutes.
Five minutes and I almost died.
From the state of my black jeans, it was very clear that they dragged me through the thicket. When I had come to, again, I instantly started to fight my demon-possessed-not-really-brother, because right then, I yearned for freedom. But Bates and Riles sauntered up behind Oscar and provided backup. Their 'assistance' was really unnecessary. I only had one good arm; I've fainted twice, and lost a ton of blood. Long story short, my struggling was futile. They kicked, slapped, and punched me until I was scarcely holding onto consciousness. They then hauled my limp, pale, bloody, beaten, thin, weak body to a nearby tree. Demon Bates grabbed a thick white rope, tinged with dirt, and proceeded to tie me up, with the aid of Riles. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. To be honest, at that point, I lost my fight, my fire, and submitted.
I observed my surroundings. We were approximately in the heart of the forest. I could hear the harsh pounding of the river nearby. An aged tree stump was directly before me, just under eight feet away. Surrounding it in a near perfect ring, were five rocks. Each rock had some sort of hieroglyphic symbol on it. My black messenger bag laid nearby, contents still safely contained within it.
The tree I was tied to was your average leafy tree, but on the limbs above, I could see red and black dream catchers.
Jake's POV:
We split up into two groups, Andy and Phoebe, and Sam was with me. We had been looking for Felix for almost twenty-five minutes, and there was no sight of him, almost like he'd vanished. Just like that. Gone. I started to panic. What if he was hurt? Or… dead? Somebody should've been with him, despite his protests.
Sam's POV:
"Jake! Jake come here! Quick! I've found something! Hurry up!" I hollered.
I found a puddle of blood, by this enormous tree, and one of Felix's necklaces was strewn haphazardly nearby.
Jake raced over to me and peered down at the blood and the skull necklace at our feet.
"I think I'm gonna be sick." We comment, simultaneously.
"Is… do you think… Felix… is that…?" I stuttered. I couldn't even comprehend the idea.
"Just spit it out!" He screamed in my face, completely losing his cool.
I took a deep breath to calm my raw nerves. I could hardly bear to voice my fears.
"Do you think that," I faltered, "that is Felix's blood?"
"Truth dude?"
"Yeah. Truth. Dude."
"Yes." He bluntly stated. "Look, we gotta face the facts. There is a good chance that
Felix is hurt. Or dead. But we're gonna keep searching until we find him!"
We keep looking around the area for any indications as to where exactly the said teen had disappeared to.
Loud, pounding footsteps filled the calm atmosphere. Andy and Phoebe sprinted up to us.
"Did you find anything?" I asked, hoping they knew where Felix was.
"No." sighed Phoebe.
"How about you guys?" An anxious Andy questioned.
"Kinda," I started.
"What do you mean, 'kinda'?" He interrupted.
"We found one of his necklaces… and a pool of what we think is Felix's blood."
"Where?" Phoebe pressed.
"Over there." Jake directed, pointing to the area a few meters away from where we were standing, to his right.
Andy and Phoebe rushed over to the indicated space.
"Guys, that's a lot of blood." His worried voice stated.
"There's a trail of droplets leading that way." Phoebe pointed out.
"Let's follow it!" Jake, Andy, and I yelled, already following the disturbing trail of blood splatters.
There was an indent in the ground and leaves where it looked like a shoe was dragged through the mud, and the grass was matted down; a body quite obviously had been forcibly lugged through the woods.
With a feeling of unease, we pursued our only lead in our frantic search for our missing friend.
Felix's POV:
I vaguely wondered how injured I actually was. My head was a little fuzzy, I couldn't really concentrate… I couldn't feel my hand… I couldn't move my fingers… but my sluggish mind couldn't comprehend what that meant.
Wait.
Why the fuck can't I feel my hand? Oh. Wait. I fell out of a tree. But I thought Oscar fell out of the tree… I don't understand.
I stared downwards. Is this rope? Why is there three really creepy guys looking at me like they would enjoy squeezing the life out of me in their pass time?
It all suddenly came back to me in rush of images and sounds. My confession, a demon being hell-bent on executing me, Alice's book of shadows, climbing that stupid fucking tree, falling out of the stupid fucking tree, running, being unconscious, getting beaten up, and… well… there I was.
From what I've read from various magic books and on websites, the setup of the tree stump alter surrounded by five stones with symbols for each element (Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Spirit) is a ceremony of banishment. AKA the killing Felix ritual. I laughed wryly.
I wasn't sure if I wanted to die. With everything that happened at home, yes, I mean the abuse; suicide has definitely crossed my mind a time or two. But then, being tied to a tree, I supposed I didn't particularly want to die. I was too weak to fight back though. I guessed that my only hope was for Jake, Andy, Sam, and Phoebe to find me, before it was too late.
Why would they look for me anyways though? They didn't give two shits about my wellbeing. But, didn't they say that they were there for me?
"Help." I croaked, exhausted. My feeble cry fell on deaf ears.
Nobody was there. Nobody was coming. I needed help, but nobody would rescue me. No hero to save me just in time.
Jake's POV:
I was sure that the trail we were following would lead us to Felix. I wondered if he was scared. If he's awake, and alive. Was he in pain?
By then, the four of us – Sam, Andy, Phoebe and I – were sprinting towards the middle of the forest, and I was praying that Felix was there, unscathed.
Abruptly, we had come across trees with darkly coloured dream catchers on them. They were mostly in hues of reds, black, and purple.
"We're near." Phoebe informed us in a monotone voice.
"How do you know?" Andy questioned, glancing at the seemingly random décor on the trees encircling our small troop.
"Dream catchers. They're Alice's signature. Alice was here." She explained to our compact rescue group.
"Well then let's hurry up and get a move on!" Sam barked, as he rushed ahead.
We all just want to get Felix; we all just want to go home.
Sam's POV:
I rushed forwards, needing to assure myself that Felix was fine. The sight that greeted me made the blood drain from my face, left me sweaty and shaking, chilled to the bone despite the warm temperatures of the receding afternoon.
Felix was sitting next to… no, he was bound to a tree, and he looked like shit. (That was putting it nicely).
I stayed out of sight, and once the others had caught up, motioned for them to do the same. A collective hushed gasp escaped their lips, upon the sight of our goth companion.
Honestly, it broke my heart.
"We need to think of a plan." Andy whispered, urgency and anguish evident in his tone of voice.
Andy's POV:
When I first laid my eyes on Felix fixated to that tree, I wasn't sure if he was even alive at that point. We're too late. His appearance was horrible. When we first got a glimpse of him, he had his head down, but at that point, he was leaning it against the aged trunk of the offensive totem; staring up at the storm that was suddenly progressing.
Jake's POV:
He looks dead.
That was my first thought when I saw Felix sitting there, completely defeated and submissive, white as a ghost, his once white shirt now caked in mud with specks of dried brown grass matted to it and was stained with his crimson blood. His arms were scratched and bruised. His left wrist – it made me nauseous thinking about it – bone protruded through the translucent skin, blood spilling over like a morbid decorative waterfall. A colourful array of dark contusions formed near the inside of his elbow.
As unmanly as it was, when Felix peered up as if he were searching the heavens for a reason as to what he did to deserve this cruel, inhumane punishment, tears formed in my eyes. I hardly recognized the fifteen year old. His lip was split down the middle, directly between his snake bit piercings. Blood steadily dripped down his face, from a huge gash on the left side of his hairline. His eyes were glazed over, causing him to appear as if he were staring at nothing. The rest of his face was swollen, bruised, and cut up. His hair was matted down with sweat, mud, and blood.
He looked scared. I noticed that there was blood seeping through his T-shirt. Abruptly, he fainted. His rigid body slumps and his head fell forward.
Andy's POV:
"We need the talisman, it's probably in his backpack." I said, with a feeling of apprehension.
Watching my friend, it hit me. Felix could die.
"He lost a lot of blood. He's going to bleed out soon." I pointed out the obvious. I really needed to shut the hell up.
"How 'bout this; we circle around the alter, Sam can sneak over to Felix's backpack and retrieve it. The rest of us can attack those three over there." Phoebe pointed, first to the bag, then to the three possessed boys.
"Alright." Sam immediately agreed.
"We gotta hurry." Jake pushed, in a hushed manor.
"Let's go." Phoebe commanded.
"Wait! Wait!" I whisper-yelled, "What do we do about Felix?" I questioned hastily, both panicked, and curious.
"We can help him after," Phoebe stated, "right now, that demon is our main concern."
"But Felix is the only one of us who can actually do magic. None of us know what to say or do." I argued, worried for everyone's safety.
"Sam, when you get the talisman, try to get to Felix, and get him out of danger, or to say the spell. Okay?" Phoebe instructed.
He nodded his silent approval.
"Let's do this." Jake whispered, feigning confidence.
Jake's POV:
It happened really fast. Phoebe, Andy, and I ran to our places in a rough ring around the alter, and Felix. The three demon possessed boys were then turned away from Felix. Sam snuck towards said teen, and carefully opened his bag. He rifled through the other boy's book bag, gently tossing Felix's possessions onto the forest floor.
Sam's POV:
I took Felix's belongings out of the backpack, his book of shadows, a black T-shirt, red and black suspenders, the book of shadows (presumably Alice's), and amongst pens, pencils, random pieces of paper, a thick bracelet, and a picture of Felix and Oscar, I found the talisman. I stuffed the rest of his stuff back into his bag, being cautious not to crumple the photo.
I crept over to where Felix was situated, and ever so delicately endeavored to awaken him by slightly shaking his shoulder.
Andy's POV:
Once Sam was positioned by Felix; Jake, Phoebe and I steadily commenced to close in on the unsuspecting demon. Using only hand gestures, we began advancing, when all three turned to face us, in perfect synchronization. This isn't good. It looked like it was going to be one on one, hand to hand combat. Phoebe and I were so screwed.
I'll never be able to fight a full grown man, I'm just the nerd! Phoebe has better luck than I do! Plus, they were all possessed, even though Oscar didn't seem very harmful, what was controlling him, was. By the looks of it, Oscar and Phoebe were squaring off, Jake was with Riles, and I was with Bates. I was extremely nervous. My best bet would be to catch him off guard. I hoped that Sam and Felix could assist us. Sam physically, and Felix magically.
Felix's POV:
My mind was a black haze. I vaguely discerned the sensation of someone shaking my shoulder. What's going on? The last thing I remembered was being tied to a tree in the bush, praying that the others would show up to help. Maybe they're here! They can find the talisman and we can go home! I hoped my wishful thinking wasn't going to be disappointed when I opened my eyes.
Dense fog and shadowy forest greeted my slightly opened eyes. I could barely see with such a trace amount of light entering the slits of my eyes.
"Felix?" A hushed voice asked.
I let out a groan of pain, I felt disgusting, and sick. Everything hurt. EVERYTHING.
"Felix, I can't even imagine how much pain you must be feeling right now, but we absolutely NEED your help. Okay, just, we need you to say a spell to abolish the demon. I wouldn't force you to do this if the rest of us understood magic. Please Felix, you're the magic dude. Only you can save us." The voice – Sam – whispered. "Here," he placed the elemental talisman into the palm of my hand, "say the spell Felix, please, at least try."
The spell. Pain. How does it go? Pain. So, so much pain.
My eyes began to flutter shut.
"No! No, Felix; keep your eyes open! Say the spell." Sam whisper-yelled.
I licked my dry, chapped lips, and tasted metallic blood. I swallowed nervously. I coughed weakly, before beginning to recite the incantation, not registering the trickling red liquid falling from the corner of my mouth and down my chin, before free falling to the worn earth beneath me.
"Divinity of the elements, I summon thee; Earth, Water, Air, Fire." I gasped out, the talisman in my palm faintly glowing. "Elements we all share. Earth, Water, Air, Fire."
I felt any ounce of energy I had left drain out of me. Two gentle hands cupped my face, forcing me to hazily stare at Sam, I heard him say something about staying with him.
"C'mon Felix, say the spell with me!" He begged.
"Divinity of the elements, I summon thee; Earth, Water, Air, Fire. Elements we all share. Earth, Water, Air, Fire." Together, we chanted as the talisman got brighter, to the point in which the white light engulfed what seemed like the entire world. Then, everything went dark, as pain ebbed away at me until I was unfeeling.
Sam's POV:
It worked! Felix's spell worked! The others got up from where they'd been carelessly tossed to the ground by the Demon. All three looked around with a look of bewilderment, clearly confused as to what had just gone down.
Bates and Riles hurried off, scattering like frightened geese from the scene, not bothering to spare us a glance, to check if we were okay, which we weren't.
I turned back to Felix. Alarmed, I press my middle and pointer fingers to the side of his neck, and was somewhat relieved when I felt the faint throbbing of his pulse.
"Guys, Felix ain't doing too great. He needs medical attention. We gotta take him to a hospital." My grave voice cuts through the silent woods, while I undid the rope that confined him to the tree.
"And tell them what exactly? You can't tell anyone who he is, he's got no family, bloody hell, he doesn't even exist. How are you gonna explain that, huh? And when they ask how he acquired these injuries, are you gonna tell them a hell-bent on murder Demon tried to kill him in the forest? And what were you doing in the same woods at the same time as him, looking so roughed up? You'd be main suspects towards what happened to him, or they'll lock you up in the psych ward." Phoebe chastised, unimpressed.
"I hate to admit it, but Phoebe has a point, well, a few actually. If anything, we need to get Felix home." Andy admitted.
"How do we even get home?" Queried Jake.
"He's got Alice's Book of Shadows." I supplied.
"He does?" Phoebe's curious voice broke in.
"Yeah, I saw it in his backpack when I was searching for the talisman." I explained, nonchalantly.
I grabbed his bag, which I had just then realized had a picture of a barking hound dog on it, and handed Phoebe her sister's book.
"I'll look for the spell that'll take you home." She stated, sounding determined. "You lot try to fix him up a little." She indicated, pointing her chin in Felix's direction.
"Alright. We have to hurry though." Jake urged.
"We need something to staunch the bleeding. Anyone have anything?" Andy asked, taking charge.
"Felix has another T-shirt in his bag!" I shouted, already grabbing it, and I handed it to Andy, who in turn wrapped it around Felix's wrist.
Jake's POV:
Before Felix and Sam successfully preformed the spell, Andy, Phoebe, and I were unsuccessfully keeping the Demon at bay, and distracted them by tackling them when they weren't expecting it. But God damn it, they sure were prepared for a fight. Andy as well as Phoebe were down in five seconds flat, and I myself was taken down in an embarrassingly short amount of time. On the bright side, we somehow managed to preoccupy their focus long enough for the spell to take effect.
Now, Andy, Sam and I are trying to take care of Felix, who looked like was on the brink of death.
I know I've had a rough home life, my dad's a loser and we never could pay the rent. We ate canned beans almost every day, sometimes they weren't even cooked. I never had any fancy, expensive clothing, or the newest technology. My mom worked ten hour shifts everyday just to make ends meet, while my dad slacked off with a beer, popping in and out of our lives as he pleased, hiding disconnection notices along with other important papers inside of old pizza boxes. But compared to what Felix went through these past few years, it made my home life seem pretty damn good. At least my parents never yelled or hit me. They tried to give me as much food as they could. I unfortunately couldn't say the same for him. His parents scarcely fed him, and they did some horrible crap to him. Honestly, I don't know how he hasn't tried to kill himself. He doesn't even show signs of self harm, but then again I haven't seen his legs, and truthfully, it's hard to tell with all the scars he already has, so who really knows. The point is, is that I feel guilty that we're forcing Felix to go back to that life.
At that point, we needed to pray that Phoebe found the right spell and get us home. I just hoped someone could help Felix in time.
"I think I've got it!" Phoebe's announcement broke through my guilt ridden thoughts.
"You do?" We simultaneously asked, both exited, yet doubtful.
"I hope so." She replied. "Alright. Everybody hold hands. Sam, Jake, Andy; you will have to say the spell in place of Felix. You all have potential, so it should work." Phoebe directed.
"What about Felix?"
"Grab his hands too."
Andy's POV:
Okay, I definitely believe in magic now. I've seen it with my own eyes. But I'm not sure we can do it without Felix's help.
We took each other's hands, and formed a circle around the talisman and Alice's book of shadows.
"Water, Fire, Earth and Air, Water, Fire, Earth and Air, Water, Fire, Earth and Air. Elements that we all share! Bring one back, and let us go, each to their own proper home!" We chanted.
Nothing happened.
"It's not working!" Jake cried.
"Maybe only you four need to hold hands and say the spell." Suggested Phoebe.
"It's worth a try." I piped up. I really wanted to go home.
So we said the spell again. No luck.
Felix's POV:
I've had enough. Obviously my parents don't want me anymore. Oscar would be better off without me. I'm nothing but a waste of space. I walked over to the bathroom, and opened the mirrored medicine cabinet. Inside, there was some ointment for muscle aches, spare toothpaste bottles, scissors for trimming hair, and… a full bottle of sleeping pills. They were prescribed for Oscar when reoccurring nightmares plagued his sleep. He never took them because he hated all the medication he had to take. So he left them in there instead. I'd put them to good use. They sat in a translucent orange bottle. How cliché.
I wedge the bottle in the waistband of my jeans, and slowly, awkwardly made my way down the hall to my bedroom. It was a difficult process, due to my not wanting the pills to rattle around in the bottle.
I quietly closed the door to my bedroom, carefully placing the container on the black nightstand, next to a glass of water. I took a deep breath… and open the pill bottle, emptying its contents into a mini mountain on my palm. Gathering up all my courage, I poured every. Single. Pill. Into my mouth, cringing at the overwhelming bitter taste. I clasped a hand over my mouth, preventing any pills from falling out, nearly choking right then and there. I managed to swallow a good portion of them dry, throat constricting painfully in protest. I poured some water into my mouth and consume the remaining pills. I took a few more sips of the cool liquid before setting the half empty glass in its original spot.
Fighting the urge to puke my guts out, I slowly fall to the floor, dizzy, disorientated, ready for freedom. The last thing I was aware of was the door opening and my father's angry face peered in at me, a small, self-satisfied smirk grazing his features. Then all faded to black.
When I awakened, I was in a hospital bed, wearing an issued gown. The walls, floor, and ceiling were white. Even the curtains and blankets were white. I pictured myself waking up in hotter, redder, more underground place if you catch my drift.
I felt disgusting, I thought I was gonna be sick.
A few minutes later, a nurse walked in. she had light brown hair, and a decently friendly smile.
"Good! You're awake!" She smiled at me. "We almost lost you a few times. How're you feeling?"
I didn't answer. I just stared at the young woman. She couldn't have been more than twenty-eight.
"You're probably wondering why you're here, awake." She continued. "Well first, I'm Dr. Laurence. You're very lucky to be with us today. You could've died from that overdose. What we've done, is pump the medication out of your stomach. Surprisingly, you have no signs of any long-term effects."
I ever so slightly nodded.
"Now," she says casually, closing the door, "I need to ask you some questions. And I want you to know that anything you tell me is strictly confidential."
"Okay." I reluctantly answered.
"You have a lot of cuts, bruises, scars, burns, and welts. We're wondering if you're subject to abuse?" She gently pried.
"Uh… no, no they don't. Nope, so, uh, no." I nervously lied.
She didn't look very convinced, but she let it slide.
"Alright. So, why'd you attempt to commit suicide?"
There was no way in hell I was going to tell her that. Especially since I just lied about why I did. I also didn't particularly want to tell her about the bullying.
I stayed silent, not looking at her, taking a sudden interest in the fabric of the sheets.
"Okay." Dr. Laurence said after a few moments of awkward silence. "Is there someone I can call for you?"
I shook my head. Then, I thought of something.
"How'd I get here?"
"A boy named Oscar found you unconscious in your room and called emergency services."
"Oscar? He didn't know I OD'd does he?" I question, fearfully.
"No, he just knew you weren't responding." She answered.
I'm suddenly wrenched from my memory by somebody saying something about not working.
"Let's face it. We need Felix for the spell to work."
I cracked open my eyes to see the sunny forest around me, along with my friends.
I felt weak.
"Felix!" Sam's excited voice greeted me.
"Felix you're awake!" Jake cheered.
"Can you help us?" Andy inquired.
Slowly, weakly, I nodded. Phoebe set the large book of shadows in front of me.
"Say this spell." She pointed to a short incantation on the left side of the aged pages.
"We'll say it together." Jake stated.
"Water, Fire, Earth and Air, Water, Fire, Earth and Air, Water, Fire, Earth and Air. Elements that we all share! Bring one back, and let us go, each to their own proper home!"
The talisman's yellowed light engulfed us in its warm glow.
Andy's POV:
I woke up in the forest. But I knew, that this is where we were supposed to be.
Sam's POV:
When I awoke, I knew we were home. I can't wait until I can go to my house, maybe take a shower, and definitely eat some food. I'm starved. Thank God we're home!
Jake's POV:
Home at last! But before we can celebrate too much, we were aware that Felix wasn't looking too good. His breath came in light gasps; he was pale and sweaty, barely holding onto consciousness at that point.
Felix's POV:
It… worked… I'm… glad… need… help…
Black spots dotted my vision, until it took over completely.
Sam's POV:
"He needs medical attention, NOW!" Andy screamed from the ground, beside Felix.
"Maybe we can carry him back to Bremin?" I suggest, in an unsure, questioning tone.
"Whatever we do, we gotta hurry." Jake told us.
Suddenly, we heard faint shouting in the distance. Someone, or someones, were calling our names.
"Andy!"
"Jake!"
"Sam!"
"Andy!"
"Sam!"
"Jake!"
Nobody called for Felix. Nobody was searching for him. It was like no one cared.
"We can ask the searchers for help!" Andy exclaimed, relief flooded his veins.
"OVER HERE!" We holler.
The sound of a helicopter flying overhead was deafening. Three male figures were walking up to us, and from where we were sitting I could see my dad, Riles (Jake's dad), and Andy's dad, Mr. Lau.
"Felix needs help!" We shouted, and our dads quickly came over, frantically asking what happened in panicked tones.
"He… uh… fell, fell out of a huge tree." I covered, which, come to think of it, probably was true, we never asked what exactly had happened. It would've been difficult, given that Felix wasn't exactly lucid… or awake really since we lost him.
They looked at us skeptically, so Jake added;
"It was a really big tree."
"Can you help him?" Andy's concerned voice asked, semi-hopeful.
Felix was lying on the damp grass, and I couldn't help but think that if his face wasn't so roughed up, he'd look really peaceful.
Felix's POV:
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Heart monitor. My brain supplied.
Why do I feel so numb?
Morphine.
Hehe morphine's one hell of a drug. Hehe narcotics. Morphine's a narcotic.
Yes it is.
Typically used intravenously for pain relief.
I was slightly startled that I actually knew that. I learned that back in year eight. Two years ago.
In high enough amounts, morphine could be lethal. A quick, painless death.
I suddenly wonder why I needed morphine. I assumed I was in a hospital. There's that sick yet sanitary scent of the air, and the steady, rhythmic beat of a heart monitor. The last thing I remembered… was… the forest. Yeah, the forest.
We're… home. Ugh. Home. Home meant my family. My family meant abuse. I couldn't deal with it much longer. But what about Oskie? I love my brother. I would never intentionally hurt him. But I'm so tired of what THEY did to me. But Oscar loves them…
Finally, I decide to open my eyes. Yet another bad decision on my behalf. The harsh white light burned my vulnerable pupils, unaccustomed to the brightness. Similarly to last time, everything was white. Except this time I wasn't the cause for my hospital stay. Well, not entirely. If I weren't such a weakling, I could have hung onto that stupid tree. Plus the demon attack, that I had no idea about and no control over, I justified.
But you were the one who got everyone stuck in the alternate universe in the first place. Part of me argued back. Okay so their little visit was unintentional. I compromised. My fault, but unplanned.
After a few minutes of silent isolation, a doctor entered, and was seemingly delighted to see me awake.
"It's wonderful to see you awake, Felix."
I simply blinked. I didn't trust my voice.
"You took a nasty fall from a… tree? You came in looking pretty banged up."
I blinked and nodded.
"I'm Dr. Robinson. Now allow me to explain your injuries and how we've treated you. First of all, we stitched up the cuts on your lip, face, chest, back, and abdomen; as well as tape your ribs after repairing an internal tear. What concerns me is your wrist. You had an open fracture, meaning that the bone snapped, and protruded through the skin. Unfortunately with this type of break, it tears everything in its path. Muscles, ligaments, and nerves. Our main concern is nerve damage, and loss of function in your hand. Right now, we've surgically inserted metal rods to help guide the bone into the proper position, as these types of injuries do not like to heal nicely. Any questions?"
Nerve damage? Loss of function? What about my guitar playing?
I peered down at the offending arm, which was lying carefully atop the plain covers, encased in a cast.
Silently, I shook my head, indicating that I had no questions. He offered an encouraging smile, before ducking into the hallway.
"Oh one last thing, your friends have been waiting for almost two days to see you. Very dedicated. They're a bunch you should try to hold on to for a long while. Would you like for me to send them in?"
I nodded, with a small, lopsided grin, and a shallow chuckle. The doctor ensured me he would send them in right away, and promptly left.
True to his words, and almost immediately the three boys I was stuck with for the past eleven days came running in, I noticed that Sam and Jake had a couple butterfly bandages on their arms. They edged closer, cautious smiles on their faces, which helped with the uneasiness with in the small room.
"Hey Felix, how you feelin'?" Sam asked, gently giving my shoulder a pat.
"Numb." I rolled my eyes in exasperation. "When can I leave?" I queried, my voice pitifully weak.
"Sorry mate, they're saying not for a while. The doc said something about a head scan." Jake informed me, and upon my confused expression over the exam he added, "'cause you passed out a lot, they want to check to make sure you're okay."
"How're you guys doing? Y'all look like shit." I pried, concerned about the bandages.
"You look like shit too, Felix." Jake retorted, snidely, yet jokingly.
"We're fine, just tired." Andy assured me.
"Reporters wanted to talk to us, but it just wasn't appealing. For once, I want out of the spotlight." Sam casually brought up.
Wow, Sam Conte not wanting to be the center of attention. That's new.
I smiled and shook my head at the popular teen. Fatigue overcame me, and I tried to stifle a yawn, but miserably failed, and I could feel my eyelids becoming heavier, as if weights had been attached to them, slowly dragging them down.
"Get some sleep Felix." Andy softly directed me.
Sam's POV:
"No, mm 'wake." Felix sleepily mumbled.
But, his eyes fluttered shut; his breathing slowed, and became shallow.
"He seems really tired." Jake commented.
"Morphine makes people drowsy." Andy explained.
Nerd.
Before he had a chance to begin a long winded explanation on narcotics and pain medication, a few porters came to transport Felix for his head scans.
Eventually we all went home, which was a nice change from the surprisingly decent hospital chairs out in the waiting room. It was nice to be clean, warm, fed, and comfy, as for the past eleven days, we experienced the exact opposite.
Oscar's POV:
I know Felix is in the hospital.
I have the power to see a vision, and draw it on paper. Everything that I've drawn I know has happened. I've learned lots, things I've been blind towards, my ignorance has disgraced me. Most of what I've become aware of has been pretty. It's a blessing, and a curse.
I know about magic, and the alternate universe. I know about the demon, and the books of shadows, along with my brother's past. That's where it gets ugly. Really ugly. The bullying, how guilty he feels. Then there are my parents. They disgust me. I found out why Felix had so many cuts, scars, and bruises. They hit him. I didn't understand why. He never did anything wrong.
I think I'll pay my dear brother a visit at the hospital. Perhaps tomorrow, it's already quite late. I needed to have a serious talk with my big brother. I love my parents, but this had to stop.
One lone tear trailed its way from my eye, down my cheek, and dripped off my jawbone. My mind kept replaying a vision I had. Mom and dad were shoving Felix around, taunting him for how he looks. I mean, sure he had the "emo" look, but that's just how he likes to look. It didn't make him gay. There's nothing wrong with being gay either. Wearing bracelets, necklaces, and wearing his hair long didn't mean he's girly. Or a man whore. Just because he had snake bites and pierced his ears didn't give anyone justification for calling him a fag. Despite the painted nails, the dyed hair, the long necklaces, and just the smallest hint of eyeliner, Felix was just as masculine as the next guy.
Then you'll be known as the friend of the girly front yard freak. Felix's voice echoed through my head, and I recognized it as something he said to the other me.
I sighed; tomorrow was going to be a tough day. I'm going to lose my parents, and possibly hurt my brother. But what needed to be done, had to be done.
Turned the lamp on the bedside table off, instantly being plunged into darkness. I pulled the blankets up to my chin, closed my eyes, and settle into a fitful sleep full of tossing and turning.
Felix's POV:
When I woke, sunlight was streaming through the thin curtain covering the window. I had a killer headache, and the light was not helping matters.
When can I leave? I wondered.
I was suddenly aware of another presence within the small confinements of my temporary living quarters. I turned my head to see my wheelchair bound younger brother.
"Hey Oskie." I mumbled.
"I'm calling social services."
"What? Why? Is something the matter?" I questioned groggily, not quite grasping the gravity of the situation.
"Is… is something the matter?" Oscar stuttered, shocked. "Felix, mom and dad toss you around like a ragdoll! Why didn't you tell me?"
"How do you know about that?" I gasped, my voice getting louder, and slightly angry.
"Because I'm the fifth element. Spirit. I saw it happen and I drew it in my sketch book.
I stared at him, unblinking.
"How. Long?" He uttered, furious.
"Huh?"
"How long Felix?"
"That's beside the point. You can't call social services." I evaded his pointed query.
"Then I'll call the cops."
"Come on Oskie, it's not that bad." I protested.
"You're all scarred! How can you sit there and tell me it isn't that bad?" He yelled, causing me to wince at his tone.
When Oscar saw me shrink back, he instantly apologized.
"Why are you defending them?"
"You deserve to have loving parents." I stated, bluntly.
"Look Felix. You need to tell someone. You need help. I love mom and dad, but you are the most important person in my life. I'll help you. We'll get through this together. Please Felix." Oscar's eyes filled with tears.
After months filled with police reports, moving out, my parents getting jailed, trials, and a whole lot of crying, Oscar and I found our way.