The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High

Chappy Thirty Five: On the Other Side; Part ONE

He, like Linda, had been born into The Order, even though it was around this time that the cult had suffered several losses, including those of Dahlia Gillespie and James "Jimmy" Stone. Despite being on shaky grounds, The Order sustained itself for nearly two more decades before falling into ruin. Of course, it was not truly dead, but having lost almost all organization, its followers spread apart... Robert Langer was one such follower.

Langer led a double-life, being a faithful follower of the Valtiel sect. of The Order, but also being a proficeint business man in the public. He co-founded the Langer Corporation with the late Grant Williams, and managed to keep it up for another few years before its eminent fall. After that he crept away into the shadows, having been severely burned in a fire that occured at his home in the small town of Brahms. It was during the following years that he put his three apprentices through an intense educational system, where they learned of The Order and its ways. Because of this advanced method, they learned things at a much faster pace than regular children who would be sent to the Wish House, and therefore became well seeped into their religion at a young age. They matured over time, developing different views on different things. One such follower formed doubt deep within him.

Abraham Jackson had never been talkative, much more content with remaining in the backdrop of things. His persona attracted Linda, a fellow apprentice, as they grew older, and they were around the same age, so it was only natural. Their relationship never fully became reality, however, due to several things. nd then, of course, was Lucas Schreiber. How Lucas ended up in the hands of Robert Langer is a mystery, despite the fact that he had living relatives at the time of birth that could have taken him in. But he was nothing more than a helpless orphan, a perfect canidate for being part of The Order...

Abraham had never held much of a liking for Lucas, but he never showed it. He respected him, even became a friend, of course, he hardly had a choice. You didn't have many friends when you lived such a sheltered live such as he did. Yet one day, in particular, caused Abraham to see that there was something wrong with Lucas. Something that hadn't existed when he was born, but had somehow been brought upon either willingly or by force.

The day had been a still one, with the weather fair and the sky packed to the rim with gray clouds. He was fourteen at the time; Lucas had been fifteen...

Their residence was on the outskirts of Brahms, a small wooden house that was barely fit to contain four people. Lucas and Linda were walking around the field a ways behind the house, heading towards a large, dead tree.

"Say, Lucas, do you ever... oh, I don't know, think about Heaven?" The boy looked up, shaken out of his thoughts. He eyed Linda strangely, furrowing his brow. "Heaven? What about Paradise?"

"Aren't they the same thing? I mean, that's what Robert always said."

"Don't listen to him," said Lucas suddenly, popping his hand into his jean pocket. "He's just an eccentric old man who likes to hear his own voice. It's not like anything he ever says will help us in the real world."

Linda leaned against the tree upon reaching it, her blonde curls swying in the breeze. Her eyes widened at him. "Why do you say that? Once the Crimson Paragraph is-,"

"Screw the Crimson Paragraph," shot Lucas as he clenched his right hand tightly. "That's all he ever talks about, and I'm getting sick of hearing about it all the time."

"...I guess..." Linda remarked softly, and closed her eyes. Lucas squeezed the bridge of his nose. "I'm... I'm sorry. Forget what I said."

He turned to see Abraham coming towards them from the house. His expression, like always, was rather solemn. Lucas's face twisted into crooked grin. "Hey, Abe, just get back?" he asked with something of a snide.

"...Yeah," replied the younger boy as he looked up at them. Linda smiled at him when his gaze landed on her, but Lucas took a deep breath.

"So, what went on at the doctor's? What's the deal?"

"Nothing. Just a check-up."

"Sure. Really, are you okay, what-,"

"I'm fine, Luke, it's nothing you should worry about," replied Abraham somewhat forcefully. Lucas frowned. Linda was quiet, watching them intently.

"I'm just trying to look out for you, man," said Lucas. "There's something wrong, isn't there? You can tell me, you can tell Linda. Come on, we're your friends."

Abraham just stared at him, grimacing. "...All I wanted to do was let you guys know I was back, that's it." He turned to walk away, but Lucas grasped his arm roughly. Linda slowly moved away from the tree, noticing that there was a flicker in Lucas's eyes. He smirked, the slightest hint of red in his irises.

"Abraham... What about Linda? Will you tell her? Will you?" he snarled while pulling the other boy, but he shook him off.

"It's not your problem, and Linda isn't the one on my case, is she?"

"So now I'm on your case, am I?" asked Lucas with a laugh. "I told you-,"

"Just lay off," said Abraham as he tried to walk away once more, but again the older boy grabbed at him.

"Abraham-,"

"I said, lay off!" exclaimed Abraham as he suddenly slammed his fist into Lucas's stomach, knocking the wind out of him and sending him back. Linda gasped, startled, covering her mouth in shock. Lucas backed up against the tree, a sadistic grin forming on his face. He reached for a rather large stone nearby and snatched it up, approaching Abraham from behind as the other boy walked off.

"Lucas, no!" screamed Linda, causing Abraham to spin around. And, in a flash, Lucas swung the stone at him and clubbed him in the face, a jagged edge of the rock catching him right below the eye. He went down in a flash, hitting the grass. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Linda rushed over to him, glaring at the attacker. "What's wrong with you, Lucas? Why did you do that?" she shouted at him while trying to assist Abraham, but the boy motioned with his arm to stay away.

"I... I don't know..." stammered Lucas, the stone falling from his hand. "Oh my God... Abe, I'm sorry, I didn't mean... I just... I don't..."

"Just be quiet, Lucas," yelled Linda while the younger boy got to his feet. Linda approached him, but he shooed her away. "Abraham, I'm trying to help you, why-,"

"...I don't need your help," he said, gingerly touching the bloody cut under his right eye. They stood there in silence, Lucas glancing at both of them.

"Abraham, I-,"

"They found something wrong with me, Luke," he stated slowly, looking upwards. "Not sure what it is yet, so I'll have to go back later... They said they think it's my heart, though... Are you happy?" he demanded, glancing at him sideways before going on his way like had been doing.

---

Abraham Jackson awoke with a start, the memory subsiding. He calmed down, remembering that he was at a bus stop. His hand rose unknowingly to touch the scar, and he sighed. 'Dammit, Luke... it has to have gotten worse... it's been nearly fourteen years...'.

A city bus pulled up, and Abraham went over to board it.

---

Joshua was in something of a haze as he practically fell to the lunch table. Christian took a seat opposite to him, and Faith sat beside him. "Hey, don't you think it's kind of a cowinkydinky that I have, like every class with you, Josh?" she questioned excitedly.

"Yeah, real big cowinkydinky..." he responded, glaring at her as Nicole approached.

"Erm, hey guys," she greeted nervously while sitting down. Joshua nodded hi, and Faith beamed.

"Hello!" she said loudly. "I'm Faith! You?"

"Nicole Sunderland," replied the blonde meekly. "Are you new?"

"Yeah, but Joshua here's been giving me a good tour of the school. Turns out we have, like, every class together!"

"...She kids you not," commented Joshua, who rested his head on his better hand. Nicole giggled a bit, but glanced at the small scar on his cheek.

"How'd that happen, Josh?"

"...What? Oh, little kitty from Hell got me."

"Kitten?"

"Yeah," said Faith as she brought out the cat and set it on the lunch table. Nicole lit up.

"Oh, look at him! He's so cute! No one bothered you about him though?"

"Nah."

Christian smiled softly at the kitten, looking up from it at Nicole. He blinked. That sensation again. That feeling of something gripping at his brain and wracking it around his skull. He closed his eyes, a brief flash of red crossing his mind. "Hey, Chris, have you seen Myron around?" asked Joshua. Christian winced, shaking his head.

"No, I haven't seen him... Uh, Josh, can I talk to you... in private?" The brunet gazed around, shrugging.

"Sure, I guess. We could go outside," he suggested.

"Yeah, that's fine."

They stepped out of the cafeteria and into the outdoor area that led from there. Rather large metal fences enclosed the place, and a few students were dawdling around. School banners ruffled in the wind, and various trash items were scattered around. Joshua and Christian stood around the small balcony segment, frost glued to the edge of the railings. The blond boy rested against them, looking down the short distance to the grass below. Joshua put his hands away in his jacket pockets, blowing some air outand watching it float up.

"Kind of chilly, eh?" he inquired. Christian nodded, snorting. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Just some stuff that's been on mind. You and Nicole are the only people I feel comfortable talking about it with." He sighed. "Ms. Mason told me, when we were at the hospital, that I had been asleep nearly the whole time, but... I know she held something back. She knows about what that cult, The Order, was trying to accomplish, but she didn't even mention it..."

"Could be something she just doesn't feel right talking about," said Joshua with certainty. He seemed to wonder about something else, but focused back on the subject at hand. "And? What about it? Aren't those cultists done away with?"

"I suppose so, but... I feel like it's my right to know... you understand?"

"I hear you. But, I mean, some things are better left not known about."

"...But I think it's too late..." he murmured, looking at the door. "Well, it's just that there's something else about that..." Christian lifted up his sleeve, revealing the 'Halo of the Sun' symbol on his forearm.

Joshua cocked an eyebrow up. "What the hell?"

"I didn't do it myself, in case you're wondering," informed Christian. "I'm not sure if it's some sideaffect of whatever they did, but it burns whenever I'm near Ms. Mason. And... I recall I was dreaming of something when I was "asleep"..."

"Dreaming...? About what?" questioned Joshua, his eyes not leaving the mark.

"I wish I could remember. It's all hazy, though I know I saw a man... I think his name was... Harry, or something like that. And there was also this girl... named... Alessa..."

Joshua shrugged, folding his arms. "I think something's clear, and that's that you need to see Ms. Mason about this."

"I know, I know. I can't see her right now though, I know she's not going to want to discuss it..."

"Well, how about after school? I'll even go with you. Never been to her apartment anyway..."

"Hmm... That should be fine," Christian said in a slightly optimistic tone. However, an inkling was apparent in the back of his mind, red invading his eyes for a short second.

---

Zeik scratched his upper lip, looking outside the window. "So... what exactly is a pretty little lass like you do out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"Visiting some relatives, that's all. You have any family here? Well, stupid question; you look like the dumb shit who just wanders around."

"Such vulgar language," remarked Zeik with a sneer. Laura glared at him.

"So, do you?"

"I don't know. No immediate ones, if that's what you mean."

She shrugged. "To be honest, I'm still suffering from a little hangover, you know?" Zeik chuckled.

"Oh yeah, I know..." he replied, a rather fond memory floating back up to the surface of his mind. It must've been a year ago, around the time his sister had passed away. Was it April? No, it was May. Sweet, sweet May. The weather had been absolutely perfect on the day of her funeral, at least he thought it had been. Maybe his brain was lying to him, improvising. That day was nice too, when he'd gotten drunk after planting that bomb in that Happy Burger restroom. They referred to him as the "HBRB", the "Happy Burger Restroom Bomber", although he only did it twice. He got a tad crazy whenever the anniversary of Nancy's death came around.

"Music?" asked Laura, disregarding any answer he would've given by switching the radio on. Heavy metal exoploded from the speakers, making Zeik twitch and squirm. He quickly turned it, smiling when the music became the serene symphony of an orchestra.

"Ah, much better," he stated, but she changed it back to its previous station. Zeik scowled and changed it once again. This repeated itself several times before Laura turned the radio off.

"Fine, no music."

Zeik scratched hisear. "Okay."