Eldest Chapter I

Changed1

"If it isn't the fat faggot," says Carlo as he and his mates approach me. Tall and strong, normally I would be scared outta my wits. Not today. "Hanging out with his hooker girlfriends. I can just tell this years just as going to be just as fun as the last one." First day back, and already it begins. Except this time, Its going to be different. This time I'm different. His wrong On three counts. One, he no longer has the right to call me fat. Two, there is no way in hell I would even think about touching a gay son of a bitch like him. And three, their not my girlfriends. Their just the only mates I have. Since he scared the rest away. But his right about one thing. This year would be fun. Just not for him.2

I smile as I rise from my chair. Four of them, one of me. In rememberrence of why I was doing this, I touch the scar on my face that I had recieved only a year ago. When Carlo thought it would be funny to take a brave slice me with a cooking knife. How hillarious. 3

Carlo shoves me and my hands retreat from the scar upon my face. "Bloody faggots touching himself! Do you think he likes us? I'll bet you anything his picturing us naked!" The giant boys behind him laugh.
"Funny," I say sarcastically, then It begins. Time stops in motion. I hear nothing. And my mind shows what its been picturing for a long... Long time.4

My hand drives its way into his jaw, I hear a snap. This susprises him. He never expected me to fight back. Three years of highschool and his never seen me like this. I've always had something to hold me back. Not this time. His three friends arn't as slow. They turn on me viscously, charging at me. They should know better. They should have heard about me on the news. They should have heard about me in the Newspaper. They should know thier is no surrender anymore. 5

I take their charge head on, also suprising them. My left hand strike out in a propper uppercut, just like my mind showed, dropping him to the floor. The other two begin to strike me in the face. I take every last one of their hits, my smile widenning. One of them breaks my nose. I kick out with my leg, taking the first to the floor, then shove the other away. He looks at me gauntly as just as my head shows me, I let out a smooth, strong punch, which takes him to the floor. You'ld think I'd stop their. Nope. I turn over to Carlos, the main offender. My sneakers step on his face with the force of a bucking bull, striking him over and over and over, smashing bones, bruising him like I was bruised, torturing like I was tortured. My breath seams to stop, all my energy is put into deliverring kick after kick into the boys face. My tormentor. But I am the tormentor now. 6

My arms are grabbed by two strong hands, holding me back from deliverring more kicks to the face of the man I hate. Suddenly, the rage subsides, and I realise what I have done. I realise Melony and Elizabeth have been screaming at me to stop. I realise the crowd of half the school are crowded around the small puddle of blood, half mine, half theirs. I realise that Carlo's is begging; No, screaming for mercy. 7

"Damn you," I say, my breath slowly recoverring. I'm suprised their is no teacher to see this. They should be here soon. I turn to face the two number one girls in my life, who face me with a look of disgust and awe.
I grunt. "They had It coming." The two are still looking at me like a monster. "I have to- We gotta-" They nodd, I nodd, and we slowly begin to leave the crowd surrounded by the four boys who I single handedly defeated, just as they had once defeated my spirit, my life, my very soul. But even they cannot conquer the emptiness I feel these days.8

We walk up to the meadow, where none can see us, and we sit silently.
"What were you thinking John?" asks Melony, as she passes be a hankercheif. Their is blood dripping down my face. Not all of it is mine.
"They called you hookers," I say as I accept the hankerchief and begin to wipe away the blood poouring from my wounds. Scarlet tears of my pain.
"You shouldn't have done that," says Liz, and I smile at her weakly. Mel was always the pretty one. Liz the caring, understanding one. Why they had taken me in, who knows? Maybe because, they to, had been scrutinised by Carlo's friends, and others like him. "The twins saw you. And Karla." My stomache gives a lurch. So, my family saw me beat the four boys. They knew it had affected me. I only hoped they wouldn't tell the other five. I couldn't handle that. I needed to be looked up to. I needed to be the leader, now. I needed to be shown as the man that didn't feel, that didn't hurt. I needed to be strong for Mum.9

They would be heading home now. My family. I could barely keep up with their names. Let alone being responsible for them. But still, with Mum being in the state she was, I had to care for them as best as I could. Sixteen or not sixteen. Leonard and Luke, the twins, where the oldest beside me, In year nine, I asked them to walk the primary school ones home. I was expected to stay here with Melony and Elizabeth for a quick break, then, at four, run down as fast as I could to by job at the Deli. Mum needed the money, and I was needed to get it for her. The circle of life. Suddenly my thoughts where brought back to here I was. To Melony and Elizabeth.
"What did you say again?" I ask, sidetracked.
"The twins and Karla saw you," Liz repeats for me. "Are you ok." I let out a small chuckle.
"I haven't been Ok for months." Liz shuffles into arms reach me and gives me a small, quiet hug.
"It must be hard for you, John. I haven't seen you since he left. You look terrible. You've lost so much weight. You've gotten so much stronger." It was true. I was smaller, stronger, better. But at a cost.
"I live," I say simply. "Nothing else I can do."
"Do you miss him?" Melony asks quietly. I look up into her eyes, and shrug.
"His a son of a bitch. He deserves to die." Liz's eyes widen.
"You mean his still alive?" I wonder if I should tell them what really happenned. But I seriously dont want to talk about it. I had two months to talk about it. I hardenned myself in that time, not broke down. I am a warrior now.
"Nope, his dead now," I lie.
"What are you talkin' about," asks Melony. "We both know-" My hand covers her mouth. Her soft, smooth mouth.
"I dont want to talk about my father," I say in an angry, cold voice. The two girls take a step back from me. They both give each other a look, a look of concern for me.
"Ok then, John. But if you dont mind can we ask you some other stuff?," Liz asks me. I open my mouth to retaliate, but is cut off before I get a chance. "Its just that you've changed so much. You used to be so... sad. But you were happy when we were around. No your just... Empty."
"How the hell am I empty? What do you know about me any more?" I snap at them.
"Ok!" they say in union. I know their right. I have changed. I am empty. "How did you learn how to fight so well, though?" Liz adds. I wonder if I should tell them about my holidays. What I had been doing.
"My cousin and my uncle taught me a few things," I reply. 10

I stare down at my watch. 4:00. Some break. "I have to go now," I say. Liz nods and hugs me again. I stand in union with the other two, and realise Mel has been watching our exchanges. She smiles, and kisses me softly on the cheek. Thats new. Mel is also in the category of "Fat Faggot," and bigger than the average girl, but so damn pretty.
"Your a brave brave man for standing up for us," Liz says. "Thankyou." I smile.
"No problem," I reply. "Bye." 11

I run off down the road, running from the only two people that really give a damn about me. Besides, of course, my uncle and my cousin.