Bloodstock Island

Chapter 9

Max could not get past the baton on the man’s hip, having buttons. Also, his black fatigued didn’t have the usual camouflage design, though he wore the crest on the side of his shirt, signifying his connection to a military force.

A lot of questions ran on in his head since he’d been reading about them.

“What’s going on?”

It was the first thing he came up with, wanting to divert the conversation, because all the guy talks about was how he grew in size considering his age.

It was clear to see, cause Max was at the same height as the fellow. Not to mention he had a bigger frame than the rest of them.

Someone might even mistake him for being one of them if he is to wear the same clothing.

“Oh, just a little precaution. Nothing to worry about.”

The man shrugs, putting on a smile on his gruff looking face. But did not dare to stare at him, instead took out a booklet he had and started checking something on it.

“They say there’s some kind of virus roaming around.”

He tried to start again.

Not liking the eerie silence in the school hall. There was not a single student in there. And each door had large plastic coverings in them. Though some had people in hazmats, brushing some areas, picking out some stuff on the floor, most of the other rooms were empty.

“It’s not something you need to be concerned about.”

Was all the guy answered, remaining looking ahead. They were nearing reaching the end of the hall. Four individuals wearing the same outfit stood guard there. All of them had long sticks hanging on their hips. Some even had two, but no guns in sight.

He can’t help but wonder which unit they were in the military, considering they did not show any signs of it, unlike from the books he’d read.

“How’d you guys know about my dad?”

Max shifts the topic. Since it was obvious, he was not getting anything from them if he kept asking about it.

That got the guy’s attention, turning to him with a broad smile on him.

“We worked with him in the army. Your father’s quite the hero.”

He says a matter of fact, nodding with an enthusiasm and bright expression.

It made him pause for a moment, remembering his father. Frowning at the thought his old man was actually such a person.

“I never heard of that. What did he do?”

That caught his intrigue, since it seems like they were recollecting someone different.

It made the man chuckle, but then turned silent again. His eyes glancing up as he swallowed hard from remembering something.

“It’s better if he tells you himself.”

The guy mutters, nodding his head in apology.

Before he can say another word, the guards had surrounded them and were pointing some odd-looking rod at him with a light.

A quick wave of the guy’s hand, the individuals back off. The soldier then gestures him to follow as he opened the door.

Inside was a man wearing glasses, a white scrub covered his uniform. He sat behind a desk filled with papers, contentiously murmuring to himself while flipping a folder.

Large curtains divided the room into two, as they kept the other half hidden by the cloth.

They stood in front of the entrance, waiting while his escort knocked on the door. That caught the man’s attention, making him raised his head towards them, frowning upon seeing him.

“What’s this?”

The fellow utters, face creasing as they approached.

“Got someone special for you.”

His companions states, nudging him to move forward.

The scrubbed individual narrowed his gaze, needing to narrow his eyes to get a better view of him.

The condescending stare being thrown at Max made him uncomfortable. Yet he remained stern and stayed with his chin up.

The man’s dark impression changed into a cheerful one, ending up with a joyful smile as he stood up.

“Hey, if it isn’t little Maxy! How are you?”

From behind his table, the person was immediately on their side, arms wide open as he got closer.

He froze, getting a tight hug and pat on the back. He couldn’t help but end up freezing in place, surprise at the greeting.

He remained steady as they separated, as the individual gave a good look at him, chuckling while continuing to tap his shoulders.

“I’m perfect, thank you. Sorry, but who are you again?”

Forcing a smile, he tried to sound as polite as possible. Even though the man did not have a gas mask on, he still could not recall ever seeing him. The way the guy was looking at him, acting around him, said he knew him.

“The name’s Darius, but I doubt you’d remember me. Last time I saw you, you were just a little baby, about this small.”

The fellow gestured to his side, showing the height he was in.

That made Max laugh, yet it baffled him how easily they recognized him. But even with that, he did sense this certain ease with them.

“Here, we thought we’d give you this.”

His escort intervened, presenting the paper with Max’s information on it. The two exchange this meaningful looks as the other person took the document.

“Oh, yeah. Of course. I’ll handle it.”

Darius gives the guy a firm nod, getting a salute as a reply.

“All right. You take care now, champ.”

The first soldier gave him a good nudge on the back before heading out, closing the door behind him.

Max’s gaze shifted to the person he was with. The man was murmuring, brushing his chin while his eyes scanned the document.

“Why don’t you come with me so we can get you all cleared up?”

The guy states after finishing, smiling as bob his head to tell him to follow.

They went straight behind those curtains. And Max couldn’t help but swallowed hard upon laying his sights there.

There were beds on one side, and on the other was a large chair. With unusual contraptions attached to it. What caught his attention was the metallic table beside it, which had different scalpels, syringes, and vials. In another area were a couple of machinery he’d never seen before, besides the microscope.

The guy signals him to take a seat before going to the nearby counter.

“Does my dad know about this?”

He inquires, suddenly felling the crawling dread when he saw the injection being set up.

Though it wasn’t scary for him, there was something at the back of his mind which made him weary of the pointy thing.

“Definitely, I’m sure he is stuck with all the work he has right now, especially since this is all happening in his town.”

The person chuckles, putting on some rubber gloves after getting an empty syringe, a tube and a few sterilize cotton buds on his metal tray.

“What is going on, exactly?”

He can’t help but ask once more.

From all those odd-looking machinery being placed there, he senses a sudden nudge of concern. Those were definitely not simple items, since it had turned the entire place into a small laboratory.

“Oh, you know. One of those usual flu scares. Nothing to get worked out about. I doubt you’d have anything to worry.”

Darius wave it off, having put on a face mask. He looks more like a doctor now than before.

Max quieted down as the fellow assisted him to lie on the odd-looking chair. Once done, he makes him relax his arm on the rest. Carefully wiping a part of it with a cotton bud.

He heaves, feeling the coldness, along with the disturbing smell of the antiseptic which has dabbed on it. He calmed himself, readying as the man was picking up the syringe.

They stopped when a loud thud echoed through the place. Both of them stared at where they heard it.

“Who’s this? Another V.I.P.?”

It was a kid who’d just come out of the door in there. They could still catch the flushing sound from behind, which made them frown.

Max’s face crumpled because of the comment.

He looks at the dude with a furrow. He was no older than he was. Yet the way he talked had this touch of authority and smugness.

Darius only shook his head, turning his chair back to him.

The lad’s gaze met with his, causing a sudden staring competition between them. There was something innately odd about the individual, which made him straighten up, forcing him to put on his serious face.

It was as if he was being challenged at the moment. It only settled when the person shook his head before jumping into the bed.

“Don’t mind him.”

Darius was back to pressing on his arm, tapping on a part of it to get a good feel of his vein. A few moments more and he was holding the tip of the needle on Max’s skin.

“All right, I need you to draw a deep breath. I’m just going to take a sample of your blood, and you can be on our way.”

The man informs him, and with a nod of approval, the guy then pushes the sharp object.

Max took a huff, shrugging at the sudden sting it brought. He stayed looking at it, watching as the red ooze filled the thing.

A few seconds more and it was being transferred to a specialized tube with a white liquid on it. Once mix, the crimson goo immediately hardened.

“You doing the same to the others?”

The procedure got him in awe, amaze on what they did to his sample.

“More or so, yes. But like I said, in your case, there’s nothing to get worked up about.”

Darius laughs it off while pressing a cotton bud on the area where he had pulled out the needle. The man then puts it on a sealed container where another similar tube was.

“All right, we’re good. Since your school is still under quarantine, you can probably loiter around somewhere.”

The guy signs Max’s document, and from being close, he read the word clear stamped on it.

“Does that mean I’m also okay to go?”

They heard a condescending voice from behind. It was the other kid who was with them.

Darius heaved a sigh, pressing a finger to rub his eyes.

“Yes, Spartacus. You may leave.”

The fellow muttered, waving a hand without looking back.

The lad jumps out of the bed, throwing a fist into the air. Max saw this, and again their gaze met. He got a quick and stern nod from the person before disappearing into the curtains.

“Finally, I’ve been dying of boredom here.”

They catch his whine before hearing heavy footsteps and a loud thud.

“Who was that?”

Max couldn’t help but frown. It was the first time he’d ever seen anyone meet his gaze with such sharpness and challenge. Unlike others who always give him an ogling with smirks and all.

“Who?” Darius notice where he was looking at, making the guy turn. “Him?” The soldier shakes his head, grimacing at the thought of the other kid.

“Yeah, I never saw him here before.”

He did not hesitate to say, since he was sure the fellow wasn’t from there.

“Oh, right? They said he recently got transferred here. Better not get acquainted with him. He’s one of them spoiled rich kids from the upper class.”

Darius heaves a sigh, shaking in a certain disapproving manner. The man then places a container in another sealed box, wherein it had a combination lock.

It was then Max’s eyes glimpsed the shelves where some similar samples were, but the ones on the tubes remained liquified.

“How’d a guy like him end up here in our town?”

He utters to continue the conversation, whilst narrowing his gaze on the vials marked with codes.

“Heard he’s been quite the problem, child. Dad finally got fed up with him and thrown him here.”

Darius laugh off the idea.

They turned quiet as they listen in on the hissing sound of the seal, before a few clogging and winding of gears and clink of the container.

“He doesn’t seem that bad.”

He states, somehow liking how the fellow did not give him those odd stares. But had the same look he received whenever he spars with his old man or coach. A thing he hardly gets around there.

“Hey, I’m telling you. Avoid that kid, all right? His nothing but trouble. You don’t want to worry your dad now, would you?”

Max ended up pursing his lips, nodding.

After saying his good bye’s he walks straight out of there. But with something already in mind. Upon hearing of someone who was like him, he can’t help but feel both excited and expecting.