The Redeem: Chapter 5
#4 of The Redeem
Previous Chapter: http://www.sofurry.com/?pid=225651
We come to another weekend, and with that, another chapter! Hope you guys enjoy it!
As always, both kergiby and I appreciate any questions and comments, as well as helpful criticism. See ya next week!
Here in the darkening desert, lying on top of Jason, I let my mind wander. My body was aching from the walking I had been doing every day, and my body had started to protest due to the thirst I felt. I reached over to the pack that we had jacked from a pair of bandits that had wanted to do us in, and pulled out the canteen that had been placed safely within that pack. The pack had been a godsend. It had some food, a small first aid pack, and the large canteen. How the hell had the bandits gotten this stuff? This was the land of the dead. I didn't get to bring anything except the clothes I had on me. I sighed and slowly turned over to not disturb Jason.
He really deserved the rest, as he had gotten a fever for letting me drink the one source of liquid we had before we ran into the thieves. Not only that, but he had saved me when one of them was going to stab me. When I thought about it, he was always saving me. I was always nursing him, and he always protected me. That's how we met. I let my mind think back to that day, back in my first year of middle school, when I met the person who would become my knight in shining armor. He would become the guy I love...loved.
That day, I had been walking with my favorite book at the time_, I-Verse: Into the Mind_, a story of a boy caught between his imagination and reality. I had always been pretty shy at school, and spent my time alone, with the comfort and company of books. I had the habit of walking while I read, and when the bell for the next class rang, I rushed from my spot, abruptly bumping into someone. Usually, I would have said sorry, but a strong hand took me by the collar, and said "Little punk. Can't you watch where you're going? You stepped on my new shoes!" I had bumped into Daniel Evans, literally the biggest jerk in school. Daniel was a brown bulldog, with noticeable muscles developing at his young age. He enjoyed the power trip he got from bullying others, and in my mistake, it seemed like I would be his next target. It was surprising to see the level of aggression he had. Rumors around the school said he made a teacher cry once. Pushing me against a wall, I grunted at the force that nearly drove my breath out of me. I noticed that I couldn't see any hall monitors, and most students had headed into their class rooms by now. Seeing the wicked grin on Daniel's face, I knew I was in for some pain. "I'll forgive you if you play with me, kitty. Do you know what game I like to play?" I shook my head nervously. "I like to play soccer...but it seems I don't have a ball. How about you be my BALL!" I received a painful punch to the gut, and cried out in pain. Crumpling to the floor, I tried to suck air back in, and looked up to see Daniel's gleeful face. "Looks like I hit the ball with my hand, guess it's time for the penalty shot." he said with a cruel shrug. I saw him raise his leg readying for a kick, and felt another blow on my gut. The entire time I held on to my book, trying to protect it. I didn't want anything to happen to it; it had been a gift from dad. Daniel picked up on this, and pulled the book from my hands. "Wow, thick book. You're a real bookworm, huh? God, you probably haven't even kissed a girl...what a pussy."
I raised my hand toward the book, as desperation built up in me. "Give it...back!" I cried. I took another kick, and grunted as my back hit the wall again.
"You don't tell ME what to do. I'm in control here. Not you. Now how about you clean my shoes, huh? Lick them" I shook my head and began trying to stand up. I cried as he stomped my hand, and crumpled to the floor again. Daniel sneered at me and said "Did I give you permission to stand up? LICK MY SHOES CLEAN." He demanded. I shook my head. "I guess I'll just have to teach you to listen to me." He flipped open through the book, and grabbing into the binding, began to rip the pages out.
"No!" I cried desperately. At that moment, I felt true despair. Just like the time I had lost dad. The last gift of him was that book. It's hard to recall what went through my mind at the time, but some of the things I wondered were: Where were all the teachers!? Why wasn't anybody stopping this? I felt tears build in my eyes as I saw Daniel rip the pages of my dad's gift to me. He mockingly read the line of each page, and then ripped the page out. When I felt that the book would be ruined beyond repair, I heard him. I heard Jason's voice.
"Back the fuck off, Daniel. Leave the kid alone." I looked up to see him in a white shirt and pants; clothing that made his white fur look magnificent.
Daniel looked back and stared at Jason, who was pretty big himself. "Oh, if it isn't Jason the loner! I have business with this kid, so why don't you go away and leave me alone?" Daniel muttered something about the all the girls wooing him, and turned back to me. He tossed my mangled book to the side, and lifted me by the scruff of my shirt.
Jason frowned and gave Daniel an irritated look. "You keep calling him a pussy, but you can't even fight someone your own size. Why don't you take me on, huh?"
Daniel held on to me, and looked back at Jason. He paused to think for a while, and then began ranting at Jason. "...What's your deal, man? I really can't stand you. I can't see why the girls are always trying to date you, when you're just some whiny little fuck who prefers to be alone." He tossed me back and began to walk away. "If you want me to leave this little bitch alone, fine...but you better take care of his ass, because if I ever catch him alone, I'll break his bones." Turning down the hall, he vanished from view.
I stayed down, and slumped against the wall, trying to hold back tears from the indignation and pain. In a matter of seconds, Daniel had ripped apart a gift from dad, who I hadn't seen in months due to his job. As a businessman, he was always flying around, and that put a strain on mom and dad's relationship. I would see him 2 more times before I died.
A hand reached out in front of me, and I looked up. "Uh...hey there. Sorry about your book..." I looked at the pages, and heard the bell ring.
I sighed. "Guess I'm gonna be late today." I muttered. Sniffing, I began reaching for the ripped pages in silence. Wordlessly, Jason did the same. When we had gathered everything, I saw no point in keeping the book anymore. It was ruined. "Um, I never caught your name." I said.
"Jason." He said simply.
I looked up to the white defender, and nodded toward him. "Thank you," I said. Looking at the pages from the mangled book, I gave everything I gathered to Jason. "Would you mind...getting rid of this?" I looked away. My piece of dad...mangled.
"Are you sure? I always see you holding on to that book...I always got the feeling that it was special to you..." Jason looked uncomfortable holding the remains of the book.
I nodded. "I...I have to get to class. Nice t-talking to you. T-thanks for your help." I grabbed my messenger bag which had fallen to the ground in the whole scuffle, and began walking away.
Jason grabbed my wrist, and I flinched remembering the recent experience. "Look. Why don't you go to the nurse? You look really bad."
"The nurse can't do anything here though. I don't want people asking what happened anyways. I'll already late. I should get going."
"Alright then..." Jason said, a hint of worry in his voice.
And that's how it all started. The next day during lunch, Jason sat next to me, but I said nothing. I think he was just doing it to try to make me feel better. I thought he would soon leave when he grew bored of me. But he kept sitting next to me. Days passed by, and Jason kept sitting next to me. Words rarely passed between us, but I knew that Jason would be my friend when he presented to me my book, still beat up, but with lots of tape holding it together. He had painstakingly taken the effort to repair it. After that day, I began to talk to him. He was my friend and guardian.
My eyes watered as my entire life flashed before my eyes. I sobbed softly, and hid my face in Jason's shirt, and despite the sweat and dirt that had begun caking on it, I never once looked away. My memories, ones I had stored away when Jason humiliated, had begun seeping to the surface. Here is this desert; I had begun to forgive him. But I was afraid. I didn't want to get hurt again.
Placing my arms delicately around his face I stared intently at him, and remembered the moments we had together. I then stood up and looked at the stars above us. Mom had taught me about the stars, but never got to learn navigation from them. I couldn't trust this place either. Nothing looked like how I remembered. I felt the night breeze and shivered. I looked back so see Jason move his arm, as if to subconsciously cover me, and then notice I was missing. He suddenly sat up and yelled "Isaac!"
"I'm over here." I called. I giggled quietly to myself. I didn't take pleasure in his making him worry, but his reaction was too funny. Wiping the remaining tears in my eyes, I said, "I'll be back in a bit. Just sleep a bit more, okay? I just wanted to look at the stars."
Jason's ears folded back as if embarrassed at the display, and said "Okay." He lay back, but I wasn't sure if he had managed to fall asleep again. I think it made him uncomfortable to be too far from me.
I stared at the stars and quietly debated with myself. Should I give up the memories of the past? My heart ached for our friendship, but another part was too hurt to trust. In the end, as the night wore on I could only concede to the fact that he still wanted to protect me. I decided to go on from there. I kept drawing figures in the sand before I returned back to Jason.
"Hey..." I could hear relief back in his voice. I guess he had been waiting for me. I smiled. Maybe in time, we could be friends. For now, I would have to learn more before I could trust him again.
I looked at him and felt the smile vanish from my face. One thing would remain in my mind if I didn't ask the questioned that I felt was taboo here in this place. I placed my hand on his cheek and got really close. I looked into his blue eyes and intently asked, "Jason?"
The proximity of our bodies must have distracted him. He probably thought something else would have happened, because he stuttered for a second "Y-y-yes?"
My eyes were tearing, why couldn't I just say it? Taking a deep breath I poured all the effort I needed to ask the question: "How did you die, Jase?"
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