Chapter 1

The world is ending!

Chapter One

He sighed as the bell rang and picked up his bag. The boy walked out of the classroom and across the campus into the gray gymnasium. Inside he ignored the cheerful greetings and sat down in his usual spot located at the back of the building and read. His name was Christian and he wanted nothing to do with the new school.

“GET IN YOUR SQUAD LINES!” Christian heard the coach yell somewhere in the front. He put down his book and got up. He was next to this girl named Skye and a really annoying kid, Aeron.

“Hey Chris, over here, man!” Aeron beckoned. He was used to being called Chris, everybody did.

Chris ignored Aeron and sat down in the middle of the two schoolmates. Coach Ramirez made them do twenty each of squats, pushups, and sit-ups. They then did fifty jumping jacks and lunges. With his muscles already aching Chris was informed that they were going to play dodge ball.

He sighed and walked to the corner of the gym. It wasn’t that he was bad at that game it was that he just didn’t like the game. He didn’t like any sport really. He preferred reading and writing. His favorite book series was called The Hunger Games. He thought that it had a unique story line.

He was developing a story line in his head and didn’t notice the ball heading for his face. He heard Aeron’s warning though and looked up in time. It slammed into his face and he felt the blood begin to form in his nose and mouth. Silently cursing he saw people looking at him oddly as if he just got shot.

“What, you never seen someone get hit in the face before?” he mumbled.

“No man, we just want to see if you’re alright,” Aeron said back.

“Well I am, so thanks.” Chris growled. He then stalked out of the gym and went to the bathrooms. Perfect. There was a very noticeable shade of purple-black on his eye. In fact it was screaming, look at my face. His nose was bleeding and his lip was bleeding from biting it on accident.

He cleaned himself up and headed back to the gym, but the fun didn’t stop there. Coach Ramirez was standing outside the gym door with a paper in his hand.

“This here is for leaving my class without permission,” he said and handed Chris the demerit.

“Thanks, this is a perfect reward for having my face mutilated by your balls,” Chris sneered.

“Watch it, young man. Now get to class.”

Chris kicked the ground and walked into the gym. People looked at the paper in his hand and flinched.

“Bad luck, bro,” Aeron said.

“Listen, I am not nor will I ever be your bro. Got it?” He shot back. He then felt a bit guilty when he saw Aeron flinch, “Sorry, Aeron.”

“All’s good, br-,” Aeron caught himself.

Chris had temper issues and he knew it but somehow he never asked for help. He was too self-righteous and liked to keep to himself. The only person he really talked to was his older brother. But that was a long time ago. He knew he would never talk to him again.  

 

,~* * *~’

 

It was ever since that day when they were walking back from the store. Chris was thirteen years old when three large and beefy boys stopped them in the street. They stole what little pocket money Chris had saved up, but his brother, Rick, stood up for him. They lost the fight and the money but there was a new relationship between the brothers. But the fight taunted and affected Chris so that he was no longer social.

He only talked with Rick. Until July fourteenth when his brother was involved with drug dealing. Rick made Chris swear he wouldn’t tell their parents and they stayed friends.

A couple nights after Chris found out he saw his brother crying in his room.

“They’re gonna hurt me, Chris.”

“Who?”

“The people I got the dugs from. They found out I kept some of their money!”

“You did what?” Chris moaned, “You have to hide, Rick.”

Rick shook his head. “No man, I have to face them. Show them that I am stronger than them.”

“What if you’re not though?”

Rick did not answer that question. Instead he ignored Chris. They day came when Chris saw Rick sneak out of the door with a knife. With his phone Chris followed with stealth. Rick led them to a dark alley and went inside. Almost at once Chris heard yelling and punches being thrown.

Quickly Chris called the cops. He knew that by doing this Rick would be thrown in jail for dealing illegal drugs. But it was jail or death awaiting his brother and Chris could not bear it if he died.

So with Rick in jail Chris had no one to talk to. He became bitter over the years. He no longer communicated with his parents. They loved Rick and were hysterical when they found out. They blamed Chris for all this. They despised that he did not tell them of Rick’s “activities” as they called it.

 

 

After PE, AKA Physical Torture or PT, it was lunch. He packs his own lunch every morning but his parents haven’t gone shopping, so it was a meager supply of saltine crackers and water.

            “Great, this day is getting even better.”

            He took a cracker out of the bag and bit into it. It was almost worse than having nothing to eat. Chris looked up to see a blond chic sitting across from him on the same table. Her bangs were hanging over her eyes in a fashionable way.

            “Hi, is this seat taken?”

            “Umm, no but�",” he was interrupted.

            “Good then I guess I can sit here,” she said casually and then flashed him a grin.

            “My name’s Ashley, but you can call me Ash, everyone does.”

            “That’s cool, I guess, umm I’m Chris.”

            “Chris huh, I’m guessing that’s short for Christian?”

            Chris nodded and took a bite out of the dry crackers and guzzled down some water.

            “Wow, I’m sorry but that’s a crappy lunch, here have my carrots, I don’t really like carrot anymore.”

            “Thanks,” Chris replied.

            “So can I ask you a random question?” She asked.

            “You just did didn’t you?”

            “Ok, are you gay? I mean I don’t think you are but then again I didn’t think Randy was until…”

            “No you can be very sure that I’m not gay. Who’s Randy anyways?”

            “He’s nobody, just a ex-friend of mine,” she answered and casted Chris another of her signature grins. They had conversations about certain topics, but they mainly talked about the three reasons they both hated the school.

            Reason #1: The people here were way too happy al the time.

            Reason #2: The world was better off without the bucket loads of drama leaches and pot stirrers, and this place happened contain a swarming nest of the unwanted beasts.

            Reason #3: It deserved to be hated, because it was standing on the grounds of a concentration camp called Manzanar. Then the people that wanted to keep it as a memorial to the Japanese concentration camps sold it claiming that it was getting too old and people were forgetting. However we are forced to learn about the war that started it from the inside out.

            Chris finished his crackers and downed the rest of the water. He secretly hated carrots and had cleverly camouflaged the orange devilish vegetables on orange jacket sleeves.

            “You know if you didn’t like carrots I would have given you something else,” Ash said obviously seeing the not-so-cleverly hidden carrots.

            “Yup, thanks anyway,” he said and tossed the carrots back to her. He then left the lunchroom without another word. He was surprised that he had a conversation with a very random person he had just met, and liked it. It must have been his first real conversation with a person since he arrived at the school. But he was still partly glad he got away, still uncomfortable about the whole friend thing.

            “Hey where do you think you’re going! Did you just think I came over to sit next to you just to talk. I like you, as a friend that is. You’re a mystery that I need to unravel,” Ash called out from behind. Chris cringed, all he wanted at this moment was to be as far away as possible from her. He felt awkward and out of place around other people. He had for three years now ever since he and his brother were mugged.

            “Ummm, I was going to the library. I’m not that interesting any ways, don’t bother with me.”

            “Nice try, Shakespeare, I’m coming with you. I just found out you are an anti-social bookworm. After that I’m one step closer to figuring you out.”

            Chris surrendered and let her catch up. Ok so there is a person next to me. What ever, I’ll pretend it’s a faithful dog. That’s sounds good. I can always talk to dogs. But then again she’s a person and some how I think talking to her like she’s a mangy mutt that licks it’s butt isn’t a very good idea. Sit, stay, good girl. I guess I’ll just ignore it, I mean her.

            “So… what’s your family like?” Chris heard her say in the background.

            Instead of answering her question Chris stuck his nose inside his book. Ignore the girl.

“Ahem, I asked you a question. Are you even listening to me?”… “Give me that,” she said and snatched the book out of his hand. “What is this rubbish? Pride and Prejudice? Isn’t that like a Romeo and Juliet kind of story?”

            Ignore her, oh look the back of my hand is cool. Ow, what was that? Ash had slapped him across the face. He looked up at her and sighed.

            “Now, that I have your attention I want to have a talk with you!” she said.

            “What? I didn’t ask you to come along. Now give me my book.”

            “Wait a second, just tell me why you want to be left alone and I’ll go, but if I don’t have a legitimate reason I’m gonna stay here and keep your precious chic flick of a book.”

            “That’s not fair, I don’t pry into your life. Now leave  me alone, and give me back my book, Ash.”

            “You know what, fine! Here’s your book, and I’ll leave you alone, nice knowing you, Chris. I think I figured you out as well, there is no mystery here. Just an pathetic, anti-social scrap of bait on a lure. You’re letting your past hook you on a line. Soon the fish is gonna bite and when it does it will hurt. A lot. So snap out of the pity game you’re in right now and get yourself off of the hook. For starters go talk to some body.”

            Chris stared at her. He could’nt believe she just said that. He laughed and gave her a smile that spelled loathing, “Alright you wanna know whats up? Here it goes. I was mugged when I was thirteen, and when I turned fifteen my best friend, which just happened to be my brother, got arrested for illegal drug dealing. My parents  hate me.

Author's Note

Ignore the mistakes, oh I know its not finished.