The Unfavorable Heroes

Chapter 1-2

“Charlie Rose, don’t be rude. Your sister made that for you,” Beverly said in her snapping-turtle voice. She didn’t even bother to look at her daughter as she spoke; Tim’s and her eyes were glued to the television that was playing over in the living room. Charlie ignored her mother, grabbed the watering can by the sink, and began watering the plants littered around the house. It drove her parents insane to have so much greenery everywhere, but somehow, she had convinced them that it was incredibly good for their health to have, and she promised them that she would take good care of them. She loved her house plants. These ones down here didn’t like to talk to her like Ramoni did, but it was probably better that way because if her family caught her talking to plants, she might end up tossed in a loony bin.

Charlie wasn’t one to watch too much TV because she preferred to be outside or read books instead, but she couldn’t help hearing bits and pieces of the news being broadcasted while she watered the plants in the living room.

The mayor was on the TV.

The mayor of Montgomery was short and stout and preferred to wear white suits that didn’t fit him quite right, along with a white hat. He was roughly tanned and had a ridiculous dirty blonde handlebar mustache that made him slightly difficult to take seriously.

“I hope the students of St. Bernard High will feel safe as they go back to school this Monday morning,” the mayor said in his surprisingly high-pitched voice. “Even though Andrew Longview, the suspect behind the k********g of the five freshman boys just weeks ago, has still not been located. I know search efforts have stalled a bit because of our frequent failed efforts to find him, but I assure you all that I won’t be able to rest at night until I know the citizens of Montgomery are safe.”

Fat chance of that happening, Charlie thought to herself.

Fat chance of that happening,“The five freshman boys who were taken from their homes in the middle of the night still have not been able to recollect anything about the incident, but we should all keep in our prayers that they get their memories back. If they do, it could help us a great deal when it comes to locating Andrew Longview.”

Rose felt terrible about the five boys who had been kidn*pped. But it didn’t matter if they got their memories back or not.

Because Andrew Longview was never going to be found.

“Do we really want to do this?” Trace Henderson asked the four other members of the Quintets. They were all in an empty meadow in the middle of the White Forest. Charlie had sped up the growth of a tree so that there was one single one planted in the clearing. In it, they had carved the letters A L—right into the tree trunk.

“Do we really want to do this?” Trace Henderson asked the four other members of the Quintets. They were all in an empty meadow in the middle of the White Forest. Charlie had sped up the growth of a tree so that there was one single one planted in the clearing. In it, they had carved the letters A L—right into the tree trunk.“As long as we remember that we are honoring Andrew’s memory. Not Heno’s,” Kire said. The five of them surround the tree. Amberly was dressed in all black with mesh netting over her ice-blue eyes. Kaos stared at the tree with a stony expression, his hands deep in the front pocket of his jeans. Kire had his hands clasped together in front of him and was looking around at everyone to make sure they were all ready to be a part of this. To make sure they were all on the same page. Kire always seemed to be the one acting like the group"s glue.

“As long as we remember that we are honoring Andrew’s memory. Not Heno’s,” Kire said. The five of them surround the tree. Amberly was dressed in all black with mesh netting over her ice-blue eyes. Kaos stared at the tree with a stony expression, his hands deep in the front pocket of his jeans. Kire had his hands clasped together in front of him and was looking around at everyone to make sure they were all ready to be a part of this. To make sure they were all on the same page. Kire always seemed to be the one acting like the group"s glue.The tree served as Andrew Longview’s grave marker.

The tree served as Andrew Longview’s grave marker.Heno, an awful creature from another realm, had taken over Andrew’s body and used it to fight against the five of them. Heno had lost the fight, and his body had melted into a strange purple goo. Albus then cleaned up that goo, along with any other sign of there ever having been a fight inside the White Forest at Kula Mountain at all. Andrew Longview was dead. And while the young kids had only wanted Heno destroyed, they hadn’t realized that Andrew would never come back once they succeeded in doing so.

Heno, an awful creature from another realm, had taken over Andrew’s body and used it to fight against the five of them. Heno had lost the fight, and his body had melted into a strange purple goo. Albus then cleaned up that goo, along with any other sign of there ever having been a fight inside the White Forest at Kula Mountain at all. Andrew Longview was dead. And while the young kids had only wanted Heno destroyed, they hadn’t realized that Andrew would never come back once they succeeded in doing so.The guilt Charlie felt as she made an obnoxious amount of flowers grow around the tree with Andrew’s initials on it was nearly crippling. She had never wanted Andrew to die. She hadn’t known him that well, but he had always been a nice, quiet, decent guy. He never deserved to be dragged into this mess.

The guilt Charlie felt as she made an obnoxious amount of flowers grow around the tree with Andrew’s initials on it was nearly crippling. She had never wanted Andrew to die. She hadn’t known him that well, but he had always been a nice, quiet, decent guy. He never deserved to be dragged into this mess.“I want to feel bad for what happened to Andrew, but every time I close my eyes, I see that horrible, hateful look that he carried in his eyes,” Amberly said, not looking at anyone.

“I want to feel bad for what happened to Andrew, but every time I close my eyes, I see that horrible, hateful look that he carried in his eyes,” Amberly said, not looking at anyone.Her arms were crossed, and her blonde hair spilled around her shoulders in waves.

Her arms were crossed, and her blonde hair spilled around her shoulders in waves.“Amberly, that wasn’t Andrew. That was Heno.” Kire gave her a reproachful look.

“Amberly, that wasn’t Andrew. That was Heno.” Kire gave her a reproachful look.“I don’t know,” Trace added. “I’m kind of with her on this.” And to show that he was, he matched Amberly’s stance and crossed his arms while standing beside her. His bulging biceps nearly ripped through his long-sleeved T-shirt as he did so.

“I don’t know,” Trace added. “I’m kind of with her on this.” And to show that he was, he matched Amberly’s stance and crossed his arms while standing beside her. His bulging biceps nearly ripped through his long-sleeved T-shirt as he did so.Kaos shook his head at them, his jaw clenched. “I think you guys are just trying to distract yourself from the fact that we killed somebody.” His eyes fell on Kire. “Let’s just do this thing.”

Kaos shook his head at them, his jaw clenched. “I think you guys are just trying to distract yourself from the fact that we killed somebody.” His eyes fell on Kire. “Let’s just do this thing.”Charlie swallowed. She tried to meet Kire’s gaze, but he wouldn’t look in her direction. Charlie did not understand why Kire kept acting this way. After they had killed Heno, Kire had kissed her passionately and held onto her like he never wanted to let go again. But now? He seemed like he didn’t want to touch her with a ten-foot pole.

Charlie swallowed. She tried to meet Kire’s gaze, but he wouldn’t look in her direction. Charlie did not understand why Kire kept acting this way. After they had killed Heno, Kire had kissed her passionately and held onto her like he never wanted to let go again. But now? He seemed like he didn’t want to touch her with a ten-foot pole.Kire cleared his throat and kept his head high as he stared at the tree trunk. “Andrew Longview was a good person. He was kind. Friendly. Great out on the soccer field. I didn’t get to be his friend that long before Heno took him over. But I think if I had gotten the chance, Andrew and I would have been really close friends, and I’m really sorry for what happened to him.”

Kire cleared his throat and kept his head high as he stared at the tree trunk. “Andrew Longview was a good person. He was kind. Friendly. Great out on the soccer field. I didn’t get to be his friend that long before Heno took him over. But I think if I had gotten the chance, Andrew and I would have been really close friends, and I’m really sorry for what happened to him.”“I hope that his parents are able to find closure in all of this somehow,” Kaos added in. “I hope they don’t spend their lives torturing themselves over what might have happened and where he might’ve gone.”

“I hope that his parents are able to find closure in all of this somehow,” Kaos added in. “I hope they don’t spend their lives torturing themselves over what might have happened and where he might’ve gone.”That might have been what made Charlie feel the worst—thinking about Andrew’s family. Thinking about how sad they had looked on TV when they asked the public to help them find their missing teenage son.

That might have been what made Charlie feel the worst—thinking about Andrew’s family. Thinking about how sad they had looked on TV when they asked the public to help them find their missing teenage son.“I hope he rests in peace and does not come back and try to haunt me or whatever,” Amberly said next. In front of others, Amberly hardly had any emotional range in her body. And she kept the walls around herself built up and strong at all times.

“I hope he rests in peace and does not come back and try to haunt me or whatever,” Amberly said next. In front of others, Amberly hardly had any emotional range in her body. And she kept the walls around herself built up and strong at all times.Trace spoke next. “He was a good guy, and even though it seems like he did a lot of bad stuff because there was someone—or something—possessing his body—he still deserves to go to heaven. And if you’re up there, Andrew, I hope they have a lot of soccer. The next goal I score will be for you.” He kicked at the ground a little. It was clear that Trace was uncomfortable with this kind of thing, just like his girlfriend.

Trace spoke next. “He was a good guy, and even though it seems like he did a lot of bad stuff because there was someone—or something—possessing his body—he still deserves to go to heaven. And if you’re up there, Andrew, I hope they have a lot of soccer. The next goal I score will be for you.” He kicked at the ground a little. It was clear that Trace was uncomfortable with this kind of thing, just like his girlfriend.Now it was Charlie’s turn. “Uh… I wish I had known you better, Andrew. And… I-I’m really sorry.” Charlie wasn’t much of a talker. She didn’t know what else she could say.

Now it was Charlie’s turn. “Uh… I wish I had known you better, Andrew. And… I-I’m really sorry.” Charlie wasn’t much of a talker. She didn’t know what else she could say.“Let’s… have a moment of silence?” Kire suggested. Everyone nodded their head in agreement.

“Let’s… have a moment of silence?” Kire suggested. Everyone nodded their head in agreement.Only then did Charlie think of something that would have been better to say. She didn’t want to ruin the moment of silence, though, so instead, she stared at Andrew’s initials on the tree trunk and said it in her head. I promise you, Andrew. I won’t let your death be for nothing. And I won’t let Yash burn the earth to a crisp. Whatever it takes.

Only then did Charlie think of something that would have been better to say. She didn’t want to ruin the moment of silence, though, so instead, she stared at Andrew’s initials on the tree trunk and said it in her head

“It’s all right if you don’t want to eat it, Char,” Lexi replied when Charlie went back into the kitchen to set the watering can down, waving it off and smiling brightly. Her teeth were dazzling white and her pink dress somehow really brought out the green in her eyes. Charlie wished she had been born with green eyes. But no. She had poop-brown ones instead. Poop-brown eyes to go with her poop-brown hair.

However, Lexi was a good actress, acting unbothered at Charlie’s rejection. Surely as soon as their parents were out of earshot, Lexi would be snapping at her sister about being ungrateful.

“Thanks anyhow,” Charlie said. “I need to get to school early to… do a thing, anyway.”

Charlie might have been dreading going to school, but she dreaded having to be stuck at home with these people a second longer or even more.