Dracosapiens Book 1 Chapter Three

Dracosapiens: The Birth of Half Breeds 1

March 23rd (Jake Seymour‘s Perspective)2

I never understood Ella. Not even for a second. Just about anytime I finally thought I had her figured out, she would do something so out of character and prove me wrong. But...that's girls for you.3

I don't pretend to be an expert on women, but I do have a heck of a lot more insight than most. I swear, my father would bring home a new woman every night. Preppy, spoilt, blonde - it didn't matter. But of all the categories and titles to place a female under, Ella didn't fit anywhere, and lately, her fiery personality was diminishing. She seemed to be having a chemical meltdown. Not that I’d admit that to her though, Ella was my best friend aside from Tyson. Always had been, always will. 4

So what do you when that friendship is no longer enough? Do you simply dive in and hope for the best or tread the water lightly and see where the current's headed? Either way, I don't think I can hide my true feelings any longer.5

Chapter 3: Observation6

Seymour Residence, Main Hall, 7

Third door to the Left 7.23 am March 23rd Monday EST8

“Get UP, dad,” I grumbled, rapping harshly on his polished mahogany frame. Trust dad to go all out for the furniture and décor - women liked that kind of homey, ‘he looks like a millionaire’ feel to a house. Every woman I had ever caught my father with - and there had been a lot - was so obviously a gold digger. Too bad for them my father had lost the need for commitment a long time ago. Since my mother died, dad had transformed himself into a regular old nut job. For instance, telling me I had a dragon spirit inside of me? Ha! What a joke. And then there was the fact he so hypocritical. 9

“Now don't you go rushing off for any one night stands young man,” he would say. “Women are not objects, they have real feelings and real emotions, just like us. So settle down and find yourself a true relationship instead.” If women really were objects, he'd be the museum that had them collected.10

The door opened. A tall, lithely looking brunette stepped awkwardly around me, flushing a delicate shade of pink as she passed by. “Um, I'll - I'll see you around J-Jackson,” she mumbled as I looked determinedly to the floor. Huh. Not likely. 11

The young lady quickly tugged at the bottom of her dressing gown, misinterpreting the placement of my eyes. Oh please, I thought, actually shaking my head. Like I was interested in her. 12

She gave me a quick, frantic wave and then, both the woman and her much too short blue 'pyjamas' disappeared. “And my name is Jake,” I hollered back to her, hands balling into fists. Honestly, where'd my father find this one? She had the total I.Q of a Lima bean. 13

This whole house was such an aggravation for me lately. Where was Ella when you needed her? She always knew how to calm me down.14

Ah, Ella. I just couldn't get that girl out of my mind. Not that I didn't want her there, it was just, occasionally...my thoughts weren't entirely proper. My friend was everywhere - even in my dreams - and, we were buddies. Friends didn't date. Period. That meant that I shouldn't even consider asking her out. I didn't even know if I was her type. 15

All the same, I still insinuated. I'm just not really sure if she was paying attention. Or maybe she was but chose to ignore it...damn! Ella was so complicated.16

“You know son,” boomed my father's voice from the half-open doorway, “I'm growing rather tired of you chasing away my friends. That nice young lady works in my office and she tries very hard to handle all of my business calls and affairs.” 17

Well affairs was spot on at least, the woman was married. “Oh, I see,” I responded, still irate, “she's your sex-retary!” Despite the heat of the conversation, my father still chuckled. 18

Opening the door to full, a rather crude combination of booze, chocolates and scented candles wafted beneath my nose. Usually, when I smelt that, it meant my father was in the nude. Should I dare chance walking in and throwing open his undoubtedly shut curtains? Hmmm. Better not risk it.19

I closed the door, grimacing against the bitter smells and possibility of springing my father naked. “Just hurry up dad. Twenty minutes and you'll be late for work again.”20

My father was an accountant, an exceptionally well paid one at that. He would use his riches to buy fast and expensive cars, suits with fashionable brand names and continuous additions to our house. We now had a pool, Jacuzzi, marble floors, shiny wooden furniture, crystal chandeliers and other accessories more suited to a palace. The only thing that remained untouched was my room - lucky for him.21

Every square inch of my walls were plastered with posters of bikini babes, awesome bands and a corkboard I used mainly for photos. Needless to say, there were a few more pictures of Ella and I together than anybody else. Not that the others cared. Tyson was more interested in the new gaming system my father bought and Kyle...all he ever seemed to do was read. 22

I always considered my reading materials pretty extensive, at least until I visited Kyle's house. An entire spare room was dedicated to his library and lust for literature. That boy needed to find himself a girlfriend; he clearly had far too much time on his hands.23

Compared to the rest of the house though, my room was kind of small, like a box room. Not that I wanted the extra space. All I needed to survive was a T.V, play station, bed, desk, phone and a locked door. Emphasis on the locked. 24

I never let any real light into my room either, I preferred alternating neons; they looked trippy in the darkness. And I'll admit, my hamper was always loaded, my closet was a sty and my bed was never made. But so what? Boys could get away with that sort of thing. Well...maybe not with Mrs Paul. She'd tan my hide and run me over after seeing the horrors within my room. It was hard to imagine that Ella got picked on for hers. 25

Walking into the living room, I found it strangely caustic that my father's all time favourite song was ‘Sweet Home Alabama.’ Even now, as it blared through one of many surround sound stereos, I was fighting the urge to laugh. The whole point of the song - and movie for that matter - was about giving up the rich man and diamonds for a warm-hearted country fella‘. Had anybody looked at this house lately?!26

Ten minutes later, after plonking into a leather recliner to attempt the last remaining math problems left beside the chair, my father had the gall to scold me for wasting time, but at least he was dressed. My father and I looked nothing alike - except for the eyes. Every other prominent feature belonged to my dead mother. She'd died in a car accident about seven years ago, so at least Ella and I could relate to the woes of single parenting.27

My father was pretty muscular for a desk jockey, (it was what Tyson liked to call office workers) but then, he was obsessed with looking good. To me, he shadowed an F.B.I agent with his crisp black get-up and moustache trimmed to perfection. His bronze hair was swept back, short and slick and his ochre eyes flashed beneath heavy-set eyebrows. Over all, a dreadfully intimidating appearance. Perhaps that was why he moved through the ranks so quickly.28

“Well I'm off now son,” he rumbled gruffly. “See to it you eat a decent breakfast before you go. And stop wasting your time doodling on paper scraps. Find something productive to do for once.” I rolled my eyes. Dad was such an idiot. 29

“Um,” I responded. “This is my homework but hey, if you don't think it's productive I'll so chuck it in the trash.” I moved my hand hopefully towards the bin in the left hand corner of the room. 30

“Oh no, no, no,” he said quickly. “If that's homework never mind what I said before.” I smiled in triumph. Outing others was so much fun. 31

My father looked concerned for a moment. “Hey son?”32

His awkward tone caught my attention.“Yeah dad?” His weight shifted from foot to foot and I swear his hands were twisting agitatedly in his pants pocket. Something was definitely up.33

“How are you....are you feeling okay? Lately, I mean. Nothing....strange.... going on?” 34

I was confused. Adjusting myself in the recliner to face him, I asked, “why? Am I supposed to have something wrong with me?” Dad frowned. 35

Oh. Now I saw where he was headed. The whole dragon infusion thing again. Sighing, I got to the point. “No dad. Nothing strange yet.” He seemed pleased with the answer. Turning on his heel, he waved goodbye and headed for the door. But instead of leaving, he paused by the frame. He seemed to be mulling something over.36

“And, uh, how's...how's Ella doing?”37

I was surprised by the sudden direction of our topic. “Okay, I guess. A little frazzled maybe. Why do you ask?”38

My father shifted uncomfortably again. “No reason. Just....keep an eye on her, okay kid?” He left without another word. Clearly, he knew something that I didn't, and it worried me.39

Main Entrance, School Gates, 40

Sheridan High 8:41 am March 23rd Monday EST 41

Man, I couldn't wait to see the look on Ella's face when she finally realised what I had planned tonight. The feeling of untold knowledge coursed through my veins, making me sly, witty and powerful. Like a criminal mastermind as he readied himself for his next diabolical scheme. For once, I was in charge and I was just one hand away from leaving my second best friend, royally flushed.42

Tons of students jostled past me as the minutes ticked on, but I was patient. I had faith that Ella would show. She had promised, and although my promise in return was about to be broken - ignoring her birthday - it would be far too late for Ella to change her mind. By the time I would spring my forbidden deed upon her, escape would be near impossible. The school gates would shut and Ella would have no written excuse to permit her to leave. Like a rat in a trap, I had her.43

And cue the femme fatale. 44

Leaning comfortably against the railing, I spotted a small and slender body with unnaturally pale skin, stumbling disjointedly through the crowd. Her hair looked like dark brown flames licking at her scalp as chunks of locks stuck out in random shapes and directions.45

Even from a distance, I clearly recognized Ella's 'deep-in-thought' expression. The only time she ever wore that was when some unforseen problem was fatally messing with her sense of control, but frankly, I was too keyed-up to care.46

Evidently struggling with her bulging backpack, Ella finally caught sight of me. Geez. It really wasn't fair when she looked at me like that. Even as she dodged the impatient seniors and numerous flowerbeds and shrubs, her joyous eyes were consistently locked onto mine. It made my stomach do back-flips and sneakers lift in preparation, ready to bolt over so I could hold her protectively in my arms. 47

Staring at me expectantly, I decided to break the silence. “Hello Ella,” I whispered, smiling graciously. The girl had no idea what I had in store for her. “Want me to carry the rucksack for you today? I know how hard Monday's are for you.” 48

I had expected her to say yes. Most girls would be thrilled at the concept of having their own 'servant boy' carry their books around. But, as usual, she surprised me. You'd think I'd be used to it by now. “Don't be ridiculous,” Ella laughed, happily blowing off my assistance. “I can manage.”49

Unable to think up a good response, I started walking swiftly toward the school, Ella in tow. It was a simple enough strategy. The closer Ella was to a classroom, the further away she was from the exit. Keeping a steady pace, we entered the gardens. 50

Fighting a smile as she started up the usual chit-chat, I ran my hand through tousled black locks in preparation. This was going to be sweet. “No Ella,” I told her, answering the question. “Nothing new, well…except for this one thing I’d kinda like to do with you tonight. Do you have any birthday stuff planned with mum?” Ha, as if, I thought secretly. This girl avoided her birthdays like the plague.51

Ella started. She looked me up and down with incredulous eyes. Had I already given away the punch line? Impossible. Ella had a knack for predicting things but she wasn't that good. “Why?” she demanded shrewdly. 52

Satisfaction crept through my extremities as I explained my plan. Eying her slyly, I waited for my words to take effect. It happened so gradually, I was sort of reminded of a flipbook and the slow reactions of the faces drawn. First, there was shock, then horror, quickly followed by confusion and last, but certainly not least, the one I was waiting for, acceptance.53

“That's just cruel,” she huffed, bottom lip jutting out in disappointment. My response was smug, but I instantly regretted the betrayal. Ella's eyes flashed in annoyance and she stalked off in the opposite direction, muttering something sarcastic as she went. 54

I thought it wise to leave her alone for once. Maybe I had crossed that invisible boundary. The idea was fun at the time, and I only wanted her to enjoy a birthday for once, but, it was the day her father left. I guess, when it came right down to it, if my mother had died on my birthday, I certainly wouldn't have wanted the occasion celebrated. It was bad enough I couldn't forget about it.55

Lately, what with dad doing a one-eighty with his social life and Cody always brooding in his room, I really did feel helpless. I missed my mother so much and Cody just wasn't the same without her. He used to be your typical, annoying little brother, always under your feet, hanging off your arms, but now, I barely even spoke to him. He was hollow. Empty. He didn't communicate with anyone. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye this morning, he just picked up his scooter and left. Not that I blamed the kid, but as the older brother, it was my unspoken duty to look out for him. So if he was upset about not having a mum, I had to show him that I was always there if he needed to talk. I had to be tough and independent and show no signs of weakness at home. I would transform myself into somebody he could look up to - a ready, willing and confident big brother.56

In an odd way, I kind of felt like Ella’s older brother too. Thank god I wasn’t though since she occupied my every thought, and not in a way that would be appropriate between siblings. Kissing cousins was bad enough but brother and sister? I shuddered in disgust. That was beyond creepy. 57

If I really did see Ella in that way however, as part of my own little make believe family, should I really go through with a party that she didn’t want? I had expected her to be difficult when it came to the plan and I thought I was prepared for it, but seeing her so upset this morning had me caving in a heartbeat. Maybe a cancellation was best.58

No, said a louder voice in the back of my mind. She may not like the idea now, but she’ll be grateful for it later. Birthdays are important, they are supposed to make a person feel special. Ella needs this. She needs you to do it.59

‘Brrrrrrriiiiiiiiinnng!’ The nine-o-clock bell woke me from my stupor. A sea of black and white swirled around me, faces blurred by their hectic speeds. I guess I better go find Ella then, I reflected, unless we wanted to be late for Maths again. Although the thought was tempting, being late to Mr Percival's class was definitely not worth the hassle. The man was brutal - he'd surely charge at a bull if he thought it was tardy.60

Walking around several graffiti and art walls, I caught a glimpse of Ella sitting amongst the garden. Grabbing her gently by the elbow and smiling, (just to test the waters and see if I was forgiven) we headed off to our first class. At least she was smiling back - that was something.61

We took our usual seats in the back of the classroom and kept our eyes firmly on the door. Tyson and the opposite twins would be arriving any second. 62

Tyson was without a doubt, the coolest and funniest guy I had ever met. Until it came to going out somewhere. He would spend forever and a day just styling his hair. But, we had a lot in common. We were both on the same basketball team, liked the same movies and celebrity bods' and were constantly daring each other to do things. He was fun.63

Sometimes it was nice to only have a guy around. You got to talk about more. Anytime I mentioned sports or dare contests, Ella would simply roll her eyes and walk away. Rude much?64

Finally, at long last, the unlikely trio wandered in. Alexis, a curvy, muscular brunette, her brother Kyle who would apparently forever be single, and Tyson. Bounding over he punched me lightly on the shoulder and asked about my weekend. Even starting up an active discussion with him, I was still made forcefully aware of Alexis trying to interrogate my other friend. That girl was such a drag sometimes. So pushy. It was good to see Ella ignoring her for once, in fact, she hadn't spoken a word. She just had this glazed look about her, like she wasn't even listening. Maybe her mind was some place else. 65

“Hello in there!” Tyson called, waving a hand in front of me. “Earth to Jake! Dude! Weren’t you even listening?”66

“Huh? What? Who?” I stammered, snapping my eyes away from Ella’s face. 67

Tyson shook his head in the utmost amusement. “You really like her, don’t you?”68

“Who?” I asked, not wanting to back myself into a corner.69

He laughed and punched me playfully on the shoulder again. “Oh come on. What have you got to gain by lying to me? I seriously don’t see what the problem is. She likes you, you like her, why don’t you two just get with the picture already?”70

“You don’t know that she likes me,” I reprimanded, getting a guilty pleasure from the thought. “And even if she did,” I added carefully, “I doubt she’d be telling you.”71

“Oh really?” he probed, raising his eyebrows. “And what makes you so sure of that?”72

“Because you annoy her,” I retorted flatly.73

Tyson grinned in spite of himself. “Do I?” he asked innocently, stretching lazily in his chair. “I hadn’t even noticed.”74

“Liar,” I accused, entertained by his watery facade. “You do it on purpose.”75

“Maybe,” he shrugged, yawning a little. “Anyway, you never answered my question. Did you watch the game last night or what?”76

“Hell yeah,” I replied, sinking casually into guy banter. “I can’t believe Perchsdown missed that pass! My god, what a moron!” Although I didn’t take any part in the school’s football team - due to already being swamped with basketball practice - I still enjoyed watching the sport on T.V and last night’s game had been a doozy. I was surprised that Tyson hadn’t called me up to give me a commentated play by play about how it should’ve gone down and what he would have done in their position. It was a regular occurrence. Football was Tyson‘s all time favourite sport and if anybody messed with his team‘s chances - look out! 77

“I know right?” Tyson nodded fervently, throwing his heart and soul into the conversation. “What kind of idiot lets that actually happen?” He howled and rubbed his temples in exasperation. “There’s no way they’re going to make it to the major play-offs now.”78

I shook my head in disappointment. “I bet his team mates are pissed.”79

“Well who wouldn’t be?” Tyson grumped. “He cost the Panthers the winning point! If I were his coach, I’d dump him on the curb!”80

“That’s a bit harsh,” I noted, taken aback by his tone; Perchsdown used to be my favourite player. “Don’t you think you’re exaggerating a bit much?” I blinked, noticing that everybody else in class had their heads resolutely down.81

Tyson folded his arms in evident defiance, still peeved at the man who had cost his team the game. “Nope.”82

Following the other students’ lead, I returned to my notes, chuckling, and started copying the equations Mr Percival had written down for us to solve. They got steadily more complex with every question.83

“Hey guys,” Alexis intervened, appearing outwardly troubled. Her brow was furrowed indignantly and she was leaning around Ella‘s back to hiss at us. Her voice was barely more than a whisper but I was still pretty certain that Ella could hear every word. “What’s her deal this morning?” she demanded crossly, jerking her thumb at the girl between us. “She’s not listening to a word I say.” Alexis threw an ugly look at her friend. “See! She’s not even watching at me.” She indicated at the spiky brown head staring determinedly at the front of the classroom. From what it looked like, Ella was simply taking notes as I was. 84

“Well Alexis, I had to break this to ya, but with a face like that,” Tyson simpered, “you really can’t blame her.” Alexis made a swipe at him and missed.85

“You better thank your lucky stars for those sharp reflexes,” she griped, bristling at the jab. “Coz one of these days…”86

“Ella are you alright?” I inquired, grabbing hold of her arm. I was watching her in astonishment. Her whole body was twitching in apparent agitation. Alexis must have really been annoying her, she was panting furiously.87

Ella didn’t respond; not even the slightest reaction to my words.88

I shrugged, trying to blow it off and disguise the fact she’d upset me. “I guess someone’s still a little agro about this party thing,” I breathed, releasing my iron grip uncertainly.89

“Don’t worry about it,” Tyson soothed, looking over my shoulder for the answers I‘d just solved. “Once she sees what we’ve got in store for her, she’s gonna love it. You‘re doing the right thing here. So relax. ”90

“I am relaxed,” I mumbled defensively.91

“Right,” he answered, waggling his eyebrows and speaking condescendingly. “Totally fine.”92

“Yep.” I solved the third question and moved on to the fourth.93

“Hey Jake?” 94

“Yeah?”95

“You’re writing upside down.” I looked at my notebook and flushed with embarrassment. Flipping my book up the right way I hastily started copying down the rest of the board work; Mr Percival already wanted to rub it off.96

Returning to my complicated sums and half-hearted conversation, I tried to push Ella's strange actions and snubbing attitude from the forefront of my mind. At least until the end of class when she started screaming.97

“Aargh!” Every head in the room swivelled toward Ella's general direction. I was there in a heartbeat, leaning against her desk to see if she was alright. She looked...confused. Shaking her head, embarrassed, she mumbled softly, “I musta fallen asleep.”98

“But you can't have,” I snapped in frustration, grinding my teeth. She’d been ignoring us all lesson. I didn't mind if she did it to Alexis, and maybe I sort of deserved it, but Kyle and Tyson as well? What did they ever do? 99

She looked at me again, questioning my sanity. “Your eyes were open the whole time!” I told her firmly. “You've been taking notes, I saw you.” I couldn't quite remove the accusation that was now creeping into my voice. This was so unlike Ella. She was never petty. But my eyes didn't lie. For the last forty-five minutes, Ella had sat there, taking notes without question and ignoring any comment we threw at her.100

She gave a quick apology to the teacher and I returned to my desk unsatisfied. What was up with Ella lately? And why-oh-why did my father want me to watch out for her? 101

Bike racks, School Boundary Line, 102

Sheridan High 3.15 pm March 23rd Monday EST103

The waiting game. Didn‘t it suck that I had to play this afternoon? I swear Ella was taking her time simply to mess with my head. If that really were the case, then she had without a doubt succeeded. I was just so nervous. I couldn't help it.104

Hitching up my bike strap, I leaned determinedly against the wall. Resting on things always had a way of helping me concentrate.105

I took in my current surroundings with distaste. This part of the school was totally neglected. It was covered in years of filth and grime as if to say ‘your transport is cheap and unimportant. It doesn't deserve a clean place to live. So deal with it.’ Not that I owned a bike of course, but this route was a whole lot easier to get to from the basketball courts.106

The once pale grey cement - now permanently stained with mud, grease and god only knows what else – was quite literally covered in slimy leaves and empty snack packets. No wonder there were so many ants. I crushed them underfoot absentmindedly. As time ticked on, my nervousness was quickly replaced by annoyance. Damn it! Where was Ella?! Was she trying to give me a heart attack? I couldn't imagine how this day could get any worse. First my father tells me to watch out for her, (like that isn't worrying enough) then I go ahead and piss her off about this birthday thing so much so that she ignores me for an entire lesson. Which, by the way, was a first for her, because she usually couldn't stop talking. And then what? Ella tells me she's having dreams with her eyes open? Today's weirdness factor was off the charts, because here were the facts. Dad only ever cared about five 'crucial' things: women, money, booze, social stature and dragon legends. So which of those did Ella fit into? Fact two: Ella had been going through some serious changes lately and I wasn't talking physically either. She had skills. Her level of prediction was astounding, she knew things well before any of us had a clue. Fact three: Ella wasn't the only one going through changes.107

Less than an hour ago, something...strange happened on the courts. Something so freaky and utterly bizarre, that for a moment, I almost started believing in my father's fantasies. It was bad enough that my dad was expecting me to have powers, but when I suddenly realised that I might just have them, my nerves were shot. Plus, what with Ella already making me uneasy, I found it very hard to maintain a patient veneer. Looking back, I vaguely wondered what kind of odds were at play this afternoon. 108

“Yo. J. Pass the ball. I'm open.” 109

I swerved around the burly Italian guarding me, dribbling the ball with well-rehearsed movements. Locking eyes with my caller, I'd used the last of my strength to toss the ball to Tyson. After which, he naturally executed a perfect slam-dunk, winning our team yet another match. Rocking violently from the hoop, Tyson's self professed cheer of “I am awesome,” still managed to reach my ears, despite being a good ten meters away from him. 110

Eyes rolling, I looked to the ground from where Tyson had jumped. Two holes in the form of shoe-prints were dented into the fading red paint job. Wow. I knew the court needed maintenance, but under the slightest pressure from Tyson, it was quite literally falling to pieces.111

Watching him sway from left to right in the air, I had to wonder, where did that guy get all of his energy? We could spend hours after school practicing and Tyson wouldn't even break a sweat. He was just so fast, not to mention strong. It was damn near unnatural.112

Tugging lightly at my orange, number 7 singlet - trying uselessly to waft away the stench - I decided to retire under the cooling shade of a sycamore beside the fence. It had been a good game; blues vs. orange, but the adrenaline rush only lasted whilst I was playing. When I was on the courts, it was just me, my team mates and the ball. No complications. But off the courts, my worrying went into overdrive.113

BAM! I'd barely taken my first few steps when Tyson swung down out of nowhere, crash landing into my spine. I slammed into the ground, knees buckling, hitting the gravel hard and fast with my hands. “ARGH!” I yelled, emotions boiling over. “TYSON! YOU EFFING IDIOT! GOD THAT HURT! FFFFU -”114

“Language kid,” boomed Coach Jefferson, eyes flashing in reproach. My eyebrows furrowed at the injustice. Well of course Tyson wouldn't get into trouble for crushing me. He was the Coach's golden boy. The pride and joy of his entire team and - Ouch!115

That was funny. My hands and knees felt like they burning. I struggled to look at my palms, Tyson still shaking with laughter on top of me. Blood. I was covered from head to foot in blood.116

I heard Tyson's sharp intake of breath, his weight now lifted from my back. I tried to stand. My knees gave way beneath me and I fell once again onto the court.117

“Um Coach?” Tyson called uncertainly from the ground. “What do we do?”118

A man of both the stock and facial appearance of a gorilla stepped forward, unaware of his own student's condition. Crouching down onto the gravel, muscles pulled taut against his jumpsuit, I saw the horror slowly forming within his eyes. “Get him to the school nurse Ty,” he ordered. “And make it quick. Those wounds look pretty deep for a mere graze.” Then he turned to marvel at Tyson for a moment. “Geez kid. What do you weigh? A ton?” 119

Eight minutes and thirty-four seconds later, I felt like a dork. Just sitting there, on some uncomfortable little bed, my aching wounds wrapped in a cloth positively drowning in antiseptic - and boy did it sting. I hissed in pain every so often and even had to endure the further aggravation of Tyson openly mocking me. It wasn't fair. This was all his fault. He should be the one sitting here waiting for the nurse to return. 120

I gave him a look of pure and unmistakable loathing. I felt more like road kill than a survivor. Still, you really couldn’t stay mad at a guy like that for very long, Tyson was just too entertaining for his own good. Aside from that, I had a question that desperately needed an answer, and only he had the information I required. I'd have to choose my words very carefully for this one. I didn’t want it to sound accusatory. “Hey Ty,” I began, drawing his attention from the far corner of the room - he was almost as bad as Ella was when around blood. How he ever managed to get me here was a miracle in itself. “You just gotta tell me. What is with you lately? It's like you're on permanent steroids or something. Your reflexes are freaking deadly!” 121

Tyson chuckled, delighted by the compliment I had given him. “I dunno man,” he responded, shrugging. “I've been feeling...different. Like I'm invincible or something.” I laughed nervously as he performed a series of poses along the wall that only a superhero could get away with.122

What was it my father had said to me all those years ago? There were another nine humans in Sheridan, all possessing incredible abilities? Did that possibly include enhanced speed and strength? I'd been thinking about it a lot on the way over, the gaping holes in the court and my most recent of all injuries. When he hit me, it really felt like every bone in my body had shattered. If anybody else had pulled that stunt...no. I was starting to think along the lines of my father. Dragons weren't real. Nor were super powered teenagers. The only thing Tyson had was an excellent gym instructor and some unresolved hormonal issues.123

Looking at him again, I noticed the pale sheen of sweat across his forehead. That couldn't have been from basketball, the air conditioner was on full-throttle in here. It had to be the blood on my uniform; smear stains were all over my shorts, socks and singlet. Yet strangely, Tyson looked a lot worse than I felt. In fact, I could hardly feel the pain anymore. It was dull. Muted.124

“Did you wanna wait outside Ty?” I asked, watching him stand awkwardly in front of me turning green. “You don't look so hot.” 125

He grunted and rolled his eyes. 126

“Fine,” I muttered. “But I swear if you puke on me, you'll never hear the end of it.” Tyson chuckled, already calling out my bluff. I'm glad he found something amusing amongst all of this because I sure as heck wasn't laughing. This was one of the most frustrating days of my life.127

I hated this room too. It felt like somebody had died in it. Grey walls, little to no light and blankets that itched and scratched at my legs. There was only one place to sit, the bed, and of course Tyson wouldn't come anywhere near me so he had no real choice but to stand. Even the curtains were miserable – fading white with disturbingly coloured stains at the bottom. I shuddered to think where they came from.128

The gratifying sound of rhythmic squeak-tapping shoes moved closer to the door. Nurse Hamilon, a nice enough old lady, was standing in the doorway with her glasses askew. Her moonlight coloured hair was knotted into an elegant bun above her neck and she wore a loosely fitted salmon pink matron's ensemble. “How are we going in here then, my dears?” she asked pleasantly. 129

The aging nurse smiled at Tyson politely as she came over to inspect the wound on my hands. Leaning down, she whispered hoarsely, “hold on to something now. I'm about to remove the cloth. This may sting a little bit.” 130

Oh no, I thought. When a doctor or a nurse or even a dentist told you that it might hurt, it was really, really 100% going to hurt. Just the same, I couldn't help but question her intelligence. Hold on to something? My hands and knees were the problem! What was I expected to hold the bed with? My teeth?131

I was growing impatient. Why did she have to keep me waiting for the pain like this? Couldn't she hurry up and get it over with? Just rip the buggers off like a band-aid?132

That's when I saw the four, bloodied rags beside the bed. I hadn't felt a thing and she had clearly removed the ones from my legs as well. Surprisingly, the old woman chucked, slapping me genially on the knee. “Oh I see. Ms Hearle put you up to this. Very realistic.”133

Tyson and I both exchanged a look. “Um, sorry what?” he asked.134

“Ms Hearle. From the drama department, she sent you over here to trick me didn't she? Oh she's a sly old fox that one.” Nurse Hamilon laughed hysterically as she got to her feet and walked away. 135

I craned my neck toward the door. Had she seriously just ditched me – a wounded student? I turned to Tyson again, getting annoyed. “Hey Ty, what the hell is she talking about?!” Tyson was already there, looking over my injuries with a dumbfounded expression on his face. He opened his mouth and then closed it shut, unable to speak.136

“What is it? Don't leave me in suspense!” Tyson gave me back my hands. I looked at them with a newfound curiosity. Fear rose through my belly, clawing at my very soul. True there was blood, but no wounds from where it came out of. No wonder it didn't hurt anymore. 137

So, half an hour later here I was, with heavy worry lines etched into my brow and a rising complication in my priorities. Ella was nowhere to be found and I was beginning to lose hope that she'd even show. Tyson had sworn that he wouldn't tell a soul about my freaky experience, on the ridiculous condition that when he came over, he had first choice of games. As if I even cared. Not that I told him that. I simply sighed, acting the part of the defeated hero whilst Tyson soaked in his own falsified glory. What a fool. For a prankster, he was rather unobservant to when he himself was being Punk'd. Perhaps he wasn't as crafty as he thought.138

“Don't forget about the party,” someone yelled from around the corner. Ah. That would have to be Tyson, Kyle and Alexis forcefully reminding Ella of her up and coming predicament. I hoped they hadn't pushed her too far. I was the one who had to walk home with all her moods, even if those brief few minutes were the very highlight of my day. I just wanted us to be able to enjoy each other's company in peace, no doomsday clouds to fight off.139

“Ella, over here,” I bellowed, cupping my right hand around my mouth. I regretted it instantly. This was where we always met, so of course, now I looked beyond stupid. I couldn't help it though. With all my nerves in a constant flux, I could barely speak coherently. 140

The soothing smell of honeysuckle and freesia drifted gently along the breeze. Even Ella's perfume had my heart racing, it was sweet and overwhelming. As her spiky little head came into view I felt a surge of relief wash over me; her mere presence had my body calming itself. 141

In a snap decision, I decided to bribe her with food in the frantic hope that she would forgive me for this morning. It seemed to work. 142

Sitting down comfortably outside the ice-cream parlour, watching the dark, grey clouds begin to swell, I eventually confessed the reasoning behind our random outing. She didn’t look at all surprised. Ella simply picked up her phone and tried to ring her mother about this party tonight. Trying to worm her way out of it no doubt, still I wasn't worried. Mrs Paul may have been a little overbearing at times, but she still liked her daughter to have fun. Plus, I’d already gotten her permission weeks ago.143

I waited patiently in the wings as Ella and her mother chatted briefly on the phone. It seemed to be a one sided argument; Ella hardly got a word in. “Fine then, whatever,” she murmured. “See you this afternoon.” 144

I paused, the awkward silence between us gaining intensity. Even when I tried to comfort her she still glared at me, making me chuckle and grin. Although I felt sympathetic for Ella's issues with her father, it was far more important that she learnt to move on. After all, how many teenage girls could honestly admit that they hated birthdays? Aside from Christmas and Valentine’s Day, it was the best time of year for them.145

As we walked off together down the streets once more, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder nervously, hands suddenly clammy due to our proximity. Be cool man, I told myself forcefully. Just be cool. 146

Glancing at her sideways, making sure that I wasn‘t crossing any of her unspoken lines, I laced my fingers together and prayed for her anger to diminish. Ella smiled affectionately within seconds; the smile I had been waiting all afternoon to see. Taking it as a sign of good fortune, I finally found the courage to ask her out.147

My breathing came in sharp stabs, my tongue trying to work in words like ‘love at first sight’ and ‘you are my everything’ whilst my brain ordered a more sensible approach to win her affection. This was it, the moment I had been waiting years for. The suspense was overwhelming and my stomach’s weight shifted from heavy as bricks to light as air with every gasp.148

I looked euphorically up at the skies as I spoke, utterly content with a day’s work. The joy wiped from my face in an instant. Apparently I had gone and jinxed myself as the clouds above were no longer retaining water, the temperature dropping several degrees. “Oh this is just great,” I cursed under my breath, doused in a freezing cold water. “Nothing like a good strong rain to get a party going.” 149

Then again, this could possibly work to my advantage. Maybe I could offer my jacket to cover herself, leaving her to swoon over my selfless behaviour. Grinning at the possibility, I let go of her in preparation, but instead, another weird phenomenon started taking place. Except this time, I had nothing to do with it.150

I always knew how much Ella hated the rain. Her revulsion was almost palpable. Drenched from head to toe, she whispered something grumpily under her breath and a strange, rustling noise began to fill the space between us. A strong, invisible current seemed to be pushing us apart. What was going on here? 151

The unseen forces spiralled skyward, making their way toward the thickening clouds. Slowly and miraculously, the rain started to slow. The storm above was being pushed away from the town, only to evaporate into thin air. The warming sun poked out once more and I blinked, just to be sure that I wasn’t imagining this.152

“Wo. D-Did you see that? Tell me you saw that!” I turned to Ella, both dazed and frightened by the abrupt change in weather. My hair and clothes were still ruffled by the disquieting winds and Ella's looked no different. I had expected her eyes to hold the same awe and curiosity as mine but instead, they were swirling pools of fuchsia. Just like the day we first met. 153