"Abnormal, adj. Not conforming to standard. In matters of thought and conduct, to be independent is to be abnormal, to be abnormal is to be detested." ~ Ambrose Bierce
Welcome (back) to the East Wing Emergency Staircase.
You have been living here for… Well… Not for as long as you can remember.
For a little more than two years of your high school life, you spend a third of your break time holed up here in the cold steel pathway. Surrounded with nothing but a newly-washed yoga mat, a second-hand laptop, a water jug, and a bunch of fiction books, as well as a tiny bin liner for all your snacks. All except the mat can fit in your bag.
You didn't mind the lack of air conditioning since the beige place is facing away from the sun and always shaded by the rust-dusted school roof. Your floor level is high enough to get that barely-fresh breeze blowing in often. The staircase overlooks some of the shiny commercial and residential buildings that pepper the urban life. The stray tuxedo cat is expecting you everyday by now and always relaxes alongside you as you feed her bread. You didn't mind the cat either, she gives relaxing kneads.
Thankfully, no disciplinary committee meeting was being held today. You're already stressed out with the debate activity during English period because some classmate contradicted himself three times over in one go.
Good job getting everyone to save your egotistic hind…
Your little circle of friends decided to keep to themselves today.
Guess that's a plus…! Oh yeah, there's Physical Education after this.
With a slight groan at the reminder, you save your ham and cheese sandwich for later, eat the rest of your snacks right away, and then nap the remaining time off
…
You briefly dreamt of a crow and a raven meeting in a suburban alley. Miraculously being able to understand each other's profuse noises.
You briefly dreamt of the stray tuxedo napping near… A violin? A mended violin to boot. What?
You briefly dreamt of… Rabbits and Fishes? Just how? Why?
…
The echo of a frantic pair of footsteps followed by three pairs of heavy ones slapping against the tread plates making up the staircase disturbed your nap. The ever-increasing thunderous stomping repeatedly snapping you back to reality like Taiko drums.
What.
The.
Fuck?
The nap would've lasted longer, but figuring out whatever the second and third "vision" meant would have given you a more unsettling rest. You prefer to dream of Shub-Niggurath or comic book Sandman, at least you're used to having them visit you in your sleep.
You fully stir yourself awake, surprising the cat massaging your scalp. As you sit upright and peer over the railings, you spot a boy too frail for sports sprinting up the flights of stairs towards your place in stumbling haste, chasing him are three guys-! You actually recognize the buzz cut blonde leading the trio. Your suspicions are confirmed as you hear them call the boy out.
Great… Who is he picking on this time?
You pull out your Nokia camera phone to video five seconds of the noisy and cuss-filled chase as you stand up to stretch your legs. You proceed to take multiple pictures as the boy finally reaches your floor level and registers you. That's when you noticed his eyes-!
Or rather, his scarred right eye kept firmly and forcibly shut. The faded mark of a scuffle is still visible despite his small curtain of black hair hovering over it.
Huh… Well, shit.
If anything, both of you stay surprisingly rooted, you tilt your head like a curious owl while he quakes like a frightful deer. He accidentally drops the eyepatch he's holding as he skittishly sways his body, deciding how to go around you.
You give the signal as you switch to audio recording, "stay behind me."
He stares at you with his other eye for one long inhale before complying. The three chasers finally reached you and stopped in their tracks, the ceasing of metal rattling created an unobtrusive silence. You lowered the phone but didn't stop the recording. You instinctively scrunch your eyebrows as you glare at the leader.
"So… Edward… I guess three detentions isn't enough for you. Maybe it's my turn to file you in. This time for suspension on account of harassing a new student."
You glance back to confirm that you definitely haven't seen the kid before, even if you imagined him without the scar and eyepatch. You've never seen anyone as pale as him, his white onion skin made even more pitiful and ghastly from terror in comparison to the dirty-white polo and black vest (wool? That's rare…) alongside what looks like cargo shorts and black leather shoes-! Kid even has bruises on his shins and knees…
Must be from the difficulty walking and running.
I hear depth perception in a new environment is screwed with only one good eye.
"Shit. It's her," Edward's left accomplice whispers, dark brown mop with brown eyes.
"The one they call 'The Eldritch Bitch' of the disciplinary committee," his right accomplice adds. Light brown eyes and black undercut hair heavily waxed to the back.
You didn't mind the title, you kinda embraced it the more you think about it.
"Don't worry. If it makes you feel any better, a shining example of misconduct is something nobody in your batch has ever tried yet," you threaten.
Edward's sharp sapphire eyes try to shoot you down, "there were papers of that kid's sister who hanged herself four years ago. And now he comes to our school with a scar and an eyepatch? Nobody is buying that he's a fucking weakling! Who knows what shit he's hiding! For all we know, the freak might pull a-!"
"Right… Because a newspaper from four years ago told you to do just that for the purity of the school image… Do you feel better now, noble warrior?" You taunt as you save the audio.
His lackeys stumble back as you take a step forward. Edwards puts up a front, "don't get cocky just because you're a third-year."
"Speak for yourself, second-year. I don't need to be a year older to whoop your ass." you show your phone screen to them to reveal your various proofs of their crime, as they stare at you with wide eyes and beading drops of sweat, you start casually walking down the steps to the first floor.
Edward regains his senses and starts running ahead of you, his lackeys scrambling right behind. You stop halfway down to go back upstairs to your floor level and you see the kid huddled in the corner near the emergency exit door, his gaze intensely on the metal plates, his breathing ragged from running and probably from quivering fear.
You grab the dropped eyepatch and casually walk towards him, you accidentally alert him and he flinches away. Scanning your entire body before realizing it's you. He doesn't relax though.
Whoops… What was it that my big sister used to say about scaredy cats?
Stay within arm's reach
Introduce yourself
Talk about 'the weather'… Whatever that means for her…
You back away a couple of steps, "hey, kid…" You call out, still a tad bit too coarse despite hushing.
He maintains eye contact with you.
You squat to his level, handing out his white eyepatch slowly as you stare into his good eye, shaky midnight black meeting your tired hazel, "my name's Natalia. What's yours?"
He looks away first. Hesitant. Nervous. His eye darted whichever direction first before looking back at you, "S-Sunny…"
"Nice to meet you," you try to give a warm, welcoming smile. Emphasis on try.
You're no longer used to going beyond a smirk, let alone a grin. The Sunny kid definitely picked up on that, he shifts uncomfortably.
You quickly drop the welcoming act and get to the point. Keeping a more neutral and unassuming expression, one that you practiced when being asked by teachers to do them a favor.
"I believe this is yours?"
"Y-Yeah… Thank you."
Sunny dusts the eyepatch a bit before putting it on his right eye again. His breathing steadies a bit before his lips stick together into a straight line.
Alright, so…
Weather… What can I use for the weather…
The stray cat rubs against your maroon rubber shoes.
"Do… You like cats?"
Sunny slowly nods, eyeing the tuxedo cat a little more calmly, his shoulders relaxing a bit.
"Here, you can pet her if you want," you usher her towards Sunny, who already has his hand laid on the floor in front of you.
As the cat sniffs Sunny's hand, he starts gingerly petting her. He seems to know where to pet one properly because the tuxedo cat quickly wraps herself around his hand.
Looks like the strange advice works for strange kids, Sis…
…
Alright, I'm out.
You immediately go back to your yoga mat, checking your phone to see the clock…
Looks like there's not enough time to continue napping.
You instead pull out a book from your bag as you passively eat your ham and cheese sandwich.
I guess I'll just continue Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for now.
Both of you relax for the time being, not minding each other's existence.
…
"You are my creator, but I am your master; Obey!"
You give a short rub to your shoulders to feel goosebumps. Go figure.
Talk about your creation haunting your waking and sleeping life after an omen of a nightmare.
…
The school bell rang.
Five minutes before the next period.
You slid your black bookmark into the page you stopped at before bagging the book.
You nearly forgot that Sunny was across you, because you startled yourself by the time you stood up. The cat thoroughly enjoyed the petting session as Sunny also stood. He stares at you as the cat makes her way downstairs.
Cat must've figured out the routine of the school.
"U-um… Thank you… Very much," he nervously states.
"Just my job," you wave off. Not really out of modesty, though. It's just factual for you as you pat the light blue armband signifying you as a disciplinary committee member.
Too bright of a blue…
You pack up your stuff and gently sling the bag over your shoulder as you roll up the mat and carry it like a rifle. You turn around as your free hand grips the door leading inside the school building.
"So… You're not classmates with them, right?" You finally ask. Sunny confirms it with a nod.
You only hum in acknowledgment before parting ways with a click of the door handle. At the corner of your vision, you catch him staring at the stairs as he stands up, trying what looks like a breathing exercise as he holds onto the railing with both hands before continuing his way down without a hitch. You didn't think much of it as you pulled the door to a close.
It was only after you walked some more and entered your classroom did you allow your mind to wander around.
Sunny… What a mysterious kid.
But you didn't mind it. You become more entertained the more you think about it.
Happy Birthday, Sunny! (And Omori!)