The Darkess Within

George

I jump up from the bed breathing in gulps of air, my whole body hurts like I have been in the same position for hours, my muscles are sore I'm soaking wet. Looking around me, it takes a few seconds to realize where I am. 

 The room is light green, in the walls, the posters of The Scorpions seems out of place, like a princess wearing a pike bracelet. At the corner, the wardrobe's door doesn't close, leaving space enough to see my clothes thrown inside. On its side, a table is crumbled with old books and lose papers prevented from flying by an old alarm clock marking 5:57 AM, at the chair sits my travel suitcase half open and the floor has some old books that didn't fit in the table.

 The table is beside a wall with some more half lose posters that end with the small door at the corner. In the middle of the room, occupying most of its space, is an old wood double bed, leaning in most of the remaining two walls.

 The morning light comes inside from the window on top of the table, but it doesn't reach the bed. I notice now that my hands are still closed in fists and as I try to open them, my nails come out of the skin leaving little round marks in my palm and a sting. Great.

 It is just a dream. I repeat the mantra in my head, trying to get a hold on myself. Breathing becomes easier and I take in the air staring at the ceiling. I don't wanna close my eyes again, if I do, the darkness will come back, I know it. 

 As reality settles and I start to get a hold on myself again, the alarm rings loudly, making me jump again, the little screen shows the time as I try to detangle from the sheet to turn it off.

 With a sigh, I rub my eyes again, I just woke up but it feels like I haven't slept in days, probably because every time I close my eyes I have the same nightmare. the worst night of my life and it lead me here.

-   Leave it behind- 

 I say the words out loud, the reality rushes to me, like breaking an illusion and making dream fade more away. The timer now has changed to 6:01 AM, I need to get ready and for the first time, I notice how I look. It is a pitiful sight, my sweater has round marks of sweat under my armpits, my face looks paler than a sheet, my dark hair is smashed against it, making a weird upward thing. 

- First, you need to stop talking to yourself. Second, you look like a wet Yorkshire terrier. 

 I can't help but chuckle of my misery, if I don't, it will just be misery, right? I need a shower, and quickly, washing my hair was not in my plans today. As I start to move my body feels stiff after the long hours locked in the same position. 

 At least I don't have to spend a lot of time choosing clothes, there is not a lot to choose from, so I take a simple black T-shirt and pants and head to the bathroom. 

 My first step out of the room makes a creaking sound the echoes through the silent house. s**t. I have been here for a week, but every time I step out I forget the little lose tile. I reach the bathroom at the end of the hallway and finally come in.

  As strange as it is, this is my favorite spot in the house. It is a small bathroom and has old tiles on the walls, in each one, a little set of delicate flowers and birds intertwine each other. The floor is white, which makes it a nightmare to clean, and the box screeches as I pull it open to get inside. The light is brighter now, coming from the big window pane over my head on my right side.  

 When I first saw it, It felt weird to have such a giant window in the bathroom, but since it is on the second floor, someone can't look in from the outside and I don't have any neighbors so it is safe. I have been here for a week, and I love it because it's so different from the old apartment I used to live in. As the light comes in, the tiles, toilet, and sink, all white, shine making the little lightbulb attached to the white ceiling, unnecessary during the day.

  As I turn on the shower, water gushes of water come through the rectangular shower head. It feels good on my skin, as the warmth eases the tension built in my muscles during the night. I can feel my hair alining and sticking to my back, the little streams of water running down my thighs, the steam rising like clouds of smoke around me, and I start to feel clean as it is chasing away the dark one suffocating me a few minutes earlier.

 I come out of it late and rush downstairs to the kitchen to make breakfast. Reality is one hundred percent on my face now, Charlie and Henry are going to wake up at any point, and I will be late for my first day of school. The thought of coming into class after everyone is terrifying, to say the least. 

  I like cooking because it is distractive. You need to focus on the timing of every different part of what will be your meal, which usually takes all the attention away from everything else. In this case, thinking about something else that a class full of kids that I don't know is welcome. 

 After a while noise starts coming from upstairs, first the opening and closing of furniture doors, then the shower, a few more doors, and then someone stomping down the stairs and entering the small kitchen behind me. 

 - It smells good - Henry says smiling. 

 As I turn, the difference between the boy in my dreams, and the one standing in front of me feels surreal. He is already dressed for school, the oversized shirt makes him look even smaller, the brown hair is a bit wet and falling on his face, the brown eyes are normal, looking at me waiting for a response. 

 - Thanks. Let's hope it tastes as good. Sit down.

 The words come out dry, and I try to get a hold of reality once again. It seems too fleeting, one second I'm in the kitchen with a pan in my hands, and the other I am back in that room holding a candlestick again. 

 When I am back on reality, I see him staring at me with worried eyes, he can tell, he can always tell when something is wrong with me. Silently, he pulls the chair making a screeching noise on the flor and sits. I serve him the pancake and it falls folded at the plate, it doesn't look very good, but he digs in as soon as possible.

- I'm going to take that as a win - I smile, pancakes have never been my strength. 

- It's good, but I think you should let it cook a little more - he doesn't look at me while responding.

- I tried to, it burned - The first try o the day, now laid carbonized on the corner os the sink. 

 Another thumping sound comes down the stairs, and less than a minute later, George enters the room. 

- Good morning - he says smiling while fixing a loose tie around his neck - are you guys excited about the first day of school?

 His eyes dodge between us, waiting for a response. He looks very happy, too happy for it to be natural on a Monday morning. He had been like this the whole week, trying to pry in our conversations and looking too excited about the smallest things. 

 It made me want to punch him every time. However, as I needed a roof over our heads, I was forced to treat him nicely enough. 

- Not really - I try my best to sound normal as I turn toward the stove again - do you want a pancake? 

- Sure 

 He sounded like a too friendly store owner trying to sell you something you don't need. Finishing with the tie, he sits across from Henry, and silence falls upon the room like a heavy blanket. 

- wh..why aren't you excited for school? - he stumbles in his words trying to make conversation.

- I am excited - Henry says, throwing a rope to save him and continue the conversation - It was nice of you to get us in with such short notice.

 He sounds formal, so unlikely the nine years boy he is. I don't have to turn to know he is smiling for him, being friendly and polite. I wonder where did he get it from.

- It was no problem, I just called in a few favors - he smiles and starts eating - It is really good - he says turning to me again.

- Thanks - my response is short as usual - Kid, if you're finished, go brush your teeth, we don't wanna be late.

 I'm not very excited about eating my pancakes, so I turn to an apple instead. 

- Okay – he said leaving the table.

- So, why aren't you excited about your first day? - his tone was lower now, almost normal. 

 I can see his eyes are green like mine, but his hair is lighter, a rich brown instead of the black in mine. His face is round and he looks like a friendly dude that would help around the neighborhood, has a nice wife that cooks well, tells bad jokes, and giggles at them.

 I feel like punching him again.   

- Is any teenager happy about school? - I mumbled bitting the apple.

- Well, that is true - he forced a chuckle. 

 The silence falls again and I can see how it bothers him. He focuses on the pancakes again, and after a minute I can see his gathering the energy to try again so I interrupt and turn away from him, throwing the rest of the apple in the garbage can.

- Is there anything else you need? - My voice comes out more dry than I expected. 

- Hmm no, thank you. 

 I have to leave here, as soon as I hear him saying "no" I leave the kitchen headed upstairs to the bedroom. It seems weird to call it mine, it was mine when I was five and lived here, and George was dad, and Marshia was my mom. But that time has long passed, and it has long been ruined.

 - Have a nice day at school - His voice getting lower as I reach the top os the stare case. 

 I don't look behind, and a feel seconds later I can hear him putting the plate on the sink and leaving the house. It takes a few minutes to pull me back to normal, as I do, the first day of school swims in my mind again. 

- Let's Go, Kid! - I yell while brushing my teeth as quickly as possible - we can't be late on our first day! 

 Getting late means coming into class after everyone and the thought of the stares makes me let out a moan before spiling the toothpaste on the sink. 

 Looking at the mirror, I check the yellowish mark beneath my eyes again. The bruises are almost gone now, only from up close someone could see them and I am not planning on having any close contact with anybody, so that was a relief. 

- I can't find my backpack! - his voice was muffled coming from the room, and the thought of having two more minutes gives me the push she needed to try to cover it.

 I was never god at makeup, the thought of spending hours painting my face every day has always made me cringe. My mother used to do it, she would put layers of it and come out looking like she has been reborn. We didn't have the kind of relationship where she would teach me, so all I have are a feel basic items my friends had given me.

 "This is a BBcream" Jess's voice floats from my mind "it is not ideal to coverage but it will do to small imperfections". Hearing her again makes me smile.

 Now, the idea of walking around like a two dollars hooker wasn't as bad as the one of the gossips about the bruise going around throughout the school. Quickly, I put on the product and leave the room. Outside, Henry is already waiting for me.

 The small car was at the driveway like Goerge had promised, as we leave the house, sliding trough the small paved way in the middle of the forest just outside the city, I quietly admire the beauty of our new home. 

 Starlake is a really small town, the type that everyone knows each other and their families, and nothing really exciting happens. It was almost a hole in the ground, surrounded by a dense forest that always kept cloud of humidity in the air. 

 The small community is mostly concentrated in the center of the town. It was like a hole in the ground surrounded by the forest like it was about to get swallowed by it. All around, outside the downtown, a few neighborhoods were created, and a few citizens lived in luxury mansions in the middle of the forest, as I now did.

 South laid the lake that named the city, Lake Doerun, just a glistening sight at the distance. The way for school was smooth, and Henry looked just as lost in thought as me.

 - We are here - My voice yanks back to reality.

 We are in the parking lot and have arrived on time. It is right in front of the main entrance and isn't full yet. All around, groups of kids gathered near the cars parked here. They talk loudly and as we pass, a group of girls scream and hug each other, starting to talk excitedly about their vacation. 

 The building is old and looks out of place in the modern pavement, it resembles a tower or an old church from a movie about the dark ages. The old brick walls are red and white and looked ancient. The front has a staircase, leading to a huge double door, making an entrance big enough for four people at the same time. 

 On top of it, the seal of the school is like a jewel carved in the cement. It is shaped like a shield and at the center, a dark snake is intertwined on itself about to attack, her eyes are red and her fangs showing. Underneath her, a copper sign read: "since 1732".

 It seems to be flanked by the woods too, but the grounds are thoroughly kept, making it feel like the woods wouldn't dare to come near it. As much as the age of the building is clear, you can see the modern touches around it, in the glass windows, LED lights, speakers, and screens. However, instead of losing the spirit, it seemed to be stronger than ever, as a fortified beast that now had mechanical accouterments. 

- Not very friendly is it? - Henry stared at the snake.

- Nope - I grimace at the image - Anyway, you know the rules right? 

 He looks at me and appears to think for a few seconds if it was worth the answer. Finally, with a monotonous tone he says:

- Don't call attention to myself, blend in, and keep my head down, which is all say the same thing - the smart comment at the end makes me smile.

- And? - I insist on the full answer. 

- And if someone talks s**t to me, I tell you so you can kill them. 

- That's my boy

 I laugh and he smiles, it is the first true one I have seen this week, and the knot around my throat loses a little. 

- I have to go to the administration, do you wanna come? - I know it isn't the best thing to do but I wanted to postpone meeting people as much as I could, however, taking too look would make me the center os attention when I fatally went to class.

- sounds very exciting - he opens the door and gets out of the car. 

 With a loud noise, I close the front door of the car. I throw him his backpack, he catches is mid-air and put it on his back. It was new, like every other school material we had, bought by George on the week before. 

 As we walked through the parking lot, the students stared with curious eyes, a group of boys looked at me with luscious eyes, one girl with big glasses and braces smiled and a few girls, easily spotted as the mean ones, giggled about something on my look before we got inside the building. 

 The air inside of it was a bit cooler than outside, and a long hall extended in front of us branching in others like a labyrinth. People were already there, walking around or in groups chatting along the hall. As we passed, they would stop talking and stare, whispering to each other after we were gone.  

 Small town people are not discreet, but I have moved to pass the whole school drama years ago. It wasn't nice to have people talking about you, especially when they laugh, and I would try my best not to give it ammunition, but it didn't bother me enough to do something about it.

 On my side, Henry has his head down, and I know he is hoping the floors to open and swallow us.

-       Are you ok? - it was a stupid question. 

-        Yeah - he signs - how do we find the administration?

-       It is on you right and then your second left - the voice comes from my side and as I turn over, I can see a boy smiling at me - I'll walk you guys there.