by E. L. Todd
“We can’t read it—we need you to translate it.”
Easton nodded. “I know a lot of the symbols but not all. My sister is better at this than I am. Should I ask for her assistance?”
“No,” Breccan said quickly. “You better keep your mouth shut.”
Calloway glared at Breccan before he turned back to Easton. “What he meant to say was, this needs to be confidential. The fewer people that know, the better. I can’t even begin to think about what would happen if the news got out.”
“I agree,” she said. “If the Hara Kirs know you have it, they’ll come after you—forever.”
Calloway sighed. “They know I possess the book—at least two of them do.”
“How?” she asked with a frightened voice.
“When I was in the library last night I wasn’t alone—a Hara-Kir was there. He chased me from the building and I barely escaped with my life and essence. I think my identity is a secret and so is my address, but I suspect they’ll find me eventually. I need to decipher this book before that time comes.”
Easton sighed. “Yes,” she said. “This has become a state of urgency. We can meet after school. Where do you want to go?”
“How about here?” Breccan asked.
“No,” she said. “It isn’t safe. What about the Grandiose Historian Library—I know it’s abandoned.”
“No,” Calloway said. “They may anticipate my return.”
“I think that’s unlikely,” she said. “You already have the book. You have no reason to return. We can go to my sister’s place. She lives by the college.”
“Isn’t she going to wonder what we’re doing?” Breccan asked.
“She’s my sister—not my mom,” she said sarcastically.
“We don’t have a ride,” Calloway said.
“I have a car,” Easton said. “I’ll drive us and take you home.”
“Thanks,” Calloway said.
She nodded. “I’ll see you after school.”
The bell rang and announced the end of lunch period. Calloway didn’t eat the meal his aunt packed for him, but if he found his appetite, he would eat during his math class. Easton grabbed her bag and left the library without saying goodbye to them. She had two different shoes on.
“That girl is weird,” Breccan said.
“Well, when you think about it, we’re just as weird as she is.”
And The Hero Will Drown
Calloway left his math class and walked across campus to the Delfer’s Art Building, where Breccan and he both had their elective course, photography. The door was locked when he twisted the handle, so he waited with the other students for their instructor, Mrs. Ezquibel, to arrive.
Breccan walked to Calloway and stood beside him. “Could you concentrate last period?” he asked.
“No.” He shook his head. “I haven’t listened to a lecture in over a year. The teachers don’t even bother with me anymore. I feel like Mr. Avey is the only one that cares somewhat.”
“At least we’re passing photography,” he mumbled.
“But that would be pretty hard to fail,” Calloway said sarcastically.
Calloway noticed Beatrice walk to the classroom with her friend Maddie, and she was holding her binder to her chest. It was decorated with various pictures on the front, and unlike most students, she didn’t have pictures of herself or her friends, but photos she’d taken with her own camera. There were flowers, old men sitting at bus stations, and children playing on the playground—they were all beautiful. Calloway tore his gaze away when he saw her approach.
Breccan looked toward Beatrice and sighed. “Poor Beatrice.”
“What?” Calloway said in an indifferent voice, trying to act like he didn’t care. He stared at the wall and kept his sight away from the girl he adored.
“Hawk is being an idiot.”
Calloway sighed. “How is that different than any other day?” He stared back at Beatrice and saw Hawk walking alongside her. They both stopped when they reached the building, and Calloway could hear their quiet voices as they spoke. Hawk’s real name was Maurice but he went by his last name since grammar school. Calloway and Breccan had been his classmates since they were in elementary school, and both boys knew they wouldn’t miss him after graduation.
“We’re going bowling tonight,” Hawk said as he leaned into Beatrice. She held the binder closer to her chest, cutting him off from contact with her. “You should come.” He placed his hands in his pockets and nudged her side with his elbow. “You are coming.”
“I have an exam tomorrow,” she said quietly.
Hawk shook his head. “Who cares?” He turned to Maddie. “You’re coming, right?”
Maddie’s cheeks reddened in embarrassment. Everyone knew she had a crush on Hawk. She had since junior high. Calloway didn’t understand it because the guy was a complete jerk. Hawk was good looking and had a built physique because of the sports he played, and he was very popular, but Calloway still didn’t understand why that mattered to women. “Sure,” she said. “If—you know—you want me to.”
“Of course,” Hawk said with a smile. “Now get your best friend to come.” Beatrice didn’t say anything. She was gripping the binder tightly, clearly uncomfortably by his advance. Even though she was one of the most popular girls in school, she was still very shy. Hawk leaned into her face. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
“I really need to study,” Beatrice said.
Hawk grabbed her arm. “Come on,” he whispered. “I’ll pick you up and take you home. My dad got me a jeep—brand new.”
Calloway tried to swallow his anger as he listened to their conversation. Hawk was a renowned heartbreaker, taking girls out until he got what he wanted then dumping them immediately afterwards. Some girls didn’t mind being used and they wanted to be, but Beatrice was different. It was obvious that she wasn’t interested in this creep and Calloway wished he would back off. Calloway and Hawk had never been friends but they were never enemies either. Calloway didn’t want to start a feud now. Hawk was well known for his bully pranks on the other kids and his love for social torture. Calloway had too many things to worry about to add this jerk to his list, so he held his tongue and said nothing.
Beatrice shifted her weight and pulled her body from his grasp but Hawk didn’t release his hold. He pulled a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “Come with me,” he whispered. The other students backed away from them, not wanting to anger Hawk, and they left Beatrice on her own.
“I already said no,” she whispered. “Please don’t touch me.” She didn’t look at him when she spoke but the fear was evident in her watery eyes. Hawk was violating her and harassing her right in front of everyone.
“I don’t accept that,” he said to her. “I’ll make you come if I have to.”
His threatening words broke Calloway’s control. Hawk was blatantly pestering Beatrice, a sweet girl, and Calloway couldn’t stand it a second longer. It wouldn’t matter if he didn’t have feelings for her—this was unacceptable. Calloway marched over to him stared him down. “Let her go.” He straightened his back to appear as formidable as possible. Hawk was the same height as he was, although he was larger from playing on the football team. Calloway didn’t back down as he stared at him. Hawk didn’t release his grip on Beatrice’s arm and met Calloway’s heated gaze.
“What are you going to do?” he snapped. “Throw food stamps at me?”
All the students laughed at his joke. Everyone knew how poor Breccan and Calloway were. They had the same sweaters all through high school and even stayed behind on class trips because Breccan’s parents couldn’t afford the expense.
“She obviously has no interest in you,” Calloway said. “And making jabs at my poverty isn’t helping your image.”
Hawk narrowed his eyes at him. He released his hold on Beatrice and she quickly stepped away, wanting to be as far away from him as she could. Hawk stared at Calloway for a moment then approached him whi
le he flexed his muscles, preparing for the fight about to ensue. Calloway didn’t flinch at his intimidation. “And you think she would be interested in you? An orphan? Where would you take her on a date? The Dollar Store?”
Calloway steadied his breathing and forced himself to remain calm. He couldn’t get into a physical confrontation with Hawk because his guardians would find out about his behavior. Calloway didn’t want to disappoint them in any way, make them regret taking him in.
Breccan came beside Calloway. “The teacher is coming,” he said.
When Calloway looked down the walkway, Hawk took advantage of the distraction and kneed him hard in the stomach. Calloway groaned as he bent over, holding his stomach with his hands.
“There’s plenty more coming,” Hawk whispered into his ear.
Calloway stood up as the teacher arrived and pretended that he was fine; nothing was amiss. Beatrice walked past him without speaking. She didn’t even look at him.
Breccan stayed behind with his cousin. “That girl is unbelievable,” he snapped. “She doesn’t even care what you did for her.”
“She probably doesn’t want to be seen talking to me,” Calloway said as walked slowly toward the classroom, ignoring the pain in his stomach.
“And doesn’t that make you angry?”
“No,” he said. “I would have done it anyway.”
They took their seats at their own computers, and Calloway stared straight ahead. Breccan and Calloway sat in the second row and Hawk sat behind them in the third row. Calloway felt a spit wad hit him in the back of the head and he knew who the culprit was.
The teacher unlocked the drawers that held the cameras in the lockers. “Check out your equipment and sign the form,” she said in her usual squeaky voice. “Any cameras that are not returned will be paid for by the person who last checked it out. Please be careful,” she warned. “These Technicolor 10,000’s are brand new and very expensive.” Everyone got up and huddled around the storage boxes, and Calloway sighed when he saw Hawk approach his group.
“These are cameras,” he said to Calloway in a lecturing voice. “It’s okay if you didn’t know that—most poor people never even get to touch one.”
The girls standing around them laughed at his joke, and Calloway sighed in annoyance. Their laughter was just enforcing his childish behavior and Calloway wished they would stop. They would feel differently if they were the ones being harassed.
“Calloway is in love with Beatrice,” one of the girls whispered to the other. “It’s so obvious.”
Calloway grabbed his camera and walked away, returning to his seat next to Breccan with a scowl on his face.
Breccan caught the look. “That was a bad fire you started,” he said. “I don’t think you can put it out.”
“Shut up, Brec,” Calloway snapped.
Calloway tried to turn on the camera but the batteries were dead. Calloway sighed when he realized he had to return and get more.
Hawk walked back to his seat behind Calloway. “This is how you turn on a camera,” Hawk said in a loud voice. “You just press this button.” He demonstrated on his own camera with a smile on his face. “It’s okay—I know you’re new to expensive appliances that your family could never afford.”
Calloway knew Mrs. Ezquibel could hear everything Hawk was saying but she chose to ignore it for an obvious reason. Hawk’s father was the principal of the high school. None of the teachers disciplined his behavior because his father signed their checks.
Breccan got up before Calloway could. “I’ll get the batteries.”
Hawk continued to tease him. “Nice jacket,” he said with a smile. “Where did you get it?” Calloway stared straight ahead and ignored him. “The Salvation Army?”
Hawk’s friends started laughing loudly, clapping their hands together at Hawk’s comment. The teacher just stared at her screen, completely indifferent to the loud taunts across the classroom. Calloway tried to ignore them but the insults continued.
“So, do the food stamps work in the cafeteria?” Hawk asked.
Tommy, Hawk’s best friend, laughed at his joke then threw a wad of paper at Calloway’s head. It fell to the floor and the laughter continued. Calloway was losing control of his anger but he kept it back, knowing any reaction would end badly. The only satisfaction he received was the fact that Beatrice was spared—for now. He would take the insults for her any day, or any girl for that matter. No one deserved this. He glanced at her on the other side of the room but she wasn’t even looking at him, indifferent to the insults he was suffering in her stead.
Breccan walked back to his seat and placed the batteries inside the camera. “Class is halfway over,” he whispered.
“Whatever,” Calloway said with a sigh.
The teacher stood up and addressed the class. “Today you will demonstrate the use of lines in pictures,” she said as held her hands together. Mrs. Ezquibel was a young teacher who didn’t look much older than the students in her class. She was shorter than most of the males and thinner than the most of the girls. Her voice was high-pitched and squeaky. She sounded like a talking mouse. “Take your cameras outside and try to capture something that is specifically appealing to you. Off you go.”
Calloway made a dash for the entrance before anyone else moved, and when he was outside, he breathed in the fresh cold air and let it chill the anger that coursed through his body. Breccan was by his side a moment later and they walked across the campus while Breccan took the pictures. Calloway wasn’t interested at all. His mind was occupied with Hawk and his taunts. There was still six months left in the school year. It seemed like forever.
“Were you looking for some lunch in the garbage can?” Hawk said as he walked up to them. Tommy and Joey were standing behind him with stupid grins on their chubby faces. Calloway noticed the garbage next to him and he wished he hadn’t made himself vulnerable to more taunts.
“So, is there anything good?” Hawk asked.
“Knock it off,” Breccan snapped. “You made your point. Is that the only insults you can think of?”
Hawk narrowed his eyes at him. “I wasn’t talking to you, Poverty Boy.”
Breccan sighed. He knew that was going to be his nickname for the rest of the semester. Hawk walked up to Breccan and shoved him backwards.
“Stop this now,” Calloway said.
Hawk shoved him next and he staggered to the side. “Why don’t you do something about it?” Hawk sneered.
Calloway and Breccan were both silent. They just wanted this confrontation to end. Why was the period so long today? “Just back off,” Calloway said.
“I think I just pissed my pants.” Hawk laughed. He turned his gaze to Breccan and the camera that was dangling around his neck. He nodded to his two friends and they pounced on Breccan, holding him down. Hawk tore the camera from the strap. Calloway realized what was happening and he tried to steal the camera back, but Hawk smashed it to the ground before Calloway could intervene. The expensive camera shattered into dozens of pieces and the lens broke in half. It was destroyed.
Hawk stepped on the camera and smiled at them. “Hope you guys can afford food this month.” His friends laughed with him as they turned around and walked back to the room. They gave each other high-fives, chuckling the entire way.
Calloway and Breccan stared at the camera in misery. The camera was checked out to them so it was their responsibility to replace it if it was destroyed or damaged. The teacher would call Breccan’s parents and force them to pay for the equipment. Calloway shook in anger then punched the metal trashcan violently, bloodying his knuckles.
“Girls are never worth it.” Breccan sighed as he gathered the pieces of metal in his hands and carried it back to the room.
Calloway walked beside him. “We’ll tell Mrs. Ezquibel Hawk broke it,” Calloway said. “It isn’t our responsibility to replace it.”
“Aren’t you forgetting about the other two witnesses?” he asked. “It’s three to two. There’s nothing
we can do. And even if we had evidence, she wouldn’t do a single thing—you know that.”
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Calloway said as they came back into the classroom. He wasn’t sure how much the camera would cost to be replaced but he knew it was more than his aunt and uncle could afford. This entire situation was his fault because he stood up to a bully when he should have just let it go. Now his aunt and uncle were going to suffer the consequences of his hasty decision.
Breccan carried the pile of rubble to the teacher, and when Mrs. Ezquibel looked into his hands her eyes widened in shock. Calloway stood next to his cousin with his hands in his pockets.
“What happened?” she yelled. “What did you do? It’s broken into dozens of pieces—it’s destroyed!”
The other students looked up from their computers at the sound of her cry. Calloway glanced at Beatrice and caught her staring at him. The whole class, including Hawk and his gang, were watching them.
Breccan sighed. “Hawk broke it,” he said.
Calloway closed his eyes. He knew there was no point in blaming Hawk. They had no proof.
“Is this true?” Mrs. Ezquibel asked him.
Hawk shook his head. “I’ve been here the whole time.” He smiled. “Just ask the class.”
The entire class knew he wasn’t but no one spoke up. It was obvious he was guilty but the teacher was so ignorant of her students that she didn’t know what to think. And she didn’t want to be the one to discipline the principal’s son.
“I’ll have to call your parents.” she sighed. “They’ll be expected to replace the camera.”
Calloway dropped his head. “If we gave you the money could you not call them?”
“Do you have two thousand dollars?” she snapped.
Calloway’s eyes widened. He knew the camera would be expensive but that was ridiculous. His family could never afford that.
“I didn’t think so,” she said as she opened the contact information in her binder. “I’ll call them after class,” she said as she glanced at the clock. “The period is almost over.”
When Calloway and Breccan returned to their seats, the bell rang. They grabbed their backpacks from the floor and walked out the door.