by Jae Choguk
everything happened.
“What do you mean?” I asked in an almost inaudible voice.
“Well that’s what he says anyways,” Lucas said snapping out of his weird trance. “I have tried to convince him otherwise, but he never listens, and shuts down.” When I didn’t respond he continued “He was really close with his sister Heather, even though she was older than him. They lost the oldest brother to a car accident earlier that year, that’s why nobody knows about him here.”
“How old was he?” I ask in a whisper.
“5-years-old, he just stared kindergarten, and he was on his way to school, with his big brother who was 11. His sister was 9 and sick that day, which was probably for the best. Jeremy was running across the street, excited to go to school, but didn’t see the drunk driver who was speeding straight towards him. His older brother Alex did though. He ran towards the Jeremy and grabbed him from behind. The car hit them both, but Jeremy was the only one that lived.” Lucas paused letting everything sink in and continued again. “He said he was in the arms of his brother as he died and do you want to know what Alex’s last words were?”
“What…” I ask not even afraid of letting my voice crack.
“He said that Jeremy wasn’t ready to die yet, he had a future that required sacrifices.”
“What was that supposed to mean?”
“Well even now we aren’t too sure about that, but we do know that it has to do with the hunters, and the fact that he was the only child that became an Anima.”
“I thought everyone automatically became what their parents were.”
“That’s in most cases, but it can happen if the child isn’t strong enough to handle the ability, or if the traits just don’t pass on.”
“I don’t get how only 1 out of 3 children became an Anima. So did everyone in the family know he was one and that’s why they said he was special?”
“They must have. But that wasn’t the only incident that happened.”
“What else needs to happen to him, hasn’t he been through enough?” I said in a voice that didn’t even sound like mine.
“Apparently not,” He responded in a sad voice “Because later that year he lost everyone else in his family.”
I couldn’t respond. I just felt tears that I haven’t let out until I said goodbye to my mom stinging my eyes.
“It was at night, and Jeremy’s parents were cleaning up in the kitchen, and his sister Heather was putting him to bed. She was like his parents and siblings all in one.”
“Why did she have to be his parents too?”
“They kind of detached themselves when Alex died, and Jeremy thinks that they were blaming him for Alex’s death.”
“How could they think that?” I yelled in frustration.
“I don’t know, but they didn’t feel all there, and Heather felt it too I guess, so she decided to fill the hole they left in him.”
“That’s horrible.” I said letting a tear of helplessness fall.
“Well anyways, there was knocking at the door and the parents said they would get it. When they heard gunshots, Heather knew they were Hunters. His parents fought back; they were Anima’s after all, and some of the best, but hunters raided the house. What’s weird was the fact that the leader of the Hunters was the one leading the raid.”
“What’s so weird about that?”
“Well it’s like in a monarchy, the leader is the brains behind the operation, but never does the dirty work himself even though he’s the strongest one out there.”
“What’s the point of being leader if you aren’t on the front lines?” I ask think that a leader is supposed to be that symbol everyone looks up to and gains courage.
“They couldn’t risk losing the leader, or everyone would be in chaos, the leader didn’t have an heir, so there wasn’t anyone to take his place.”
“Does it have to be someone related to him?”
“That’s the way it’s been for a long time I guess, but there is a rumor.” He said just like a gossiping mother would and beckoned me to get closer. I wiped my extra tears and leaned in closer. He whispered in my ear “Some say that he has a lost heir, and he goes to this school.” He laughed, but I still felt anxious from hearing it.
“Does anyone know who it might be?” I asked eagerly and he burst out laughing.
“Anyone ever tell you curiosity killed the cat?”
“Many times,” I crossed my arms leaning back “And it’s not funny, I just like knowing things!”
“Yeah, okay now back to Jeremy.” Lucas said leaning against the bench, watching a bird fly away.
“What about me?” Jeremy said out of nowhere, making both of us jump sky high.
“Always so sneaky Blackie.” Lucas said with ease, and I smiled to see how close they were, although I’m not sure where “Blackie” came from.
“If you want to know the rest of the story, follow me.” Jeremy said turning around without missing a beat and started walking towards his dorm.
“I can’t go in there.” I said to Lucas in a rushed whisper.
“Oh it’s fine,” He said standing up and turned his head around “As long as you don’t get caught.” He winked and kept walking to who knows where. I rolled my eyes and got up before I lost sight of Jeremy. I caught up with him, and he handed me a hat from nowhere and told me to shove my hair it.
“Do I need to remind you that I still look like a girl?” I said shoving my long braid into the hat. He raised an eyebrow and I looked down, sweatpants and a t-shirt.
“Yes.” He said bluntly, pushed my hat down farther and kept walking with his confident stride. “Plus as long as you’re by me nobody will bother you.” I know it was supposed to sound like a good thing, but if you knew him you would know that’s not how he intended it.
“What a badass.” I muttered, and he chuckled. I followed him up the stairs to the top floor and for some reason every person we passed made an effort to not make eye contact. It defiantly made it easier for me though.
We made it to what I assumed was his room and he opened the door. I followed him in, and realized that he didn’t share a room with Lucas.
“Shouldn’t you be roommates with Lucas, since he’s the only one that can tolerate you?” I asked sitting cross-legged on his bed.
“I don’t even want to ask who you share a room with, but make yourself at home.” He sneered.
“Will do!” I said trying to brighten the mood, but I knew what was coming next. The mood darkened considerably as he sat on the bed and leaned his head against the wall.
“So how much did you learn so far?”
“I know about Alex, and Heather, the car accident, and that you are the only Anima that you’re well-known Anima parents had. And you came in when they were fighting with the Hunters.”
“That punk,” He said shaking his head. I felt him trying to put a wall up, and for a second I thought he wouldn’t tell me the rest of it. “After the Hunters raided the house, my parents fought them off for a while, but even the best couldn’t beat that many, plus their leader. Heather knew what they were and she automatically hid me from them. Our house was always pretty well defended against hunters, but no matter how strong the house, the people inside can still die.”
“Heather pushed my bed aside and opened the trap door under it, following the tunnel that led out of our house. I guess they weren’t smart enough to think we could possibly escape. I obviously knew something was wrong, but what power did a 5-year-old have? I remember Heather called someone along the way, and almost instantly I was handed off to someone else. It was Mr. Zander that she called, which is how I ended up here.”
“What happened to your sister?” I asked inaudibly.
“What do you think? As soon as the Hunters were through with my parents, they came after her. She died protecting me, she yelled for Mr. Zander to run, and he did. I hated him forever after that, but when I got older I realized I would have probably done the same thing.” He shook his head slowly and cl
enched his fists. “Want to know the last thing she said to me? That I was ‘special’ as if I didn’t hear that from Alex and everyone else, as if she wasn’t!” He yelled, balling up his fists and slamming them against the bed. I flinched, but I wasn’t scared, because all I saw was a scared child, alone and missing his family to death.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gone prying into your life like that,” I said softly.
“For someone who doesn’t seem to know how to be sorry, you can apologize pretty well.” Said Jeremy getting off his bed, stretching his arms above his head. “I don’t know why you wanted to know all of this anyways. It’s just another sad and sappy story of a little boy who lost his family looking for revenge.”
I stood up then and turned him around to face me, when I saw a glimmer in his eyes I threw my sweat towel that was in my bag over his head. “You should really go take a shower, you smell like sweat.” Then I walked out of the room. Before I shut the door I looked over my shoulder. He slowly took the towel off his head, but before he could see my tears, I looked away and stepped out into the hall. It was so quiet I thought I missed it, but as the door shut I heard an angry and scarred boy say “Thank you.”
Eight
I walked into Mr. Zander’s office, remembering the last time I was here. Ah memories. I still couldn’t get the memory of a boy that almost lost control out of my head. Even though I said I was going to knock all of his walls down, I didn’t think that one could be so heavy.
“Wake up Lydia, where’s your mind at?” Mr.