F U T U R E B A R R I E R
( The 2nd Novel )
Secret Technology, Unrequited Love, Absolute Vengeance
© June 2015 Written by David Wicker
Please do not reprint without permission
CHAPTER 41 - "My Bestest Buddy Scant"
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This chapter is Rated: EVERYONE
Despite the friendliness of scant, I spoke with as much venom as I could approaching him.
"What do you want, Scant !?" I faced up to him and leaned my shoulders back so I appeared more fierce that I was.
It obviously wasn't enough as he smiled at me and for a moment, I felt the muscles in my leg jerk, ready to run away, but then his expression softened. There was definitely something interesting going on here.
"Let's go to the cafeteria." he said suddenly.
That sounded harmless enough so I followed him there. The cafeteria lady was putting out food in the tureens, measuring it and saw us and waved. I waved back. I don't know. I always did that. If someone waved at me, I waved back, always. Habit I guess.
Then we sat down in the chairs there. Scant turned the chair around opposite so he could sit in it backwards, looking cool I guess. His friends sat down in their chairs sideways but fixed me with an unpleasant stare. I was getting concerned where this was going but Scant put my fears at rest with his next sentence.
"Dev my man, lissen up ! Don't you know that the only reason I was bullying you was because of Tyr ? I was so jealous of you ! She's so hot ! And now Tyr has been kidnapped or so I heard. And that changes everything, dude."
I nodded for a moment, but how did he know about her missing ?
He leaned down a supportive hand on my shoulder, "Anyways, the past is the past, right ? No more swirlies. I know you got better things to think about. And I think we can be friends now. Besides, I've got this -"
And he reached in his pocket and pulled it out. It was an invitation my Mom must've made to ask my friends to my birthday party. But wasn't Scant NOT my friend ?
He showed it to me and explained, "Your Mom came by the school early, looking around for a teach. I was already in the cafeteria with my friends having some OJ when she came in."
I looked to his friends and while Scant appeared genuinely friendly, they still looked rather dangerous. "Whassup, Dev." one of them said carefully, realizing they needed to say something finally. I just nodded. They nodded back tersely, apparently not going to do anything bad with Scant restraining them.
"Anyhoo," he said breaking the tense moment, "She had these invitations for your Birthday. She gave one to me when I said I was one of your friends and the rest to a teacher having some coffee at that table" and he pointed, "who promised she'd hand them out to everyone else."
He tried to sweeten the deal, "So that's tight and aight. I'm sure Marty will be there too, he's your best bud, isn't he ?"
I nodded. Although at times, I had to wonder. I remember a time when Marty thought it was fun to beat me up right as I got off the school bus when I was back in Elementary. It was a great show and the driver even put the bus in park till I fell down, then he peeled out, laughing himself. It was terrible.
Marty seemed to be a better friend now now that he had gotten it out of his system.
Scant added, "Then I wanted to have a talk with your Mom. I told her I'd be honored if she held the party at my place, being one of your best friends. She said that both her and your Pops weren't gonna be there as they had a prior engagement, something to do with helping Tyr's Mom at the police station cause she finally gotta ransom note."
"Dev, my Dad's a baker after all and I could provide you with a free birthday cake ! And asides, my own peeps will be there to make sure it's a success and keep us outta trouble. Your own Mum jumped on that, and I'd love to have your party at my pad !"
"She told me how you like your cake too. Vanilla cake with vanilla frosting, right ? Oh, and congrats for making it to 18 years old, my main man !" he patted me on my shoulder.
I smiled sheepishly. He really was turning out to be a good friend after all. "So izzat aight ?" he added looking at me with askance.
"Sure." I heard myself saying without giving it much thought.
He pulled the hand back and cuffed me on the arm with it. "Man you are one in a million, you know that Dev dude ? Oh, and don't forget about that chess tournament tonight ! I know you were gone for a few days, you were kidnapped yourself I heard, you gotta tell me about it, later, so I figured you wouldn't have remembered about the chess."
Scant held out his hand in a fist, "And it's Speed Chess, like last year. Time to play the game, Dev !"
"No." I said and yes, I had forgotten it. And Speed Chess meant that you had to make a move every 10-seconds. I was the leading chess champion at school for that kind of mental punishment so I had to maintain my perfect title of 10 straight wins ! I clenched my fist, I would be ready, no-one would take that from me.
"Hey, no sweat, Dev. Last year you waxed old Scott The Rock good and proper. Remember how he was talking how much better he was than you at Chess and you put him in his place ?" and Scant stuck his thumb and swirled it down for emphasis.
I smiled wide. Aside from my parents and Tyr, this was the only other person that admired the handiwork I did in chess. I was flattered. Scant added. "You flushed 'im right down the toilet. So you got time tonight to practice ! And it's gonna be at 7pm tonight, same time as usual. And your opponent's a GIRL this time !"
The winning smile on my face suddenly vanished. I didn't think girls were smart enough to play chess ! Was that prejudice of me to say that ? Scant was there to put back his supportive hand back on my shoulder as I gave this some thought.
"Hey hey ! Don't worry about it, Dev ! Some stupid blonde-haired prissy, she's younger than you, fulla snot I'll bet, no sweat for a resident champion like you ! I'll Betcha she doesn't know her knight from her swordsman, huh ?"
I restrained myself from correcting Scant, telling him that he obviously didn't know the first thing about chess, certainly I wasn't going to do that, not as good a mood as he was in right now.
"Yeah." I said noncommittally.
"Okay ! So see you tonight ! And guess what ! I'm gonna find a new kid to float in the boy's john in your place from now on, so no worries, you're aight in my book, Dev ! You just enjoy your time in the library today ! But you win this tournament, okay ? I'm counting on ya !"
"Thanks." I said quietly. And I was sincere. I hoophed out a breath. NO MORE SWIRLIES ! I started to believe there was a God after all.
He got up out of his chair with the others and started to leave, but just before he cleared the door and I was watching him, he made a funny stance with his legs and arms like he was posing for a photo-shoot. It really looked silly.
"Birthday Boy !" he said out loud and then pointed to me like someone should give me a medal for that reason alone. I smiled back. He laughed in return, but it was a nice laugh.
The others still had steely eyes on mine on the way out, unfriendly. They gave me a look like they wanted to see my head flushed in the toilet bowl till I grew gills, and now they couldn't do that.
* * *
I could easily see the frustration in their faces and smiled at that. And now it was OVER ! Completely over now ! I could focus on the rest of my life without future bullying !
They left and I pondered what Scant had said. He had only bullied me because of Tyr. Tyr was gone. If Tyr came back, would he bully me again ? I looked down glumly.
NO, he wouldn't. I had forgotten all about SIM ! Once SIM was ready, I could do anything I wanted.
I envisioned the terrible swirlies I got and then reversed the position, it was me giving them to Scant ! And he was bawling like a little girl, about how cold the water was and how loud it was on his ears but then something in my brain said NO and it stopped the vision.
I was angry with myself. Couldn't I get revenge on others ? C'mon ! How much a wuss do you have to be, Dev ! Godlike powers will be yours prolly by tomorrow and you can't even have fun and get vengeance with them ? Well ? I could conjure no more images. I had gotten swirlies for so long it was routine. There was no anger. Just -indifference-
But - I couldn't do it. I couldn't envision myself being a bully. And maybe that was a good thing.
The cafeteria lady's voice brought me back to reality, "You better get to class, son. They're almost ready for homeroom."
I nodded and jumped out of my chair heading for class. Lilly met me at lunch. We talked a bit more about the godlike powers I would have. Naturally she was terribly excited at it and had lined up a "shopping" spree for us in a toy store, but I saw things more important than that.
The BARRIER for instance. It was of utmost importance it be done. It had to be done. It WOULD be done. And what payment would be expected to Darceon ? I puzzled my lip for a bit thinking about it.
After lunch I headed for the Reading Room and there were three areas you could read in. One was for 1st graders and it went up from there to high school. The height of the table and chairs went up accordingly.
I went to the 1st grade reader table which was against the far wall with no windows to sit down in the small chair that was low to the ground and leaned over to a nearby shelf to pull out one of my books I knew the tykes wouldn't be interested in.
Beverly Clearly. It was a great way to store it too, by leaving it in the 1st grade shelf where I knew no-one would touch it. She was my favorite authors and the story told of a young girl who was always getting into mischief but it was never, really, her fault. It had great reread value and I started hungrily into it.
I had only gotten a few pages when I saw Scant at the entrance to the Reading Room. He looked to the main table where guys my age should be reading but didn't see me. He scanned his head around and then saw me sitting at the little kindergartner table. A slight smile escaped his expression at how silly I must've looked, but he quickly caught it.
And then he made a beeline for me ! I felt my legs cramp up in tension. He promised ! He promised ! And yet here he was. I tried to tighten my legs even further but I couldn't as the table was so low to the ground and I couldn't close my legs under it.
"What !" I almost yelled to him afraid I would wet my pants now. He lied to me ! I felt tears start up in the back of my eyes at what would follow.
"Shhh !" The librarian behind the counter said several shelves away. Then quieter and directly to me, "Dev, you know better that that ! You're our best quiet reader. Read to yourself now. Wouldn't you rather read at THAT table ?"
And she motioned to the higher table. Well, if it wasn't for the fact I had hid my book in the 1st grade shelf I would've, but I couldn't escape now. Not with Scant bearing down on me.
"No ma'am." I said politely.
"Then sit in your seat and keep it down." she said and then put a finger to her lips. I waited she waited. I wasn't in 1st grade d****t ! She waited. I waited. She waited and think her eyes got angry at me.
Fine ! I put a finger to my lips and repeated the Shhh !
Then she smiled at me like I did a good deed and went back to to her work on the table. I looked to Scant now who couldn't hold back the grin. Oh this is great ! Now he got to see me get forced to do a pre-schooler finger-shh ! cause the librarian insisted on it cause apparently I had forgotten !
The table suddenly moved as my legs tried to squinch tighter, but then I stopped when Scant looked to the table curiously. OHGOD I was so upset right now !
Scant approached. My own shoulders started to shake, I couldn't help myself. I knew why he was here. Swirlie time, like every damned Wednesday ! And I HAD brought my towel with me. I started to put the book in my bag but then he stopped me, and sat down in the little chair next to me, creaking it as it wasn't used to his weight.
He was not expecting me to get up as I was anticipating.
"Hey Dev, my man ! What're you worried about ? Imma man of my word !" and he crossed his muscular chest, "So YOU pick someone. Who gets floated today ? It's your treat !" and he smiled broadly to me.
"What ?" I asked, clearly confused.
He clarified, "Pick someone to take your place for a swirlie today !" He pointed to the other boys and girls, all wearing glasses, who were reading books during recess in here too. "Really I don't give a damn but my -"
And he motioned to the doorway where his cold friends stood, all 4 of them. They looked to me with their steel eyes again noticing I was glancing their way.
He finished the sentence, "My boys, they wanna float someone real bad right proper since you're off-limits now. So you get to choose."
I suddenly realized what he was saying. "I can't do that !" I said angrily. I wasn't about to find someone ELSE for them to bully ! I had hoped he would do it on his own, quietly, and not get me involved in it. What if =I= got caught ? I'd get expelled from school !
"Dev ... " he began, turning his head at an odd angle, the friendliness in his voice leaving him. And then his friends walked through the door at that signal and came in to stand beside me staring down with soulless eyes. Sitting in the 1st grade chair made them look considerably bigger than me than ever before !
One spoke to Scant in a deeper voice, "Did he pick someone yet ?"
Scant was neutral in his voice but defended me nonetheless raising his voice, "No, he didn't. Gimme a minute, 'kay ? GODDAMMIT !" and his voice hit an angry loud pitch on the last word.
And then the Librarian, like clockwork, still trying to maintain peace put her finger to her lips and faced Scant saying, "Shhh !"
Scant turned away from me, rising from his chair to face her and held out his hand apologizing. But she had enough rules broken for one day ! She curled her index finger for him to approach her table, He shrugged his shoulders, purely innocent.
"I'll be right back." he told me.
Then he started to walk towards her desk as she started into him crisply quoting rules and regulations and common courtesy in the Reading Room and if he couldn't follow these then he has no business being there. Then the first bell rang to signal recess was almost over and a bunch of kids left the reading room.
I watched for a moment as Scant set his hands on the librarian's desk as she continued her tirade into him, going through each and every possible rule of reading etiquette.
The others were quiet but stayed nearby glowering down at me. Their proximity was frightening in that little chair I was in. For now, my legs had stopped shaking. Don't be afraid, I told myself. Don't be afraid !
END OF CHAPTER 41
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