Unstoppable: Revitalized

-40-

We left soon after, Callum giving Charlotte his taser and telling her to use it on Poppy if she had to. She took it, slightly shaky, but nodded all the same. We were walking in unison, keeping pace, as Callum lit another smoke, raising my eyebrows.

"Surely you must feel it after all the cigs you've smoked." I puzzled, almost at Moresby. Callum shook his head, the smoke surrounding him as he walked.

"After a while, the joy fades, and it becomes a habit. It's a real hard one to kick though."

Moresby's gates were now entirely metal, the coating almost removed with a metal brush and shined till gleaming. I paused out the front, with Callum turning to me and leaning in slightly, keeping prying ears out of the picture.

"The Boss is going to call you out. He's going to take a sample of blood, and he's going to find out your little friend is awake. Once that happens? We have very few options left. I'll try and keep him down. In the meantime? Keep out of trouble." He gave me a nod as he passed through the gates, putting both hands on the straps of his backpack. He seemed to immediately blend in: I quickly lost him in the crowd of kids who'd walked through the gate, as if he hadn't even existed. Sighing and pushing against myself, I stepped through, my body seeming to sink as I did, my head immediately down. 

An hour ago, I was fighting for my life, and now I'm in school. The world is weird.

I could make out a few glances of fear I'd gotten as I continued towards my first class, some kids even moving out of the way for me as I continued on, not wanting to cause trouble or even raise my head, much less my voice. I was almost there, literally ten steps away, if that, before I could hear multiple sets of forced, high pitched laughter coming from behind me. I spun round, wanting to see what was so funny, just in time to catch a hook that nailed into my forehead, sending me lurching backwards. I managed to stop the fall, and looking back after I'd stabilised, I saw someone I never would've expected to see: That same kid who Liam was beating, fists raised and position poised, his backpack tossed aside.

"Kick his ass, Ryan!" I heard one of the girls shout as he swung wildly at me, anger fuelling him. I took a few steps back, throwing my backpack against the floor as I raised my own hands, knuckles already tense.

"Put your hands down, kid. I helped you." I said to him as he seemed to vibrate, trying to hit me again. He missed, and the power sent him stumbling, letting me push him into some lockers, the metal complaining as he pulled himself immediately up, unbothered. 

I'm gonna have to hit him.

'Do you need assistance?'

No, no. I just want him to go down. I don't wanna hurt him.

'How so? He is attacking you, is he not?'

Yeah, he is, but he doesn't know any better.

'If you insist. I am here if requested, Adam.'

He threw a square punch, which did end up connecting with my chest, but it didn't even make me flinch as I grabbed his retreating arm and twisted it, pulling him towards me. My other arm locked his in place as I continued to yank his wrist down, trying to get him to surrender.

"Say 'uncle' kid."

He began to freak out, attempting to wriggle and lash out, but I had a firm lock on him, not allowing any movement at all. I could see the panic in his body as he realised what he'd tried to do, yet he still continued to push, letting me tighten and pull his arm down further.

"Come on, say 'uncle' and we can call it quits. No one loses."

His teeth came out, sinking into one of my arms. They buried themselves in me, before gnawing slightly. It shocked me, but instead of continuing to think rationally, I let anger cloud my thoughts, my grip becoming somehow tighter.

Did this little freak just bite me?

'It would seem so, Adam.'

I take everything back.

I twisted his arm, letting it turn towards his spine, before pulling it back, hearing a loud 'POP' emerge from his elbow. Knowing he was weak and now confused, I let both my hands grab the back of his shirt before throwing him into the lockers, his face cracking against them bringing me immense joy. I rolled him over, crunching my trainer into his teeth as he yelled for help. I did it a few more times, as if trying to flatten him fully, before grabbing him by the scruff of his shirt and pulling him over to a nearby water fountain. His weak body barely fought back as I rested his head on it before letting the water wash his face down. I took a few seconds to gain the strength I needed, watching his body twitch slightly, before slamming his head against it, the crunch of either bone or teeth causing the crowd to scream with both delight and fright. I repeated this for a while: Letting the water wash away the new blood I let splatter over him, until I let him fall to the side, deathly still. I took a few deep breaths, letting what just happened settle on me, before throwing a kick into his side, his body curling up as he covered himself, his cries of fear calming down the crowd of people around us.

Well, so much for not getting in trouble. I kept my promise for maybe fifteen minutes? 

'If this is currently the problem, might I suggest visiting the Headmaster for answers on our past? I know all, but this man you seek may help you understand how you came to be involved.'

That's a horrible idea...

I took another look at the mass of bone and flesh barely alive below me, before sighing.

But not as bad as that. Sure.

I stepped towards a girl in the front, shocked, camera out and recording.

"You might wanna call an ambulance. And maybe three doctors. He'll need it. Anyway, I want you all to leave me alone. Talk to a teacher about this, I'll rip your throats out. Scatter." 

No one moved. I raised my arms, shooing them away with a loud, definitive "WALK!" before taking the door outside, cutting across the field to find the one room I knew held the answers.