Ravaged, Chapter One
#1 of Ravaged
Chapter One
Our Introduction
Walking down the hallway. Deserted. Lonely. Just as lonely as our main canine character. That's how this story will begin. Just as it will end.
Ravage dragged his ebony nails gently down the walls as he walked. Just listening to the faint scratching noises as he passed the cafeteria. He hated the silence, and this was as good a way to make some noise as any other. Class had let out a long time ago. School was closing and he was one of the few left inside. He walked slowly because he had no reason to rush. All the other kids were making their way to their homes. With friends. Something he had never had. His name wasn't truly Ravage. But everyone had called him that since as long as he could remember. Even he had trouble remembering his name. But that doesn't matter. For we shall know him by Ravage as well.
He had been a large pup in kindergarten. Fur a gray so dark it might as well have been black and fierce nails. Long, scruffy fur and steel blue eyes that seemed to be as deep as the ocean. He was intimidating without a doubt. And despite his best attempts, always looked like he was ready for a fight. This alone would have made it hard enough to make friends but in the first week of kindergarten was when he made the nickname that would last the rest of his life.
***
It was the first day of kindergarten and it was so much more fun and exciting then Ravage had prayed for. He had been terrified the first day as the bus picked him up. The thought of leaving home and being surrounded by strangers. But after he saw the massive pile of toys in the corner he found courage enough to ask his new teacher if he could play with them. "Mrs. Teacher. Can I play with those?" Pointing to the legos in particular.
"It's Miss Simmons ******* (Nope, you don't get to hear his name. Ha Imagine Charlie Browns teachers when someone says his real name. :p ) and yes you may. But not till after arts and crafts!" She had to add in quickly as Ravage almost flew across the room. "Now go and take your seat *******. It's by the window over there" She indicated a desk near the corner.
The first day had been grand and ended more quickly then expected. It seemed as if time had fast forward several hours without anyone noticing but himself. No one really made friends that day. Jitters and all. But he did see a couple of kids that seemed to have known each other from before class. He liked the way they played together. Shared their activities together and just seemed to always want the others attention. Besides, since most games required two players; he thought it'd be a splendid idea to have a friend. He didn't care who it was either. Just so long as it wasn't the kid eating his boogers in the other corner of the room.
But that had only been the first day. Now I don't remember just how many days it was. But it was in the first week; and a wednesday. I know that for certain. On wednesday Ravage was enjoying recess as much as any of the other children. Hanging upside down from the monkey bars. Climbing up the side of anything he could. Which was far more then any of the other children could do. You'd think he had been a monkey for all his natural climbing abilities. Not that it had lasted long. Apparently the school had rules about climbing up the side of the building. Though it hadn't made any sense to Ravage, he had to sit in time out for a whole three minutes. It felt like a lifetime.
When Ravage was allowed to get off the bench that had sat under a massive oak tree he saw a crowd of kids all excited over something. Well we just have to see what that is about, don't we. "Hey, lemme through. I wanna see." Gently pushing his way to the inside of the ring to see what all the yelling was about. There on the ground was a fox. A light gray fox at that. It was a kid Ravage kinda liked. He had been well mannered in class and was one of the kids Ravage had wanted to play with. One of the few in his class that was almost as good as climbing as he was. Ravage had already dreamed up stuff for them to do after class. Building a fort in the woods near his house. Jumping the stream that cut through those woods. Or just whatever came to mind. He wasn't a picky kid.
"Get up off the ground Jason!" Was being shouted at the fox by another kid in the center of the ring. A fat hamster looking kid. Gawd was he fat.. "I'm trying Red!" Jason had said just as he was getting up. Jason was flushed red in the face and looked ready to cry. Which he did just as soon as he was pushed right back down to the ground. That's when Ravage leapt into the circle. Wanting to be helpful. To protect Jason even if he wasn't his friend yet. Though ravage thought helping Jason out was a sure fire way to be the coolest kid in class. "Oh whatdya want you mutt?" Red spat out. "Hur hur. You want to eat dirt too kid?"
Ravage hadn't meant to. But as Red charged him it was simply instinct. A snarl and a snap later the entire crowd had jumped back. As Ravage with hair on end stood over a terrified hamster wetting himself. Ravage's teeth barred, showing off massive fangs that glistened menacingly for such a small child. Not noticing the gray fox behind him running for his life.
Now the story is that Red is alive and well (If not still a jerk) in Wisconsin. Ravage hadn't even touched the boy. His father losing his job had to move in with his wife's family. But the rumor goes that Red had been horribly maimed. Went to the hospital and died. From that day on, no one went near him for fear of being ravaged to death. From that day on, Ravage stuck.
And that is the story of how ******* ravaged, and killed another kid in kindergarten.
***
Nothing got better for him later on. He was the first to hit puberty and became that much larger then the rest of his classmates. Of course they caught up to him but that memory never went away. How could it when he so naturally developed his muscle mass without even having to work out. Leaving him nicely toned except for just the lightest pudge around his gut. That and his mane that made him that much larger looking. That much more unapproachable. Making him just that much more feared; and alone.
As Ravage rounded the corner he was nearly blinded by the light that shown through the plate glass doors to the outside world. The grounds now deserted. And as he heads for the cool spring air, all that can be seen of our new friend; is a lone silhouette engulfed by the light.