Chapter One Wilted

Someone is chasing xem. Xe needs to be careful or- Dang it. Let's just go to school instead.

A person hopped around the alleyway, looking back frantically and trying to spot any potential dangers. Xe almost slipped on a couple of puddles, which were rapidly growing in size by the second due to the extremely heavy rain that was still pouring down on xyr. Xe was wearing black clothes, specifically a black t-shirt that was blue in the middle with baggy black shorts with huge pockets. Xe didn’t mind wearing such things in weather like this as long as xe wasn’t hot.

In one of xyr pockets, there was a dagger made out of some sort of metal that xe didn’t know. Not that xe wanted to know, anyway, since xe was literally being chased by something. In xyr scrambled thoughts, xe didn’t have enough time to figure out what- or who- xe was being chased by. Which xe didn’t like. In the other pocket, xe had a Bodyguard 380 stashed in it. You know, just in case.

The alleyway was a blur as he ran past, sometimes having to slow down a bit to catch xyr breath before running at the same pace again. Xe noticed a few shops and little places that xe used to go to, like Poppy’s Flower Garden and Jimmy’s Pizzeria. Xe especially liked Jimmy’s Pizzeria. The pizza with extra cheese and mushrooms? Absolutely golden.

Crap, xe was getting distracted again. Not the time.

Wait, look, there’s a wilted flower! Maybe xe should pick it up and raise it-

No, no. Don’t do that. You already have about a hundred little plants shoved into one overgrown box. Half of them are already dead. You don’t need to add another one. Another dead flower to the graveyard that used to be their entire life, full of water and other plants, but without sunlight to fill their world, without a sun in their galaxy. Another wilted flower. Also, you’re getting distracted again.

Xe heard a groan coming from behind xyr. Xe risked a glance behind him, narrowly dodging a stone pillar in xyr way. A boy, about the same age as xyr, was clutching his knee in pain and glaring at xyr. He had dark brown hair with red highlights which only made him look edgy as well as sunglasses to cover his eyes, which was somewhat stupid because they were in some really heavy rain. He probably couldn’t even see anything, but who knows? He wore a small yellow raincoat that was tight on him and was plastered to his broad frame as well as some black pants with a belt around his waist. On that belt, xe spotted a knife and a shotgun.

Why the f**k does this kid have a knife and a shotgun? He’s literally a kid! We’re in high school! Well, that’s not good. Would he shoot me if I stopped moving and he had the chance? He wouldn’t, right? Especially in an alleyway this close to the main square… Xe realized something and quickly scrambled back up into a run and turned away from the boy. The boy might’ve had some goons that were helping him and xe didn’t want to be ganged up on. Not today, satan.

The person’s shirt was sticking to xyr skin, making xem uncomfortable and even more upset. Xe tried to brush it off, but the sensation was making xem unable to focus at the task in hand. Xe needed an escape, and that escape was just around the corner, if xe remembered these streets correctly.

Just get to the main square. Lose him in the busy place, and if he catches up to me, he wouldn’t hurt me in front of all those people, right? I hope not. I promised Larry I’d play with him today. Xe saw the turn and stuck a fist up in the air, eyes shining. Yes! I remembered it right! Suddenly, xe yelped as xe tripped over a stone. Goddamnit, stupid pebble! Xe kicked it across the alleyway, feeling a pain shoot up his foot, and shot up as xe heard a gunshot. Lots of shooting in that sentence, huh?

Xe sucked up some air and the ache started to settle, which made xyr very annoyed. Xe was supposed to be good at escaping by now! The place where xyr foot hurt a lot was starting to bruise where xe could see it. That’s not good. Xe tried setting weight on the foot but hissed in pain as it pulsed. The pain growed and burned at xyr and xe felt like glass shards were under xyr skin. S**t! I don’t think it’s supposed to be like that! Ugh!

“Stay right there!” The boy from before hollered, still clutching their knee a little. The knee was bleeding but xe couldn’t tell how bad the wound was. Xe studied the boy for a bit, before recognizing him as xyr bully. Xe groaned inwardly. Yup, there’s definitely a group of bullies about to attack me. Just great.

“Shut up!” Xe hollered back, standing up to xyr full height and trying not to wince at the feeling in xyr foot. “Oh, s**t.” Xe whispered to xyrself.

Luckily, the bully didn’t catch that. He strode over, looking triumphant somehow with the sunglasses covering his eyes and his mouth looking unresponsive. Like usual. For some reason, this guy just didn’t have a mouth that looked responsive and emotional and all that. Just in a straight, thin line, constantly, every single moment, every single second.

Rather unnerving, but maybe that was what the bully was going for.

Xe glanced around nervously, fidgeting with his fingers in xyr pockets and fiddling around with the space where xe usually put xyr wallet. Good thing xe didn’t bring it today, or else xe would’ve lost his savings that xe worked so hard for doing gardening work for Poppy and helping with some of the orders for Jimmy.

Xe’s getting off track again. Xe needs to find a way to get out of this situation!

“Well, well, well.” Wow, that sure sounds threatening. Shiver me timbers. “What do we have here?” Xe could’ve sworn that the guy almost smiled menacingly.

“A person,” Xe replied, gritting xyr teeth. Xe didn’t have time for this. Xe promised Larry this time. A true to xyr heart promise. Xe’d been meaning to spend time with him, too, as his older sibling.

“Oh, you know what I mean. You’re not really a person, are you? You’re more like a freak. An abomination. You know that, right?” The guy actually smiled this time, but it seemed more like a sneer to xyr. Xe fiddled with xyr fingers a bit more, desperately trying to distract xyrself.

“I know nothing about that except that if I’m a freak, you’re way worse. Like, a nutcase. I bet you look into the girls locker room, you’re that weird. You probably send some of them dick pics or something. But it probably looks so small, they wouldn’t want you anyway, b***h.” Xe took a breath. It was a bit more hasty than xe would like or admit. “Like, you’re so stupid, it actually pains me to look at your grades. Like, seriously, a D- in something like music? What did you do, sound like a donkey as you tried singing along to Toxic Gossip Train?” Xe grinned as xe noticed him flushing a bit. Jackpot. Didn’t know he actually liked Toxic Gossip Train, though. I mean, who does? That’s a s****y apology anyway.

“W-what the f**k do you mean?” The boy sputtered. He gave xem a glare. “Your name is literally Redacted! Your mom hated you so much that she couldn’t bear to give you a real name, and had to redact it!”

Redacted flinched at that. Xe glared straight back at the bully and spat at him, full of loathing and disrespecting him. A warning, too. There’s a lot more things xe can shoot at him, and some of them aren’t pretty. Redacted placed a hand on xyr dagger menacingly, and the bully looked at it, unsure as if to fight or flee.

“Careful with your words, there,” Redacted sneered back at the boy. When the boy didn’t respond, xe relaxed a tiny bit, but still kept xyr hand on xyr dagger and even reached for xyr Bodyguard 380. Good thing it has an integrated aiming laser. I’m not too sure if I’m good at using a gun anymore. I might be rusty.

Another thought entered xyr mind: Wait, isn’t it supposed to have it deactivated because it causes sight confusion or something? Eh, whatever. It’s not against the law.

And yet another thought: Shooting someone is against the law.

Well, I’ll be damned, Redacted decided to just go with the flow and bolted to the main square. Xe heard shouts and yelps, probably because the bully’s goons finally caught up to them. Xe snorted as xe remembered how they acted in P.E., not being able to run even one lap. Redacted would run by like a breeze while they would wheeze and sometimes even throw up. Sometimes xe would get unlucky and catch some of that.

Redacted’s heart pounded in their chest, each throb syncing with the sharp pain in their bruised foot. This is not helping my focus! I need to clear my mind! Gah! The crowd was ahead, the main square just within reach, the voices and the scent of street food filling the air. Sadly, the bully was still running, somehow perfectly fine, and coming more and more close to xyr with each passing second.

“You can’t run forever, Redacted!” the bully’s voice called out, smug and full of spite. Even with a bleeding knee, he was catching up. “We’re almost there, boys. Don’t let ‘em get away!”

Redacted’s breath came in ragged gasps, not from the running, but the pain. Running was one of xyr skills, since xe had to do it so much. Xe knows that the group was just five people, and xe could definitely outrun them, but right now? Redacted need to get over to the market before it got worse. Of course, xe wouldn’t die… xe thinks. At worst, xe’d get beat up very roughly and would have to crawl back to the house with a disappointed Larry.

A market stall owner shouted as one of the goons shoved past, knocking over a basket of fruit. The apples rolled across the cobblestones, scattering like a flash of red. Good thing the red wasn’t xyr blood, though. Redacted dodged, just barely avoiding a collision with a vendor’s cart, but the injury slowed them down too much.

Another quick glance behind. The bully was right there now, limping but still with fire in his eyes. His knee wasn’t going to stop him, and Redacted knew that by the way his shoulders were squared, the way his sneer never wavered. Wow, he’s finally being expressive for once!

“Get ‘em!” the bully barked. Xe snorted. What a stupid guy.

The goons surged forward, forcing Redacted to weave between the bustling people, their arms brushing against the edges of carts and booths. The noise of the crowd, the laughter and shouting, only made xyr head spin, every face a blur, every step harder to take. Crap! I’m getting distracted- ooh, lemons- s**t! Ugh, my shirt feels so terrible on my skin! No! I need to regain my focus or I’ll get caught! I promised Larry! People bumped into them, offering fleeting apologies that did nothing to ease the panic building in xyr chest. Xe had to get out of sight, had to-

"Hey!" A voice shouted from behind. Redacted turned sharply, but it was too late- a goon’s hand clamped down on xyr shoulder, spinning them around.

“Gotcha!” The stupid bully grinned, but before he could pull Redacted back, a woman in the crowd slapped his hand away. Redacted was too scared to notice that the woman was actually Poppy, xyr gardener friend that was also great at mechanical engineering and working on a project with her friend, Mori.

“Leave them alone!” she snapped, glaring at the goon. A few others around her began to notice, murmuring in alarm as Redacted struggled against the grip. Wow, NOW they notice the kid that’s running around, clearly hurt!

The distraction was just enough. Redacted shoved forward, limping, but moving toward the safety of the crowd and the noisy square. The bully’s curse echoed behind them, but the people were starting to close in, some pushing the goons aside, some standing firm in the path, making it harder to chase.

One last push, one more painful step, and Redacted finally reached the center of the square. The market booths loomed over xyr, and it was just enough so that xe could hide from the group for a bit.

Breathing heavy, pain flashing through xyr foot with every step, Redacted ducked into the crowd, losing themselves among the stalls, the laughter, and the vendors haggling for their goods. The bully couldn’t follow them now- not without drawing attention, not without making a scene.

But even as Redacted blended into the crowd, the reality of what had just happened didn’t settle. The bully was still out there. And this escape? It was only temporary. Xe needed to get back to Larry.

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“Are you serious?” Larry asked incredulously. He rubbed his temples as Redacted sighed, clutching xyr bruised foot. “You got chased by your bullies? How did they even find you?”

“You think I know?” Redacted bit back, a bit too tired to put actual bite in the words. Xe just wanted xyr foot to be better again so that tomorrow, during P.E., xe wouldn’t embarrass xyrself in front of xyr bullies.

“Fine. Fine.” He paced around the room, looking up at Redacted worriedly. For a third grader, he sure acted a lot more mature than his older siblings sometimes. Speaking of which, Laurel had come into the room carrying a mug with coffee and no sugar. Larry glared at Laurel. He’d recently lost a bet with Laurel and had to do the dishes for the entire week and do the laundry.

“What?” Laurel asked innocently. She wore a gray hoodie today with a stitched yellow star. She also had baggy black pants with lavender fluffy slippers to complete the look. Laurel grinned at Larry, who was glaring at her so hard Redacted was afraid he'd shoot daggers out from his eyes somehow.

The two immediately started bickering. That one word always triggered Larry into arguing back, and sometimes (all the time) Laurel would take advantage of this. Redacted didn’t do this as much, but xe got enough entertainment out of this. Xe sighed and went up the stairs. Left stairs. Turn right. Walk forward. Turn right again. Up the stairs. Down the hall, fifth door to the left. Ah, here we go. The door that xe stopped at was acacia wood with an intricate rose pattern that Redacted loved a lot. Xe opened the door and saw xyr messy room, full of sticky notes on the walls and doodles on xyr desk. Xe saw xyr notebooks left open and with notes about math and science and research about plants. In one of the drawers, which was slightly open, xe spotted a sea of sticky notes with words in xyr own code and passwords.

Redacted ignored all of that, however, and flopped straight onto xyr bed and blacked out immediately next to xyr computer, wide open on a tab that was social media and about to post an art piece xe made.

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Redacted woke up, feeling the throb in xyr foot and groaning quietly to xyrself. Xe got up groggily, looking around the room and squinting at the closet. Xe decided to get up from the bed and stood up, walked over to the closet, and sleepily grabbed a black band t-shirt and a pair of black denim shorts. Not like xe liked denim, anyway. Redacted only liked how it looked, not the way it felt on xyr skin.

Xe nabbed a random jacket from xyr closet, which happened to be one of xyr favorites; a light pink jacket with a rose design on the front. The hood and cuffs were white and looked as if it had a valentines theme. Redacted liked it.

Redacted noticed one of xyr notebooks was left open and it was on a blank page with a sticky note with cursive writing. Xe walked closer and squinted a bit, and upon further investigation, realized it was a whole new journal with a compartment for sticky notes. On the page, the sticky note was actually by Laurel and Larry, and it said “Thought you needed somewhere to put all your thoughts and feelings down! And a place to put your sticky notes. Love, the best sister and the best brother (Laurel and Larry)”. Redacted smiled without knowing it, grabbing the journal, too, and opening the acacia door.

The hall looked… empty. Well, it isn’t empty, exactly, it just looks like no one has walked in here before. Which is absolutely not true, since Larry would always run across the hallway from his room to the stairs. His room was at the end of the hall and slightly bigger than Laurel’s and massively bigger than Redacted’s. In fact, Redacted’s room was barely any bigger than the closet in the hall.

Xe walked down the hall, taking the correct turns down the stairs and into the living room, where xyr dad, Carl Problem, sat and watched TV. Redacted inwardly groaned. It’s too early in the damn morning to deal with his s**t. Xe sneaked past xyr dad, who was still fixated on the screen of the TV, which was displaying a show that Redacted remembered but forgot the name of. Something about guns? Hah, that makes sense.

The kitchen was where Larry and Laurel were. Larry wasn’t supposed to wake up this early, but he did anyway to talk with his older siblings and do his homework. Larry was munching on a chocolate covered donut quietly to make sure that his dad didn’t notice him and drinking a cup of lactose-free milk. He wasn’t lactose intolerant, but lactose-free milk tasted better to him, and, well, the rest of his family, too. Laurel had her favorite mug with a pug face on it and the lactose-free milk, too. Both of them wore loose hoodies and both of them wore long pants.

“Aren’t you cold?” Laurel asked Redacted quietly. Redacted snorted, closing the door to the kitchen behind him so that their dad wouldn’t hear them.

“Wow, one hell of a way to say ‘hi’,” Xe replied sarcastically. Xe opened the cabinet behind Laurel, which was two cabinets away from the left, where the cabinets started, and this cabinet stored the plates. The large ones and the small ones, some with intricate designs and others just simple colors. The basic colored plates were Larry’s, since he loved the simplicity of it. In fact, half of Larry’s donut was still on his plate, which was surprising, considering how fast Larry ate. Maybe xe just got here a little while after they did, too. Redacted grabbed one of the smaller plates and opened another cabinet, this one around four cabinets away from the right and a cabinet away from the plate one. The one in between the two cabinets contained… substances.

Redacted would rather think about the bowls in the other cabinet. No one in the house talked about what was in that cabinet except for their parents. That was rule number one.

“Okay, jeez, just wondering if you were freezing to death,” Laurel said, looking away from xem to drink from her pug mug. Larry grinned at the two of them and ate his donut in silence, sometimes drinking from his cup of milk with a silly straw that Laurel often teased him for. You know, sibling stuff.

They ate in silence. Redacted had grabbed the last chocolate donut, to which Laurel immediately glared at xem, and added some sprinkles, to which Larry watched like a hawk. Xe ignored the two of them and opened the cabinet to the left of the plates cabinet, which was where all the cups and mugs were, but not the glasses. That was for their parents, and their parents only. Redacted grabbed a green mug with a rose on it, which was the mug xe owned and bought with xyr own money so that xyr parents wouldn’t take it away. Xe knew for a long time that if it was from their parents' pockets, it was considered their property and for them to use as they wish.

People in this house had to buy their own items in order for them to use it as they wish and not worry about anyone else. It was a privilege to use what their parents owned. That was rule number two.

Redacted poured the milk in and grabbed a silly straw to put inside the mug after xe heated it up for fifty-six seconds. Xe counted each second, peeking out the door and seeing that their dad was still there, watching a different show with basically the same idea. Something about guns. Redacted wanted to shoot him with a gun, but sadly, that was not going to end well. Mom would either be sobbing with joy or sobbing with sadness. She’s really unpredictable, and I’d prefer none of those options. Maybe I should shoot her, too.

Xe didn’t notice, but Larry and Laurel had gotten into a large conversation about the importance of essays.

“Essays suck,” Laurel complained for around the tenth time in their argument.

“Yes, but you still have to do them,” Larry said stubbornly. “Aren’t they important for your grade?”

Laurel pretended to think for a bit before saying, “Yup.”

He sighed. She grinned at him and shot him a finger gun. Larry had finished his donut and was sipping the last of his milk, putting the silly straw in the sink with the cup. Laurel was close to done, too, and was just finishing up when Redacted was done with xyr mug of milk. Xe placed it next to Larry’s mug and plate.

“Alright, who’s going out to see if dad’s still watching the TV?” Larry asked. Both of his older siblings groaned at that.

“Ugh. Pretty sure he’s watching one of those shows with guns or something.” Redacted looked out the door, and sure enough, their dad was still looking at the TV. What was going on in that show that he was so fixated on? It was like he was being hypnotized or something! I kind of hope so.

Suddenly, xe felt xyrself being pushed out the door into the living room. The door was closed quickly but quietly by Laurel, who was grinning ear-to-ear with Larry snickering in the background. Redacted immediately put himself right against the door and started to slide to the left, watching xyr dad like a hawk and slowly grabbing xyr backpack and checking if xe still had everything in there.

Pencil case. Check. Extra ink for pens. Check. Favorite pen. Check. Notebooks, both ELA and math. Check. Binder with all xyr work that xe needed to finish and turn in. Check. Computer that may or may not be xyrs and not the school Chromebook. Check. Xe smiled to xyrself proudly, knowing that xe remembered everything this time. Now, when Redacted goes to school today, xyr teacher won't get mad at xem. Then, xe glanced up and saw xyr dad finally getting up and xe widened xyr eyes.

S**t! I need to- Xyr thoughts were interrupted and xe looked up at xyr dad in barely concealed fear. He didn’t seem to notice that, however.

“Son, what are you doing over here?” He rumbled, putting a little bit more force into the word ‘son’. Redacted inwardly groaned. Ugh, not the son business again. Whatever. I can deal with this, like every other day where he refuses to call me ‘kid’ or something. I hate this. I need to hide the journal.

“Just packing my bag, dad.” Redacted replied with flatness in xyr tone, a little bit of venom entering it when xe said ‘dad’. This b***h does not deserve to be called ‘dad’. Xe slowly packed the journal into the bag, making sure to conceal it from xyr dad’s vision. It worked, and now the journal is tucked safely between the binder and xyr math notebook.

“Why the hell did you interrupt my show just to pack your damn bag?” Xyr dad asked, looking annoyed. He gave xem a small smile, but to xem, it was a sneer that was just begging for xem to retort something that would get xem in trouble.

“Sorry, dad, I didn’t mean to interrupt your show,” Xe replied half-heartedly. Then xe looked at xyr dad suspiciously. He looked kind of… oh gods no. He’s drunk.

“You better be,” He growled. Xe prayed that he wouldn’t hit xem. It was bad enough xe still had that bruised foot and would need to skip P.E., but a hit from xyr dad would not be as easy to cover up.

However, luck was on Redacted’s side and he said, “Alright. Go on with your stupid business or whatever. Just don’t bother me.” And he was back on the couch, watching the show on guns and grinning stupidly. How did I not notice him grinning? That’s a surefire way to know he’s drunk. Whatever, at least I can go to school now.

Redacted got the bag up and over xyr shoulders, smiling and even humming to xyrself. Xe barely noticed Laurel, who had gotten up to go with xem to school, since they were both in the same high school. Xe walked out the door and closed it, carefully remembering to do it or else xyr parents would not be happy. Xe managed to catch the bus just in time with Laurel right behind him and grabbed a seat before anyone else could. Yes! There’s a seat and I got it this time!

After that, xe slept, and when Redacted woke up, xe was greeted by the sight of Laurel’s grinning face and Poredom High School. Yay.