Gate of Psuche

Chapter 1: Goodbye, cruel world It was a fresh morning inside the campus of Jojo High School, a skinny, fourteen-year old, tan, boy named Gian Tigersoul, was walking under the shades on the corridor. He was walking swiftly, looking down on the ground as he walked upstairs. Upon reaching the second floor, a group of punks in a school uniform approached him, “Good morning Kitty, as usual.” – with an evil smirk on his face. Tw of his punk friends are chuckling behind him. Gian was frightened, but he tried to act as if he did not notice them. He continued to walk and reached the stairs, but another group of punks are up ahead, leaning their backs on the wall. There were two of them. The other one was tossing a coin. The punks smiled and gazed at him. Gian went back to Hawd, the one who approached him, and said, “Here sir, please take this small offering.” – while his hands were shivering. He is afraid of Hawd. “Aww, what a generous man you are. Are you giving this to me willingly?” “Or did we force you to do so!?” –with a menacing look as he leaned towards Gian’s face, Gian dropped twenty-scents of coins and a one dollar bill out of fear. He ran upstairs while the punks were laughing at him. He slipped on the staircase and hit his jaw on the floor. Gian thought of himself being cursed in this world. His mother died in a car accident ten years ago. His father became a drunkard since then. Whenever he gets home after school, his father can be seen lying on the couch with an empty bottle. They got their money from the insurance of her mother. Gian thought he only lived to suffer. Every Monday morning, the punks in his school takes a share of his allowance. His classmates bully him when they feel like it. He gets a beating from the girls in his class. They call him ‘Kitty’. As Gian is trying to sit on his dirty armchair, located at side of the window, the girls at the back suddenly pulled his chair. But he knew it already, he pretended to fall and bumped his back on the floor. The girls bought his act and laughed. He took his chair and sat silently. Cleaners in the class can easily identify his chair. On his desk, are carved writings anndn it says, ‘cancer’ multiple times. Below it says, ‘kitty the loser’ and many more insults. Gian took a piece of clean cloth from this bag and wiped it on his desk. He is already used to their verbal insults. It was already in the third quarter. Two more years to go and he can finally get out of his miserable high school. As he was wiping the scribbles on his desk, he noticed a new word that was carved. ‘Die’ was written. He paused for a second, and kept the cloth inside his bag. He seems unbothered by what he saw. The bell rang, everyone was still talking. It was very noisy inside the classroom, but Gian find it relaxing somehow. No one talks to him during times like this. Some of his classmates are avoiding him, afraid of being picked on too. Gian knew about this fact. He has no friend. Not a single one even at home. The teacher finally came just five minutes after the bell rang. He is a middle-aged man and their English teacher. He always keeps a smile on his face. He has a long gold hair. His built is quite attractive and his charisma to make the students listen to him is undeniable. While the teacher is writing on the chalkboard, Cheska was sitting arrogantly, while smiling at the back of Gian. She sneaked into Gian’s bag, and took out a piece of unopened condom from her hand. “Look what I found! Hahaha. Found it in Gian’s bag.” Everyone in the class looked at the hand of Cheska. “Woah, I didn’t know you’re that kind of person boy.” – one of Cheska’s girl added. The girls with Cheska are laughing silently, while the class was at silence. They can not believe it. Everyone know Gian’s personality and it was Cheska’s doing. Cheska whispered to Gian beforehand, “Admit it. If you do, we’ll let you off the hook.” Gian remembered the scribble that says ‘die’. Gian thought to himself from that moment, for at least once, he would fight back. Gian stood up with shadows in his eyes and said, “I don’t know what this thing is. I’m just an Eighth grader, you know.” Everyone was shocked in silence. Gian fought back. The teacher smiled, but nobody saw it. Cheska and her squad were stunned by what they just heard. The class laughed abruptly. “Oooohhhh” “Pssst, pssttt, pss, pss, wwrrr-raa-ah-ah-ah ah!” They were like wild monkeys who just got out from a zoo. The class president stood up and tried to stop the noise. She had a stunning figure for an eighth grader. Gian thought he should have done it from the beginning. He should have fought back. He thought he could change his miserable high school life from that point. “Shut your mouth and stop being a monkey. This is not a laughing matter.” “Cheska and Gian, we’ll talk about this later in the guidance.” – the teacher said. Cheska felt embarrassed. Her ears were red. Her nose was red. Everything in her face was red as if she had a confession. She kicked Gian’s chair. Gian looked at her, and saw the blazing eyes of Cheska. It was like a lion gazing for its prey. From that point, he knew he is in trouble. His action just backfired at him. “You’re in freaking trouble you punk!” Cheska said angrily as she gazed at Gian’s eyes. Her group of friends came closer to Gian. He could not do anything. The girls are bigger than him. One of them does not even look like a girl. Gian simply smiled uncomfortably without looking at them. One of the girls grabbed his hair and said, “Ya punk! What’re you laughing at?” “Who do you think you are?” He closed his eyes as he felt the pain. “You ugly freak!” The biggest girl who looked like less feminine punched his nose. The class president came to try and stop the violence and said, “This can get you into more trouble right? Please stop this right now before I – “ “DON’T THINK BIG OF YOURSELF JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE THE CLASS PRES!” The biggest girl shouted at the class president. “Sorry, we’re causing too much trouble here.” – Cheska inserted. Everybody looked at her. The girls went back to their seats. “You know you’re in trouble aren’t ya?” – Cheska whispered again to Gian. The next period came, Gian was absent-minded. He thought of what will happen to him. Cheska and her squad had picked on him before not just once, twice, but many times. There was a time he was locked in the storage room without his pants on while his hands were tied. The only reason was because he saw Cheska picking on her nose. It was around the first quarter of the school year. He occasionally gets a beating from her squad, and sometimes from Hawd. All the morning subjects has ended. It was lunchtime, the students came out from the classroom to eat their lunch with their friends. Some students gave Gian a thumbs up as they pass near him. Only few students stayed inside to eat their lunch. Gian was one of them, but he has no companion or a friend. They know they will be in trouble if they make friends with him. Gian took his lunchbox out, opened it, and took a single bite from one of his steak. While he was chewing it, Cheska and her squad came closer to him again. The class president saw it while arranging her books in the shelf, right side of the blackboard. She tried to come closer to Gian, but someone tried to stop her from a short distance. She hesitated and ended up watching. While the girls were surrounding Gian, Cheska spoke, “I’ll be calling my Hawd, you girls take him there.” Cheska went outside the classroom. Gian continued eating. He only had three spoonful of rice. The biggest girl of the squad punched Gian again, and made his nose bleed. Gian endured the pain. The girls held his arms and made him stand. The big girl took his steak and ate it in one bite. She slapped Gian’s lunch box and it fell on the ground. Rice scattered on the floor. “CLEAN YOUR MESS!” – the class president yelled at them. “That’s what we’re doing.” – the big girl replied. They took Gian outside and walked to the left side of the corridor. “Just keep quite, and you won’t get hurt that much.” – one of the girl holding Gian’s arms whispered at him. “What happened?” – few students who were in the corridor asked. “He’s got anemia, we’re getting him to the infirmary. He needs rest.” They walked slowly. The students were looking at them as they were walking. Then, they gradually went inside their classrooms and were disappearing. It was about time when they reached the stairs. “No one can see us now, hurry!” They quickly turned left and went towards the comfort room. The stairs was just in front of them. Gian could not get out from his situation. The girls are stronger than him. He did not resist. They went inside the ladies restroom and locked the door. One girl remained outside standing as the look out. Inside, are four toilet rooms, a faucet, and a mirror. There was a small window above on the wall. The girls pushed Gian. Cheska came out from one of the toilet room. She was putting her blouse on. The girls took all of his clothes and they started hitting him. First, was a slap to his face. The biggest girl in the squad rammed at him to the wall. He felt the pain of being squashed. Gian was on his knees. He looked at the door leading the exit, when another girl came in front of him and kicked his face with her school shoes on. He got bruised in his face. He tried crawled to the side but Cheska sends a kick to his liver. Gian rolled out of pain. The girls kept stomping him as he coughed. Gian lost his energy to move. He is lying on the floor with his chest. Hawd finally came out from one of the toilet door. He stomped Gian’s back with a strong force, given that he is wearing a Spalto shoe. Gian coughed blood. A blood came out from his mouth. Cheska came closer to him, held his head and lifted it up. “Know your place as hole. Oh, are you looking at my breast?” She spat on Gian’s eye and she added, “If anyone hears about this, you know you’re going home without head.” Everyone came to Gian, held his head, and spat on his face except Hawd. “I-I can’t breathe…” – he said. The girls laughed at him as he tried to crawl to reach the nearest bucket. “Look at Kitten, being gnawed by wild Tigers hahaha.” Gian reached the bucket near the toilet. He looked at it, but it was empty. “How pitiful you are Kitty, how are you gonna clean your face?” They continue to laugh. Gian looked at the toilet, and found water in it. Luckily, it was not that dirty. But he could tell there is urine mixed in the toilet water. He dipped his palm and wiped his face. The girls were shocked and got mad. “Are you saying that thing is cleaner than us?” Cheska delivered another kick to his solar plexus. Gian gasped for air. It was harder to breathe. “Let’s get outta here!” – she yelled. Gian dropped his tears as they moved out of the restroom. He was left alone. His body is full of bruises and his face is messed up. He hugged his knees and kept crying. An hour has passed, and afternoon classes has started. The class president was worried because Gian cannot be seen. Cheska was already there, chewing her cheap gums, while Gian’s seat is empty. When the first period in the afternoon was over, she voluntarily helped the teacher carry her things. It was only natural for her to that, as she was the class president, and everyone is used to it. But Cheska was wary of her actions. The class president was walking behind the teacher. As she passed near Cheska, they made eye contact. Cheska stood up, and looked at the class president as they walk in the corridor. There were no signs of conversation. She went back to her seat and thought about some things. “What’s wrong?” – her friend asked her. “Nothing, just bugs passing by.” In the corridor of the second floor, the class president is walking behind her teacher. She paced up a little bit to match with her teacher. “Miss, there is something you need to know.” “Hmm? And what is it?” “Gian is absent today, right?” “Ah, yes that boy. What about it? Do you know his reasons?” “A-actually – “ “Yo! Miss, is this yours? I think you left your chalk.” – Cheska appeared suddenly. The class president was shocked when she found Cheska, suddenly appearing behind her. Cheska reached her hand to the teacher and gave her the chalk. “Oh, thank you Cheska! I think this not mine, but I’ll take this since you’ve come this far.” – the teacher smiled happily. Cheska was smiling beside the class president. The faculty is just on the same floor. They took a right turn after getting past the stairs when they suddenly heard a scream and two students came falling from a higher floor. They all looked down at the corridor, and saw three people lying on the ground. Two boys, and one girl. The girl is having a convulsion. The teacher screamed and stomped her right foot as she raised her right arm in shock. She is like having a tantrum. The class president quickly ran downstairs with tears in her eyes. “No, no..This can’t be happening.” Cheska was just staring from the second floor, shocked by what she saw. The teacher was crying and said, “Hurry! Hurry! Quick! Call an ambulance, or run to the clinic. Where’s Sandara?” But Cheska did not respond. She was very shocked. “Th-that’s Gian, right?” When Sandara reached the ground, she saw Gian awfully and unconsciously lying on the ground. His neck was slightly bent and looks dislocated. There was no blood coming out from him, but his clothes were slightly wet. She saw a blond girl having a convulsion. And a tall boy, that looks like a year older than them, unconscious at the scene. There was a blood coming out from the back of his head. It kept spreading as Sandara was looking at it. Sandara cried and she came running to the infirmary just left of the corridor. Lots of student gathered at the area. There were noisy boys crying at their friend. The ambulance arrived and checked their pulses. They are still alive. The blond girl who had a seizure stopped the movements. She was also alive. Their bodies were taken into the car and drove away. Sandara is found sitting on a rock and a few crowd has circled her. Cheska was sitting in the hallway of the second floor, still shocked. An hour ago, Gian went to the male’s restroom while walking unevenly. He found a soap, and a clean water inside a plastic drum. He took a quick bath, and cried again while washing himself. “How pathetic can I be?” he mumbled. It took only five minutes to clean himself. He wore his school uniform without drying his body. He swiped his hair as he looked at the mirror. There was a bruise in his face, and the back of his head is swelling. He could’ve suffer a more serious injury than what he just had. But he is used to their beatings already. One time, they locked him up in the school’s dressing room naked after beating him for fun. Gian’s shoes are soaked, and his shirt is a little bit wet. He walks upstairs and reached the fourth floor. As he reached there, he looks at the scenery inside the fence. Few girls went to the dressing room to change their P.E attire. When the girls left, Gian is already found outside the fence, standing, but nobody noticed him. As soon as they left, a breeze of fresh air can only be heard. It was windy, the sun is covered in clouds. Gian smiled as he looked at the city view. He thought of the world as a beautiful place, but he can only remember his painful experience. A Grim Reaper in a red cloak and black scythe is watching him from the ground floor, but no one can see it. Gian is standing on the edge of the balcony. He thought of the noodle shop owner who hired him as an assistant and treated him nicely. It was peaceful on the rooftop. He smiled vibrantly, with a tear on his eye, he took a stepped forward as if embracing death as the only escape from sorrow and pain. As he was about to fall, he heard a loud, scream from behind, “MOROOOOOOON!!” He looked back and smiled at Effy – they don’t know each other, running towards him while putting his zipper on. But it was too late… End of Chapter 1