Identity Chapter 12

D R A K

It was midday when Drak finally woke up. His head was spinning so fast it felt like it was actually running in circles—or at least he thought it was. He was actually still sick enough to projectile vomit one more time on his way to the spot by the creek where he should’ve met his friends hours ago. He wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the turn of events. Something big was about to begin, and from what he could tell, he had some part to play—even if that part was merely to stay alive.

The idea of leaving his parents should’ve held some appeal. He didn’t want people to know who he was. He wanted to get out of the shadow of being the youngest child of twenty, but he had never actually considered what having no family would mean and what full detachment would bring, and now he was faced with never seeing them again. So why wasn’t he elated; happy to build his own path? He’d finally gotten what he prayed to the gods for all his life: the chance to be his own man and not heir to the throne and to not be the good queen’s son—to just be Drak.

Revelations Chapter 12

L E O

Leo woke up the next day ready to go. The weekend seemed long, but here he was on the second day, washed and walking to the farm, even though the sun was still trying to creep its way over the trees.

“Already working?” Leo didn’t know why he was so shocked. He knew Danais took his job seriously, but still, the sun was only just managing to shed some light on the fields.

“Yes. I suggest you go out and get to work unless builders are afraid to get their nails dirty.” Leo didn’t even dignify Torak with a glare. If any of Salinor’s people were accustomed to getting dirty, it was the builders. It was a running joke that one could only tell what a Mironian looked like after he washed off the dirt. Leo’s direct dismissal of the comment only appeared to make it even funnier to Torak, so Leo thought it best to leave the laughter behind as fast as possible.

Virgil Chapter 12

Worse Before They Get Insane

Unfortunately, things didn’t start looking up for my brother. They took to physically abusing him for every indiscretion. Every mild failure. My mom ruled him with an iron fist with my father as her faithful accomplice. And most importantly they dared him to tell someone. Challenged him with silent threats to do anything about the situation he was in

One time he said something to a school counsellor that to this day he cannot remember. All he remembers is the sheer state of panic he went into. The counsellor actually had to haul him kicking and screaming into the office. Crying, hyperventilating, just a total mess in comparison to his usual calm cool and collected self. The teacher didn’t know what to do with him. Every time she reach for the phone to call our parents the panic attack would induce again.

Brothers and Frenemies Chapter 12

Running

There was a crunching of branches. A blur of trees. A heart beating much faster than it should be. Perspiration--enough to drench a shirt. Desperation coming out of the pores as a backpack bounced uncomfortably over the shoulders of a child. A boy. Running trying to get away—escape. The tall trees a blur as he looked behind to see if he was losing them. But he wasn’t. They were right up on him. Screaming at him—laughing.

He somehow looked inside himself for an extra burst of speed. He knew he was much smaller—weaker. There was no way he was going to outrun them. Feeling the uneven ground beneath his feet, he prayed that this time it would be different. He almost slipped as his foot pounded into a muddy part of the trail; the slushing sound was followed by the icky sensation of the substance splashing against his legs. He couldn’t stop though.

Dana Chapter 12

It was the following Sunday and Dana was still moping on Davon’s couch. Yeah—it’s pathetic. So pathetic that Dana was drowning his misery in fatty pizza, beer and Pepsi. And the shame of it all was that Dana’s a Coke-drinker. He even called in sick to work for the week so he wouldn’t have to bump into Adrian. Amazing what a little bit of love can do to a guy. Still, he hadn’t shed a tear. Somehow he couldn’t cry this time like he did before. This time it was like he was so much more emotional that it was just too overwhelming to cry. This time he was confused, unsure, hurt, still in love, and just wanting to end it. With the entire jambalaya of emotions, he just couldn’t squeeze crying in. But the saddest of sads was that he checked all of his voice mails and saved every one. After all the extremes he went to, to avoid him, he still couldn’t survive the day without repeatedly listening to his voice. He was actually on the couch doing this as Jason walked in.

“So you checking another voicemail?”