T-Squad-Origin

Chapter 1: Normal

Nostalgia was consuming me in this unknown place, no memory whatsoever comes to my mind as I embraced the cooling winds that blended in the warm setting sun, who resides over the rolling green hills. 
Walking was the next action I took, each step took in the ambience around me. I heard a crunching sound and noticed I had stepped on a leaf. I scanned the area for a tree, but none were in sight. Leaves started swarming in a circular motion, surrounding me in a viridian tornado, on instinct I covered my eyes afraid of the sudden sharp winds. Howling winds wailed and then...

Silence...

My eyes reopened and took the sight of a dignified Oak Tree. With slow steps, the distance grew shorter and my hand dragged across it's rough bark. 

"An amazing tree isn't it?" 

Startled by the invasion of my deep thoughts, my gaze came upon a man. He smiled brightly and walked to the tree. Warmth from his brown eyes were something I thought I'd never see again, his Falcon '88 Jacket was always his favorite. Each of the similarities were making me tear up, I was before a person whose funeral I sat at.

"People always compare themselves to a mighty oak tree." He continued. "They claim it's a tree of strength, power and many other great things, so Darren... are you an oak."

"Dad?"

The evergreen grass was replaced by concrete walls, my view of the sun setting hazily became the morning one. Tears streaked downward as I stared at the ceiling fan above me, after removing my sheets from about my legs and sitting up, a sigh was let out as if trapped in my lungs for the night.

"That dream again." I reminiscent. My hands removed the tears about my wet face.

The house was blessed in the smell of breakfast being prepared, a hint of bacon with other familiar scents. Thanks to this the nicotine's was being overtaken. Groggily I turned to face my blinking clock showing me how near seven o'clock was. Footsteps came before my door and gave a gentle three knocks.

"Darren." My mother called. "Are you going to school today?"

Groaning I readied a reply.

"No, mom." 

Judging by the shadow beneath my door she was still there. Even from here I can tell she wanted to speak of something else.

"Look, Darren." She sadly began. "I know your hurting, but you've been inside for three months. Your dad, Oswald wouldn't want you to be like this. I've seen your cigarette packs along the lawn for a while now. We promised that you'd quit."

My lips pressed harder together refusing to let a reply return. Irritation seemed to be taking its place within my mind.

"Look mom, I... I just need time. And don't worry about those it's nothing." I answered back.

"Alright, Darren." She left me to my thoughts. 

If it was that easy to jump over this hurdle I would've done it a long time ago, but I'm stuck here for now seeing every little detail that he left with us. my clock, my room color and most of my features are because of Dad.
With a huff of agitation I turned around and fell asleep, tired of it all for now.

Footsteps echoed about my home, I turned to the door and scowled at the shadow beneath it.

"Mom I told you I'm not going today!" I nearly rose my voice.

My door opened showing a young lady whose age didn't align with my mothers at all, her red curling hair brushed softly at her back. She frowned, making the freckles about her olive face dance about.

"Amber?!" I exclaimed and shot up.

"Three months." She slowly walked towards me, in a predator fashion. "No calls, no text, and no hello when we live across from each other." She slowly crawled into my bed, making her Orange Bailey skirt wrinkle a bit. "I was worried sick you know." Amber came closer to me, those green eyes bringing me in a hypnotic state.
Before I knew it she had kissed me without warning, then with unknown strength tackled me to my back with her on my shirtless chest.

"I missed you, idiot." She pouted.

"Amber I..." I sighed and placed my arms around her. "I'm sorry I just needed time to myself."

"You're planning to stay like this today too?" The gaze drifted towards the ash tray of my favorite superhero. "Again, with the cigarettes, I told you that if you're not there for our kids then it's a no when you propose."

"Yeah, I'm just not feeling up to anything right now." I felt my teeth pressed into my cheeks a bit.

"Each day you missed school your friends keep asking for you." Amber proclaimed. "They want to know if your okay, but you walled yourself up in here like this, you think your father would love watching you rot inside this room."

I didn't answer, instead the ceiling was where my eyes and mind were. The dream of my father made me think a it.
He was smiling at me...

"Your right..." I smiled sadly. "He wouldn't want me to be like this. Let's go to school." I was forcing my body up when it was thrown back down.

"Yeah we'll get there." Amber smiled mischievously. "But three months is a long time to keep a girl waiting, Darren... So we'll just have some nice time to ourselves, I mean classes don't start until nine."

My eyes wandered to the clock in the corner.

7:25am

"Yeah we do but you'll get dirty." I tried to slip out of this situation.

"I brought extra school clothes." Amber pointed out. "Your...not...getting...away..."

I felt so drained, but still managed to force myself on the bus. Each step was agonizing especially with Amber clinging to my arm with a face of pure relief. 

I threw myself into a seat and Amber sat next to me continuing her clinging.

The bus ride was filled with the smell of air fresheners that were at their limit with age, I can tell because whatever putrid smell that was in the back of me was stronger than the unhelpful fragrance transmitter above me. Thanks to Amber I can breath a bit, but her shampoo was just as suffocating. 

"Stuck between a rock and a hard place." I mumbled.

"Hmm?" Amber looked up at me.

"Nothing." I chuckled.

As the ride continued, our driver finally placed his hands on the dial and turned it slowly allowing the daily news from New Port Reports play loudly. A familiar woman's naval voice came from the dainty little radio. 

"Again police have found sigils about New Port City, markings and next to them would be a female dressed in white with a slashed throat." Her voice wheezed. "The only leads police are able to gather is the markings are in Greek Hieroglyphics. Even with the best scholars coming from the Greek Institute, we still have yet to find out of these bizarre murders. The only thing on it was the words, 'His Arrival is Near'. Officers are pinning this to a cult sacrificial rite, such an inhumane cult at large in our small country is frightening."

Amber shivered a bit to this chilling story, we all heard these for at least ten years now. There is a serial killer on the loose on our little Island, we can only watch on as this monster eludes the police.  I leaned my head back and let my mind ease itself into a nap until we get to our school.

Orange Bailey High, named after a orange farmer who also shares the name of his produce. I feel sorry for the guy, but he made it quite big in life, not only making his own produce off of this barren place, but also destroying a system of unfairness through the country. He showed New Port that skin color doesn't matter, only hard work will show your result. A national hero whose school is home to a bunch of horny teens and nut cases.
As we got off the bus, I noticed my reflection in one of the cars in the parking lot. I rubbed my right hand about my cocoa skin, feeling for any fracture of the smoothness. A few unviewable bumps here and there, I pulled the short ebony hair that was trying to grow for a few weeks now.

"Alright." I pulled my orange tie down and sighed.

"Let's get this day over with." I walked towards Amber.

This was normal to me, and each day I took that for granted...