CHAPTER2

Brody felt better then ever.

His body had been made better by his new friend. He wasn't even sure how that had been possible, but here he was, feeling brand new. Smiling to himself, he walked out the front door of his house. Whistling a song he had never heard before, he walked to his school a few blocks away. The cold gray day was bright in his eyes. The fear he would normally harbor was pleasantly absent. His new friend had told him not to worry, he would take care of everything when the time was right. He believed him. After all, he did help him out last night.

"A favor for a favor my new friend" he has said before Brody had fallen asleep.

Brody smiled as he skipped along, crossing the street to his school. The large brick building would normally send a wave of crushing anxiety through him, but today was too beautiful a day for that. Today was the day the bullying stopped, his friend had said so. He skipped across the parking lot filled with cars and students, ignoring the looks he received as he passed them all heading towards the front doors of the school. He was use to getting looks from the others.

He made his way happily to his locker, still whistling that same tune. He didn't hang his head like he usually did, trying to go unnoticed. It was pointless to do so, they always noticed him anyway, though they never spoke to him, except to call him some sort of name. Something hit him in the back of his head and fell to the floor. He heard a few snickers behind him. Looking down he found the rolled up paper ball. He looked up searched the busy hall for the person that had thrown it.

Seeing a group of boys across the hall grinning his way, he smiled at them all. They looked confused at his reaction. He bent down to pick up the paper and stood with it in his hand. Looking back at the boys he smiled and threw it back, hitting the tallest one in the face.

The other boys looked shocked while the one who had been hit glared at him. A few students laughed and snickered at them. He sent them a even bigger grin and turned back to his locker as they walked away grumbling under their breath about him. Getting out the text books he needed, he slammed the door shut and turned to walk away only to run into someone.

Stumbling back a bit he looked up. A shrill of fear went down his back at the site of the brown eyes glaring down at him.

Kevin Hilton.

His bully. The one that made his life at school a living hell. At the moment it was just him, the other three boys were nowhere in site. Instinctively he took a step back, his legs shaking. Kevin smiled at him, the smile never reaching his eyes like always.

"If it isn't my favorite friend." Kevin said happily, his hand reaching out and landing on his shoulder to pull him closer.

Brody flinched as he was dragged over to Kevin and tucked under his arm as they began to walk to down the hall together. His heart pounding, he followed reluctantly. He tried to remind himself that his friend said he would protect him, and not to worry. He had a hard time believing him right now in the clutches of his worse fear.

"Where are you?!" he thought frantically.

"I am here" he heard the same voice from last night.

He snapped his head to his right as they passed a closed class room door. There in the glass was his new friend instead of his own reflection, looking at him with those bright yellow eyes. Seeing him brought back some of the calm he had this morning.

"What do I do?" he asked before they passed the door, losing the reflection

"Get away for now. Wait until they are all together, then I will deal with them" came the reply.

Brody didn't think twice before he ducked his head and slipped under Kevin's arm and took off down the hall in the opposite direction. He ran faster as he heard Kevin behind him, gaining on him as the students moved out of their way. Brody turned the corner sharply and sprinted into his first class just as Kevin turned the corner. He stopped before the door and glared inside at Brody.

Shooting him a smile, Brody made his way to his seat, earning a few looks from the other students and the teacher. He was safe for now.

Turning and ignoring everyone else he made it to his seat before the late bell ranged to start the class.

*********************************

"I managed to escape them again last period as well. They are bound to catch me soon though." he said to the mirror.

He washed his hands in the sink of the boys restroom. He dried them with a paper towel, then balling it up and tossing it into the trash can in the corner. He looked back to his reflection

The black figure from before stood where his reflection should be. Its yellow eyes now fading into green, that grin stretched across its face once again.

"You did well." it told him.

Nodding Brody smiled back "Jess saw me leaving the class room. He was texting as I walked to the door to leave. He most likely told the others I am here by now."

Jess Owens, another of his bullies.

"Very well if he did." it said happily

Brody began to answer but the door to the restroom opened. His eyes went to the reflection of the blue tiled room and fell on the door.

Four large boys walked inside. His heart picked up speed as he recognized them all.

Jess Owens, Greg Towson, Rick Peters, and Kevin Hilton, their ring leader.

Both Rick and Jess looked alike, both at least six feet tall and blond with blue eyes. They even dressed the same most days.

Greg had black hair and brown eyes, he too stood at six feet.

Kevin was the tallest, with brown hair and eyes.

But they all were large and athletic, they played on the schools foot ball team. Kevin ruled the school along with his lackeys.

They all made his life a living hell.

Brody just stood there looking at them all through the mirror as they smiled at him evilly, anticipating what was to come. Greg locked the door so there would be no escape.

The figure in the mirror smiled even more at that

Good, there would be no one getting away.

Brody turned to face the boys as they stopped just before him, looking up at them all he looked almost excited. His reaction made them all frown at him.

"Come on, lets get started." he said smiling at them now.

The first hit came from Kevin, landing on his jaw. The force of the hit was hard enough to snap his body towards the corner, causing him to hit the wall.

Another was landed and then another. He paid no mind who was sending what blow where, the pain rushing over him.

"Any time now" he thought to his friend as more blows rained down on him.

"But of course" came the voice.

The pain receded into nothingness. Brody felt like someone else was standing in his place, his body felt foreign as the darkness inside pushed him into the corner of his mind. He couldn't see nor hear what was happening, he was unaware of everything as the black cage surrounded him. Curling his body into a ball he slept. His friend assured him he had it all under control.

***********************************

The last bell of the day ranged, causing Brody to jump.

Startled he looked around his class room in confusion.

"How did I get here?" he thought to himself as he began to put away his books in his bag.

He slowly got to his feet and left the room. As he walked down the crowded hall, people that normally would push past him walked around him, giving him plenty of space. Some looked at him with confusion and some with a bit of nervousness. He watched them all with a frown, wondering at their behavior. He made it to his locker as he began to hear whispers behind his back as some of the kids passed him.

Turning around after closing his locker door, he caught hold of a girl sleeve as she walked pass him. Startled she stopped and froze with wide eyes. She looked like she was about to panic. He let go of her and took a step back.

"Uh.... w-why is e-everyone looking at m-me like they are a-afraid?" he managed to ask her.

She gave him an confused look and as her eyes searched for any help among her friends as they stood a few feet away, not seeing away out of talking to him without making him angry, she looked back to him.

"You don't remember what happened at lunch?" she asked him.

He shook his head, a cold feeling dropping into his stomach.

She sighed slightly "You punched a kid for calling you a name, broke his nose too. You just seemed to snap. Then you challenged everyone after that." she answered.

He blinked in surprise. He would never do such a thing. He slowly nodded to the girl and walked away. Deep in thought he walked out the school and walked home.

"You should be happy." came the voice "They stopped calling you names. And look, you walked all the way home without being chased or beaten."

He nods in agreement. It was true what his new friend was saying. He smiled, forgetting the unease of a moment ago. There was nothing wrong. His friend had said all the bad things would stop happening, and so far he was as good as his word.

Opening the door of his empty house with his key, he walked in. The barking started, out of the kitchen raced his mothers dog, Ruffles, towards him. He took a step back as the thing went to grab at his pants leg. It caught onto the toe of his shoe and began to tug growling.

Brody tried to get the thing to let go without hurting it. His mother would be so angry at him if he did. He hated that damn dog and it hated him.

"Ruffles! Let go" he tried to shake him off "Let go..." he said again

The things teeth went through his shoe and into his big toe. The pain shot through him and he cried out. He felt that darkness rising once again as his new friend growled from the back of his head. He felt the pushing again, he was shoved into the dark once more.

"What's happening?" he thought before the blackness took over.

***********************

"Brody!"

Flinching Brody looked around quickly. Confused, he realized he was in the family room on the large couch the T.V. remote in hand. He looked at the screen, and frowned a bit.

"Brody!"

He cut off the television, he turned just as his mother entered the room from the kitchen. She was still dressed in her work clothes, having just walked in the house. Her brown hair pinned on her head in a bun, she tossed her suit jacket onto the love seat. Her hazel eyes locked onto him

"Where is Ruffles?" she asked kicking off her shoes.

"Huh?" he said, confusion overtaking him again.

Rolling her eyes she flopped down on the loveseat. "Ruffles? My dog, you know the same dog that has lived with us for the last three years" she said as if speaking to someone slow.

Brody felt a flash of anger spear through him "That thing from hell" he snapped "How should I know"

His mother looked at him with wide eyes at his sudden change. He had never spoken to her or anyone for that matter like that. She sat up "Excuse me?"

He stood glaring at her "I have no idea what happened to the mutt. I let it out when I got here, it should still be there." he said as he stomped out the room leaving his mother to stare after him in surprise.

He slammed his bedroom door and began to pace his floor. "I really don't know what happened to that damn dog...." he muttered, he had said the first lie that had come to his mind.

"I took care of it" came the voice of his friend. "It will no longer be a problem."

He stopped and looked to the mirror of the closet door. There in the glass was his friend. His figure still as dark as before, that same grin on his face, his now blue eyes staring back at him.

Brody smiled at him and stepped closer "Thank you, I don't know what I would do without you." he said happily

The smile got bigger "You'll never have to find out"