unOrdinary: The Alternative

Chapter 1

[March 2015]

John rustled within his bed. Memories, more akin to nightmares, invaded his sleep. He could barely remember how many people there were during the incident, they were nothing but a blur as he tore through them.

He slammed his fist into the ground, cracking through the dirt, and sending a shockwave that blasted the ones that stood before him in his way.

A dozen other students were taken out so easily with a few crescent blades, copied from the previous King, Zirian. Was he one of them? It didn't matter to John, as long he didn't see them get back up.

The few that had the bright idea to try and run away did no better, he had aimed at their legs to prevent them from going anywhere. Did he fire beams at them? Or had he shattered their knees with one well-placed kick?

It all blended together.

How could the sound of crunching and snapping bones have felt so satisfying?

What had he become?

Monster

John jolted from his unrest, sitting upright as he tried to get ahold of his breathing. His fingers dug deeply into his blanket, knuckles turned white. Though maybe it didn't make a difference, he already looked like a ghost of himself.

He wiped the sweat off his brow with his trembling forearm, a constant occurrence after waking up. He hadn't had a single good night's rest in the weeks since he returned from those 3 months of readjustment classes.

That thought pushed out a shaky laugh John didn't know he had. Who was he to complain about not sleeping well? Who was he to think he deserved something like that? After what he did to everyone? To Adrion? The one person who had his back through it all...almost.

It was his own fault, Adrion did what he thought was right, and it was right. He was out of control, he wouldn't stop, he never would've.

Claire popped into his mind and John's restless frustration returned. How could he feel sorry for her? She used him from even before the beginning, he was nothing but a pawn to use to secure her protection, and when he didn't do what she expected, she turned tail and lied again to try and take him down. She was fake! A damn snake! She—

And again, their unconscious bodies lay before him, beaten and bloodied.

And still...she didn't deserve it.

John sighed, pulling the blanket over him again as he laid back down. It was an inescapable situation, those memories will replay whether he was awake or not, but at least there was a chance he can get away from them.

A chance to be unaware that he became the thing he hated the most.

―

A gentle knock took John out of his half-slumbering state. It's his dad, William, no one else it could be. There was a chance John would've spoken but he was just too tired, his body wouldn't let him.

He knew that wouldn't stop Dad. He heard the soft turning of the door knob as he came into the room, wearing some business casual attire, his hair gelled as always.

"Hey, John, you awake?." He calls out, a warm tone in his voice as always.

John turns over to give him a glance to signal he's awake. His father has his work satchel hanging from his shoulder with a plate of food in hand: Eggs, Bacon, Toast, as well as a cup of OJ.

"Okay, good to see, no one likes eating cold eggs!" William tried to joke, to the silence of his son.

"Ahem. I came to drop off breakfast. You barely leave your room and you already looked thinner when you got back. We gotta get you back some meat on your bones, heh heh." Another joke William hopes John reacts someway too. A chuckle, groan, anything.