“Goodnight...” Carl let his voice drift. Something was very wrong. If the Callers didn't pick up on the creature, something was interfering with the realm's balance. Someone was out there and Carl had a good idea of who that might be. He shook his head and walked back to his office, piecing together the clues he had.
Chapter Ten – Rock On
“Nick, wake up!” It was so loud Nick flew out of his bed. He flipped over, fell to the ground, and waited there until he could feel the rest of his body react. He got home well past two the night before. His dad was waiting for him, giving him a big lecture about how late it was, yelling that it wasn’t safe in this city, and that if he ever did it again he'd be grounded for months. Nick was so tired he only heard parts of it, but it mostly came down to the fact that Nick was out past eleven o'clock on a school night.
Nick grabbed the dresser and pulled. He rose like a zombie from a grave. He still felt sore but far better after sleeping it off. While it was only a few hours of sleep it gave him enough energy to get to school. He slowly made his way into the bathroom to get changed for school. He kept viewing the scenes in his head from the night before while changing.
While kids were getting ready to go to bed last night he was fighting a hybrid wolf, which nearly killed his friend, and almost ripped his own head off. Its vicious eyes told Nick that if the Unknown was at full strength it would of easily ripped him to shreds. Nick remembered how hard his heart was pounding as he made advancements towards the creature. Every time he stabbed the beast he focused on getting away again. Taking his time to slowly kill it, but scared at any moment he, himself would be killed. He made it through the fight thanks to Peter. He couldn't help but think if he had taken a misstep and would have been slaughtered by the beast. He tried pushing the thoughts to back of his mind as he grabbed his beeper and started to head out of his room.
Nick's father was giving him the eye the whole time he sat at the table eating. It was to show just how mad he really was. Nick grabbed a bagel and began eating it. “Hi...sunshine?” Nick tried to joke around. His father kept silent. “I'm sorry about last night,” Nick said. “It won't happen again.”
“You’re damn right it won't!” His father didn't divert his eyes. “If you are ever out that late again without my permission you will be grounded for so long, you'll never see the outside of this house again! Do you understand?”
“I got it pops.”
“Do you? ‘Cause I'm pretty sure you want to come back with some smart-ass remark. I can see it in your eyes.”
“Dad, I said I'm sorry. I don't know what else you want from me.”
“I want my son not to be hurt or killed out there. You looked like crap when you got home. You won't tell me what happened, fine, but I won't accept you getting into fights at one in the morning. No, not in this house,” Nick's father said getting up and putting his dish in the sink. “I lost someone too close to me already. I won't lose you, too.” Nick's father said before grabbing his keys and leaving the house, slamming the door behind him.
Nick studied the bagel as he thought about his mother. He missed her so much. The memories resurfacing were always painful. He tried to keep those away. He refused to let it bring him down again. He held her memories in his mind but every time he thought about her it hurt again. He threw the bagel out and went to school, hoping it would distract him enough.
“You look dead,” Kelly said as she watched Nick at his desk. He had his face buried into his arms, trying to block out the world. He wanted to sleep, he still felt crappy from the fight the night before. “I'm fine. Just not feeling all too well.” He mumbled under his arms.
“Well, maybe you should head home then. You look like you’re about to pass out and die right here.”
Nick raised his head. “I'm fine, I promise.”
“Okay, whatever you say.” She turned back around.
“Great, be mean to the only girl who's talking to you. Great job Nick, anyone else you wanna piss off?” He let his head rest on his arms. Peter walked in and sat behind him. “I got to make this right but what do I say?” Nick turned around in his desk.
“It's fine. You don't have to apologize. I understand why you were concerned, and I thank you for that. I promise I'm not crazy or anything. I was diagnosed with sociopathic tendencies. Sometimes I don't feel things, one being remorse. I-” He was trying to think how to explain it better. “Sometimes I don't understand why people act a certain way they do. I lack some emotions at times. It makes me odd. Maybe you don't want to be friends with me for that, and I understand.” Peter always felt embarrassed about his condition. Sometimes people cried at certain points in movies or TV shows while he just sat there trying to figure out why. Other times people got angry, while he simply just felt nothing. Other times he felt angry, sad, or happy. He wasn't sure why these emotions were on and off but he lived with them this way for his whole life. He learned to accept them, even if no one else would.
“I just need to know when we work together you have my back. I don't care if you’re happy or sad. I just need to know if an Unknown is attacking me, you'll jump in and help.” Peter felt a new feeling as Nick spoke. He felt...wanted. “We all got issues. I don't like elevators. Fred obviously loves food a bit too much. You don't have emotions and Marshall is an idiot. So, we all have issues? Our plan should always come back to working together. We're a unit now. So as long as you have my back, you will always be a friend in my eyes.” Nick finished.
Peter would usually feel empty yet somehow, in this moment, he felt something he never did before. No one ever wanted to be his friend. Most people were decent enough to him, and said hi. Kelly was the one person who always made him feel something. Not love or lust, but a bond. She was like a sister and he respected her in that way. He felt like he had to protect her, probably because she always protected him. For his mother he felt love, or maybe it was just the fact she was his mother that he felt that. He wasn't sure if he really loved her. He thought nothing of his father. Sometimes he felt himself becoming angry; meaning he probably hated his father. He felt disconnected with the world thanks to the way he was brought up. Yet, at this current moment he felt something completely new. Something that made him feel... happy. A joyful emotion that overcame his entire body. He smiled, and for once it wasn't forced. “Thanks Nick. I'll always have your back.” Nick grinned and turned back around.
Peter sat there, unable to get rid of the smile that was plastered across his face. He could get used to this feeling.
Marshall ran up to Nick at lunch and sat down. “Dude. Dude. DUDE!” Marshall kept shaking Nick. Nick pushed him off and looked at him like he was crazy. “Dude, I saw something crazy. Dude, it was like a freaking rock or something popped up while I was taking a piss. It nearly scared the piss out of me.”
“No pun intended,” Nick pointed out, chuckling.
“Huh?”
Nick sighed. “Nothing, keep going.”
“So, I saw this rock show up right. I walked up to it and it showed an address. It then crumbled to pieces. It was crazy!” Marshall was so excited he was shouting. Luckily the lunch room was so loud no one could hear him.
“Fred saw that too. Carl wanted to talk more about how to deal with these missions and begin training but it seems these missions are just popping up. This is bad man, Fred almost died.” Marshall stopped fooling around. He looked at Nick, worried now.
“What? What the hell happened? When did this happen?”
“You didn't hear about last night?”
“Hear about what?”
“Fred fought a monster. The thing almost killed him. I fought it too, I almost died. Luckily Pete came in time and shot it,” Nick finished. Marshall's jaw was hanging open, shocked. Nick figured Peter or Carl would have told Marshall about the events. Nick only just realized that they were probably busy with their own personal problems. No one bothered to text or call Marshall about the events.
“This is...” Marshall began. He looked
down at the table; trying to grasp the fact his friend was almost killed. “Fred's okay though, right? It wasn't too serious, right?” Marshall couldn't control his emotion in his voice. He sounded worried and scared at the same time.
“Yeah, he'll be okay. Sorry no one told you. I figured someone would have gotten to you but I guess we've all been busy trying to figure this all out.”
Marshall waved his hand. “It's okay. As long as he's okay. Well damn, these creatures must be pretty wicked.”
“Wicked? Are you British now?”
“Wicked isn't British!”
“Yeah, it is.”
“All right fine, these beasts must be pretty nasty.” Marshall said rolling his eyes. Nick laughed and patted him on the back. “Listen man, I'm kind of freaked out. I think maybe we should team up.”
“Yeah, figured you'd say that. I'll meet you after school outside. I'll text Peter to meet us there,” Nick said, Marshall felt relieved. Working as a real unit this time. Nick didn't want any more friends hurt. This time, together, they'd take down these creatures without any more casualties.
Nick sat in his last class writing down some ideas for his weapons. If the Rod could really become anything, he was all for trying different combinations. It wasn't limited to just real-life weapons. He tried thinking of magical things. Fire or ice hands. Make his whole body filled with spikes. He started to wish he actually read the guide that he was given, so he had some ideas of what the more advanced Exterminators used.
He took a look back and saw Fred's empty desk. He felt relieved to see his friend awake in the bed last night, but he still felt guilty. He was always so willing to try and help people. Why did he hesitate with Fred? Why didn't he go with him last night, even if he didn't believe in the monsters? He finally settled on the answer that he was just scared. He had no real excuse for not helping out a friend.
“Where's Fred?” Kelly sat down. Nick looked to her, took a quick look back to the empty desk, then back to her.
“He wasn't feeling well. He should be back soon.”
“Oh well, that's good. As long as it isn't serious,” She said. She looked at Nick oddly.
“Ummm hi?”
“Sorry, I just have this feeling you’re dealing with a lot.”
“That's a pretty good guess.” He felt his heart pound faster. The more she talked to him, the bigger the connection felt.
“What's up? Are you still trying to get used to the city?”
“Yeah, and the deadly creatures that come with it,” he thought. “Yeah it's been a bit tough. I lost-” He wanted to speak more about it but decided to skip over the fact he struggled to deal with the loss of his mother. “I just can't get used to this place too well. I miss my old friends and all that.” It wasn't a complete lie. He did miss his old friends.
“Well, you'll just have to make new friends. This city is huge, and hectic, but I'm sure you'll find a good group of people. Fred's a nice enough guy, Pete's awesome, so you'll be fine.”
“Yeah, I just need to find a girlfriend now,” he said jokingly. He felt his heart wanting to break through his chest. His throat became extremely dry. He could feel his face heating up. “I mean, not that I'm asking you out. I'm just saying I need to find a girl. Who wants to be a friend? Like a close friend. Like a-” He looked at her while she just smiled. “Okay, I'ma shut up now.”
“You're the strangest kid I've ever met,” she said giggling. He frowned.
“Kid?”
“Sorry, man.”
“Now, you're just being mean,” he said grinning.
“Well, are you going ask for my number?” She had her phone in her hand ready for his number. He quickly put his hand into his pocket, trying to retrieve his phone. “You didn't even prepare? Oh, you sure do know how to make a girl feel special,” she teased in a terrible southern accent.
He pulled his phone out too fast, almost dropping it when he got it out of his pocket. “Okay, ready,” he said ready to dial. He tried to conceal his excitement but he couldn't. The very idea of being on a date with a girl like Kelly made him so excited he was about jump out of his skin.
They exchanged phone numbers and put their phones away. Kelly turned around to get ready for class. “Don't lose it now. I'll be waiting. Remember its Friday so if I don't get a call by Sunday I'll be losing somebody's number.” Nick couldn't see her face but could imagine a smile was on it.
“You said we'd be going through training first. Marshall got a calling, an address a few minutes away from school. He's never been in combat, he's pretty scared,” Nick said on the phone. Marshall was sitting down on the side of the road while Nick was talking to Carl.
“I'm not scared!” Marshall threw a pebble at Nick.
“It should be fine. The signals on this one are weak. It shouldn't be very strong. If you could take down a hybrid wolf you'll have no problem handling whatever it is. Just be cautious. Also, keep Marshall from doing anything stupid,” Carl finished.
“You're on speaker ya know,” Marshall said annoyed.
“All right, we'll call if anything goes bad. I told Peter to meet us there but no response from him.”
“He might have forgotten his phone. Just be careful out there. Work together as a team and you'll have no problem. Tell Marshall how to use his Rod. Be on alert and always looking for a striking moment. I have faith you'll do fine. A cleanup crew will arrive soon after you kill the beast so don't worry. Call me later with the details. We'll begin training as soon as I get back into town,” Carl said his goodbye and Nick hung up.
“All right, we ready to do this or what!?” Marshall was up on his feet.
“We're ready. Let's head into their realm. Hit the red button on your beeper,” Nick instructed as he hit the button on his own beeper. He then looked to his side and began to panic.
Marshall hit the button as well, entering the new realm for the first time. Once in it he shivered. “What the hell was that? My whole body felt like it was on fire. That was...well that was pretty awesome actually,” he laughed.
“We've got a problem.”
“What kind of problem?”
“My Rod. I left it at home.”
“Yeah, that's gonna be a problem.”
“Listen kid, just give us the cell phone and any money you have,” Ryan said. The big bully of the school was now targeting Peter.
“I don't have a cell phone. Just leave me alone.” Peter tried walking past Ryan but his two friends blocked the way. “Listen, I don't want any trouble. I just want to get to my friends, please.” Peter never resorted to violence. He had been bullied most of his life. Due to his small frame the bullies took advantage of him. He wasn't sure how he'd fare in a fight but as of late he was getting more anxious to find out. He'd just killed a beast with tremendous power the night before. He was sure he could handle all three boys. If only he was able to use his Rod. He read multiple times in the guide that the use of the Rod for personal use against innocents would result in termination. As in ending one’s life for a crime they committed.
“Friends? Like you have any,” roared Ryan as he pushed Peter back. Peter almost tripped over his own legs but managed to grab hold of the bar to his side just in time. He watched as Ryan's friends moved closer.
“I really rather avoid this altercation. I just want to go. Please, leave me alone.” He could feel his phone vibrating. He was either getting a call or text. He wanted to find out what it was but with the three standing in front of him he didn't want to show them he had the phone on him. “I have only three dollars. If that's all you need then I could give that to you.” He was trying to figure a way out of this without getting into a fight.
“Three dollars? What kind of kid only has three dollars?”
“Well, you're asking for money. So that means you don't even have three dollars.” Peter knew the second he finished speaking it was a mistake. He winced at his own words.
“Thank you. You just gave me a real reason to beat your face in,” Ry
an said smiling. He began to advance with his two friends following.
They were only a block away from their destination. “I can't believe you forgot your Rod.”
“I can't believe I forgot my Rod.”
“I can't believe you forgot your Rod. Like for real.”
“Yeah, I get it Marshall. I forgot my Rod and you can't believe it. Neither can I. Now all our hopes of victory rest on your shoulders. So listen to me when I say how to use the Rod,” Nick finished speaking. Marshall looked at him then smiled. He grabbed the Rod out of his hand and twirled it around. “This is serious; we have no clue what we're facing.”
Marshall stopped twirling the Rod and nodded. “I got it man. No more joking around. What should I transform this thing in to anyway?”
“I don't know yet. I'd wait to see what we're up against.” Nick turned the corner and stopped. “Okay this is the address. Whatever we're supposed to hunt should be around here.” He slowly walked forward, checking for any sign of an Unknown. The block looked deserted for the most part. No people were walking down the old abandoned looking block. There were a couple of older cars but besides that the street was empty.
“Maybe the address is wrong?” Marshall surveyed the area but to no avail.
“You're the one that saw the address. What did it say?”
Marshall looked up at the street sign. “No, this is the right address. This is really odd.” Marshall began walking forward. Nick went to shout out to slow down but it was so quiet Nick decided to just walk along side Marshall. They began checking under the cars, and looking inside the alleyways between the houses. Their search came to a stop when they almost reached the other end of the block. “Okay, what the hell? Where are these monsters?”
“It would just be one Unknown,” Nick replied. He looked back. “It's strange though. We should have see-” He began but then heard a weird growl from the middle of the road. They both darted into the streets and saw a creature slamming its head into the concrete. It was small, no bigger than three feet. Its body looked to be made of rock, rugged, and colored very white. Nick noticed right away it didn't have eyes. Instead its nose was double the size of a regular one. “It must sense things by smell.” Nick said pointing to the beast's huge nose.
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