HOME | DD

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Walking home from school is always the worst.

I'm always alone, because the one "friend", if you can call him that, lives in another neighbourhood in the opposite direction of mine. But it just so happens that Rick and Destri live six houses down from me. And always make sure they walk me home.

Speaking of which, they were late today. I looked behind me down the sidewalk, adjusting my earbuds. There they come now, Rick on his skateboard and Destri on his bike. I wonder what kept them that extra three minutes. Oh well. I thought up a new possible escape route in their absence. Maybe it'll work. Probably not, but might as well change up the game a little bit.

I bolted down the sidewalk, four blocks away from home. The ominous, thick trees loomed over on my right, gloomy and dark in contrast to the bright daylight shining on the road. There were also a lot of bumps and tree roots. Just horrible for travelling devices with wheels. The sound of the plastic wheels on the pavement were slowly overtaking me.

"Hey prick! Slow down, you know the drill!" Destri. I've memorized their voices by now, of course.

Instead of continuing down the sidewalk to imminent and cruel pummeling, I took a sharp right and raced into the dimly lit forest. I could hear the wheels graze to a stop as they watched me go, unsure why I chose to change the plan today. "Where the hell you going, freak? We still don't have the money and you still don't have the bruises yet!"

I tripped on a root, stumbled back up, and continued jumping through the thin trees and nettled ground. Their footsteps were loud and pounding from behind me, and their panting was heavy. "Sounds like you boys need a new diet plan!" I shouted back behind me, still running. "What you gonna do without your rides?"

Apparently I miscalculated how far behind me they actually were. Because just then Destri jumped on my back and sent me sprawling on the ground beneath him. "You damn little pest!" he panted out as he held me down with his knee in my back and one hand holding my wrists tightly. "You were trying to run before we'd had our fun with you, and that's not very nice."

Oh well. It was a good try. At least it created some excitement, but we all knew it was coming. I didn't even bother fighting back, just let Destri sit on me until slow-butt Rick jogged himself over. He must have the lungs of a weasel. I told him so, and Destri laughed. But he didn't let me up.

Destri and I used to be friends. I'd first seen him on the first day of school two years ago, and his whole being had pulled me in. The humourous and dark personality, the piercings, the straightened black hair, that pale skin and white teeth and grey eyes. I'd first met him on the second day, when I got lost on the second level of the school, where he was smoking in the bathroom. And we hit off immediately, because he enjoyed corrupting me and I think I enjoyed being corrupted. That's how I started smoking. I'm trying to quit. It's harder than I thought.

I think we still are friends. But it's a weird friendship.

My mind shot back to the present. "Alright, since we're already so off schedule, let's just start where we would be if you hadn't run your little emo ass off course." Rick raked his foot twice on my head. I tried to move my hand to get the wallet, but due to restraint only ended up nudging Destri's leg. "Destri, it's in the back left pocket," I mumbled through the leaves and pine nettles.

"What?"

"Back left," I stated a little louder.

I felt him shuffle through my pants pocket and slip it out. With one hand still pressing my wrists into my back, he opened the wallet with his teeth. All I could see was the wallet, those white teeth, and his black hair resting over my eyes as he bent over to pry it open. He let out a disgusted sigh. "Ten bucks, man... You need a better job."

Rick kicked me in the back of the head, sending a throbbing wave of pain through my skull. "You got anymore anywhere-"

Crackling from behind me caused him to stop speaking. What was that? "Who the hell is there?" Rick called out. Destri froze over me. I assumed they were both staring into the forest, all alert, because all I could see was a tree directly in front of me. I could imagine Destri's grey, grey eyes peering through that black hair, on edge and ready to run if needed. Rick was still panting though.

Suddenly rocks were being thrown at us. Large-ish rocks. Rocks that could potentially hurt. The only reason I knew was because one hit me on the back of the head and then landed in front of me. HUGE. And ouch. Mannnn, does that hurt... Who the heck is throwing these oversized pebbles?

Rick's shoes ran through my vision towards the street. Destri got off my back and pulled me up by the wrists. "Don't think we're done," he muttered, but still focused on the forest behind us. I turned around, pulling against his hands. He was yanking me back. But I had to see who it was.

Another rock whizzed out of the mist and hit Destri straight through his black hair. He gasped and stepped back, letting me go to hold his head. I could see some blood dripping down his cheek. He didn't need to scream in pain, because his face had it written all over it. "Destri..." He staggered back and ran after Rick, leaving me alone with this dangerous rock-throwing and invisible... thing.

But the rocks stopped when Destri had gone. I heard someone laugh from my right. I whipped around and searched the gloomy trees for a moment before my eyes fell upon the attacker. A boy, pale as the moon with hair as black as a frying pan... wide-open, lidless eyes and a stitched smile carved into his face. I stood there, shocked and speechless, unable to move. My whole body was stiff. Terror? Or curiosity?

The thing came closer to me. The eerie silence hung heavily in the air. It feels like one of those horror movies.

Maybe he'd been in a bad accident. He looked my age, maybe slightly older. Maybe he saved me because he wanted to make a friend. Maybe he doesn't have any.

These are a lot of "maybes".

I decided to make the first move. Towards friendship, I mean. Because he was the one still inching closer to me slowly. "Hi." It was awkward in the silence. "My name is Alex. Who are you?"

"Jeff." His voice was raspy. His dark brown, lidless eyes never left me.

"Thank you for saving me from those guys just now Jeff. I really appreciate it. Oh wait... damn, they still have my wallet... That was all I had until Saturday..."

Jeff's smile was still... carved onto his face. "You seem nice," he stated.

My mind blanked. "Thank you," I whispered back, my heart racing. "I'm glad you think so."

"Alex?"

Both Jeff's head and mine turned to where Destri stood, holding his bleeding head with one hand and staggering to us slowly. His eyes quickly switched from my face to Jeff's. "Who's this?"

"Destri, this is Jeff. He's very nice and think's I'm very nice too." This feels so much like a story. Like a dream. "Jeff, this is Destri."

Jeff pointed a crooked finger at Destri. "You stole his wallet," he husked out.

Destri flinched at the finger, as though it were a knife. "I'm giving it back..." He pulled it out of his back pocket with the one free hand and tossed it to me. "Now, um... I need Alex to take me back home so that he can help me with my head."

I nodded, knowing immediately that Destri was planning to get me out of here. Not only is Jeff somewhat dangerous, but this was just an awkward situation to begin with. "Yeah, he probably needs some help fixing that up. But we can see each other again soon. I like you already, and I've only known you for two minutes."

Jeff returned his stare to me and just nodded. I nodded back, unsure what to do next. "Well, I'll see you around. Maybe Destri will come with me next time too."

Destri sent me a glare, but kept quiet and turned to leave. I started to follow him, but felt myself tugged back forcefully. The force sent me on my back on the ground. Jeff knelt over me. "Meet here tomorrow."

I nodded, feeling that heartbeat race again. His eyes were so close to mine. The pupils were miniscule. "Ok, Jeff. I'll come back tomorrow, don't worry." I didn't ask if I could bring Destri, because I didn't want to get a no. But I needed someone else there...

"Alex-"

Destri was running toward me, hanging back only a few feet away. His stance implied that he would pull out his ninja jujutsu skills that I'd seen him do when he practiced. But this was serious. Jeff never took his eyes off me. I glanced up at Destri and slowly stood. Jeff followed me up all the way, staying close to my face. His eyes were eager and yet... emotionless. Like he forgot how to feel. My breath froze in the air as I panted out this fear and curiosity I held. Jeff was still so close... "I'll come back tomorrow. Don't worry."

Jeff nodded. I turned away and walked toward Destri, trying to keep my pace normal. But my heart was planning to jump out of my chest. I stared at Destri, hoping my eyes showed this fear to let him know how serious this was. He glanced from me to Jeff, and then turned to walk with me when I caught up. Those eyes bore into the back of my head. I could feel it. But when I turned around Jeff had disappeared.

"Destri... he's gone..."

Destri whipped around before grabbing my sleeve and dragging me faster through the woods. "Once we get to the sunlight it'll be better..."

Sure enough when we broke out into the sunlight, the tension completely left my body. Destri also sighed beside me. But looking back into the woods brought it all back...

He stared back as well. I noticed the blood sliding down his neck. "We should get that fixed... Let's go to my place."

He nodded. And I sighed again. Maybe this is a dream. I'll wake up soon.