Finding out who he really is, Alex has a tough time trying to come to terms with himself. |
What should I do? How am I supposed to explain this to people? I can't. Everyone would assume that I was crazy. Even I don't quite believe that I'm not. The innocent looking animal lays twitching on the floor in front of me. To any passers-by I would look like nothing more than an aggressive animal killing thug. I pick up the small stake of wood, previously impaled in the furry creatures body, and throw it as far away as is possible in such a cramped alleyway. Suddenly the horror of the past few minutes catches up with me and I feel my legs threaten to collapse under my tired body. That animal tried to kill me, it's that simple. His teeth were sharp and bloody, his eyes were glowing red and then there was the smell, the likes of which I had never smelt in my life. It was a vomit-inducing mixture of burning hair, rotting flesh and bad breath. At first it hadn't looked too bad. He was a mangy, undernourished looking dog. His fur was falling off of him in clumps and I am almost certain I saw things jumping around on him. He followed me most of my way home. His low growl and wheezy breathing sounding so loud in the almost abandoned street. When I reached the alleyway, I decided to try to use food to distract him long enough for me to attempt an escape from my new friend. I stopped and pulled my backpack off of my back. Kneeling down on the floor I rummaged through it until I found the remainder of my cold sausage sandwich lunch, and carefully assessing his movements, held it out and threw it across the floor to him. I was amazed when the starved looking animal didn't even flinch. With his body pressed low to the ground he stalked his way towards me and began to growl louder. I could feel his eyes burning into mine, as if he hated me. Suddenly I felt the need to run. My body was shouting at me to escape this creature while I still could. Picking up my bag I turned to run. My rarely used legs began to burn underneath me as I ran to the end of the ally, where to my horror, I met a dead end. The mutt squared up to me. His lower jaw convulsing as his eyes met his meal. I could feel my heart pulsate in my eyes. Looking around I tried to find the slightest glimmer of hope that I could escape alive. A small sharp piece of wood caught my attention in the corner of the ally, but as I bent slowly down to grab it, the animal let out a strange grunt and launched his whole weight against me with his jaw open wide. Suddenly the animal was twice the size he had previously been, and his body was almost shaped almost like a human. At that moment my body took control, and I felt the strongest I had ever felt in my life. My legs took over my mind and without knowing how, I was suddenly on top of the wall at the end of the ally. Still with the piece of wood in my hand, my legs launched me off of the wall and straight down on top of the animal. The piece of wood ripped through his back, coming to a sudden stop against a rock hard bone. with the creatures flailing body underneath me, I held on tight to the piece of wood lodged deep in his body, until I finally feel him relax and his body fall limp to the floor. Picking myself up, I took a good look at the animal. To my surprise he looked nothing more than the abandoned looking dog that had first followed me into the dark ally. Remembering how innocent the animal had looked a few minutes before, I kneel against him and pull off my old black jacket. Laying it softly against his rough fur, I stand up, and slowly back away. How had I made it up that wall? The large brick structure looming over me cannot be any less than twelve foot tall. All I can remember is the sudden way my body almost screamed at me to let go and to allow it to take complete and utter control of me. After holding my breath for a few seconds, my mind snaps back into gear. I really should be heading home, mom'll be worrying by now. Picking up my backpack, I walk away from the creature and my oldest jacket, and make my way home. On the way back I realize the air seems colder now. The wind whipping against my cheek feels so much more fierce. I wrap my arms around my body to try and stop the shiver that has set itself in my upper body. You see, I'm not really what you would call a strong guy. my arms and legs aren't the most co-operative of my features. I can run for a total of about two minutes before my legs become stubborn and just stop. I've always been one of the least popular boys in school, and tend to go about my days un-noticed. Like my brothers, I have very pale skin and equally dark hair, a mixture that doesn't really scream jock. My eyes, a shimmering sea of blue, stand out against my skin and draw unwanted attention to my face. Don't get me wrong, it''s not that I don't have any muscles, I just chose not to use them unless I have to. Actually, my shoulders are really wide in comparison to my waist, and my limbs are tough, I just don't act it. I've played the piano since I was eight, and I can't stand vocals. All the music I own is instrumental. The only thing that really seems to put me in a group anywhere near my peers, is the fact that I cannot stand school. The whole place just seems to drain the life out of me. I just want to leave this place, and get as far away from people as I can. Everyone has their one dream to get them through school, and that's mine. Escape. I guess with that being all that's actually in my favor, I didn't really give myself the best head start to the popular club. Turning into my front gate, I slam the wrought iron panel back against it's frame. The light in the kitchen shines hard against the pitch black of the night. I can hear my parents slamming about inside, most likely putting away the dishes after the dinner that I missed hours ago. How did the time manage to go by so quickly? I walk in the door and throw my backpack down against the huge pile of shoes that my brothers and I can "never seem to teach how to get to the shoe rack". My mom's voice breaks the silence of the hallway. "Jack is that you honey?" I yawn as I walk towards the kitchen, the sound of the microwave humming in the background. "Yeah it's me, sorry I'm late." I announce, as I enter the room and sit myself down at the breakfast bar. Mom's standing at the oven with a sponge in one gloved hand, and a pray bottle in the other. Her face, young for her age, looks over at me with relief etched onto it. "Where've you been Jack, it's eight thirty, and why have you still got your sneakers on?" My dad asks from his chair at the dining table. "I know, sorry. I got attacked by some stupid dog on my way home." Mom's head straightens up in my direction as dad's right eyebrow raises half an inch. "A dog?" Mom repeats. "Yeah, it just started following me then lunged itself at me." I shrug, as if it's an everyday occurance. "My god, did it hurt you?" Mom says, her voice showing her concern much more than I expected. "You didn't bring it home with you like last time, did you?" Dad says, his eyes not moving from his newspaper. "Of course not, I'm not stupid." I reply, kicking back off of the stool and walking out of the kitchen. "Your dinner'll be ready soon, don't go too far, and we still need to talk about your birthday." Mum shouts over the ringing of the microwave. As I walk up the stairs I pick up all the clean clothes mom piled on the bottom step, and run the rest of the way. Walking up to Michael and Alex's door, I hammer hard until one of them can hear me over the blaring music. "What's up, Jack?" Michael bellows, his deep voice ringing through the music. I push the door handle hard and creep into the room. Michael's whole body is sprawled out on his bed as he lays with his feet pressed up against the back wall. Alex, in a similar position on his own bed, has his revision book laying open across his face. I guess he must be asleep. "Is Alex breathing?" I ask, perching on the end of Michael's bed. "Probably." He replies, twisting his body round and sitting up straight. "Maybe we should check?" I sigh, leaning back against my elbows. "Nah, when he starts to smell, we'll know he stopped." "I'm not sure you'll notice." I state, sniffing a little. "I'll be sure to let mom know you guy's are too lazy to get up and check when you think I could be dead" Alex suddenly chimes in, his book falling onto the bed with the movement from his mouth. "You wanna enlighten her about the state of your room while you're at it?" I add, raising my eyebrow in the same way dad did earlier. "Nah, I'm sure after a while the smell will seep through under the door. Then she'll know." Michael answers, chuckling softly to himself. I kick my foot towards the pile of clothes on the floor inbetween my brother's beds. "Mom brought your washing up." "It would appear she did." Alex replies, sounding unimpressed with my intellectual observation. "She never brings mine up." I sulk, feeling hurt at the favoritism. "Maybe the smell has already reached downstairs." Michael laughs. "Hmm, maybe." I answer, standing up and walking to the door. "What you doing for your birthday, Jack?" Alex asks, coolly. "Has mom been talking to you?" I answer, clenching my fists at the mention of my birthday. "Yeah, is it that obvious?" Michael confirms. "Just a bit." "Well, she came up with our washing and did the whole "seventeen's a special age" and all that crap, so we agreed to mention it." Alex smiles, happy to have hit a nerve. |