The Rules of Lost Boys

Chapter 8:The Hate I Give

•Gabriel Bateman •

Every action had some sort of reaction or outcome. In the case of Asher hurting something that William cared about, it served as a prime example.

"I'm sorry okay! It...It won't happen again!" Asher said in an attempt to save himself. Alex was the only thing keeping William's humanity intact. Without him, the boys mental state would've slipped a long time ago.

"You won't have the chance to even do it again. In fact..." William looked around at the busy campsite, dissatisfaction washing over his scowled face.

"Everyone, listen up!" He shouted. Instantly everyone stopped what there were doing and looked at there leader who was slowly becoming more of a dictator as the weeks passed.

"If you have a problem with Alex, state your reason now! Because if you decide to act on what ever issue you have then..."

I watched in horror as William took a hand crafted blade made of stone and wood and swiped it across Asher's cheek.

"You'll end up marked like him!" William growled. Asher quickly grabbed his face, trying to stop the bleeding of the deep cut on his face.

The sounds of Avi screaming for his older bother could be heard in the background as guards held him back.

"As of today, anyone who bares a scar on their cheek will be outcast. You all remember the feeling you felt when the Doves abandoned you because you didn't fit what they wanted. How they threw you to the wolves because you couldn't follow their rules or you were blamed for something you didn't do..."

There was a part of my soul that wouldn't never forgive them for what they did to me. They were supposed to be forgiving and understanding people, but in the end, I was thrown away like all of us here because demons always disguised themselves as angels.

* I felt their stares of shame judging me without hesitation. I knew no one would believe me. I was a quiet boy who had yet to find himself.

"Gabriel Bateman, you are hereby banished from ever taking a step on the Western parts of this island for violating the second rule of The Rules of The Lost. You are to be escorted to trading grounds where you will be left on your own to survive," Patrick stated. His judgement was final. There was no arguing my case of innocence.

I was manipulated, lied to, and tricked. No one would believe me because I was an innocent boy who thought someone loved me. Her long brunette hair and sparkling green eyes were enough to distract me from realizing that her eyes were never on me. She only ever wanted my best friend's attention. She used me to get close to him and once she did, she found a way to get me exiled.

Rape.

Any man who was accused of rape would never be believed. The supposed victim was always to be believed until proven otherwise and I didn't have an alibi. I just looked like the jealous boy who got angry over his girlfriend's unfaithfulness with his best friend.

Even now as she sat there with his hand in hers, watching me, I could see the little smirk on her lips.*

They way that smirk made me feel. The amount of hate that filled my heart was unexplainable. I wanted to see this island burn with every last person who hurt and judged me without taking into account my innocence. That's why William's way of doing things made sense to me.

"...I want you to remember that feeling well. Let it simmer within your bodies and mind. Let it anger you...motivate you to take what you deserve. I only ask of you one thing...don't fucking cross me!" William announced with conviction.

Watching Asher get pulled away by guards left this moment cemented in my head. William was to be feared, but he was also someone who understood me. For that I would never cross him.

"I'll never forgive you William!" Avi cried. He was quickly silenced by the guards who pulled him back to his hut.

"What a fucking brat! He should've never followed his brother to this side of the island," Athena said, surprising me. It was hard to imagine my anger when she showed up at our border. She was one of the judges who sat on my conviction panel. I had thoughts of murder when she showed her face, but that gleam in her eyes told me she was here with intent. Intent that I couldn't even begin to understand.

"I thought you would've had something to say about it, seeing as your a dove," I replied sourly.

"Was...I was a dove," she said correcting my obvious misstep. My suspensions about her were correct. Something had happened with Patrick that left her scheming for revenge.

"Aren't you the boy who raped Julia?" Athena asked, now staring at me with wonder.

"I didn't fucking touch her! She..."

"Calm down. I know all about her little scheme to get you exiled. I was the only person who argued that we needed more proof. I never trusted that bitch within a foot of me. She did all that just to get with Stefan and ended up sending you here. That's why I believe in William. He's all about proof. Getting to the bottom of things that people are to stupid to see and dealing out the correct punishment," Athena explained. Behind her words was a blazing rage that I felt every waking moment of my life. Had Patrick really hurt her that deeply?

Midnight

Outside was filled with silence indicating that everyone was in for the night. I sighed, feeling a cold breeze swoop through the small hut reminding me of how lonely these nights could be.

However, suddenly I heard heavy footsteps enter my hut and the sound of rummaging and things being taken off and placed on the ground. When I felt warm arms suddenly engulf me I released a loving breath.

I could smell the earthy scent of clay dirt on him as I spun around in his arms and let my hands land on his bare chest. His muscular frame left me feeling guilty for wanting him this much.

"When did you get back?" I asked. Bryce (Gheisar)

"This afternoon, when William was giving his don't cross me speech," the boy replied in that familiar deep tone that I had fallen for.

Bryce was a guard who was tasked with exploring ways to get to the southern part of the island. Sometimes I went days without seeing him and it felt like torment knowing that there might be a day when he won't come back.

"Oh.." I replied with sadness. Why hadn't he come to see me?

"I would've came straight to you, but William wants to be the first to hear about what we find. I can't just ignore my duties and..."

"I know...I just...it's been 4 days," I explained. Bryce was probably the reason why I hadn't gone and offed myself when I was exiled. I had no where to go or no idea of how to survive. At the time the crows weren't even a thing yet and William hadn't established himself as leader.

"Hey, I do this for the both of us. If we can find a way down to the south than we can expand. Maybe even find a place to live away from the main camp," Bryce said with assurance. It was a bleak promise. I was to enraged to just forget about what happened to me and settle down with Bryce on an island I never wanted to be on in the first place.

I had to much hate in my heart to ever let myself be happy. It was the hate I gave that stopped me from ever falling in love with Bryce.