by T R Tells
Alessander sighed. He scratched the side of his head and looked at me with a no-nonsense look on his face. “What are we supposed to do? None of them can see those things like you do.”
“We have to get them out of here because I’m pretty sure that Noah is going to come after Brodie and Jett.”
Alessander nodded.
It was such an amazing feeling that I could tell him this and he didn’t look at me like I was crazy, but he would actually try to help as much as he could. “I’ll get Trey and we’ll… What the hell are you two doing?”
I turned to see Brodie and Jett heading for the double doors as the red aura collected around their feet.
“What does it look like we’re doing?” Brodie said with Jett following behind him. “We’re getting the hell out of here.”
Alessander rushed toward them. I looked over at Trey; my face must have conveyed my concern because he promptly joined Alessander to stop the idiots from getting killed.
What was I going to do? I couldn’t summon anything in front of them or fight the Umbra Shade that was taking over Noah’s thoughts without someone getting in the way and possibly getting killed.
Damnit, Hira, think!
“What the hell?” Jett exclaimed, looking out the door. “It’s no one but that kid. Ain’t no way he turned off the lights.”
“I say we ask him, and punch the bastard for getting us in trouble.”
Brodie was already trying to get out the door despite Trey and Alessander holding them back.
The back of my neck tingled. A familiar voice shouted from down the hall for us to get back inside.
Oh, gosh, not now.
I ran toward them to see Veronica in the hallway. She kicked Noah square in the chest. The others couldn’t see it, but the Umbra Shade that had been beside Noah shrieked at its host being attacked, and it summoned four Shrouds to attack her. In Veronica’s right hand, a double-bladed sword appeared. It had a translucent crimson glow around it like a lightsaber. My eyes widened in surprise, and she twirled it around from one hand to the other, expertly moving around as she killed the Shrouds one by one.
Damn, she’s good. It made me seem like an amateur.
“What the hell is she doing spinning like that?” Brodie mumbled, and Jett nodded.
“Hey, hero, why don’t you get them the hell out of here while I hold these things off?”
I knew she was talking to me, and although I hated her telling me what to do or even stating the obvious, she was right.
“Nah, what the hell is she talking about?” Jett exclaimed.
“How about we just get the hell out of here, okay?” I said. “You guys might not believe it, but there’s some crazy stuff going on, and it’s better to leave now with your life intact.”
I was worried that they weren’t going to listen to me, and why would they? They were ignorant and stubborn. If they never listened to teachers, why would they listen to a seventeen-year-old girl?
“Look, let’s just get out of this school,” Alessander said. “If something is going on, do you two really want to be involved and get in even more trouble?”
I was glad Alessander was here to be the voice of reason because I could see the expressions on Brodie and Jett’s face change to one of compliance.
“Fine, lead the way then,” Brodie said, raising his chin toward me.
Trey snorted and shook his head. “Well, this is a first.”
“Alright, everyone follow me.”
My first thought was to find an exit so we could get outside. The cafeteria was on the first floor, and the closet exit wasn’t too far from us. I was first to take the lead, second Alessander, Brodie and Jett in the middle, and Trey at the rear—just in case the two tried to do anything funny.
“I see the exit!” I shouted. I picked up speed, but before we could cross the threshold, the ground in front of us started to form a shadow. I pressed my heels into the ground to stop myself from colliding with the Shrouds. “Crap, we can’t go this way!”
“What? There’s nothing in front of us!” Brodie shouted, anger crossing his face as he pushed past us.
Crap, this wasn’t good.
“Will you quit being a stubborn ass for one minute!” Trey said and grabbed Brodie by the shoulder; he stretched his arm back with his hand clenched into a fist. Brodie hadn’t been prepared for it, allowing Trey to easily slug his fist into the side of Brodie’s face, knocking him unconscious.
Alessander chuckled and patted him on the shoulder saying, “nice one.”
“Hurry and pick him up!” I shouted at Jett before he could protest. “Over in that classroom!”
We hurried to the nearest open classroom and slammed the door closed. Jett carried Brodie over by the teacher’s desk and propped him in the chair before turning back to us.
“’Aight someone better get to talking. What the hell is going on?”
The sounds of shrieking made us turn our heads toward the door, and it swung open.
“Veronica?” Alessander said in bewilderment.. I stepped in front of him, protectively. “What are you doing here?”
Veronica waltzed in, brushing her hair out of her face. She stood in the middle of the room and folded her arms across her chest. “Apparently, saving the lot of you since someone couldn’t do it.” Her attention focused on me, and she gave a smug grin.
“Well, can we get someone to explain what’s going on?” Trey said, leaning against the teacher’s desk. My stomach started to churn. I was guilty that I hadn’t told my friend about this, and he was scrambling around for answers.
“There are some things that are beyond your comprehension. You wouldn’t be able to handle the negativity that spurns within the hearts of humans,” Veronica said, chuckling.
I went over to her and pulled her over by the door before Trey decided to start a fight with her.
“Someone’s getting frisky. I didn’t see you get this way at the club.” She was taunting me now. “That reminds me, bravo for finally learning to change your eye color.”
I rolled my eyes. I would not let Veronica get to me. “Trust me, it will get to that point with you being around. You can’t just say whatever you like. Trey doesn’t know anything, and neither does Brodie or Jett.”
“And that’s what makes them a liability. I assume Alessander is the only one that knows about this, so let’s focus on getting him out of here, and leave the rest of these brutes behind. They’re ignorant and won’t listen to reason.”
I shook my head. She was really ready to sacrifice three lives!
“I’m not leaving my friend here to die. And even if Brodie and Jett deserve punishment, they don’t deserve death.”
Veronica groaned and rolled her eyes. “My gosh, you are a pretentious do-gooder. How Alessander puts up with you, I will never know.”
“You’ll never understand love, either. Now, we’re going to save everyone. Is that clear?”
Veronica glared at me with daggers in her violet eyes. I couldn’t be sure if she was pissed because of the comment I made or because I was bossing her around; possibly the latter.
“Crystal.”
I sighed. At least we were getting somewhere. “What happened with Noah?”
Veronica briefly explained that Noah, like the guy in the club, had Awakened. The negativity from the bullying—and who knows what else they were going through—manifested the Umbra Shade.
I frowned.
I’m sorry, Noah. I wished that I could’ve prevented this from happening, but if I was able to reach out before the Apathy took control, maybe I could save them. Noah didn’t deserve the hands that they were dealt.
“Hira.”
I turned to the sound of Alessander’s voice, who was trying not to look directly at Veronica. He had his arm outstretched toward me, and I took his hand as he pulled me away from her.
“We still need to talk, Alessander,” Veronica took a step closer. “It’s important, and explains the nature of why I am here.”
I wanted to turn back around and question her about what had been weighing in the back of my mind. I always trusted my gut, but I would see what Alessander needed to say first.
“Is everything okay?” I asked. He was rubbing the back of his head and looking over where Trey, Jett, and Brodie were.
“I’m trying, Hira, but we need some kind of plan because we can’t stay in here forever.”
I nodded. “I know. Did you guys try the windows, yet?”
“Yeah, Trey and I did, but they’re sealed shut. The school’s under lockdown, and it would be difficult to jump out the window with Brodie still unconscious.”
I bit my lip. This was proving to be complicated.
“What did Veronica say to you?” Alessander said. I looked at him to see that his eyes widen, waiting for a reply.
I grasped his hand in mine, hoping to give him some kind of strength. “She was telling me about Noah and how they Awakened, but with everything going on in their life, their Apathy brought out the Umbra Shade.”
“So, what, you guys are going out there and taking them down?”
Before I could say anything, Veronica came up behind me to answer:
“Yes, he’s a danger to us, and he needs to be put down.”
“What, no!” I exclaimed. “We are not killing anyone.”
“I don’t know about ya’ll,” Jett said. “But I agree with what pink-haired shortie is saying. I know somethin’ is going on with the both of ya’ll whispering over there, but if that little man’s out there off is batshit crazy, I ain’t getting got.”
I whipped my head around to look at him. “They only got that way because you and your dumbass friend were terrorizing them. They probably have enough going on at home, but you made it worse! The fact that someone can’t come out and be themselves because they’ll be targeted by bullies like you and Brodie is what’s wrong with society.”
My brows were furrowed, and my hands clenched tightly into fists, but Jett decided he didn’t care what I had to say because he scoffed and waved me off.
“Man, whatever, just get me the hell out of this bitch.”
I would have come over to him and slapped him, but Alessander grabbed me around the waist to hold me back.
“Ira, now is not the time. Okay, baby?”
I knew he was right, and my focus should be getting out of here alive, but I couldn’t stand idiotic people like this.
“Well, things are going swimmingly, don’t you think?”
And the annoying just keeps coming.
I turned around to face Veronica, and she grinned from ear to ear.
“And you shut the hell up, I don’t even know why you’re here—and I mean here—but I will deal with you later.”
“As if you haven’t figured it out yet, I recognized that look in your eyes when I said something to you earlier. So, why don’t we say it since we’re all airing out our laundry?”
“Veronica, not now,” Alessander said through clenched teeth.
“Can’t you do this another time, seriously?” Trey said, echoing his friend's concern.
Veronica ignored them and focused solely on me, as if we were the only two in the room.
“Oh, but this is serious. Hira needs to understand that she’s come in-between something that was supposed to be mine.”
I frowned, shaking my head. Here we go again with this.
“Veronica, for the last time, Alessander will never be—”
“—I’m pregnant,” Veronica interrupted me. “And, yes, the baby is Alessander’s.”
It seemed like my whole entire body had shut down, even my heart was no longer beating. I turned my head to Alessander, standing next to me, but his jaw was ajar in shock.
“N-No, that’s not true, you’re lying.” I wanted so much for my voice to sound calm, but it came out as a whispered plea.
“I’m telling the truth. We were together briefly. Did you think I wouldn’t have sex with him?”
I took a step backward. My heart jumped in my chest. The room started spinning, I was beginning to hyperventilate. My eyes watered, and I grabbed my chest with my hand.
“Hira!” Alessander reached for me. I don’t know why I did it, but I pushed his hand away.
It couldn’t have been true. If she was pregnant, it would have been too soon, right? But the image of Alessander and Veronica in bed together made me sick; even if he had amnesia, it hurt to know that they had been together.
“Stop filling her head with lies!” Alessander shouted at Veronica. “I did not sleep with you, amnesia or not, I would not betray Hira like that.”
Someone’s hand rested on my back, and I looked up to see Trey.
“Can you really prove that you didn’t do anything?” Veronica sneered, grinning like the devil incarnate. “We can finally be a family again, Alessander, like you promised. I won’t let some little girl take that away from me.”
“Will you just shut the fuck up for a moment!” Trey shouted. He helped me stand to my feet. My stomach churned, and my legs were wobbly as if I would topple, but Trey kept a steady hand on my back to keep me upright. “Let’s get out of here first. Can you do that? Or would you rather put your life and your imaginary baby at risk?”
Veronica pursed her lips together and furrowed her brow, but she seemed to comply with what Trey had said.
“Are you okay, Hira?”
I nodded. My heart was still beating fast, but my breathing was no longer shallow.
“Hira,” Alessander said, approaching me with awaiting arms. I didn’t move into his embrace, and I hated to see the pained look on his face when I didn’t come to him. “You have to believe me, I didn’t do anything. I swear. I know my memory was lost at the time, but I know I wouldn’t sleep with her.”
He held out his pinky. I curled my lips and stared at it. It would mean he was telling me the truth and that he loved me, but somewhere in the back of my mind, doubt started to seep in.
“Man, now isn’t the time, let’s get out of here first,” Trey said and pushed Alessander’s hand away from me.
He nodded somberly. His saddened eyes never looked away from me as he said, “Okay.”
It was like someone had punched me in the gut.
I was grateful, however, when Jett got our attention.
“If ya’ll done with your Love and Hip-Hop drama, my boy’s about to wake up.”
I could see Brodie moving in his sleep as he groaned. I directed the boys to help carry him. Trey and Jett placed each of Brodie’s arms around their necks as we left the classroom. However, we didn’t make it far before we saw Noah at the end of the hall with their Umbra Shade behind them; its black tentacles slithered in the air and coiled like snakes.
“Noah, please, you have to snap out of it and let us pass!”
Noah’s face was wholly gray, and they had black veins along their neck that cradled along the sides of their face. I wasn’t sure how long the Umbra Shade had been trying to convert them.
“Just kill him already!” Veronica said, summoning her double-bladed sword. “I can have the ceiling crumble on him in an instant.”
“Don’t!” I shouted at her and took a step forward. I heard Alessander call my name, but my attention was focused on Noah. “You don’t have to do this, Noah. I know that people—”
The Umbra Shade hissed Noah’s thoughts into my head,
“Not just people… Society… And only a handful of people will ever really give a damn… It’s hard enough to be black and transgender when your own family looks at you like you’re either a mistake or don’t accept you and say you’re ‘confused’.”
“And it isn’t fair, I get that!” I shouted back. The Umbra Shade’s tentacles latched onto them. “That doesn’t mean you have to be a killer, or be like them! There are thousands of assholes out there who don’t even accept themselves. Still, every day, there are millions more people like you that are finding a community, a home, and love. You don’t have to turn a blind eye,
but know that there is a better way.”
I thought I had reached Noah because the Umbra Shade had gone silent. Noah’s arm, however, turned to Jett with their finger pointed at him.
“Noah, Noah, what are you doing?”
“Getting rid of the world’s problem.”
I turned around when Jett started gasping, releasing his grip from Brodie’s arm. His eyes bugged out of their sockets, and he was grabbing his neck as he was being squeezed.
“Noah, stop this, please!”
Jett continued to gasp and wheeze, bloody tears running down his cheeks and out his mouth. The sound of snapping made me yelp as Jett’s body collapsed on the floor.
Noah’s head tilted to the side and pointed their finger at Brodie.
“He’s next.”
“Not today, he’s not!” Veronica shouted and threw her weapon across the room at Noah. The Umbra Shade quickly reacted and stood in front of Noah, blocking them from being impaled. “Move now!” Veronica said, pushing me left down the hallway to a set of steps.
Alessander and Trey pulled Brodie down the hall. I was in the lead with Veronica behind me.
“Do you see what your ‘saving’ does? Now that idiot is dead. He’s beyond help. We need to kill him before anyone else’s lives are gone, and that could be your best friend— because I won’t let any harm come to my baby’s father.”
I couldn’t listen to Veronica right now. I replayed the scene of Jett’s death over and over in my head. I had never let anyone die before, and I couldn’t let it happen again. I knew there was a way to save Noah. They didn’t deserve this.
We climbed the steps to the second floor, clambering inside the last classroom at the end of the hall.
“Oh, my gosh, people!”
I turned around and saw that there were students already in the room. There were two girls; one with blonde braids, and the other was a brunette with short hair. The other two were Alexei and Amelia. Every last one of their faces, especially Amelia’s, looked terrified.
“What the hell is going on?” Amelia said, pointing me out as if I had all the answers. “The lights went out, the school is under lockdown without any warning, and there’s no signal at all.”
“That’s a long story, Amelia, one I don’t have time to explain. Let’s just barricade this door.”