Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 01:23:08 -0700 (PDT) From: Running_Through_Blind Subject: Running through blind chapter 10 Omg. OmG. omG. I just finished essay and decided well its good time to write short story, but no! Alas my work was gone! A whole chapter missing. So I have to start from scratch... woe is me.. Anyway.. No intro cut to chase Disclaimer: and don't futzing steal my story. I'll find you and kill you in an excruciating way... through musical theatre!!! Running Through Blind Part 10 Rhys walked out of his homeroom and down the packed hallway. He had history first block. The day was normal. Sunny , blue, generally very shiny. Down the hall he went, occasionally pushing grade eights out of his way, moving quickly but furtively. His bag weighed down heavily on his back. The rowdiness of the students didn't seem to register with him. The various punching and general cavorting about. He ignored it. sidestepping out of the way, a grade ten kid jumped backwards not even acknowledging him, trying to catch a football... he kept moving down the hall. turning the corner, the hallway was less packed and students had started to filter into their classrooms. His shoulder ached under the weight of his bag, the straps digging into his shoulder. He adjusted the strap and tried to transfer the weight a bit. "Rhys!" Rhys turned around. A hazy look on his face. Kyle. Rhys turned back in the direction of his class. "Rhys! Wait. Stop" Kyle rushed through the various students trying to make his way to the fleeing boy. Rhys steps quickened. Lockers lined the long hallway and the air was stuffy. He felt stiffled. The uniformity of the hall, the closeness. Rhys pressed on. "Rhys!" Kyle began to shout out louder. Ignored. Kyle pushed forth harder. Grabbing Rhys shoulder, Kyle tried to slow him down. "Stop!! I just need to talk to you!" Rhys stopped for a moment. "There is nothing to talk about. I have a class" "No there is. Stop being lame and talk to me. Goddamn it Rhys." Rhys just started to walk away. "Rhys!" Kyle step foward after him and spun him around. "Look at me for a second." Rhys' eyes steeled and the silver grey shimmer reflected coldly. "Let me go." "Not until you talk to me." "I have a class. I'm late as is. There is nothing to discuss. are we done talking then. Let me go." "No... I, Rhys, this is frustrating. What... what am I supposed to do. Why are you " "Your hurting me. Let me go." "Nothing hurts you. Who are we kidding" "I said let me go. I won't say it once more." "Rhys. Fucking talk to me! You can't keep avoiding me like this. What happened the other day. Why did you just run out like that? I can't... I thought that maybe" Rhys pushed him away hard. Kyle was unready for the hit and fell back. Hitting the lockers hard he looked back up puzzled. His face betrayed how hurt he was. "I told you to let me go. And leave me alone. There is nothing. This whole talking to each other thing. Dead. Ok?" "No Rhys wait." Kyle Pushed himself up shirking the help of some friends. The bell rang as he run further down the hall looking for Rhys. "Fuck..." He pushed back at his hair in frustration and walked back to where he had left his bag, and went to class. Lunch Hour Food Hall Rhys walked down the rows of hard wooden tables. Unfamiliar faces looked forward. Sitting down unnoticed, Rhys poked at his food. The strange attempt at curry chicken had left the sloppy pieces of chicken cutlets looks burnts, off colour and strangely scented. Taking a few bites, Rhys sat about at the table bored out of his mind. A tray came crashing down beside him. Paying it no heed he kept eating. The rowdy boys behind him started a mini food fight. A bit of chiken skin fell near his seat, Rhys sat glazed. the general uproar of the room remained blocked out as he sat quietly ignoring the near overwhelming urge to vomit out the slop that the cafeteria had dished out as "ethnically flavoured gormet cuisine". "Hey fucker" Rhys barely noticed the two hulking figures seated across from him. "Rhys you Fuck! Didn't you hear me the first time." Rhys snapped out of his silent reverie. The glazed look in his eyes was quickly replaced by the cool austere look he maintained. "And to what do I owe this pleasure? Cow, Moose, what's the name you go by now again?" "Its Ox and me and my friends here saw you push Kyle today, and we don't like that." "Ok first of all, Ox is just a tad cliched and so what of it. Its not your business." "No see that's where your wrong. It is our business. Kyle isn't just some fucking faggot that can be picked on, not like you." Rhys gave a slight chuckle at the comment. "Yeah ok well sorry, forgot that the rules of the playground were still effect in grade eleven" "Well we don't like it ok. And you have to say sorry to him now." "What? What is this grade one? I'm not going to apologize. And you can't fucking make me." "Fag, your going to apologize." "First off, don't call me a fag, secondly the answer is still no. Now go pick on some grade eights. I'm leaving." Rhys rose to leave the table, but was pushed down by another boy. Rhys stared dryly at "Ox" "Ok listen up Jake " "Its Ox" Rolling his eyes "shut up Jake, I'm not going to demean myself by actually calling you that. Now Jake" Rhys' voice caked over with ice, "its none of your business, and you can go tell Kyle that I'm not going to apologize to him and that I don't fucking care about anything that you or him are going to do to me. In fact, tell him that he can go fuck himself and maybe some slut he can find over at the nearest girls school. Can you do that for me Jake, or do I need to write it down point by point so that you can remember?" "Piece of shit, who the fuck do you think you are" "No, who do you think you are, and where the fuck do you think we are?! This isn't some stupid television show, you can't intimidate me with your little posse and you can't make me do anything that I don't want to do. What is it with you guys that you can't understand that?!" Rhys stood up to leave and pushed the boy holding him down out of the way. Cleaning off his plate and tray he walked to the lunch room door. He flet his arm being grabbed and was suddenly violently spun around. "What the fu..." A fist connected with his chin. Reeling back, Rhys put a hand to his chin. Blood. He could taste the blood from the cut in his mouth. Looking up his eyes maintained a cold look. "why won't you just leave me alone." The hall had fallen silent. Jake kept a mug look on his face. "Not so tough are we. Huh?" Rhys struggled to regain his composure. He managed to stand fully up and look Jake back in the eye. Moving closer Jake tried to intimidate Rhys. His larger stature loomed over Rhys smaller frame. "You disgust me" Rhys stood staring long and hard. Making as if to turn away, he swerved back around and spat into Jake's face. "The feelings mutual." Jake wiped his face and swung again at Rhys. Expecting the punch Rhys ducked slightly, the fist swinging wildly past his face. Grabbing the arm he bent over and pulled the arm and the jock over his shoulder and onto the floor. Rhys turned and push the lunch doors open. Leaving Jake on the floor. "That makes two today. Hm" Rhys smiled to himself at the revelation. He had reached the end of the hall when he heard the loud crash of the double wooden doors to the lunchroom being violently shoved open. Running out came Jake, and the other boys. "I'm going to fucking rape you for that Rhys!" Rhys turned and ran down the hall. The boys hot in pursuit as he dashed and weaved through the clumps of students in the crowded halls. Down the hall he tore past the glass panged doors towards the science wing. The boys had still not caught up. His blazer and sweater chafed against his shoulders and arms. His hard leather shoes hit harshly and flopped against the concrete floor. He bounded down a flight of stairs onto the lower floor. His would be assailants close behind. Through the math area he ran, a teacher screamed at him for running but he paid no heed. He had no place to go. Down the hall was another stairway up. He ran up. His foot caught and he lost balance for a moment at the top step. Regaining his footing he pushed open the doors into the art wing. The skylights over ahead lit the halls. Making them illuminate with a certain reverent grace. Here he would make his stand. Here he would fight, or fall trying. He took a moment to slow his breathing. His heart rate slowed. He wiped the sweat from his brow and took a fighting stance towards the boys who heaved and pushed open the door. There they stood. Rhys squared against Jake and two hulking rugby players. The hall was silent. No students passed through. Some music could be heard to come from the open art room door, but the heavy breaths of the three boys filled Rhys' ears. He would not strike first. "So you fucking prick. What now? Where you gonna run to?" Rhys just maintained his stance. He stood ready. "You know we were going to let you off earlier, if you only apologized to Kyle. But now you've gone to far. Thinking you can take on someone like me? Are you kidding Rhys." "O please, why do you have to act like some common thug from middle America. Cut the stupid threats and banter and get to it." Jake just snorted. His face grew red and his fist balled up tight. "You're going to regret this..." Jake quipped as he violently lunged forward. Rhys stepped to the side allowing for the boy to move clumsily behind him. The two other boys flew at Rhys with fists flailing. Dodging a swing of the arm Rhys connected with the first boy with a solid punch to the rib and caught the second boy with a sharp kick to the stomach. Jake had come back and rushed at him. There was no time to side step it. Rhys braced to meet the hit full on. He felt the ram connect as he flew back a few feet from the sheer weight of the rugby player. Slightly winded, Rhys pushed back up from his feet and lifted his hands to block the new onslaught of fists. The hail of arms and the flurry of punches were overwhelming. He could barely take two let alone three. Rhys pushed up catching a brief opening in the hail of fists and connected his knuckle to on of the boys chin in a solid uppercut. Pushing his way out he kneed the other in the groin leaving himself and Jake. Rhys arms and face throbbed. His body ached from the beatings but he stood strong and tall. Jake lunged again. This time as if to bear hug Rhys. Squaring low, Rhys moved forward meeting the lumbering buffoon's charge with a jab to the stomach. Jake lay on his back clearly winded. Rhys felt his arms get pulled back violently. His arms restrained and his head in a vice like grip, he struggled and fought to get out. "Let me Go!" He screamed as he struggled in pain. A sharp jab hit him in the back. He fell down, his arms near dislocated from the retraining.. Jake got up and chuckled to himself. "O poor Rhys. Whatever will you do. Trapped." Rhys just glared back. Jake brought his face close up to Rhys, seeing that Rhys was about to spit at him he shielded his face with his hand, catching the spit in his palm. "Fool me once..." Jake smeared Rhys's own spit roughly against his face. The utter humiliation that Rhys felt had him at the brink of tears. He would not give them the satisfaction. He boiled in anger and fear. "So then fag. What are we going to do with you?" "Go fuck yourself Jake." Jake slapped him hard across his face. "Maybe later" The stinging sensation lingered on his cheek. His arms still struggled against their vice like grips which restrained him. His fighting spirit was near crushed. Jake stood straight up and reeled back his arm for a solid hit. Rhys closed his eyes as he awaited the bone crunching hit. "STOP!!!" Kyle grabbed Jake's arm and wrestled him back. "What the fuck are you doing Kyle?" "What the fuck are you doing you fucking idiot. Three guys against one?!? Are you a fucking coward. Liam Grant let him go. Fucking hell." Rhys was released and he collapsed on the ground. His battered frame ached in every possible way. "I thought you... We were just.... it was just that he was... we saw him push you and suffice it to say, we thought we would take care of it to make sure he wouldn't do it again." "I can take care of myself you fuck. God, look at him. You guys fucking kicked the shit out of him." "Heh, yeah we did." Jake smiled at his handiwork. "Your welcome." "No, fuck you Jake. I can't believe you would go and do this to anyone. Get out of my sight." "Don't be a twat. I did you a favour, and don't' you go and side with this piece of fag shit." "No you listen, this isn't something I can just let slide. You leave or I will make you leave." "Pfff, fuck you Kyle I did you a favor. And had fun. That's all I care about. I'm leaving anyway." Kyle rushed up to the heap on the floor formerly known as Rhys. He tried to help him up. Rhys tried to push him away. "Leave me alone. I'm fine" Rhys stood up. Barely. His hands bloodied and his mouth had blood caked over it. "I'm taking you to the nurse's." "I can go myself. Go play with your jock squad." Rhys moved along the locker lined walls, using the walls for support. He began to collapse down. Kyle caught him. "See you need help." Rhys tried to push him away, but the same familiar strong arms wrapped around his back and shoulder's giving him support. Finally he leaned in and walked down the hall tot he nurse's with him slowly. ~~~~ Nurse's office Kyle waited patiently outside the door of the office, waiting for Rhys. When he came out, his face had been cleaned up, and there were a few bandages covering some cuts. His lip was torn but his eyes still gleamed a deep grey. "I don't need your help Kyle. Thanks for helping me hear but its ok now." "No Rhys listen. I can't stop thinking about you, I can't do anything. I sit at home where we would sit thinking about you. I can't eat, or sleep or do anything." "That's all very nice Kyle, but there is nothing that's ever going to happen. I'm sorry I just can't do this to you." "To me or to yourself Rhys!? Answer me that! Who or what are you hiding from?" "You don't understand Kyle" "Of course not you won't tell me anything!" "Its not simple it's messed up and I can't tell you because I don't know myself." "Then try Rhys. Please. For me. For us. You owe it to yourself." "I can't Kyle. Its.." "Then " Kyle suddenly kissed Rhys in the middle of the breeze way where they had first really spoken. The bell rang and the students flooded out of their classrooms and saw the boys kiss. They stopped. Rhys pushed Kyle away. With tears in his eyes, he hit Kyle hard across the face. And walked away. End part 10 w00000t who's back in business baby!!! Yeah exams and shit and lots of stuff piled over. Now its summer and the time is right to boogie down! Yeah. So enjoying my story I hope. Lots of good recommendations for ya'll this chapter is partially dedicated to the author and the story William Carter. Mmmm great story. Sorry but yeah this chapters a little longer to try and make up for lost time and a lot indeed has happened. But yeah buckle in and enjoy the oncoming ride. And remember: Santas helpers are just subordinate clauses. It's a pun. I love it. Bye! O and e-mail me at running_through_blind@yahoo.com I now have Yahoo messenger!!! and also I have MSN messenger at running_through_blind@hotmail.com Feel free to add me! Send comments as per usual!