Chapter 14

Medium: The Origins finds a young man setting out to avenge the death of a beloved family member and to recover forgotten memories, only to find himself with a new case and a unknown assailant on him.

Chapter 14

 

          As I was reading through the yearbook fully, I began to find pictures of my classmates, teachers, staff, and the pictures of events we went to. Every part of my memory was coming back to me. I remembered when we went to the museum about aboriginals. There were five of us. Buck, Hayley, Kelly, Omar, and myself included. I dressed in a very different fashion than I do now. I donned a pink shirt with a yellow V design blue vest, along with pale pants and white shoes. My hair was slightly shorter than the long hair I have now. I even carried a big and wide smile, something that I don’t do often now a days. Within my group, there was Hayley Klamore. She walked while in brown leather boots with blue hard pants. She also had a pink full sleeve shirt, and locks of brunette hair. I remembered looking at her the way I can’t take my eyes off. Then there’s Buck Lorane, a blonde haired handsome looking man dressed in all blue with brown shoes. He also had a unique hairstyle. His back, sides, and top were all combed, but his front hair was floating instead of the usual drop down. Omar is dressed in a rebellion like way. He donned a black V-neck, pale pants with a chain around, and black shoes. He had black shaggy hair. Kelly dressed in skinny pale pants, and light blue blouse with regular black and white pattern shoes. We were just finishing our trip to the museum and were waiting for the bus.

          “Find anything interesting guys?” Buck asked.

“No, the studying part is over. I’m honestly not a big fan of museums.” Omar replied.

“Bet you’re not a fan of anything.” Kelly commented.

“Pretty much, except for science, for some reason mixing drink looking liquids together gets me, like some effect is happening when the type of liquids meet.”

I also spoke, but I had a sort of high pitched voice. “Like an explosion, huh? Who wouldn’t want to see that kaboom?” I’ve done an awkward movement when I said the word ‘kaboom.’ I begin to wonder why I even did that, but this is my past.

“Yeah, a kaboom or whatever.” Omar didn’t seem too excited when talking to me. He was clearly annoyed at what I said, but for some reason I was oblivious.

          I noticed Hayley and Buck were looking at each other giggling. I wanted to know their conversation. “Ha ha ha ha, what’s so funny?”

Hayley turned to me, and suddenly stopped giggling. “Oh, nothing.”

I wanted to say something, so I did. “So, that was a fun trip, hoped you enjoyed it.” My words were directed towards Hayley.

She looked around and then turned back to me. “Are you talking to me?” She asked as if she hoped I was talking to someone else.

“Uh yeah, just wanted to see how you enjoyed the museum.” I’ve noticed that I’ve been saying everything with a smile. I seemed to want to talk to this girl specifically.

“It was okay.” She talk as if she was trying to be interested. I decided to remain quiet. I noticed that she turned and leaned in close to Buck. She whispered to him. “Not. Can’t find anything interesting to learn out of all museums.”

“Don’t you usually like going to museums?”

“I do, but this one, I don’t know.”

“Well, you could always come to my place, lots of interesting history there. Who knows we might even create some history.”

His joke made Hayley laugh, but also at the same time she seemed to adore him. “Yeah, I like the sound of that.”

I tried not to pay attention, but I knew it was right there in front of me. “Hey, I have to go to the washroom, you don’t mind waiting, right?” I was waiting for a response.

No, not at all. Kelly responded. As soon as I left, she immediately started walking. “Come on, we got to catch the bus.”

“What about him?” Points to washroom.

“Come on, do you really need to ask? Let’s just go, he’ll find his way back on his own.”

To be honest, I thought this is how they ditched me. It could’ve been any other form but fact of the matter is that they ditched me. I noticed when I came out of the washroom and went searching for them. “They’re gone.” I looked at my watch. “It’s time to catch the bus. I guess they’re at the bus. Hope Hayley’s doesn’t feel too lonely.”

The bus stopped at the front of the school. The school looked as if it was never left behind. The grey building shined a lighter grey than it is now. I saw my friends when I got off the bus, so I walked towards them.

“Hey guys, I thought I lost you.” With a big smile on my face.

He thought quickly on his feet. “Uh yeah, we were in a hurry so we caught the bus. Anyways, I got to go home, I’ll see you guys later.” Buck walked away from the group.

“I guess I’ll go home too, come on Omar.” Kelly called for him.

“Right behind you.” Both of them left together.

I went up close to Hayley. “I guess it’s just us two, you want to go and grab a drink?”

“Oh…I love to, but I’m also busy, I’ll see you later.” I wanted to say something, at least goodbye, but she ran off. She wasn’t far though, as she stopped running when she reached to Buck, who was waiting for a traffic signal change.

My home back then looked different. We had a leather sofa, wooden dining table and chairs. “Hey Chester, is that you?” Wallace saw me as I entered from the front door. He wore a black jacket with a white shirt inside, with blue hard pants and black shoes. He also had the hairstyle I currently have now, except he had my mom’s hair colour, brunette.

“Yeah. It’s me.” I replied.

“How was the field trip?”

“It was good, there was a lot of great stuff there…”

I tried to elaborate my trip, but I got interrupted. “I told you like six times I’ve already been there so I know what it’s like. I just wanted to know how you enjoyed it.” He was laughing while saying that.

I explained to Wallace about my trip to the aboriginal museum. He didn’t look like he was paying attention. But Wallace had a look of a disturbed man when he seemed to pay attention to something else. Right, I just discovered that Wallace was protecting me from the ghosts and kept it a secret so I wouldn’t worry. I never figured it out though. I was just busy explaining how my day went when all he could think about is how further can he keep both of us alive. “Alright, if it’s okay with you, I’m going to go upstairs now.”

Wallace was zoned out for a bit, but eventually got back on track with our conversation. “Okay.”

As I walked up the stairs, I still noticed he looked disturbed. I didn’t bother asking him what’s wrong. I just thought he found me annoying like everybody else, but turns out it was more than that. I didn’t think of it at the time.

The lockers were brighter and showed more colour. Well, it was technically pale, but the tone was lighter. It was due to the fact we had electricity at the time, but now it being abandoned, it doesn’t have a shred of light in the present. I was busy getting some books from my locker, and I noticed Hayley was grabbing hers as well.

“Uh…hi Hayley.” I approached her and struck a conversation with her.

She turned around and saw me, but it didn’t lighten the day for her. “Oh uh…hey Chester, I got to go to class.” It wasn’t really class time, but she needed an excuse.

“Which way do you go?” I really was stupid wasn’t I?

“Just down the hall that way.” She didn’t point to anywhere specific. She tried to put up a fake smile when talking to me.

“Alright, I’ll come with you.” I was really persistent when oblivious wasn’t I?

“No, it’s okay, I’m fine going alone.”

“It’s alright I’ll come with you.” I really did insist.

“Oh my god.” She sighed.

“What, what is it?” Yeah, I had to ask.

“How did you even end up with us?”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t want to sound mean, but you’ve been doing nothing but following us.” And I tried to talk to you, which you found annoying.

“What, aren’t we friends?”

“Chester, you were okay, but to be honest, you really are annoying. No one in the group likes you.”

“What, I thought you did.”

“That’s because no one wants to hurt your feelings, but you’re just too much drama to handle. There are people that I’d personally rather be with but with you around it’s awkward, and not in a good way. I’ve put up with you because I feel sorry for you, but now I don’t. It’s time we let you go.”

Midway through that conversation, her words nailed me in the head and the heart. “So this whole thing is a fake, between me and you guys?”

“Be honest with yourself Chester, why else do you think we give excuses like ‘we’re going home’. It’s just to get away from you, but no one wants to hurt your feelings.”

“But I thought we were getting along.”

“We’re not. Look, I hope you understand, but it’s not going to work out and it never will, okay?”

I felt a huge blow to my self-esteem, but I didn’t show. I just put on a huge smile. “I get it. You can go now.”

“I hope we reached an understanding.”

“Hey, it’s okay.” It really wasn’t at the time being. “We can still see each other in class, we just won’t hang out, that’s all.”

She gave me a weird look, but then turns away. I heard her whispering quietly.  “Thank god.” She was relieved, but I wasn’t. I thought she just never wanted and told me no one in the group wanted me around. Despite that having truth in these words, I knew there was more to it than what she just told me. I say hi to a couple of students. I don’t really hang out with him, but I had a couple of these guys in my classes.

“Hi.”

“Why are you saying hi for huh?” He didn’t sound too nice. I thought that was just one person, so I made eye contact with a girl in my class.

“What are you looking at creep?” It slowly unveiled in front of me. I couldn’t stop thinking of it. I felt weak, broken, humiliated, and empty inside. It was also empty in the hallways. Right, it was class time and I had to go. It’s just that I wasn’t really up for the rest of the day.

A few weeks had passed, and I would usually hang out outside by myself after school. I would usually sit on a hills these playground parks had. It was usually the same place that’s technically behind the school. I usually took out a bottle of pills and popped one in my mouth. I continued to do so until I would fall unconscious in a secluded area. Once I gained consciousness, my feelings would be numbed temporarily and I would continue to finish my day at home. I should’ve told myself this whole thing with Hayley and I didn’t happen, but it did and I couldn’t help but notice she was actually happy without me around. She was even more happier to spend time with Buck, and everyone else who knew about the two were just as happy when they got together and that I was out of the way. I should be happy that she’s happy, but the rejection was not the only thing that was keeping me down. I realized I had a reputation of some sort of an outcast and I didn’t even know it. It just reinforced the fact I really was just a burden. I began to think I was like that to everybody. I couldn’t help it. How could I go a single day without feeling like I don’t belong anywhere? I did reach a low blow, even to the point of numbing the pain.

I didn’t get any better. I developed a habit of impatience for school to be over so I could continue taking pills. But today was the day I really reached a high point in my life, a very drastic one.

“Move out of the way, loser.”

I turned around and gave that person a dead look. I shoved the b*****d into the wall, but turned around to sack me back. Both of us wrestled, but we ended up broken. Literally, we fell down through a flight of stairs and broke every bone in our body. We didn’t even have enough stability in our bones to even drag ourselves.

I ended up back home on my bed after some time at the hospital. The doctors also figured out I was taking drugs and have sent me to rehabilitation, but I have no memory of that. I was alone in my room with no lights on. I preferred it that way, I’d rather sleep when I’m recovering from something. Time off school would’ve been something I needed all along. I’ve had some time to myself to think about my depression. I shouldn’t be sad all the time, I kept thinking there’s got to be a way for me to get over this s**t I was going through. I kept telling myself that it’s been weeks since I realized my outcast reputation, and she considered my feelings when she tried to let me down gently, and I hadn’t gotten over it. Somehow that didn’t even help me stop being depressed the whole time. Sometimes it made it worse.

“Hey bro, how are you doing?” I stopped thinking at the sound of Wallace’s voice. I didn’t expect that, but it wasn’t all bad.

“I’m good.”

“Look, I got chess, you want to play?”

“Yeah, sure.” He would entertain me so I wouldn’t be so bored all the time. I knew what he was trying to do, but I wanted some time alone to think for myself. That’s what I really wanted, but I knew I wasn’t going to say that straight to his face. But I also didn’t want him to know, that’s just more burden on his plate.

“What’s wrong, don’t you like playing chess?” He noticed.

“Yeah, I guess I’m not really in it today.”

“Does it have something to do with your friends?” I didn’t answer that question. I’d rather not talk to anyone about this now. “I overheard a couple of students ranting about you, and that’s more than the incident that happened to you. I heard them complaining that you tried talking to a girl. Did this have something to do with your drug problem?”

“Yeah, it’s stupid.”

“It’s part of life being rejected, I know how it feels.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, you remember Sally right?”

          “Yeah.”

          “I hung out with her and I enjoyed it. We did everything together, told each other everything, and enjoyed every minute of each other’s company. Sometime later I felt something for her, and I told her about it.”

          “How did she take it?”

          “She said she’s with someone else, and I met her that way. I still stayed friends with her, I enjoyed her company so I really didn’t mine.”

          “At least she wants to be friends with you, my crush doesn’t want to see me again.”

          “Come on, rejection happens, and it sucks.”

          “Wallace, it’s more than that. She just told me that the group didn’t even want me around, that I did nothing but follow and annoy them, but I felt like it stretched out more than that. I said hi to a couple of people in my class and they thought I was some troll who just came out under a bridge. I didn’t even see that, I thought everything was going well, and it all of a sudden blew up in my face.”

          “It all happened too fast for you. I guess there was a reason you’ve been taking them.” Wallace didn’t say anything. “At least now you’re away from the school, you don’t have to see them until you’ve recovered from your injuries.” We just continued playing, but out conversation didn’t stop there. “Can I ask you something?” I nodded. “Was there any point when you noticed these guys weren’t interested in being friends with you?”

          “I guess. I noticed it, but I didn’t want to mislead myself.”

          “Especially with the girl you had a crush on, what was her name?”

          “Hayley, but it’s just one of my problems.”

          “Yes I get it, I was just curious.”

          I sighed. “I guess there was a time when I knew she was interested in someone else other than me. I noticed a few time, but it didn’t stop me from pursuing her. Sometimes I wonder why?”

          “No one can tell, love works in mysterious ways. You can’t control it. But don’t let it get you down. Everyone don’t want you around, so what. You got yourself, and you got me.”

          “Can I ask you something?”

          “Yes?”

          “Why do you put up with me?”

          “What do you mean?”

          “Hayley told me she put up with me because she felt sorry for me. The rest of the group was like that towards me as well. I don’t want to be some annoying troll who just barges into people’s business but I don’t want to be alone as well. If you think I’m annoying, then you’re free to go, I won’t bother you.”

          “Chester, what makes you think that?”

          “Look, I’ve been doing some thinking while I was sitting here, and I thought of the times when you told me to stop bothering you, or when I tried to talk to you, you didn’t really say anything. I just left like that. Now that I realized it, I don’t want to be that person anymore.”

          “I see where you’re coming from. Let’s just say I had my own problems to deal with, but we both got problems. That’s true, right?”

          “Yeah.”

          “Look, there are times when you really are annoying, but I’m your brother, and we’ve known each other longer than those friends of yours. Just why would I make your annoying deeds something I’d remember more? Why focus on those when you were someone I could turn to and spend time with when I’m having a bad day? If anything helps, yes you’re annoying, but you’re loyal, kind, caring, and calm.”

          “And a creep and a loser.”

          “Don’t focus on those, they’re form people who don’t even want to know you.”

          “Sorry.”

          “Look, just remember the good qualities you have and just be comfortable with yourself, okay. I don’t want to see you drowning in drugs, and I don’t want to see you depressed. I don’t want to lose you. S**t happens, but instead of just hoping it would go away, confront it upfront.”

          Several months have passed by and I’m fully recovered and back at school. My feelings for Hayley still never went away, but I stopped doing drugs. Though my problems never went away just like that, but what could I do at the time. I’d have to face it, which I never knew how long it would be before I could get comfortable with it. All I knew is I was in a less s****y situation than before.

          It was the night of the dance. I was all dressed in a pink shirt with a black arm cut vest. Everything else I wore was of black colour. I constantly checked my watch, anticipating the end of the dance. Everyone was inside and danced like they were lost in an unknown universe without a care. I was on the sidelines waiting for this dance to end. There were a lot of things I could’ve done alone, dancing wasn’t one of them. I turned around, and I saw a girl who looked dashing in red, and tops it off with a black bun style with curly front hair. I was smitten by her, and she looked lonely. I guessed it wouldn’t hurt to ask, so I went up to her and reached my hand out.

          “Do you want to dance?” I tried to be romantic. Well, not romantic, but interesting.

          She took one good look at me. “Sorry, but I just don’t feel like dancing right now.” And I didn’t feel like asking again, I didn’t want to get hurt and go into a great depression again, I wasn’t ready for another ride. I just left, and waited as usual. Another guy comes up to her. I didn’t see, but I just knew it was another guy.

          “Do you want to dance?” He had a sweet but deep voice.

          The girl looked at him and was taken away at the sight of him. “Sure.” She giggled. I felt a little hurt inside, but I should’ve anticipated this. It didn’t matter, all I did was wait. I took a trip to the washroom, and washed up. I felt as if someone was in the same room as me. I turned to my side, and I encountered veined eyes. It lunged in at me, with intent to kill. “STAY AWAY FROM ME!” I screamed, begging to keep my like. I grabbed a pole and attempted to strike, but I didn’t even come close and I ended up making a bug cut on my head. I lost all balance and fell down, and I was just unconscious.

          Based on the clues I found in my investigation, I imagined the rest of the events happened at the time of my unconsciousness. Wallace entered the school in search of me. He began looking around, and then veined eyes appears. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to know where his baby brother was at, but when the curse is right in front of him it was clear he was in danger and not me. He ran as fast as he could. Everything around him was moving fast. He could see what was really close up, but can’t see from distance due to the clouds of shadows in his way. He eventually tripped, and looked behind to find a man in a prison uniform. “Who are you?” He wondered.

          The convict placed his finger to his lips. “Shhhh. Don’t tell anyone.” The convict continued to make his way out of school. Wallace was about to get back up, but veined eyes arrived before he had the chance to move. It moved in close, and crushed his neck until he breathed his last breath.

          My eyes blurred as I regain consciousness. “Where am I? What am I doing here? And what was I doing?” All of these questions barged in my head. I looked around to try and get something visible in my sights. “I can’t see a thing.” I lifted my hands in front and walked forward. My hands made contact with something round and felt like metal. With a firm grip, I could twist it. Suddenly, I felt a moving wall as I twisted the round metal. It was a door knob and I was opening the door. Opening the door and given me some dim light to work with. I could see a mess on the floor and a DJ stand. A dance happened here, but where did it took place? I continued walking down into the hallways, where I noticed lockers and eventually figured out where I was. I walked slowly and was highly alert of my surroundings. Veined eyes popped its eyes out in front of me, startling me. It eventually disappeared, but I had no idea where it came from. I wasn’t going to stand in one place, so I decided to run as fast as I could.

          “AAAHHHH!” I recognized the sound of the voice, but where was it coming from? I had a direction when I heard the voice, which I followed. It eventually led me to a horrible sight. “I…know…him.” That’s where it all started from. My amnesia, my loss, and my investigation. It all started from that exact event. I couldn’t comprehend what was in sight. All I could do was fall on my knees in agony, and mourn.

Author's Note

Medium: The Origins finds a young man setting out to avenge the death of a beloved family member and to recover forgotten memories. He shuns himself from having a normal social life for the sake of vengeance. Just when he thought he ran out of leads, he was involved in an incident which leads him to start a new case. This particular investigation changes him greatly while he is being hunted by an unknown assailant whose victims never got to see before they met their doom.

Note: This is my first book and I plan to write more. Criticism, praise, or any feedback of some sorts are welcome.
Read more at http://www.booksie.com/action_and_adventure/novel/mamatters/meduim:-the-origins/chapter/15#JlkeVIxc17auXVHy.99