The Life We Live

5. Killed By The Illuminati

Harlow squints his eyes then looks at the map noticing a pin point at where they are right now, he then followed the string to where they are from, Florida.. he quickly realizes they already knew.. Harlow steps away and throws his palm out to keep Raven and Marvin away from him. "Okay... no.." He laughs "just no... I would have known you guys if he knew you..." he laughs more looking at Raven feeling angry and betrayed. "Why did you even ask me... did you find me at the playground on purpose?!" He backs up more pointing at her. "you should've just let me blindly think he was killed for nothing!"

Raven goes to grab his arm as he is about to step further back into the table full of papers and files but Harlow repels her hand swiping it away from him. "Don't... do not touch me.. I'm going home." Harlow quickly climbs up the ladder and leaves the room.

Raven quickly yells "I WAS ONLY TRYING TO HELP!" she receives no reply and attempts to follow him. But Marvin quickly grabs her "stop... just let him be. He's thinking impulsively out of sadness and anger. He will eventually calm down and come back to us."

Raven looks down worried that he will be mad at her forever. She doesn't want to be another McCray in his book.

--- ---

As Harlow runs out of the house, he decides to leave his phone in the box as he knows that just because he is angry.. He will keep his promise to Marvin.

As he runs back to his house he looks around at some people walking and stops to think. "What if these people I am seeing right now. Aren't even real... what if im not real?"

He looks at his hands feeling them. He quickly grabs for his phone to look up what he is feeling but doesn't feel his phone on him. He quickly remembers he had left it in the box. "Damn it.."

He blows it off and keeps running towards his house.

As he gets to his house he notices his mother's car is not home and feels relief that she maybe didn't know he had been gone for longer then he should've. As he enters his house though... he sees his mother on her seat. "Well its about damn time you got home... where have you been?"

Harlow hesitates. As he doesn't want her to know about Raven and Marvin. He quickly says. "I was doing a short school activity.."

His mother doesn't speak for a couple seconds then asks "and what exactly was the activity?..."

Harlow, flustered, seeks for another lie to get his mother of his back. "Chess.."

"Chess!?" She laughs "fuckin nerds play chess..."

Harlow laughs trying to keep cool "yeah I know... I was just invited and I just thought why not.. you know?"

"Sure..." she responds lighting a cigarette

"I thought you were done with those." Harlow quickly says before she put it in her mouth

"I mean... I just thought why not.. you know?" She responds

Harlow felt mocked and insulted as she had repeated almost exactly what he had said. He quickly goes into his room to write in his journal.

As he entered his room, he at first couldn't find his diary and quickly felt like he was going to throw up; he was filled with paranoia.

He thought to himself "shit what if somehow the illuminati knows I was talking about them and took my diary to see if I wrote about them..." he throws things off his desk and eventually finds it feeling complete relief, he starts to write in it.

Dear Diary,

Today was a crazy day. All the way from dawn to right now.. I woke up excited to see Raven on the bus only for her to ride to school with god damn McCray. I don't know why he is so hell bent on trying to ruin my life... but anyways I got to school and spent hours in boring classes till lunch time.. lunch time was when I figured out she took a ride with him. I felt a tiny bit betrayed but quickly understood that she didn't know we were enemies. I made the mistake on pulling up to him as ge threw me to the ground easily. I was a little surprised for a couple seconds after he did that... but only because we used to be physically equal. But I mean.. he did join the football team so I guess it shouldn't have been surprising. Anyway after he did that Raven stood up to him and showed him she isnt a force to be reckoned with. I could see he felt a little intimidated with her bravery and backed off. She is so awesome... although she did seem a little mad at me as she stormed off and everyone in the cafeteria was looking at me. So I followed her, for her; as well as to get the hell outta there. We had a nice convorsation which turned into sprinting to the bus. She tripped though.. I felt bad for her a tiny bit but I also thought it was hilarious but I tried not to laugh. Of course until she showed she was fine then we laughed it off together. Then we walked to her house and she asked me what happened to my father... and I told her.. I now feel like an idiot as she already knew. She then led me to her house to.. I guess.. give the news to me in a not so rational way. Her and her grandfather led me into a room that is filled with crazy and bizarre theories and information that can absolutely not be shared with anyone or you may die. They then claimed that is how my father died. And for some reason.. I believe them. -Harlow

Harlow turns to his computer and puts duck tape on the camera and the sound system for safety purposes. Not like its gonna prevent anything but it may help. He then looks up what he was experiencing on the sidewalk earlier and it pulls up depersonalization. Harlow laughs feeling relief as he realizes he isn't the only one and that he isn't going crazy.

Harlow then spends the rest of the day researching conspiracy theories, watching podcasts and interviews.

The next day as Harlow gets ready for school he feels nervous that Raven will maybe be mad at him for blowing up at her. He didn't mean to get mad... and he quickly feels regretful "why couldn't I just relax and listen to her.." he says to himself

As he gets to school he sees Raven walking out of Marvin's truck. he quickly walks towards her and waves at Marvin. Gladly he waved back causing Harlow to believe that maybe she isnt mad at him.

Once Harlow got to Raven he grabs her shoulder to turn her around to see him. She smiles "you cooled down quick"

Harlow scratches the back of his neck smiling "yeah... sorry I.. I didn't mean to lash out like that..."

Raven pats Harlows shoulder blade "its alright... I guess I shouldn't have expected any other reaction.." her expression changed to sad and hugs him tightly "I thought I lost you.."

Harlow smiles "you couldn't lose me... I'm probably as loyal as Steve Rodgers was to Bucky in the Civil War movie.. sure I may get mad here and then. But you couldn't lose me... unless you do something horrible enough that I would have no choice."

Raven smiles "I guess you could say the same about me.."

The bell finally rings "welp... gotta go deal with mother fucker." Raven says laughing

Harlow quickly knew exactly who she was talking about and laughed all the way to first period thinking about it.

As Harlow sits, his neighbor speaks to him for the first time this whole year "why are you so happy all of the sudden?..." he backs up as if he didn't mean to say it and throws his arms up "I mean don't get me wrong.. but I swear I have never seen you smile... like ever... like... never.. in my whole life."

Harlow looks at him and stops smiling so he would stop talking. Although he had never heard this kid speak in his life.. he had to respond. "What about you?" Harlow puts his hand on his chest leaning closer to him "I have never heard you speak in my life.. so why all of the sudden you talkin."

The kid quickly shuts his mouth alittle surprised then smiles "is this because of a girl..." Harlow quickly felt defensive feeling like he has been exposed to the whole class. "Hell no!" He yells trying to make it obvious.

The kid throws his hands up again "alright ill take your word for it then.." he then whispers leaning into Harlow's ear "even though I dont beleive you...."

Harlow backs up from him and says "dude get out of my face... and my business."

The kid quickly sits back normally and starts playing with his pencil. "Sorry. I just forgot to take my adhd pills today..."

Harlow quickly felt guilt for possibly treating him not so nicely..although he still couldn't slide the fact that although he may have adhd, he is still annoying. "Sorry man.. I didnt know."

"The kid laughs "its alright... my names Ricky by the way." He continues to play with his pencil; making it do flips and stuff.

Harlow smiles "my names Harlow."

"Yeah I know.." he says

Harlow lifts an eyebrow "how do you know?"

Ricky then suddenly stands up grabbing Harlows shirt pulling his face into his "BECAUSE YOURE THE SON OF THE MAN THAT WAS KILLED BY THE ILLUMINATI!!!"

Harlow suddenly throws himself from his bed gasping and touching his body. He quickly realizes he was only dreaming.