Void 21

Chapter one: The Beginning

'DING!' The bell rang loudly, echoing in the classroom. Leo stirred awake, glancing around the room. He had fallen asleep mid lesson, and his professor took notice. "Mr. Espada, this is the fourth time this week." Professor Breaker spoke with slight annoyance. "If you keep this up, I'll have no choice but to report this, it's getting out of hand. You've missed multiple lessons, and have failed numerous tests, this is out of character." Leo stared at his teacher, blinking slowly as he processed the information. "Sorry. I, ah. Just, haven't gotten much sleep. Home is rough, especially–" He paused mid-sentence as his professor shushed him up. "I know, Leo. No need to repeat it. Just gather your belongings and head out, the bell rang." Leo sighed, running a hand through his hair and picking up his bag, throwing it over his shoulder before exiting. As he walked, he couldn't help but get a twisted feeling in his stomach. Was it something he ate? No, it couldn't be, he hadn't eaten today. As he neared the doors to exit, he was shoved out and down the stairs. "FUCK!" Leo exclaimed, grabbing onto the railing as he stood, cursing under his breath as he picked up anything that had spilled out of his bag. A laugh came from atop the stairs. "Ha! Abandoned Leo can't watch his damn step." Of course, it was Argo. He and Leo were once friends, at least until Leo confessed to him. "Whatever. What do you want, Argo? I don't have time to deal with you." Leo rolled his eyes, glaring up at Argo. "Just wanted to fuck around." Argo shrugged, putting his hands on his hips before jumping down and running off to his parents' car. "Tchau, sua aberração sem mãe!" Leo sighed, rolling his eyes before making his way to his bike, which he always parked behind a bush. He put his belongings in the bike basket, then rode off to his house. Soon enough, he finally arrived home. He parked his bike out in the front, grabbing his belongings and stepping inside the house. "Tia! I'm home!" He yelled out, only to be met with silence. Just how he liked it. It gave him time, time to think and wonder, time to ponder. Time to search. Leo knew how long he had, 12 minutes. He raced upstairs, running to his bedroom and sliding down onto his knees in front of the air vent. He grabbed a screwdriver from under his bed, and began to undo the screws on the vent, eventually taking off the vent. He stuck his hand on the vent and pulled out a book. He sighed. "...6 minutes left. Must be quick." He bit his finger, hard, drawing blood. With the blood, he drew a circle on the floor, then sat in the middle, then opened the book. "Page, page, page..Page 21." He took a deep breath, then chanted the saying on the page. "Os aov, at el rubim, en al rul, Id 21."