Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 21:15:43 -0800 (PST) From: Warren Powers Subject: Journey Through Kajahri - Chapter One, high school section Hey everybody! I dont know if any of you have read my other story, Egyptian Sunset, but this one is a little more developed, and a lot more fantasmical. :) You know the usual disclaimer junk, although I doubt you would listen in the first place, lol. IM me on AIM at Warren Kefa or email me at supergenious2003(at)yahoo.com (@ removed for spam purposes). Tell me what you think! Chapter One: The Old Hag Who Killed Me Click. Click, click. It was raining that night. It was raining and I was just sitting around doing nothing, basking in the glow of my computer monitor. Nothing good was on T.V., and of course I had no friends to go and hang out with, so sitting in front of my humming computer was my Saturday night event. Stacks of empty soda cans and some pizza crusts surrounded me as I aimlessly clicked around the internet. Click, click, click. It still amazes me that such a beige, uneventful night could lead to my death. Anyway, maybe I should tell you who I am. My name is Jake Berringer, I'm 17, and I have no life. I'm what you would call a geek. A computer nerd, a keyboard masseuse. Yeah, never heard that one? Only geeks know it. As far as looks go I know that I am not the best looking guy around, but a lot of girls at my school think I'm cute. Standing at about 6 feet and weighing 180 lbs, the adjective that one would use to describe me would probably be "lean." My parents are not exactly the Cleavers. My mother, a workaholic overachiever who always has a cell phone at her ear, spends all her time with Jim Burns, her "business client", but everyone knows she's having an affair. I once caught her kissing him in the hall and she said he was practicing mouth to mouth recessitation on her. Smooth. Most kids would flip if they found their mom kissing another guy, but I really couldn't care less. My father is basically one of those creepy old guys you always see on "Cops". A middle aged redneck who hates all minorities and is always at some bar. However, tonight was an exception. Charles Berringer sat reclined in his old brown barcelounger, the cat curled up on his stomach. I was so proud to see him there, the vomit stain on the carpet next to him, and the beer spilling out of the can left on the floor. You see, my father thinks it's better to leave half the beer in the can, and then drink the rest the next day, when it has partly solidified. I didn't know if my father was awake or asleep, so I politely shoved him. "What d'you want?" He slurred, jumping. The cat yowled and leaped off his stomach. "Oh nothing," I said, trying to keep the sarcasm from springing forth like it always did. "I just wanted, you know, some dinner!" He looked up at me, slowly drawing his gaze from the television. "So what're you botherin' me fur, dumbass?" I sighed and turned around. "When's Mom coming home?" I asked him. "I dunno." He said. "She had a late business meeting, or something." God, he was such an idiot. How could he not see it? Secretly, I was somewhat happy for my mother; at least she was able to find a little happiness in our crappy family life, she found a way to escape, while I spent my time longing for one. I went back to my desk and saw that I had been kicked off of the internet. "Stupid dial up connections." I muttered. "What're you bitchin' about now, boy?" "Nothing." I snapped. Getting up out of my chair, I walked to the fridge and pushed all the beer cans out of the way. Nothing to eat. Nothing in the fridge except for beer cans. What a Hallmark moment. I grabbed my keys and headed for the door, deciding to get some fast food from the place across the street. "Where do you think you're goin'?" My father asked, his speech barely decipherable. "I'm going across the street to get something to eat." I said, testily. "Well get me a six pack." I sighed again. "Dad, they don't sell beer at Taco Bell, and even if they did, I'm only 17, they wouldn't sell it to me." He glared at me. "Then go to the liquor store." I turned around to face him. "Didn't you hear me the first time, you disgusting bum?! They don't sell beer to minors!" He slowly rose to his feet and stumbled over to me, trying not to fall over. "Then steal it, you stupid little shit." He shoved me against the wall. "I don't wanna put up with your shit anymore tonight. Just do as your old man tells you." I could feel the rage building up inside of me, like a volcano ready to erupt. I pushed him back so hard he had to grab the kitchen counter to keep from falling over. "You make me sick," I said. "You can barely stand. I hope I never see you again." I turned and quickly bolted through the door, slamming it behind me, his yells echoing after me. As I ran down the stairs of our apartment building, I saw my neighbor standing outside her door with both arms full of groceries. Glancing at my watch, the fluorescent lights read 11:30. I considered just passing her, and going to the restaurant, but my conscience got the better of me. "Good evening Ms. Kahtrockis." I said, eager to get the last few moments off of my mind. "What are you doing out so late?" The old woman glanced up and looked at me, smiling. "Well hello Jakie, would you look at me? What a klutz, I seem to have dropped my keys." She was trying to bend over while balancing both bags on one arm. "Whoa!, Hold on." I ran over and grabbed both bags as she almost fell over. "There, that might make it a little easier for you." She looked up and smiled again. It was actually more creepy than warm. "Thank you, Jake. You know, I thought I heard some yelling just a minute ago. Is everything alright?" "Yes, everything's fine," I plastered on a big fake smile and nodded my head. "We're perfect." "Well, if you wanted to, you could always leave. You know, slip through that tiny crack in the sky..." She gazed into my eyes; an eager anticipation seemed to dance in her gaze. "Um, ok." I slowly said. She was talking strangely all of the sudden. "Anyway, here are your groceries." "Why did you help me, Jake?" She raised an eyebrow and stood up so fast it made me step back. "Why? Why help someone when you could have just gone on your way?" "It was no problem." I looked at her warily. She leaned in and I could pinpoint several pieces of some kind of vegetable stuck in her teeth. "Yes, I'm sure. Just like the tear in the sky. So inconceivable." "Uh, I'm not sure what you mean, Ms. Kahtrockis." I started to set the groceries on the ground, when she grabbed my wrist, making me drop them completely. "What I mean is, why did you help me?" She was yelling at me! "Because it was the right thing to do, lady!" I was yelling too, the fight with my father was still fresh in my mind, and I needed to take my rage out on someone. "But if I knew you were going to go all psycho on me, I probably wouldn't have stopped at all. Good night!" I stalked quickly through the lobby door and walked out into the stormy night, opening my umbrella. I looked behind me at the old woman, who was watching me intently. "Don't forget about the crack in the sky!" She called after me. But because I was looking behind me, I didn't notice when I stepped out onto the road. The rain was coming down so hard I couldn't see two feet in front of me. I squinted into the darkness and saw two lights that seemed to be heading straight towards me. Maybe sitting at a computer screen for so long had given me some kind of tumor, or maybe I was still distracted by my father's comments, because I didn't realize what the lights were until it was too late. The truck's horn blared and I dropped the umbrella in shock. You know how they say that right before you die, you see your entire life flash before your eyes? Well all I saw were the glowering eyes of the old woman, and the last thing I heard was her voice. "Don't forget about the crack in the sky..." The lights brightened and the horn's blaring became excruciating. Everything went black.