Hunter

XL

They weren't in the library anymore, with Cairo trapped beneath Jade's knee.  Instead Jade was watching a small boy sleeping on the floor of an apartment room, his small hands curled into his shirt. It almost looked like he was clutching his heart.
He was wearing dirty clothes, that were ripped in strange places. There was a hole on his sleeve, near his elbow. Another one was right at the edge of the round collar of his shirt. His pants were ripped at the knee, a cut tearing the shirt material of his torso.
Jade was standing on a roof, right across the window with the boy.She was facing Aric. His hands were cupping her's, his fingers drifting over the back of her hands. Jade's brow furrowed, looking from the boy back to Aric.
"Where are we?" She narrowed her eyes, searching for any clues to what city they were in.
Aric looked through the window, frowning slightly. "We're in a a different city."
Jade huffed at the response, focusing back on the boy through the window. She squinted.
He was asleep, or at least seemed to be. His mouth was moving, like he was praying. His little chest heaved, gulping in air.
His face was shadowed, his hair invisible to Jade. His legs kicked at the sheets. He turned his head over and over again, before someone came into the room.
Suddenly, a small girl ran up to where he was sleeping, shaking him. Her tiny hands gripped his shoulders with so much force, the boy jolted awake. His head swiveled towards her, and even from here, Jade could see the affection in his eyes.
Jade could see the glisten of tears running down the girl's cheeks, and the boy put a hand on her cheek. He patted her head, trying to calm her down.
She said something to him, obviously distraught about something. Her hands motioned wildly, her eyes puffy and red. She looked like she had been holding something in for a while.
Jade wished she could hear what they were saying.
Almost immediately, they were standing in the room, a few feet away from the children.
Aric slipped his hand around Jade's, gently pulling her closer to a wall. He gently knitted their fingers together.
They were standing in the light, and Jade knew the kids should've been able to see them. She bit her lip.
So why didn't they?
As she turned to ask Aric, he shook his head as if reading her mind. "Just watch. I'll explain later," he mouthed to her.
She nodded slowly, looking back the kids. Maybe they were out of the
The boy was standing up, his brow furrowed.He looked so familiar, it was starting to freak Jade out. She focused back on the children.  The boy looked at the girl, his shoulders stiff, his hands gripping the hem of his shirt tightly. "Wait, what happened again?"
The girl sniffled, balling her tiny fists. She couldn't have been more than 4 or 5. The boy looked about 8.
"The mean man- He's coming into my room again, and he keeps bothering me! He keeps poking me!" She pointed between her legs. "He- he keeps-" She broke into sobs again. "You-told me- make him STOP! IT HURTS!!" She screamed, her messy hair flying into her mouth and making her cry harder.
A chilly realization dawned on Jade, and shudders ran through her. The girl had- had a molester  in her room. Jade felt bile rise in her throat, her stomach swirling like she had drunken a shot of vinegar.
Apparently, the boy had come to the same conclusion, and he told the little girl,"Wendell, I need you to stay here, can you do that?" The girl went silent suddenly, and she clasped her hands together. She clenched her trembling lips together, tears still spilling from her eyes.
The girl nodded robotically. "Ok, brother."

The boy smiled sweetly, before turning around and storming out of the room. His fists swung by his side, his footsteps thundering down the hallway like he was wearing combat boots.

Aric led Jade by the hand, and they quietly trailed the boy, occasionally twisting around corners. They finally made it to a small room, with a small cot in the corner. A small pair of underwear was on the floor. The sight of it made Jade tear up, and stifle a sudden sob.
The small boy was crouched on the floor, his eyes flaming at the stringy teenager in front of him. He spit at him,"Leave Wendell alone! Why- Why can't you just kiss your stupid girlfriend or something?!"
The teen laughed, throwing back his acne- ridden face. He snickered again, before sneering at the kid in front of him.
He swung his leg back, his foot connecting solidly with the little boy's jaw. Jade shrieked, jumping towards the kid as he flew across the room. But Aric gripped her arm tightly, pulling her back. "Jade," he whispered. "You- you can't change anything."

Jade struggled, trying to free herself, but to no avail. Aric hissed in her ear,"Please Jade! I'll explain why you can't- just not right now!"

She begrudgingly stopped her flailing and focused back on the kid.

The teen-aged boy giggled at the sight of the small boy holding his jaw, and moaning in pain . "Oh god. You're such a tough guy!" He snickered, walking to the fallen figure of the boy. "You're just a filthy foster kid. The only reason my parents took you in was cuz of the money you're getting them. They don't give a rat's ass about you." He scratched a pimple on his chin before saying," I bet that's why your original family gave you up too. You're," he cut himself off and kicked the kid in the chest. "You're just a waste of space." He enunciated each word with another kick to the boy's stomach. He snorted, saying,"Maybe your family killed themselves. Because of you. Now that I think about it.... That actually seems quite probable. Like 100% probable." He giggled again, spinning on his heel away from the child.
The boy stood up, staggering on his feet.He lurched suddenly, but he caught himself. He clutched his stomach.  "Shut- shut - up."
The teen spun, pushing him down. The boy fell, but his legs snapped out at the last second, and he clipped the teenager in the knees,
The teen fell, cursing. "Ooooh, you little bastard! Wait until-"
The boy didn't wait for him, instead straddling his chest, and punching him in the face. Jade winced at the audible crack.
The teen's head snapped back, blood pouring from his nose. He cursed, trying to wring his hands around the boy's neck.
The boy squeezed his thin legs around the teen's chest tighter and tighter, punching his face repeatedly. "You're wrong! My family didn't kill themselves!"
The boy stopped suddenly, holding his fists against his chest.
He hissed at the teenager," My family is gone. Monsters took my family.." Jade noticed something start to glow on his wrists. The boy finished his statement, a strange glow surrounding him. "Monsters like you."
The realization hit Jade suddenly.
The boy.

The boy was Aric.