by Leon Logos
She reached her room and shut the door behind her, locking it as a precautionary measure. Serenity had too much experience with Cackle’s cruel, agitating pranks to do so otherwise. The memory of her brother dumping a box of tarantulas onto her while she was asleep was perennially engraved in her memory, and that prank wasn’t even the worst… Serenity took a bath first before anything else. Washing was necessary after every mission; this required no explanation or reasoning.
After changing into more suitable clothing for sleep, she then tucked herself into her bed covers, turning off the light. Although her body was weary, her mind was awake. Through the walls, she could hear the muffled voices of the brothers shouting in the adjacent rooms. However, they couldn’t distract her thoughts. The feeling of being eyed intensely by Gunther as she walked out of the conference room did not stray from her mind; it prompted her to think; did he know of her mistake? That she performed poorly? This wasn’t the first time the theory that Gunther could read minds crossed her head; it was something about those dead eyes that made her feel like he was staring into the recesses of her soul, shedding light on all her innermost, unconscious, darkest thoughts and secrets.; which was primarily the reason why she tried her best to refrain from lying to him. Gunther could detect dishonesty and disingenuousness. She rolled over to her side, closing her eyes and ignoring the loud bang that had just come from the room next door. She didn’t feel like eating dinner. A heater whooshed into life, droning distinctly downstairs. The sound was strangely soporific, prompting her slumber.
“FASTER!” Desmos barked. “QUIT SLACKING!”
Serenity panted heavily, coughing and spluttering. She came to a complete halt, dropping to her knees. She wiped her brow of sweat and attempted to stabilize her breathing rate. There was no way she could move another inch, not without at least a minute of rest. They were training at the crack of dawn the following day. When she and the brothers weren’t working, they were training, which meant no days off. They were currently running suicides with 50lb weighted vests, under a thirty-minute time limit. She had lost count of how many sets she had done, though it was clear that the brothers had done twice as many already. They were casually speeding past her, making her appear more of a weakling. Desmos, who was overseeing the training, as usual, took notice of Serenity and stomped his foot.
“Get up!” he yelled. Serenity shook her head despairingly.
Not once in her life had she fully managed to complete a training session efficiently. She had her limits, and the training exercises they practiced simply surpassed her limits. It was always too difficult, yet she was always subjected to participate. Despite the years of experience, it only got slightly easier; hence, further corroboration of her status as a “weakling.” The soil was rugged and dry, staining her from top to bottom. Desmos swore under his breath and walked over to her. With one hand, he pulled her up roughly. As she struggled to stand, her knees wobbled under the weight of the vest and the limits of her endurance.
“Get moving, or else you’ll be running laps continuously until sundown,” Desmos warned, his overbearing demeanor analogous to a drill instructor.
He looked her in the eye when he spoke; Serenity returned the eye contact, frowning. Taking a massive breath, she continued to sprint as Kyler outran her for the twentieth time. The other brothers were competing to see who could complete the most sets in the half-an-hour duration. It was always like this, and not just in suicides, but overall training. Kyler usually was the fastest when it came to running suicides, but there were factors; for instance, Garen, who further displayed his strength by wearing a 100lb vest, wasn’t exactly racing. He most likely would’ve been the best in suicide-running if he ditched the 100lb vest and replaced it with an ordinary 50lb vest. Five minutes before time expired, Serenity collapsed once again. But this time, she did not get up. She stayed on the ground, her body dead. Desmos’s screams were futile; she couldn’t stand up even if she wanted to.
“Time’s up!” Desmos roared. “Let’s take a five-minute break.”
Cackle removed his vest slowly and dropped flat onto his back, his chest heaving up and down.
“Desmos,” he exhaled, “remind me again why you weren’t running with us?”
“I need to conserve my energy for something else…something not so trivial like suicides,” Desmos said flatly, his arms folded.
“I hope it kills you,” Cackle wheezed.
He was never very proficient in the cardio-related activity.
Serenity also lay spread-eagled on her back, staring at the glowing sky embellished by the radiant sun that sent shimmering rays down upon her. She blinked, absorbing the sun’s warmth and attempting to utilize them for convalescence. Desmos had given up on her for the last five minutes and had continued to supervise the others. He was accustomed to Serenity’s flaws as much as she was herself.
“Wait… who won, then?” Agno asked, moving his blonde bangs from his sweaty forehead.
Kyler raised two fingers in a perfunctory manner, reflecting the effortlessness of his victory.
“What a surprise,” Agno murmured sarcastically.
“What’s next, shooting?” Garen asked, his stamina already restored.
“Not so sure,” Desmos said tonelessly, eyeing her. “How about we let Serenity choose?”
Serenity turned her head. She looked at Desmos dubiously, not eager to find out what he was planning to do with her. She summoned the little strength she could muster to sit upright. Her legs were sore beyond the word’s comprehension.
“How about we do breakfast next? Serenity said spitefully.
She regretted it immediately.
Five minutes later, she was stuck at the bottom of a twelve-foot hole the brothers had been digging for months since their arrival. Desmos had dropped her here forcefully, scowling, “Breakfast is waiting for you, but you might need to get back to ground-level first.” Serenity always wondered what they were digging the hole for, but never questioned it.
“DESMOS! Let me out of here; this is impossible!” she cried.
However, her voice reached nothing but thin air. It was extremely dark down here. She heard the distinct sounds of gunshots as the brothers commenced target practice. Groaning in frustration, she kicked the dirt indignantly. The hole was rugged but almost perfectly vertical, making it impossible for her to climb. She made a weak attempt at it but didn’t even make it up two feet.
Hours passed by before she even saw anybody again. She was crouched against the corner, head in her arms, arms resting on her knees. Then she heard footsteps pressing against the dirt, growing louder. Tiny pebbles tumbled over the edge of the hole as a silhouette stopped and gazed down at her. She squinted, taking a moment before discerning who it was: Kyler. He stared blankly down at her, sweating from head-to-toe.
“If you’re not gonna help, just leave,” Serenity said gloomily.
“Why are you still there?” he asked, bewildered.
“Seriously? I don’t want to hear any jokes, okay?”
“No, seriously. I think even you’re capable of climbing out of there. It’s not difficult.”
“I don’t think you fully understand the extent of my capabilities,” Serenity said doubtfully.
“I do. We all do,” Kyler replied. “You’re just not motivated; you probably gave only one attempt and just quit.”
“Pretty much…”
“So, try again. Use the roots as handholds and just climb out.”
“Forget it,” Serenity said stubbornly. “Just bring a rope or even a ladder. Please.”
“We’re finished with the morning sessions. Hurry up, and then you can eat,” Kyler said firmly.
She watched him vanish out of her sight, glumly. Her only hope of escape was gone. But his words impacted her; she gazed at the roots determinedly. Fed up with being a wimp, she jumped to her feet and started to climb. It took about ten attempts, but each attempt was progressively an improvement. In no time, she had climbed the entire tw
elve feet, reaching the edge of the hole. She hoisted herself up onto the ground, panting.
The kitchen and dining table was busy, occupied by everybody except Gunther, who was out. When she stepped foot into the dining table with her plate, Garen, Agno, and Cackle stared at her in disbelief.
“There’s no way,” Garen said, dumbfounded.
“Somebody cheated,” Agno said confidently.
Cackle didn’t say a word.
She took an empty seat, across from Kyler, who wasn’t surprised to see her. There was a very slight hint of astonishment on Desmos’s face, but he was mostly nonchalant at her appearance.
“You’re going to eat all filthy like that?” he said, reserved.
“I washed my hands,” Serenity replied sourly.
She immediately got started on her bacon and eggs, starved since 7:00 AM. Eating after and not before training was miserable.
“We’re skipping afternoon training today,” Desmos announced, to her delight. “Unfortunately, we start school tomorrow. Take advantage and rest up. It’s going to be an irritating few months.”
“What about supplies?” Serenity asked.
“We won’t be staying that long, there’s really no point,” said Desmos.
“There’s also no point in spending the entire time in detention,” Agno said reasonably.
There was a pause as Desmos made his decision.
“Fine. In an hour or two, go into town and get what you need. Enough for at least three months.”
Three months. So that was how long they were staying this time. The longest Serenity had remained at a school was seven months; she had never completed an entire school year in her life. This was why she struggled to make friends. What was the point in making friends that she would abandon shortly anyway? That mentality didn’t do much; making friends was spontaneous and just a natural part of life. It was an inevitable aspect of school. She remembered when she first entered a school at the age of ten; before that, Gunther had isolated her from other kids and proper education in general. (The homeschooling was substandard.) Consequently, she entered with poor social skills and was bullied by the other kids for being timorous and awkward. Though she quickly adapted. School made her feel normal. And she could say with utmost sincerity that these coming three months would be a well-deserved break.
CHAPTER FOUR
As the first rays of wan sunlight illuminated her bedroom, Serenity retreated from the comfort of her bed and into the bathroom to wash up. Her body was sore from the training on Saturday. The day she longed for had finally arrived. The previous day, she and Agno had driven to the local retail store in town to purchase supplies. As Desmos had specified, they had bought only what was appropriate for their short stay. It took her only about an hour to get ready.
When she stepped downstairs with her school bag packed, it was empty. It dawned on her, as it was dead silent that she had gotten up too early. Serenity checked her wristwatch; it was half-past six. The brothers were asleep, and Gunther was out somewhere, as usual. It was an intermittently frequent thing for Gunther to disappear without notice; nobody questioned his absences because he would always return anyway. Their school was scheduled to start classes at 7:20.
The kitchen was empty, available for her use. She prepared her breakfast gleefully; Serenity had plentiful experience with cooking. The amount of meals she had served her family throughout her lifetime was myriad. When she wasn’t training, she was doing housework; the typical gender-stereotypical job for a female…
She finished her breakfast (scrambled eggs with toast) briskly. Half-way through preparing her portion, she realized it would be wise to make enough for the brothers; otherwise, they’d complain. Ten minutes later, Cackle came yawning into the dining room, followed by Agno. They said nothing to her as they grabbed their breakfast, Cackle scooping scrambled eggs onto his plate half-asleep. Soon after, the other brothers followed suit. She sat in the living room as they ate, waiting impatiently for them to finish. Passing time through reading could only distract her for so long. Reading novels was a common avocation of hers, but she only did it when the brothers weren’t around; they’d just tease her for being a “geek.”
By 6:40, they were in the van driving towards school, which was located in Sequim a half-an-hour away. Serenity didn’t know what to expect from this school; she had been to many schools—too many for her satisfaction; the social environment varied by region. From Louisville to Miami, the city’s dominant culture was contingent on the demographics.
They reached the school at approximately 7:12 AM. Serenity knew parking in the student parking lot required a decal, but Desmos parked the van anyway in the nearest open spot. She glanced out of the window; the school campus was packed with clusters of students socializing with their groups. Anxiety began welling up inside her a bit; she always did get nervous on her first days of school, considering she was always the new kid. It hit her when she was seconds from stepping into the environment.
“The chick in the blonde ponytail and white leggings,” Agno pointed his finger against the window. “She’s mine; any of you touch her, I’ll burn you alive in your sleep.”
As Agno further exhibited the playboy side of him, Desmos put the van in ‘park’ and turned off the engine.
“As always, meet here immediately after dismissal,” said Desmos, his tone acerbic.
It was clear that he wasn’t keen on spending more time in a school. Desmos was age-appropriate for a senior two years ago, at eighteen, but now that he was twenty, he was the age of a typical college student. Serenity was starting as a junior in the school, like Kyler and Cackle; Garen, Agno, and Desmos were starting as seniors
They all stepped out of the van, Serenity last as always.
The scent of the air here reminded her of maple, and the morning sky was a gloomy gray. Several people hanging by the neighboring cars stared at them as they walked past; a group of six unfamiliar people were liable to attract attention. More heads turned their way as they walked along; Serenity attempted to put as much distance between her and the brothers in order to appear separate. Attention was one thing she always tried to avoid, but it was virtually impossible when she was consistently the new kid.
The distorted buzz of conversation grew louder as she stepped foot onto the main campus. Everybody had their earbuds in, their phones out. To the other students, it was just another regular school day; but to her, it was the first day. She double-checked her schedule on her phone; generally, choosing classes was done perfunctorily. The process of enrollment into the school was extremely quick and cursory. She lay low, sitting on an empty bench, killing time before it was time to go inside. The layout of the school was completely unknown to her, but she’d figure it out like always (mostly through trial-and-error.)
Security guards began blowing their whistles, converging on the students. They hollered with peremptory attitudes: “MOVE IT!”
Serenity looked left and right; there were three buildings in sight. Her first period was in room 203, English Honors III. Instinctively, she followed the flow of students to the nearest building. It was a hassle, but she managed to get into the building. She observed the room numbers, concluding that she was on the first floor; the second floor would be above, naturally. She turned right into the stairwell and ascended to the second floor.
The stairwell was jam-packed with students; as an estimate, there were at least 2,000 students enrolled in the school, though she could be wrong.Room 203 was waiting for her, the second door on the left. She entered the room hesitantly. It was still quite early since nobody else was in the room but the teacher who was sitting at his desk. Mr. Marshall was a middle-aged man with a shaven beard, brown spectacles, and a receding hairline. There were also dark shadows under his eyes, suggesting he barely got any sleep. The man looked up at her curiously as she entered.
“Yes?” he asked politely.
“Hello,” Serenity mumbled. “I’m new here.”
“Oh, okay. N
ew to the school or just the class?” Mr. Marshall asked.
Serenity cleared her throat, wanting to be rid of the tremor in her voice.
“The school,” she replied tersely.
“Welcome to Sequim High,” he said affably. “Can I see your schedule?”
Serenity pulled the physical copy of her schedule out of her pocket and unfolded it, handing it over. Mr. Marshall merely signed it next to where his name was for first period; he also read her name. Students began entering the classroom now. As Mr. Marshall returned her schedule, she turned around to find a seat but was halted.
“Wait a minute, Miss Carlisle. Just a moment, until everybody arrives,” said Mr. Marshall.
Serenity smothered a sigh, aware of what was going on. This was the galling part where she was introduced to the rest of the class by the teacher. Yet another reason why being the new kid was bothersome. She stood patiently by the desk, watching as the desks began to fill up, and the hallways started to silence. She inspected the classroom quietly; it was the typical English classroom with the posters of Shakespeare and other figures in literature, and the usual tacky grammar jokes plastered on the white walls. The bell rang, signaling the beginning of class. Mr. Marshall rose from his chair and crossed to the door. He took out his keys and locked it. She raised an eyebrow, wondering why this was necessary; a rational guess would be that it was a recent addition to school protocol. From what Serenity had heard on the news and the Internet, school shootings were becoming more and more common in the country.
The chatter of students was extinguished as Mr. Marshall clapped his hands loudly. “All right, happy Monday, everybody!”
The class groaned in unison.
“Before we begin, we have a new student! This is Serenity Carlisle, and she’s new to the school,” Mr. Marshall announced, putting a hand on her shoulder.