The League of Demented

Chapter 4

I feel like everyone and everything is moving too fast. John just told me that I was...
"What's going on?" I ask John.
"You're in." John says.
"I know, but why?" I ask.
"You passed the test." John answers typing and pressing buttons on his tablet.
"How?" I ask.
"You're one of us. You were able to allow your emotions to give you power." John says not even looking at me. "Everyone! Can I have your attention, please? We have a new member!"
Everyone claps except for Malia.
"Okay, guys. This is, Aiden." John introduces, "He's going to be with us for a while."
"How is he going to help us survive? He's just adding more weight to carry." Malia says crossing her arms like a brat.
"Malia, Aiden passed with flying colors. He can help us with..." John says with no color in his eyes.
"He's too weak! Look at him! He's got no muscle and barley could throw you across the room." Malia groans with a slight laugh escaping.
"Which is why you're training him." John announces. The rest of the league are making noises, and Malia's eyes turn red.
"What?! JOHN!" She growls. "Why me?!"
"Because you're the fastest trainer here." John says. The audience's eyes go back and forth from Malia and John as they argue.
"I may be fastest, but I train the... More advanced people." Malia spits. Her eyes are still red, but she isn't acting out.
"Ouch." I stupidly sigh.
"What did you just say?!" Malia barks.
"Malia! Control!" John demands and pulls a bright green leaf out of his pocket. He rips it in half and the aroma of the leaf leaves a cloud of orange.
Malia's eyes stop glowing and she groans in pain holding her head. Brooke and Renz come and comfort Malia.
"What the hell, John!" Malia groans. "You NEVER use that on your kind, especially your family."
I can tell Malia is heating up inside, but her eyes aren't turning red.
"What did that do?" I ask John.
"It won't allow her to have any power for the next few hours. Hopefully, she'll die down. If she doesn't, I might have to cage her or fight her." John shrugs.
"Seriously? You guys are like animals." I laugh out or ridicule.
"This is a way to keep our league alive." John scoffs.
"Well, you don't have to throw Malia in a cage." I say.
"No, okay, hold on. You're new, you don't understand what we need to survive." He says irritated. "I've been watching you for the past month, and I don't tolerate that attitude you use so proudly."
He turns back to Malia who's still on the ground. Renz and Brooke wrap her arms around their shoulders and help her to her room. Everyone goes back to, whatever they're doing, and I just stand there looking clueless.
-----------------

Eventually, my legs start working again and I follow Brooke and Renz upstairs.
"Hey, um, what am I supposed to do?" I ask Brooke.
"Um, well, you can help me and Renz with Malia." She grunts. "Unfortunately, when John ripped the Arretzè, her legs stopped working. It's supposed to just stop her from moving anything, but she's so strong, it's only her legs that don't cooperate."
"Malia, try stepping." Renz grunts.
"Renz, if I could do that, you two wouldn't be helping me up the stairs." She snaps and groaning in pain.
"Hey! Don't get mad, it will only make it worse." Brooke warns. "Aiden, can you help us? Take my spot and I'll help her with her legs."
"Brooke, grab my legs from the front." Malia directs. Brooke obeys and we make it to her room and plop her on the bed. Renz and Brooke tuck her in and wipe the sweat off Malia's brow.
"Does this happen often?" I ask.
"When John is in a bad mood." Malia answers. "I hate him so much."
"Mal, you should sleep." Renz suggests. "Don't get worked up, it's not helping your situation."
"Lorenzo, so many people have used Arretzè on me, I know what is and isn't helping me." Malia snaps.
Renz lowers his head and finishes wiping Malia's sweat. She looks at him with pity and apologizes. Stupidly, I smile and Malia glares at me.
"What the hell are you doing in my room?" She growls.
"I--" just as I'm about to explain myself, a clatter comes from down stairs.
"What was that?" Malia asks. "Renz, I need you to give me a cure."
"We can't do that, it will mess with your sleep." Renz explains.
"I can afford to lose two days of sleep." Malia snaps and Renz hands her a purple liquid, which she chugs. "Newbie, want to be any help? Stay here."
She stands up instantly and runs down the stairs with Renz and Brooke staying behind. Brooke, Renz, and I wait for her to go all the way down and watch from upstairs.
"What happened?" Malia asks, but no one is in the room.
"Malia." Says a deep voice.
"Luke." Malia sighs.
"Nice to see you. Nice knowing you still recognize my voice." Says the voice again. I try to get a better angle, but I still can't see him.
"Hard to forget. What are you doing here?" Malia says cooly, crossing her arms while the man circles her. I finally get a clear look at him. He has blonde hair and a little bit of scruff. From outside of the league, he'd be considered a total Californian. He has tan skin and coiffed hair. He dresses similar to Malia: leather jacket, black pants, worn out boots.
"I heard John discovered something, more like someone." He chuckles.
"I don't know what you're talking about. John hasn't found anything. He's been on that stupid tablet all day." Malia lies.
"Oh, Mal, you're lying." Luke chuckles, "I would know, always and forever."
"Shut up!" She yells, but she tightens her fists and calms down. "You don't know I'm lying. I'm not. You know my brother, always keeping things from me."
"True." He laughs massaging his chin with his index finger and thumb. "I don't miss the guy, but I do miss you."
"Whatever Luke." Malia scoffs, "It was your decision to leave, not mine."
"Yeah, but you could've come with me. Everything that happened was true. Everything I said... They were all true."
"True." She scoffs, "true my ass, Luke."
"Well, Malia, you look great. Still wearing the jacket, huh?" Luke says scanning Malia.
"What the hell do you want? Get it over with already." Malia snaps.
"Feisty, Mal. What I want is the boy." Luke says.
"Luke, if I had the damn boy, I would give him to you, but I have no clue what you're talking about!" Malia says irritated.
"No need to be rude." Luke retorts. "It's adorable that you think you can lie to me. I've known you too long to know if you're lying. You have the boy, Malia, and I want him! Now!"
"What boy?! There are so many boys in this world! What boy are you talking about?!" Malia yells.
"The only one of your kind left." He says calmer. That's me!
"Excuse me? My kind? Our kind, Luke. You, left us!" Malia says through clenched teeth.
"No! You guys were so blinded by the fact that he found a way, that you couldn't see our league was dying! It only made sense to leave!" Luke shouts back.
"You couldn't stay for me?!" Malia's voice cracks as tears fill up her eyes and her eyes turn blue.
"Malia, I--" Luke starts.
"No, you didn't. In the end you used me for power! You wanted to be able to have all those damn emotions!" Malia shouts.
"It was more important." Luke mumbles.
"You-- you're nothing but a coward. A freaking coward." Malia's eyes turn from blue to their brown color.
"Me? I'm a coward? Don't point fingers, Malia. You're too much of a coward to stand up to your brother." Luke blurts.
"Who's the one pointing fingers now? John is all I've got now! He's the only family I've got!" She says with blue eyes.
      From upstairs, Renz, Brooke, and I are watching with open mouths.
"Holy..." Renz sighs. "I can't believe he's alive! John and Malia told us he was dead."
"Renz, did you honestly think that, of all people, Luke would die?" Brooke whispers.
"What's going on?" I ask. "Who the hell is Luke?"
"Her--" Renz starts, but Brooke stops him by slapping his arm. "Ow!"
"That is not our story to tell! If Malia wants to tell him she can!" Brooke demands.

"Malia, no one in this league has family!" Luke growls his eyes turning, but they turn back. There's a few seconds of silence, but Luke interrupts it. "Malia I need the boy."
"I have no boy." Malia lies wiping the remaining tears off her face.
"Damn it, Malia!" Luke says throwing one of the tables. "Fine, I'll get him myself!"
   Luke starts walking toward the stairs, but Malia grabs his arm and stops him. Brooke and Renz pull me back.
"Malia, let go!" Luke growls with bright red eyes. There's no mistaking his emotion.
"No!" Malia growls kicking his back. He opens his hand and she flies across the room.
"Oh, shit, shit, shit!" Renz curses under his breathe. Footsteps up the stairs come closer and closer.
"Where the hell is everyone?" I ask.
"They're helping John get food." Brooke answers holding her side.
"What happened?" Renz asks.
"Luke is using me to track Aiden." Brooke groans leaning against a cabinet. Malia's head pokes up and she throws the knife in her back pocket at Luke's leg.
"What are we..." Renz panics.
"Hide Aiden." Brooke groans.
"Well, I'm not just going to--" Lorenzo argues.
"Hide the damn kid!" Brooke growls with red eyes.
"Yes, ma'am." Renz says hiding me in a cabinet in Malia's room.
"Are you serious?" I ask.
"Just get in! Either this or dying!" Renz pants.
"Okay, okay." I surrender climbing in the long, but tight cabinet. Outside, I hear Brooke grunting which, sounds like fighting. After a few grunts from Luke and gunshots, Renz comes and gets me.
"Hurry." Renz panics. I follow Renz to the top of the stairs where Malia is holding Brooke.
"Luke used Arretzè on her. She'll be okay." Malia sighs in relief.