New Days [Completed]

New Days: Eleven (IV)

Nick

“That’s right, run away!”

“Go crying to mama!” another taunting voice added to the first, but Nick didn’t look back. He kept running; further away from his tormentors. Tears were pouring down his face – his red, blotchy, sweaty face – but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t…things would only get worse.

He’d have more scratches and bruises to answer for, and he could keep this up for only so long. No, he had to run. He’d already been running for a while now, but his pursuers were hot on his trail, and he couldn’t afford to let them catch up.

How he wished his mother would hurry up and pick him already!

“But if you dare tell anyone…” the first voice called, relatively close to Nick’s ears.

Like a startled rabbit, Nick started running faster. He was getting tired, but the knowledge of what would happen if he were to stop provided plenty motivation for him to keep going. His lungs ached, but the best he could do was breathe through his mouth. His legs ached, but there was no remedy for this.

All of a sudden, it all stopped. The taunts, jeers, nasty comments…they all stopped. Nick couldn’t hear their voices any more, but did he dare stop and turn around?

He did, apparently. He didn’t stop, exactly, but slowed down and turned around. His tormentors were just standing there. They were smiling…no, that would imply that there was some geniality in their expression. The looks on their face had no amicability at all – the looks on their faces were those of pure hatred. Malice.  

Nick was surprised, needless to say. He stopped running, and tried to process what was going on. Had they seen a teacher around? A quick sweep of the field proved otherwise. Then…what had caused them to stop?

A gut-wrenching feeling told him that whatever it was, it couldn’t be good – good for him, that is. Unfortunately for him, he was right.

The setting changed like it does in movies, with everything being sucked away, giving room for something else. They were now at the swimming pool of the primary school. The junior high and primary school campuses were adjacent, and that was where they stood now.

The boys were still there, standing…sinister grins on their face. They were by the edge of the swimming pool, and Nick was on the opposite end. They weren’t saying anything, just smirking, watching Nick.

Nick opened his mouth to say something, but, at finding himself at a loss for words, shut it again. The silence was making him uncomfortable – it was like the calm before the storm, and there was nothing he could do about it.

The next stage; the whoosh of air that usually precedes a hurricane, wasn’t far behind though.

“Nick!” a familiar, childish shrill cut through the air, jolting all of Nick’s senses.

All of a sudden, Sam materialized before him. He was being held by the collar by one of Nick’s enemies, being held on the edge of the pool. Should they let go of his collar, he would fall in.

“Hey! Let go of him!” Nick tried to move, but couldn’t. It was like he was frozen in place.

“Or what?” the leader jeered.

“Please…” Nick was reduced to a whisper. He couldn’t move – he knew he wouldn’t be able to, it was always this way.

“I can’t hear you!” another one sneered.