Bloodstock Island

Chapter 24

Tensed, panting, and sweaty, Max’s speed increased with each step he’d make. His blood brewed, recalling how his father had acted a while ago. There’s definitely something going on and was being hidden from a lot of people there.

The bad part was, his dad was one of the few who knew about it, and was keeping it secluded from everyone. The scenario completely changed his view of his old man, thinking he was an uptight and obedient citizen.

It was the reason he remained fixated and frustrated. Just considering his parent, the person he least expect to be hiding something, was doing the opposite. The entire thing didn’t seem right, especially with his father’s persona.

He stopped contemplating when finally; he saw a familiar figure from afar, sitting with legs up in the bleachers, slouching as if he had no care in the world.

“He Sparts!”

He calls out, grinning at the fellow who was busy bathing in the morning sun.

The lad smirks, his hands slowly motioning to grab hold of the glasses he covering his eyes, sliding it down to get a good look at him.

“Hey, looks like somebody’s being a rebel today.”

Spartacus chuckled seeing him there. A brow rising upon noticing he was not wearing the usual t-shirt and jeans. Instead, he prompted for jogger pants, sleeveless shirts and running shoes.

It gave him better comfort and provided more motion. Also, he wasn’t going to school that day, not after the brief incident this morning with his dad.

“I thought you said we were checking in on the deputy and others. Make sure they didn’t get hurt.”

Max grumbled, face creasing as he narrowed his gaze on the guy. Not moving from his place, only returning to what he was doing a while ago. Which was literally nothing but bathe in the sunlight.

Before he can speak another word, he gets quieted down with a simple wave of a hand and teasing grin. With a shake of his head, he moves for the stairs, jumping from one step to the other to get closer.

He stands beside the guy, arms folded on his chest to wait for what his friend had to say.

“No need. Already saw them a while ago. Seems like they're up and back for work.”

Spartacus mumbles, turning to him for a second before leaning on his seat. This time, he took out a can of soda from a paper bag hidden underneath the nearby chair.

“But you said it would take a week for them to recover? What gives?”

Max’s mouth gaped wide open, a sudden rush of panic and fear from the idea those people were back, roaming around the town. It scared him they’d remember all the stuff he had done, and worst, tell his father about it.

And here he was thinking they could go check in on them first, confirm they recall nothing. He’d rather be ready and prepared than surprised and cornered.

Also, he needed to make sure they were truly fine, considering all the things they did to them. At least if they somehow recollect the incident, he has a chance to explain his side of the story.

“Hell, how should I know? The only probable explanation I can come up with is this town has already produced a cure, being so advance and all.”

Spartacus shakes his shoulders, his lips straightening upon the idea, taking in a heavy sigh afterwards. A moment of silence came between them, both suddenly lost for words.

With how the topic was progressing, it was as if they were going deeper into the unknown. Worst was they do not know what it is exactly they were looking at.

“You’re making it sound like this place is some kind of utopia.”

Max broke the thin ice, snorting to pause his laughter.

From the tone of his friend, he makes seems to consider their town high-tech, with amazing technology and stuff. It irks him the fellow sees it that way, even though he came from the city.

“Well, first off, you have a systematic approach to handling a breakout. Second, this entire town has everything on it, considering the limited number of people living here. Last, everyone here seems to be in the Om Subius class, with some exceptions of Al Dominus. But no Be Medius.”

Spartacus lifts a finger with each point he’d notice there.

Of course, none of those makes sense to Max, causing his brows to furrow, together with a twitching lip, since his friend’s words sounding gibberish again.

Though he believes him after all that’s happened, there were still a lot of things he couldn’t understand. Such as the way he spoke about how great their rundown place was, where the so-called alpha heat came from, among others.

These were the things which kept him intrigued and contemplating, as he had never been outside and wanted to know why the guy would say such a thing.

Since being there for so long, it had bored him out of his mind. He remembers a time where they weren’t living there, but that was before he can even read or write, and he hardly had any memory of it. Which makes the foreign world vaguer, but from all the books and news article he’s learned. It didn’t seem that bad.

“I don’t know what those things have to do with what you were saying.”

He asks, face creasing from confusion.

He was wondering if his friend was still sane, since he would always bring that up repeatedly.

“Because Be Medius is the majority everywhere. Except for this place.”

Spartacus states, his lips straightening, along with his eyes giving out this shade of ominous energy. Within the stern composure lingered a brooding face, thinking, calculating, and piecing out every single thing together.

“So you’re trying to say this town’s weird, is that it?”

Max snorts, finding the hilarity behind those words. It makes sense, considering they were so far off from other places.

And after having a glimpse of the walls, it only gave him an idea they were truly in an area which is separated from society, in a secluded place.

“If you want to consider a paradise to be weird, then it only shows how ignorant you are of the outside world.”

Spartacus heaves a sigh. His teasing expression appeared, shaking his head in disbelief. There was this pained laugh coming off him, but he kept it in.

“Why do you keep saying that? It’s not like this town is all that great.”

The comment made a vein pop on Max’s temple. He still can’t figure out why anyone would consider their place amazing.

With all the broken down buildings, the limited schools, and the repeated number of people whom he already knows by heart. Besides that, the surrounding area was nothing but woodlands and farms.

“Because it is. Anyway, the deputy’s here. You’re about to find out if they remember anything or not.”

Spartacus frowns at him, his lips moving downward with a narrow gaze showing his boredom and annoyance at his rant.

But he had little to say back, especially hearing the about the officers. And since he notice were the lad was looking at, he was quick to turn around to see if it was true. And upon laying eyes on the group approaching them, every bit of cell in his body screamed ‘s**t’ as his blood drained from him.