The Dragon's Scale [COMPLETE]

4.2 || To Protect a Life

Dead. Dead. The word reverberated through every bone in Josh's body. He'd seen Darren drowning in his own fury, had stoked the flames even at times. But not once had he ever believed Darren willing to murder, not even in his deepest of rages. He was a bully with too much pent-up anger, not a killer.

"Darren isn't here right now."

Josh's stomach churned, confusion and fear warring to see which could make his head spin faster.

"If it makes you feel any better," 'Darren' said, an almost comforting note in his voice, "your death will bring this boy some sort of solace. He really hates you."

"Let me go." Josh locked his jaw and reached inward, trying to find that same place his strength had come from before. Death, death, death. It was impossible. Life didn't just stop and end so abruptly.

Except it could, he just couldn't—no, wouldn't allow it. He would not just cower and watch whatever fate Darren intended happen.

What... What's going on?  Where... Joshua!

Surprise almost shocked Josh out of reaching for that strength, but a moment later, it spread through him once more. He didn't have time to pause and figure that out. Darren's expression shifted, perhaps sensing the change, but he didn't move in time to stop Josh from punching hard against his chest. That wasn't enough to make Darren release him, but it put enough space between them for Josh to bring his leg up and kick his gut. Triumph sparked in him when Darren released him—

But then Darren caught hold of Josh's leg. He yelped as Darren pivoted around and flung him across the aisle. Josh's shoulder slammed into the ground first, and the momentum sent him rolling a few more feet.

"Ow," Josh croaked. His shoulder didn't hurt from where he landed, but his ribs still burned.

A shadow appeared over Josh's head. He squirmed to the side barely avoiding the foot Darren had meant to smash into his face. Josh managed to get into a kneeling position before Darren started swinging again. Blocking with one arm, Josh jabbed with the other.

It hit its target. Darren grunted, but he didn't falter. In one smooth movement, he grasped Josh's hair and wrenched his head forward, straight into a rising knee.

Josh's world swam in a blur of tears and dark spots as pain blossomed across his face. Something wet dripped from his nose, and everything smelled like copper. Blood. Darren had made him bleed.

Get away.

Josh had already scrambled back as far as the tilting world would allow him before he realized the words in his head weren't his own.

But it was one he'd recognized. He'd heard it a few times, once talking to some unknown man, and again during those moments of confusion outside the school door. It was the voice from his visions.

Look, I know you're confused, but there's no time to explain. Now that Josh had more of a chance to really hear the voice, he noticed it sounded like a young boy. I'll try to figure out how to get you help, but right now, you have to run.

There was a voice in Josh's head. Part of him thought he had just been kneed too hard. The other part wondered if there was any point questioning anything after he ran into air itself.

Who... Who are you? Yep. If Josh wasn't insane before, he officially was now. He was talking back to the voice in his head.

Someone who would really like for you not to die, and if I tell you who I am, well, I don't think you'll focus very well not dying.