CHAPTER 1: CHRONICLES OF GRADE 8
PART I: BAD MOUTHED
The banging on the door of the closet just grew louder and louder. More fists banged on the door with the growing second. James still crept below the window that allowed light into the janitor’s closet to hide from the group banging on the door, but it was of no use. The group knew where he was, and they banged on the door more.
Due to James’ hyper behaviour, he had managed to piss some of the boys off, and the group had attacked him. It was when someone overheard him talk about his love life and spread rumours of this. The entire school believed it and his image was tarnished.
They went on with the beatings for the next two months, waiting to give a fist to his face after school. And today, when James managed to hide away, the bullies still wanted to have a word with him.
The door flew open. He was certain one of the hinges had broken off, but that wouldn’t matter when they beat his entire body down to a pulp.
The group had 4, and was a gang known among the 8th graders. Lloyd, Ruben, Ty, led by Finn. They were notorious for dismantling anyone that would question them. Anyone. Going as far as breaking the hall monitor’s nose for doing his job.
Upon seeing his condition, the 4 decided that James had enough. They left him there, his face bloodied, nose fractured, and visible marks on his body. His uniform shredded to pieces and his limbs had nothing left in them. James had no one to support him. No friends, and his only living relative was his deadbeat uncle, rarely coming home to tend to his nephew, and on the occasions he did come, he would come drunk.
PART II: LIKE POLES OF A MAGNET
By the goalposts he waited, and how long he waited. Sam was eagerly waiting for Ellen’s arrival. They had decided to meet there and then. Sam looked around, and Ellen caught his eye.
“Hey,” he waved but to no reply. “You’re still mad about the par-”
“Yes!” She snapped, standing by the other post, .trying to maintain a visible distance between them, “I AM mad about that party! You embarrassed me in front of my friends, in front of the entire class, Sam. So yeah, I am very mad!”
“I said I’m sorry.”
“That doesn’t cut it, Sam. I’m going, don’t bother following me.” She walked into the evening sun, very furious. Sam stood there helpless.
He knew what he did was stupid and that it was unforgivable. He too walked home. Normally, the two would chit chat, Sam would put his hand over her shoulder, and she would laugh at his jokes. But, since the party on Saturday, she wouldn’t even look in his direction. Sam for the first time, noticed the bloodied and bruised image of his neighbour James. He felt sorry for James. But, who would feel for him?
PART III: THAT BOY
Sharing a cigarette, the two stood in the alleyway, and chatted on what was discussed in the meeting with the group today. Seline, their leader, mentioned that if the two got in trouble with the gun usage they were doing, or were caught in giving out illegal arms, they would be in serious trouble.
Considering this thought, Ray and George thought about it for a long time. For almost ten minutes they had put their minds into it.
Ray puffed in a big one, and said, ”What about that kid that’s getting bullied”
George took the cigarette and puffed in one, “What about him?”
“Seline said we need to keep a low profile, hadn’t she? And IF we get into trouble, we need an escape route. What about winning his trust over?”
George let out a shriek, “A scapegoat! He would not even trust us!”
“What if we win his trust"
“How?”
“He’s getting beat up by the gang right? We’ll give him something to fight back, try to manage a gun from one of the men, and tell him to whatever the hell he wants to do with it”
“Have you lost it!,” George squealed, “A goddamn gun?"
“It will work. Trust me. All the boy wants is a way to fight back. We give the way to him, and he trusts us.”
One more puff, and when he heard a pair of footsteps approaching the alley, he discarded the cigarette.
CHAPTER 2: SCAPEGGOAT
PART I: CHARITY WORK
It was the next day. School had ended. This time, James did not hide. He planned to run off to his home, and try his best to ward out the bullies coming in his way. The moment he got out the EXIT gates, he sprinted out. Almost like there was no tomorrow, which was possibly true.
He was almost halfway in his path when he got nabbed behind a tree. It was Ray and George.
“Jame, aren’t you?” Ray began, pretending to be sympathetic, “How you doing fella?”
“Who are you?” James asked, frantically shifting his focus from either of their faces, ”You two part of those assholes’ group?”
“James, we will never be with them. Actually, we are here to help you against them.”
“Help, how?” Finally, James thought, someone was seeing what condition those guys had done to him.
“Meet us in the alleyway behind Saleem market by 3 today. I have something that can help you.”
Saying this, Ray handed him a letter. By the time James finished reading it, the duo had faded away to the sun. James trailed slowly back home, and pondered upon how they would help him. They looked kind enough, but-
He was nabbed, this time, by a different group —the unfriendly type of group. In his thinking about how he was going to be helped, he forgot to help himself.
James ran home after his beating. He was greeted by the half-dead view of his uncle, with a beer bottle in his hand, and two more on the floor. The television had a football game going on, but no one cared about it. He ran up the stairs, and shut his bedroom door. He had enough! He did not want to suffer anymore.
He lay in his bed, in his school uniform, and fell into a deep state of sleep. Then a thudding on his door. He thought it was uncle. James opened it, but before his eyes were the four. He froze in fear, and stumbled backwards. He fell down, and the bullies started beating him again. One of them, he made it out that his face was similar to Ruben, was filming this.
The beating stopped, and the group went away. He lay in bed, and then he went to school the next day. There, he was laughed at. Everyone laughed at him. The video had been circulated in his school. Trash was thrown at him, he was called names and they all poked at him. One of them came running at from the crowd and, with a fist hurled into him, and then -
POW!
He woke up. It was only a dream — a nightmare. He sat up. He had envisioned what would be of him if this carried on. He wanted to fight back.
He tore through his pockets and found the slip of paper. Should he trust them? He thought about it and gave in. Whatever they had in store for him, it better work out.
PART II: WHEN THE CLOCK STRUCK THREE
It was 3 on the clock. James had already left. He managed to steal a glance in his uncle’s direction, still looking half dead, and the beer in his hand had slipped and had fallen.
He walked by the markets in town. All of them showcased Christmas trees and jolly lights through the window, with Thanksgiving celebrations and a pinch of discarded Halloween costumes — it was jolly, everyone was. Everyone — except him — was happy.
He made his way through the crowd of people going about their day, and managed to reach the alleyway, where he saw the two waiting for him. The tall and lean looking one, Ray, had a newspaper in his hand. He had something covered by the paper, which was difficult to tell what.
“There you are!” Ray greeted him, “Take this! And do not lose it. Be careful. It’s fragile.”
James uncovered the newspaper, though only partially. As soon as he got to the half way point, he startled, and almost dropped it. In his hand was,.
“A gun!”
“Lower your voice dumb-” George acted on repulse, who was stopped by his accomplice.
“Listen here James,” Ray consoled him, “I know this is very scary for you. But, you can do what you want with it.”
“Like what?”
"Anything.There's exactly 4 bullets in it.”
“You mean, to shoot those four… kill… them?”
“Yes. If you want any help with the bodies, give me a call. Oh, and do not, at all, tell anyone about the gun”
They left him. Ray was sure that his manipulation had worked on James. James stood there, stranded in the cold, accompanied by his thoughts. He did not waste a second thinking if it was right. He knew it wasn’t., and he did not care for right and wrong. They had to suffer.
PART III: FIRST BLOOD
James did not leave for school that day. He did leave his house, but not for school. He knew that the group would meet in the soccer field early every morning. Specifically, the shed by the soccer field. Whoever would come in, James would just kill them. The rest would be taken care of by those two.
James sneaked in the field, waiting opposite to the shed. From where he was standing, he had a clear view of what was going on there. The cold wind gushed in, hitting his ankles where his socks had fallen short of reaching them.
As James had predicted, one of the group entered the shed. It was Ty. He had come there to take out some jerseys they would be using in ten minutes.
James looked around. The coast was clear. The only thing accompanying him was the cold wind, and the feeling of remorse, and triumph. He sneaked in.
The gun was tightly grasped in his palms. His finger on the trigger. The silencer strapped on. He opened the door. The door opened with a slight creak, just silent enough to convince Ty, who had crouched down not looking in the door’s direction, that it was just the wind.
James had his arm raised. His eyes closed. His finger now is more tight and steady. He was counting himself down, 3…2…1
He felt a metallic palm to his chest and he fell down back first. Opening his eyes, he saw the tall and muscular figure of Ty standing on him. The gun had been knocked out of his hand. James managed to kick Ty, who now, on the floor too, had a taste of his own medicine. He was on the floor, stunned for a while. James managed to pick up the gun, and
BANG!
Ty’s lifeless body lay there. The bullet struck him exactly in his chest. James managed to sit straight. His emotions got over him after the initial shock. He looked at him in disbelief. He sat there for a while and realised to call for the two who helped him indirectly in the crime, to take care of the body.
He quickly unfurled the newspaper which had the words THE EXPRESS in bold written at the top, and found one of their numbers written in red ink over the boldened letters. He began to dial 9…0…3….
“Hey, it’s James here,” he began, “I need some help. I ki- I used the gun. I need help. Please come fast.”
“Do not frighten James, we will reach there. Leave the scene immediately.”
James did as he was told. The cold morning wind hit hard, especially at 5 in the morning. He returned after an hour. He walked by the shed. The body had disappeared now. The blood was cleaned up. At school he heard the news. Ty had committed ‘suicide.’ It was reportedly because he mistreated others.
James looked at the other 3. They were now in a mixed feeling of sadness and disbelief, and on the verge of crying. James, for the very first time, felt a smirk appear on his face. Lloyd turned back and saw it, Ruben too saw it. The three met eyes. James now realised he was plotting war against them, to make them suffer, more.
School had ended. The two waited for James. They had managed to acquire bars and baseball bats, all in the mission of beating him, until he saw God and came back to hell— Earth.
James anticipated their waiting. He hadn’t discarded the gun when he went to his house after claiming Ty, it was with him. He stepped out, and tried to trick the two into a mysterious place. It was located behind a building, and was empty. Surrounded in all sides by walls an fences.
James stopped when he met the wall, the persuaders stopped too.
“You piece of unworthy load of crap,” Ruben began, “you had something do with Ty, didn’t ya.’”
“The little shit must have been the one to do this to him!” Lloyd joined in.
James drawed the gun to their view. They didn’t run, instead they laughed, and said, “What load of crap you gonna do with that toy.”
BANG! BANG!
The two fell on the floor. Both struck the same where Ty had been. Ruben tried to reach out his hand in a gesture as if to say sorry. James stood on top of him, casting a dark shadow as he came over, and ended him with a kick to his face.
This time, he did not feel remorse. He felt untouchable. Truly untouchable.
He did what he did last time. He gave them a call. They arrived, and James saw what had been done with the three bodies. Packed in garbage bags, and handed to two muscular men, and their murder too, was framed as suicide.
PART IV: MI AMORE
A week later, the school held a students' meet, consisting of all eight graders of the school. Teachers dressed in all black to show respect, handed out black armbands to the students. The principal stood on the podium dressed in all black too.
“Dear children,” he began, in a tone of sadness and grief, “today, we have fallen culprits in mistreating the people close to us. It is because of our mistakes, we have lost three students, all in the name of suicide.”
In the crowd of the half silent students, Finn sat with his eyes fixed on the principal, seemingly nothing going inside his head. Behind him was James, knowing that all those present there, were taking in what the principal was saying without a second guess.
Few students to the right of him, were Sam and Ellen, noticeably filled with remorse, shown on their faces.
“El,” Sam tried to call her.
“What?” Ellen answered in a depressing tone.
“I wanted… to talk to you. I have been giving it a thought, and, I want to set things right. Is there any way we could talk stuff out?”
“Student life is not particularly easy,” the speech went on, on which Ellen took her time to think.
“Meet me at 5 at our spot,” she said after a while. ‘Our spot’ referred to the place where they shared their first kiss, the dark alley behind Saleem Market. Sam recalled this, and wished to go back to the moment, just to experience it once again.”
The speech had ended, and along with it, the remembrance. The EXIT doors flooded as many tried to make it outside. Sam, relieved from El’s response, tried to make way to try and get his friend, Finn, to come with him to the spot. “You know, for emotional support,” he said to convince Finn, who reluctantly gave in. The ones happy from it were not only Sam, but James too. He took note of the time and spot. This was his chance to eliminate Finn, irrespective of the fact that there would be witnesses.
5’o clock rolled around. Sam reached there, along with Finn. He saw Ellen walking along the sides of the alley. Finn stood a few steps behind Sam.
Sam began, “Listen, Ellen, I have not been a good partner to you. I’m sorry”
Ellen’s eyes met his. Her hands curled in the palms of his.They shared a moment before Ellen decided to say, “I forgive you Sam. I am sorry too.”
Sam felt even more relieved. They hugged. The three smiled, a smile which did not last long.
James stole up behind Finn and gave him a push. His cold palm digging into Finn’s back. Finn came forward, and looked back. He saw the horror of the gun in James’ hand and tried to ward it off. He tried to point it upwards, or anywhere except for his head. Sam and Ellen had taken notice too, and were too shocked to scream for help or run away.
The trigger went off. The gun was away from Finn, but neither upwards, nor downwards was it pointed. James dropped the metallic weapon and ran off. Sam and Finn looked at each other in confusion, but Ellen had sat on the floor.
“Are you ok?” Sam asked. He touched her palm. Something thicker than water covered it. He looked at it. Blood! The bullet had pierced her stomach and she was losing blood fast.
“Ellen!” He tried to tightly hold the wound, but to no avail. Finn stood by her, as she tried ever so greatly to hang on to the few ounces of life left in her, but she failed. She turned lifeless. Sam left out a shriek of pain and cried. Finn tried to console him. James had now set up an endgame he was trying to do.
News broke out to her parents, who could do nothing, the gun which had fallen seemingly disappeared in the chaos of her death. There was no witnesses other than the two who could have just set this up as a prank or committed this on their will, for which the parents decided against the filing of the cave.
They watched helplessly as she was buried. Sam was present there, and looking at the face of El’s parents, he knew that James had to be punished.
PART V: ENDGAME
Finn and Sam stood in a narrow lane in the same alley. Sam seemed to curse at whatever was happening around town. He knew the boy opposite him was the sole reason, but he never truly blamed Finn for the murder.
After some time he spoke.
“I want to end the little shit’s life. Whatever means it takes. Whatever happens, I want to end him”
“Please Sam, stop uttering crap. You know if you get caught, you’ll get in serious trouble. You are a good kid”
“Being a good kid didn’t save Ellen. I was the reason she died. I killed her, Finn! Me!”
He thought about it. He thought for a long time before Finn spoke.
“He wants me, right? Use me as a scapegoat. Lure him by the abandoned Nursery. You take care of the rest.”
“I don’t want to lose another friend, Finn”
“But more importantly, you need James’ life, right?”
An offer that was absolutely grey in nature, but one he couldn’t possibly say no to. He just couldn’t.
A plan was devised. At the end of school, Finn went towards the nursery,closely followed by James, and Sam trailing behind them.
James saw Finn open the doors to the nursery, structured in a way that twisted and turned wherever it could, with labyrinths of rotting plants, and large in size. Finn seemed to disappear as James opened the doors to the building. He walked a few paces forwards. Sam opened the door. He stepped on a puddle of water, making James come to a halt. He wanted to turn around, the feeling interrupted by a shadow that seemed to move in front of him. He continued forward.
Finn tried to be as quiet as possible. James took out a different weapon this time. A pocket knife that seemed to shine on a slither of light that seemed to shine through the cracks of a broken window. Finn tried to run left, on the edge of the same path where James stood. James saw his prey and ran after him, but fell down from the push of Sam.
James shrieked in pain. Finn emerged from the shadows, into the light. James laid helpless on the floor. He now understood what it seemed like to be devoured by someone’s shadow, the same way he had done to them. The knife had pierced into his belly. Sam bowed down to take it out, causing a louder shriek to erupt from James.
Sam looked at his face with inner guilt and a need for revenge. He stared for some time, as a smirk was being produced on James face.
“The hell are you smiling at?” Sam asked in deep anger in his voice.
“Just that,” James paused, and spat some blood on the floor, “I got what I wanted, I killed them all.”
Anger fueled through Sam’s veins, and he lifted his legs to crush open the madman’s skull, which was ultimately done by Finn. Sam looked at Finn, and Finn at Sam, both in awe and shock.
They tried hard, and disposed of his body by a river next to the AICC factory. James was never asked about.. His uncle died when he looked half-dead on the couch, and for the days that ensued, he began to rot, decompose.
Finn and Sam’s family left town. Obviously enough because of the deaths of the town.
PROLOGUE: THE GUN
A MONTH LATER
Ray and George visited Seline. She called for the two upon hearing about the incidents in the town. They reached the ominous warehouse out of which they were operating. They were escorted inside a room by three men in a great build, and sat opposite each other. A gun was placed in the middle.
“Why have we been brought in?” George asked
“It is because of you two’s careless atrocities that we are not operating anymore,” the man who escorted them said.
“Who said that?”
“Sheriff Wilkins informed Seb. The case is apparently now taken up by the station.”
“What's the gun for then?” A curious Ray asked.
“Seline ordered us to end you both. Give you fake details, and make your cases two run-aways so that no one will question your disappearance.”
“It’s a joke, right?” Ray and George shared a look of fear. They tried to stand up, but from the escorter’s order, the other two men held the boys down.
“Sorry boys. Can’t risk it anymore.”
This time the gun went off in their direction. Blood trickled. The operations shut down..
By the city shore lay an abandoned mall. There were two security guards in the entrance, but they never seemed to be on duty. Sometimes sending code words via a walky-talky as reported by some. A new face approached the entrance, stopped by one of the guards.
“Sorry lad. Mall’s closed.”
The man looked dead in his eyes. The man’s sunglasses hiding his expressionless eyes.
At that moment, a voice emerged from the radio gadget strapped to the guard, which said, “Let the man in, Higgs, he’s our man.” The guard did as he said.
The man entered, looking for TRUER YOU CLOTHING, which had turned into a makeshift agent hideout, composed of the best in the country. He opened the glass doors to the establishment, greeted there by,
“Lara, Lara Johns. Malkovich, right? Told to us by Patt?”
“Yes ma’am,” the man, a tall Eastern-European, replied in a deep, stern voice, “that would be me.”
His eyes seemed to learn the room. A set of surveillance cameras from where the guard got the instructions to send him in; a group of 3, working on investigation of blurred photographs, each labeled as YURI, SEB? and REP. VINCENT IN FRANCE?. He finally set his eyes back on Lara as she began to speak.
“A new set of gun activities has emerged here. We had been given a tip off of gun distribution a month ago. Nothing serious has emerged, but suspicious activities have kept us on our toes. But if anything comes off it, you’re our man”
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