A/N: This is just the beginning of the three story lines. Again, feel free to explore the three worlds in any way you see fit. And you can choose which one you like the best and follow its story or you can read all three. If you did read all three plots for this chapter you'd see that there wasn't many things different. But eventually, they will all split into three different stories. Note that this will take triple the time to write each chapter. Anyways, enjoy!
Chapter 2 - Dark Path
Jess ran across the bridge at top speed and bolted through the field like a scared rabbit. The wind rushed through his hair and dried the sweat on his brow. As Jess neared his house, his pace slowed to a walk as he gasped for air in between breaths. He paced up to his house and sat on his front step to catch his breath.
The door opened behind Jess and he spun around ready for another attack from the Dark Master, but instead his little sister May Belle walked outside with a smile on her face.
"Jess! Jess! Can we go to Terabithia before the bus comes?" May said with a pleading look.
Jess glanced up and scowled, "I don't have time for your games May." May Belle eyes widened and Jess stood with a sigh. He shoved past her and through the door and his sister stood there in shock. Jess plopped onto the old lounge chair and glanced up at the clock to see it was 7:17. Jess knew that the bus came at 8:00 give or take a few minutes.
Jess glanced back up at his sister and said, "I gotta do my morning work." he stood up and walked past his sister. She turned around and glared at him and with a pout she went up the stares into her room. Jess walked into the kitchen and walked by his mom asking, "Have you seen Dad?"
Mary, who was absent mindedly frying eggs responded without even looking up, "No, he left before I woke up."
Jess continued past her with a word and ran up the stairs to run into Brenda who exclaimed, "Move it! And why do you always stink?" Jess pushed his way past her and up into his room to find May Belle coloring in his sketchbook again.
"May Belle! Do you always have to touch my stuff?" he walked up to her and snatched his sketchbook from her to find she was drawing him. Jess stared at the picture with no emotion, "This doesn't even look like me. So before you go coloring on my paper, why don't you get some lessons?"
"I'm sorry."
"Here," Jess ripped the drawing out of the book and handed it to her. "I'm charging you for that paper."
May frowned and took the drawing back and continued working on it. Jess hopped on his bed, opened his book, and took out a graphite pencil. The moment the pencil touched the page Jack, his father, burst threw the door.
"Son, you finish your chores yet?" he stared into Jesse's astonished eyes.
"Why don't you go do them." Jess shot back.
"WHAT did you say to me?!" Jack shouted and walked straight up to his son with his fists clenched.
"You heard me," Jess stood up and glared right into his father's eyes. "You go do them."
Jack glared into his eyes then wound up and punched Jess in the face. May Belle screamed in terror and retreated into her bed.
Jess was not shaken by the hit to the face. He touched the now forming bruise with his finger tips and glared back at his dad and smiled, "Is that… all there is?"
Jack froze. He grabbed his son by the collar and lifted him up and pushed him against the wall of his bed room, "I think you need a little beating boy!" he shouted and threw his son onto the floor. Just then, Mary burst into the room and screamed in horror.
"Jack! What are you doing?!" she fell to the floor and examined her son's face to see his forming bruises and a cut on his forehead. She ran out of the room franticly grabbing things to treat her injured son. "Jack think of what your teaching him!" she shouted as she returned through the door. Jack just beamed a glare at his son and left the room.
Finally, the school bus arrived for the first day of school for May Belle and Jess. The bus pulled up and Jess walked casually out the door and onto the bus. Five minutes later, May Belle came flying out the door after the bus which just started to leave her behind.
"Wait!" She shouted as the bus kept going, "WAIT FOR ME!" With her arms flailing in the air like some sort of monkey, May Belle tried to get the drivers attention. The eighth graders in the back of the bus were pointing and laughing at her. Jess however sat still and watched. He smiled, he found it amusing. He then turned around and continued to draw in his sketch pad.
Jess' hand moved freely over the paper. He worked swiftly but carefully until the picture became almost a reality. He drew absent mindedly, thinking about how stupid school was going to be without his friend, how he was going to fight the Dark Master, and how this road within thing worked. Finally, he glanced down at what he was drawing and it scared him. There was a black mountain that had a massive opening into it with dark smoke bursting forth from its fiery entrance. A dark figure stood on a cliff observing a massive amount of prisoners linked together at hands, feet, and neck with massive chains. Half human creatures stood with giant axes and spears forcing the prisoners into the mouth of the cavern. The ground was dead, and it seemed like nothing could grow for miles in this place.
"Whatcha drawing, Aarons?" Scott asked in the seat in front of him. He was turned backwards with his head hovering over Jess' seat. Jess immedialy closed the sketch book by instinct and glared up at Scott.
The bus came to a halt and the doors opened. An exhausted and red faced, angry May Belle boarded the bus and sat herself in the first open seat.
"Why didn't anyone say anything?" She asked to no one in particular.
"We all thought you could use the exercise, since your so fat!" A sixth grade guy shouted. And the bus, all except May, erupted into laughter. Tears streamed out onto May Belle's cheek. She knew she wasn't fat, she was actually too skinny, but it hurt her non-the-less.
Jess sat as a silent observer. He never said anything but he was smiling in an inner amusement. Scott turned back around to Jess and grinned, "Ah, come on Aarons. Let me see it!" he pleaded in a fake tone and tried to grab at Jess' sketch book.
Jess caught Scott's wrist in his right hand. He quickly twisted it in a way its not supposed to turn.
"You're nuts!" Scott shouted. They had just gathered more than several spectators. Scott ripped his hand away and stood up over Jess and grimly exclaimed, "You're so dead, Aarons!" Scott pulled his arm back to punch Jess as the bus driver turned around to see Scott.
"ALRIGHT HOAGER!" The driver yelled back at him, "Hit the road!" His right hand did a trademark 'your out' movement done by a baseball umpire. Scott turned and glared at Jess in the eyes. Jess just returned the 'intimidating' glare with a smile.
"We'll finish this after school, Aar-" Hoager started but was cut off by the driver.
"We don't have all day, Mr. Hoager..."
Scott quickly retrieved his backpack and walked out the door of the bus to walk the remaining mile to school. And as the bus passed by Hoager, Jess waved goodbye to him with the same satisfied grin on his face.
When school started, Jess walked to his locker and opened it and recklessly shoved his text books into it, alone with his sketch book. As he closed his locker, and walked to his first class Scott arrived in the hallway angry as could be. Gary Flutcher laughed at his comrade, and Scott shoved him saying, "Idiot!"
Jess stared with a smile across his face. And as he walked by the pair of bullies they attempted to trip Jess. But he just casually dodged it and got Hoager in his area with his English book. Scott bent over in pain and managed to shout at him through his grinding teeth,
"You're SO dead!" Hoager shouted after him. Jess just slipped into his English class and took his seat in the farthest corner of the room. English passed by quickly as Jess zoned out during class. He didn't take notes, or pay attention to the classroom expectations monologue that he was sure to hear from every teacher. Second hour for Jess was Spanish II, which he zoned out yet again. Then Algebra I, American History, Physical Science, Drawing II was the only class he didn't sleep in, P.E, then music class with Ms. Edmonds.
During music, he slept. As the bell at the end of the day rang, Jess woke up and stared around the room with sleepy eyes. His peers were gone out the door at the very second it rang. Ms. Edmonds smiled down at Jess and sat in her desk chair.
"Did you have a good summer?" She asked well still smiling. Jess just looked up at her with a blank face.
"Sure." he responded sharply.
"I noticed you slept through the entire class. Did you get enough sleep last night?" She smiled and placed her guitar in her case. Jess just nodded and stood to leave. "Wait, young man. Did I say you could go?" Jess just stopped and stared at her blankly. "Have you been drawing lately?"
"Sure." Jess responded again in a sharp tone. He shifted his weight to his left leg and stared out the window.
"Well, I said it before. Your really talented, I think you should keep drawing." Ms. Edmonds smiled again. But Jess kept staring out the window. "Don't let it go to waste, Jess." He nodded while walking out of the room. "What's with that boy?" She asked herself.
Jess ran down the hall. He was glad to be out of that classroom. He hated being in the same room as Ms. Edmonds. When he was, he felt guilty inside. Guilty for going with her to the museum that day, guilty for liking her instead of Leslie, and most of all guilty for the death of Leslie.
Jess stopped dead in his tracks. For before him stood the Dark Master. He smiled devilishly and spoke, "It was all your fault." before he disappeared into thin air. Jess stood wide eyed. He sprinted down the hall and out the front door of the school.
"Your dead Aarons." Scott Hoager said as he tripped Jess. Jess felt himself falling and pulled himself through into a roll to stand back up on his feet. Jess stood with his shoulders relaxed and his eyes were a piercing gaze as he stared into the eyes of Scott. The two bullies felt intimidated, but didn't show it.
Jess continued to stared at them for a few seconds before the speaking, "This… will be pleasurable."
Scott and Gary looked at each other and laughed mockingly. "Dead meat," Gary smiled. Scott came to punch Jess in the face. But Jess easily ducked under the punch and rushed his enemy. Scott lost his balance and fell to the ground with Jess on top of him. They grappled a bit before Jess was hit the groin.
"That's just a fraction of the pain you'll feel, Aarons!" Scott smiled victoriously. But it changed to a frown when Jess stood up and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. He was lifted off the ground by Jess' left arm. Jess threw him into the brick wall of the school. Gary just watched wide eyed in awe, along with many of the spectators from younger grades. May Belle was also watching from the bus.
Scott grunted and stood up. He charged Jess and threw a punch at his gut. Jess side-stepped the punch and caught his attacker's arm by its elbow. Scott tried to shake free but to no success. Jess wound up and punched his opponent in the gut. He then, punched him again with all his might in the same place. Scott grunted in pain and crumpled over in pain. With everyone watching intently wondering what he would do next, Jess released Scott's arm and with a quick motion, he cuffed Scott in the face which sent him sprawling over the grass.
Everyone cheered for Jess' victory. Then Jesse looked up and charged Gary. He punched the surprised Gary in the face just as Principal Turner and the school nurse came bursting out of the school's front door.
"JESS AARONS!! MY OFFICE… NOW!" He shouted.
A/N: Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a review if you'd like to comment on what you thought about this chapter! Be honest! And I don't mind criticizim.