“I’m very lucky to have him in my life.” I smiled.
“We all are,” she agreed.
“Thanks,” I said growing shy.
“How is Frank doing lately?” she asked, and I felt my body tense up. It was a simple question and I didn’t know how to answer it. I felt buried.
“He’s good.”
~Believe: The Bravery~
I spent just a few more minutes in the front office before heading back home. At the last second though, my curiosity got the best of me and I decided to take one final lap around the school. I should have just left. As I made my way through the empty hallways of the main building, I lost track of time. The school bell buzzed and the hallways flooded with students. I was barraged with questions. Mostly about my death. Some about Devon’s disappearance. Just when I finally couldn’t take another rumor filled question…someone crossed the line.
“So, is the baby yours or Devon’s?” the rude kid asked with no hesitation. I wanted to throttle him. Heat rolled over my chest, making me a statue of discomfort. When I didn’t respond he pushed even harder.
“It must have sucked that Sam had to miss her graduation because she was knocked up. What a bummer!” he spoke. I saw red and pushed past him with more force than I should have.
“Mahalo idiot,” I grumbled without sympathy. I walked past everyone else too as the second bell rang and they all moved onto their next classes. When I finally stopped walking I found myself in a very familiar place.
“Our bench,” I whispered, looking at the worn lunch table we used everyday during breaks. It was still snugly shadowed by a large tree behind it. I stepped up to it and ran my steaming hand along its dirty top. I quickly sat down on the table face like I had done so many times before. My guitar slid into its usual place, also my hands.
“I can’t believe I actually missed this,” I said surprised. I glanced around the courtyard, remembering every moment like it was yesterday. Flirting with Sam. Fighting with Sam. Playing music for Sam. Hiding from Sam.
My hands automatically started strumming the strings along my black guitar. First soft and slow. Then, before I knew it, I was playing and singing as if we were putting on one of our famous lunchtime concerts. The warm island air slid through the courtyard as my voice echoed slightly from one end to the other. It felt so good to be here again. If only I had my best buddy Kai next to me. I missed his laugh and continued singing. I was halfway through my second song when I was shocked into silence.
“Valentine,” a nervous voice chuckled. In front of me stood the Hansen boys. Eddie and Alex looked like bookends with a purpose.
“Long time no see Eddie, Alex,” I greeted them back. My guard went up quickly. I slowly slid my guitar behind my back and stood up. They both took a nervous step back and looked at each other.
“May I help you two?” I asked, with a false tone in my throat. I could see that they still feared me. I couldn’t really blame them though. I hurt them quite badly the last time they stood this close to me. They still had the battle scars along their arms where I had burned them. My face filled with a crooked smile, brought on by my infamous temper. As my eyes found those wounds they grew angry.
“You don’t belong here Max. Not anymore,” Alex warned.
“Not anymore,” Eddie backed up his twin. I almost laughed at how ridiculous they sounded.
“Are you two the hall monitors now? Man, how you two have fallen without your fearless leader.” I pushed again. They stiffened with anger.
“We know what you did. We know what she did,” Alex said coldly.
“You can’t hide the truth much longer Max,” Eddie threatened. In their eyes I could see that they knew the truth that Devon was not missing but dead. I wondered how’d they come across that information. Asia, Frank and I were the only ones who knew the whole truth. Something wasn’t adding up.
“And what exactly do you two think you know?” I shouldn’t have asked. I should have just left. They looked at each other and then back to me with evil little smiles.
“That paybacks a bitch!” Alex laughed. I filled with rage.
“Is that so? Are you two this so called payback?” I stepped closer to them. They both began to retreat with widening smiles.
“Soon,” Eddie warned.
“Ya, soon,”Alex repeated.
“Why wait? Let’s do this now!” I roared. I couldn’t believe how quickly they pushed my buttons. I was already overflowing with anger. It took everything I had not to ignite into flames.
“Come on!” I screamed. They sped up their retreat.
“Not us Valentine!” Alex called back to me.
“But you’ll wish it was us when all is said and done!” Eddie finished and then disappeared around the corner. Alex followed too. I was burning up now. Steam had begun twisting off my chest and shoulders. I quickly pushed myself around the same corner and found the twins gone. I stood, catching my breath and staring down an empty hallway. I felt stupid that they had gotten the best of my temper.
“Good times,” I huffed. What did they mean? I felt the world’s weight become unbearable upon my shoulders. I needed a break from this life. I needed a fresh start. I think I needed…help.
I gathered the rest of my things and sulked my way off campus. In my misery I didn’t even notice the dark truck and spying eyes behind its tinted windows. I drove off, oblivious to the truth.
I was being followed.
Escape - 14
~All Fall Down: OneRepublic~
11:14 a.m.
My soul hurt. My bones were sore and bruised. I felt exhausted from this morning, but I still pushed myself to continue the day with a smile, even if it was just a small one. Uncle Frank’s advice was sobering. Asia’s absence was numbing. Sam’s presence was confusing. Kai’s anger was disheartening. I could still see the anger in his eyes from behind his car’s steering wheel. His attack hurt me something awful, but I think most of the damage was emotional.
“Beautiful,” I whispered out loud. I stretched my cramping back and inhaled the new morning air. From the top of this familiar mountain overlook, I felt the weight of the world slip a little. It had taken just under an hour to hike to this sacred place. The very same place Asia and I had shared our secrets together. The same overlook she threw Devon over in a fit of dying rage.
“Just breathe,” I inhaled. From this altitude the sun’s rays soothed me as I let the surrounding scenery finally fill my mind. It looked exactly how I remembered, just a little duller without all of Asia’s beauty. The lush vegetation still surrounded most of this hideaway, except for the edge of the lookout where volcanic rocks held court over the blue ocean below it. The sounds of crashing waves against the rock walls below hypnotized me a little. I inhaled a long breath, hoping to fill my sore lungs with Asia’s familiar scent. I was disappointed to find only the smell of the nearby ocean. That should have been enough in this paradise, but I think I had become jaded by just how wonderful Asia’s floral scent was. I missed her cherry blossoms.
“Time to reset,” I mumbled and pulled my guitar to my chest. Another 1000 pounds of stress fell away as I struck my first chord. My therapy seemed to be working. As comfortable as I was starting to feel though, something seemed off. I felt like I was being watched. Just like the night when Sam and Kai came over. I tightened my grip around my guitar and strummed a staggered chord.
“Music is life,” I sang. My ribs ached as I did. I spent the next hour sulking as I played my acoustic guitar and sang for the surrounding nature. It had been so long since I had a moment like this. Alone with just my music and my dreams. My thoughts and I meditated about the new drama I was lost in.
I was a dad. I had no idea how to be one or even where to start. I couldn’t seem to control my own life. All I knew for certain was that I already loved Madi more than anything ever before. I had to be in her life…somehow. My feelings for Sam were out of control now, and just the thought of seeing her again made my heart race with anticipation.
To make things worse…I still missed Asia something awful. Her stunning blue eyes were never far from my thoughts. It occurred to me that I was trapped in the same emotional dance I was in over a year ago. How could two different girls twist me up so badly?
Then there was the fact that Sam had found my mother. The one missing piece in my own personal puzzle. My mom left me at the most fragile moment of my life…Mia’s accidental death. She blamed me for it. My baby sister died, covered in my flames, and she hated me because of it. Why would I want to see her again after that betrayal? Sam thought differently though. She knew I needed my mother. Maybe not at the time she gave me the envelope, but one day. I had no idea what to do with this new information. The only thing I was sure of was that this new twist scared the hell out of me.
“What the…” The corner of my eye caught something flickering down the hill. It was just on the outskirts of the vegetation. Flickering was the wrong word to describe it. It seemed more like a flash. My fear swelled up inside my throat as I stood and quietly slid my guitar around my back. Maybe I was just seeing things?
“It can’t be,” I said. Another flash quickly snapped through the island air. It looked exactly like the one from the other night. The flash I kept dreaming about. Who would be spying on me? Why would anyone want to? My hands heated, instantly on the cusp of igniting. They found my face and formed the shape of a fist before my eyes. Waves of heat swirled into the air, blurring my view for the moment. That’s when the thought hit me for the first time; it almost choked me. I wasn’t a secret anymore.
Just before I stepped toward the brush another sound distracted me. It was ominous and unmistakable. The sound of someone slicing the tires on my uncle’s truck. The tires on it weren’t your average brand either. They would take some extra effort to pop them so easily.
“No!” I started to run back down the hill to where I parked the truck. Steam whirled from my burning hands as I made my way. It took almost an hour to hike up its winding trail but I seemed to make it back down in a matter of minutes. The flash from the brush would have to wait. I was sure they were related in some way. I was right.
“Mr. Valentine,” a large man with long, black hair pulled into a ponytail said. I stopped my approach as soon as I saw him. He was tall and dark with a crocodile grin. His glare focused through mine. In his hand was a large knife; like a small machete. He gently flicked the shiny blade against his exposed thigh, just below the cutoff of his shorts. Two other men came from the back of my truck and positioned themselves on both sides of the man. They were both islanders. Both heavy set and covered in black and blue tribal tattoos. They didn’t smile at all, only clenched their teeth together with giant fists at their sides.
“May I help you?” I said sarcastic. My anger was beginning to take over as the sight of the truck with four flat tires settled into my head.
“We’re here for the truck,” the lead man grumbled. He twisted the knife in his hand before sliding it into his belt loop. All three men started to position themselves around me, about twenty feet out. This was obviously not about the truck. So why would they make up such a stupid lie when it was obvious they had ulterior motives.
“Is that so?” I snapped.
“Yes,” he said like a snake. They had now completely surrounded me. The familiar clicking sound of a camera’s shutter came from the nearby bushes. I started to smoke. I would have to deal with that later though. My eyes stayed focus on the giant behemoth in front of me. The two other men started slapping their arms along their chests in some weird tribal show of force. Thwack! Thwack! They taunted me and I grew even hotter. The fire felt good underneath my skin.
“That’s funny, it’s going to be a bitch getting that truck off this mountain with no tires,” I said with growing venom. The big guy began to puff up like a blowfish.
“We’ll figure it out,” he smiled, looking at his partners. Fat crusty fingers curled up as they popped their knuckles in unison. I flipped my bangs from my eyes with a step forward.
“Something tells me you three aren’t too familiar with my temper…”
“Never heard of you man,” he gloated. I could see he was lying.
“Bad news for you,” I grinned. He returned the sentiment and lowered his brow.
~Panic Switch: Silversun Pickups~
The heat I was generating made my back feel better as a couple bones cracked themselves into place. I tilted my head with a smile and balled up my fists. I was ready for the worst. They attacked me without hesitation. The two islanders rushed at me from both sides. For their size they moved quick and sharp. Dripping fire fell away from my hands and my shoulders growled in a blaze. I waited for them to back up in terror but they didn't. They seemed to want me to power towards them. This confused me for a second. That was my first mistake.
"Get him!" the heavier set man said to his counterpart. I shifted my stance as he directed his friend. When I was only inches away from sending my burning flesh into his chest, they both turned and ran.
"Hey!" I screamed at them confused. Mistakenly I had taken my eye off the real threat. That's when I felt the first shocking pain travel into my neck and down through my ribs. I tried to turn around when the second bolt of pain hit my still breaking back.
"Ugh!" I cringed. The pain was torture. Everywhere around me my fire crackled and choked.
"Settle down Valentine," the first thug ordered. He knew my name and I froze from the thought. I barely heard him over the buzzing in my ears. I slowly followed the sound to its source. A blazing little stun gun. It crackled to life again just before my eyes. Behind the pulsing current I watched as this bastard’s face filled with delight.
"Damn you!" I cursed. My back lost all its feeling just before my inner inferno took over. I ignited all over in a suit of flames. My guitar flew from my back and into the brush. Flames of orange and black pushed themselves out at least twenty feet in all directions. The two thugs fell to the ground as their faces were instantly burned. They covered themselves as they screamed. Their leader fell to the ground, startled by just how hot the flames were, but he still managed to keep his calm. From the dirt, he reached out and jammed the stun gun into my right leg, just above my ankle.
"Uh oh," I gasped as my lower body went completely numb. My surprised flames flickered back and forth until they disappeared. I fell to the ground with trails of smoke twisting from my shoulders.
"We got him," one of them chuckled. I couldn't tell which one said it. My head was spinning too badly. I tightly squeezed together my eyelids and pushed with all the might I had left. Flames exploded from me again, scaring them to the ground once more. Another jolt of electricity hit me and the fire receded even faster this time. I was close to blacking out. The darkness loomed above me like a monster. Light faded when I heard the first guy say something very troubling.
"Holy crap! It's working! She was right," he laughed, as he stood up.
"Our boss is going to be very happy!" another said.
"Lets see how much more he can take," the other added. I groaned from the ground, unable to feel my fire anymore. Even as I started to blackout I couldn't stop thinking about what they had said. As their shadows fell over the top of me I gritted my teeth together, unable to move, and waited for the worst.
But the next wave of pain never came. No electric fire, no mind numbing pain. Instead, the high pitch squeal of one of the men pulled my squinting eyes open. That squeal was followed by another very familiar sound. The unmistakable ping of an aluminum baseball bat against something solid. I knew that sound well.
"You want some too bro!" Kai’s voice screamed from over the top of me. Ting! Ting! His arms swung away at the thugs. My eyes blurred from the ground.
"Kai?"
"Home run!" he bellowed, as he connected with the big leader of the gang. He dropped the taser to the ground as he fell, unconscious. His muscular body toppled over right next to me. I tried to get to my feet that were finally tingling again with the slightest of feeling
.
I stumbled along as Kai kept swinging away. One of the islanders slowly got to his feet as Kai celebrated his last home run. The goon managed to find the giant knife from earlier and slowly inched his way toward Kai.
"Kai!" I stuttered and slammed my hand into the ground violently. A wall of white and yellow flames sliced through the ground, scorching the earth as they did. They popped and fizzed with heat. Within a matter of seconds, the flames slithered their way in between Kai and his attacker. It burned the thug, making him drop the knife and singed Kai’s hair in the process. He shot me a surprised glance. The wall of fire reached higher into the sky, separating the two men.
"Kai, you ready?" I called over the crackling flames. He searched my eyes for a moment. His eyes swelled in confusion and then slowly understanding washed over them. He nodded to me with an evil smile along his tightened lips. I dropped the flames so quickly the thug never knew what hit him. Kai swung away, knocking him unconscious with a mighty ping.
"Ha! You sons of a…" he called out. As he leaned onto his legs with his tired arms, he drew in a long breath. He extended his hand to help me to my feet. I shook the extra heat from my hand to cool it off in the breeze and grasped his sweaty palm. He pulled me to my shaky feet when the far off brush parted and a sleek black SUV barreled out of it. We barely had time to react.
"Max look out!" he shoved me to the side as the truck slid next to us, almost running us over. A door flew open and two Asian men jumped out wearing black gloves and dark glasses. They picked up what was left of the thugs quickly and without a word. One of the islanders was well enough to jump in the truck by himself.
"Oh, I got enough for you too!" Kai screamed and started smashing the baseball bat into the side of the vehicle. As the crew all slid into the truck and slammed the doors behind them, the driver’s side window exploded in a thousand shards of glass as the bat smashed into it. Behind the wheel was a thin man who wore a camera around his neck and a wry smile. His eyes were hidden behind a thick pair of sunglasses as shiny as a mirror.
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