Disclaimer= I do not own Degrassi.
Apologies for not updating at my usual speed. As I said, there will be a few more chapters remaining in this story. A big thank you to Nightcrawlerlover for reviewing. To the 585+ other people that have read Violent thus far, why not read and leave a review this chapter?
There will be more filler (flashbacks ftw) this chapter too. I wrote in the last chapter that Rick has a fear of dying and since I wrote that, it would be a good idea to write how that came about.
He had just gotten past the lake, wasn't even inside the warehouse yet when Rick heard the warning shots. He too had his guns ready to go defend himself against Eli, but he knew it was moot. Since leaving Clare, KC, and Imogen in their wake, Rick had been experiencing those feelings one has when they know their time had been up. He was no slouch, having learned that no matter how many people you are affiliated with, you should never trust anybody, even if they have the best intentions for you. Rick knew this when he came across Eli in the woods all that time ago, taking him under his wing to become a super killer.
Rick was pushed to the ground and kicked by several bullies, smashing his new stylish and expensive glasses. He did not bother to move, taking hit after hit. He did not retaliate, for fear of what might happen.
"So are you just going to stand there and take it, or are you going to fight back?" Now the bullies were throwing rocks and anything else they could grab, which would have included a decaying squirrel on day 2 had it not been for the defiant scream of one kid.
"Pardon my language, but quit being fucking morons and pick on me instead." The bullies turned to see a previous victim that Rick instantly recognized from voice- it was the same kid whom got bullied a years prior the current. He managed to get up and get a good look at the man, who still sported visible scars from his drop from the slide. He was still a kid, but he grew in height, and glared at the bullies, who did not seem impressed.
"Look at this dumbass, he sure can talk tough,"
"Yeah fuck this guy,"
"Oh really? Does picking on a defenseless person make you Neanderthals feel better? Why don't you fight me instead, someone whom you caused forever damage to?" The bullies were too happy to oblige, circling the kid as if he was a defenseless prey. They sensed blood, they wanted to feast- the kid, unbeknownst to them, smelled blood and was mentally licking his fingers.
"Typical retards, always thinking that they can beat people up quickly," the kid said as he snapped his fingers. At that command, around 40 other kids jumped out of nowhere, yelling and talking savagely. They were all with guns and hardware tools- hammers, rusted picks, and axes. They were now circling the bullies that had tormented him and Rick, with a bloodlust that can only described in one word- GO. He told his people to halt and only had a message for them- "this is my first and final warning to you guys... stop bullying. I know each and everyone of you- if you ever bully someone again, I will know and believe me, I will make sure that you suffer." The bullies took the hint and scrammed, causing the kid and his people to scream and holler in victory. Rick was sitting against the tree, too stunned to utter a word.
"Weren't you the same kid whom broke his face a long time ago from those same bullies? What happened to you?"
"Life happened. Through all of that pain, it made me grow up and face reality- those bastards singled me out because I had money. My parents, up until that point, raised me to believe that life was all positive, that nothing bad will ever happen to me. If I really wanted to, I could have done some serious damage to them, maybe even... the point I'm trying to make is you cannot just accept things because of whatever you have done- if you truly feel that someone or something is not right, then fight back with everything that you have, even if the odds are all against you."
"Fight back, even if the odds are all against you... I know understand what he is trying to tell me! Are you listening Eli? You are not going to fucking kill me you rat-faced midget. I know I must face the consequences of letting those people live, but I refuse to die. I will do the time in jail, that I accept. I will not be killed by the likes of you! Show yourself Eli, show yourself!" Eli did not show, causing Rick to light some firecrackers up and toss them in the direction where he thought Eli could be. The nearby trees sparked up as did the shrubbery on the ground, causing an incomplete ring of fire to form. Rick was getting a little concerned- he thought that Eli would for sure show up and they would duke it out or something, but he was nowhere to be seen, and that caused him to call Eli's name out again.
"You are a fucking coward Eli! A f-" Rick could feel a sharp pain spread in his lower back and he went for it to soothe the pain. Are you sure that you want to do that, he was asked.
"Such a coward, how about you show your face Eli and fight me face to face prick?"
"So juvenile you are Richard... Alright, I will do that as you say, "fight face to face' with you." Eli tossed a can and walked through the smokescreen for effect. Rick had his gun ready, ready to obliterate, ready to see brain ooze out and face fall off. Unfortunately, he was too late.
"Too slow Ricky. Click!"
"Click?" Eli pressed a button from a joystick, and out of nowhere, Rick was impaled by a single sharp rod in the chest.
"You fucker..." Rick could not say much more, as the rod sprung claws that dipped in his skin to make its home there. He fell backwards to avoid being impaled further. Now he was on the verge of dying, sight blurring quickly as the moon shone out in the full light. Too weak to grab his gun, Rick just flipped the bird, which was quickly lopped off by the machete. His glasses were thrown off from the force of the rod, discarded to the side of him like nothing. The eyes were closed, the breathing became sporadic, and the footsteps were becoming nearer until a gun was pressed against the right temple of Rick's- Eli was crouched down next to Rick.
"This is ironic Rick- you found me in this position all that time ago, with the chance of finishing me. You didn't though, and karma has followed you until now."
"You are not going to make it." were Rick's final words as Eli pulled the trigger.
Clare could not sleep. It had been almost nine weeks since a gun was pointed at her, nearly ending her life. It was in the heart of the semester at Degrassi Community School, so she could not take a leave of absence. She did see a guidance counselor and a private psychologist the family hired to help her get through the trying time- it worked for the most part. Imogen recovered from her injuries and was seeing the psychologist alongside Clare, although the same cannot be said for KC.
He was in shock not because he was almost killed, but rather his girlfriend Jenna Middleton was slaughtered. The only remaining thing left of her... no, nothing was left; it was all charred. The poor guy cannot even have something to remember her by. KC recovered from his injuries and eventually returned to Degrassi, but he ceased all sports participation. He went to school, had lunch, worked out a little bit, and then went home. Nobody could even get close to him. He only saw a guidance counselor one time per week and was offered by the school for an private psychologist, but he calmly refused.
Depression is one gigantic motherfucker.
KC could not say much else in between puffs of the blunt. No mattered how much he tried to purify, all of his thoughts reeked of marijuana. Due to his mind being currently blocked from the smoke, KC did not notice Imogen walking towards him.
"So this is the world famous Ravine... pretty depressing place." Imogen looked at KC and immediately regretted the words. KC was too stoned to notice and catch the appropriate feelings. He looked at Imogen in his state like a "buddy;" he passed the blunt to Imogen, whom initially waved her hands in rejection.
"I... don't do that anymore."
"So you used to get high as hell?"
"Higher than that. It was a dark period for me. This was a couple of years ago mind you. I had just broken up with my boyfriend and being a girl, I got all moody and de, really really sad. I walked through an alley and saw these girls in leatherjackets. Likely a gang, throwing bottles and slapping each other for the hell of it. Anyays, walked past them and they stop me, talking about if I wanted to get high. I don't do drugs I told them, but they called bullshit on that. Everyone does drugs at some point in their lives they said. Long story short, I smoked two blunts with them and told them my lifestory... pretty stupid huh?"
KC was fiddling with a baggie, which pissed off Imogen because she hated talking to herself. She thought KC was a tall, handsome boy so she let it go with a soft punch in the back. KC claimed that he was listening, explaining that he was trying to get a blunt from his baggie.
"This one is more potent than the one I just smoked- smoke it with me?"
"I told you that I." KC grabbed Imogen's hand and held it for a few seconds that caught the short girl off guard. She saw that he didn't really get expressive since what had happened. The touching of the hand was the first time KC had made intimate contact with a girl in a long time, Imogen assumed since his girlfriend Jenna was slaughtered.
"I'll take that." Imogen snatched the blunt from KC's hand, asked him to scoot and sat next to him on the wood table in the center of the Ravine. They passed it to each other a few times before they really took the time to soak in the euphoria. The emotions were still raw from the events of a few months ago, so they did not get all hyped up or anything- they merely touched shoulders as both sighed as smoke exited their respective mouths.
"She's fucking gone." This is the depression that KC felt that Imogen will witness. He did not want to cry in front of her, so he just merely shook his head, looked around pretending that the high was still at its peak, and walked around the table. Imogen... what could she say that would be of comfort?
"You're really lost right now aren't you?"
"Do you have someone that you loved that got murdered? Would you not be how I am right now, wondering why in the fuck the higher powers hate you so fucking much? I had a rough childhood- my mom was hooked on drugs, and I was a violent kid- a very violent kid. Beat people up and everything like it was nothing. I have been lost since the day I exited my mom's womb."
"I don't fucking know what to do with myself. I got to Degrassi because my people said it was a good school. Went there first year and fell in love with Clare Edwards,"
"Are you talking about the,"
"Yes the same one that almost died with us that night. She was really mean to me at first when she gave me a tour of the school, really defiant and stuff. I got her to open up, and she was just... I can't even put it into words what I felt for that girl... and then Jenna came along the next semester and she pursued me, and I caved."
"You cheated on Clare?" KC shook his head, telling Imogen that it was his old basketball coach that persuaded him to dump Clare.
"You heard about the pervert Coach?"
"Everyone did, you actually listened to that guy?"
"It was a stupid move on my part. Clare was taking it slow and steady- a pace that I should've been cool with but no, I opted for the hot blonde cheerleader... who was slaughtered."
"KC..." Imogen really did not know what to do, so she just rested her head on KC's shoulder, an action he seemed to be receptive to. His eyes were moist as he rubbed them with both fists. He didn't really care at this point whether or not the girl next to him comforted him, but Imogen asked that he rested his head on her lap. She eased him into it and begun to scratch the back of his head.
"I'm so sorry about what happened to Jenna. I know that the grief must be overwhelming for you... I don't know of any other way to comfort you besides scratching you head. It relieves stress, and guys really like when girls do this."
"Thanks." KC felt one of those annoying itches creep up behind his neck and wanted to scratch it, but his long arms were being uncooperative. Imogen went and did the scratching for him, much to the appreciation of KC. He was going to turn and face her to say thank you when his phone buzzed. Clare sent him an angry text message.
Where have you been?
The next chapter's beginning will be centered around Clare. Then it will turn to Eli and him offing more people. I said that there will be a couple of more chapters; however, it is looking like the next one might be the final one for Violent. I sometimes do the Extra Chapter in my Degrassi fics- I will consider that possibility as I write Chapter 9. Let me know what you think of my story in your review.
