The Revealer

The Revealer-Chapter 2: Brian

Chapter 2: Brian

School started again and with it brought a certain separation from Cassidy's problems; she could always lose herself in a conversation with her friends. But in those awkward pauses, she was forever thinking about the heavy weight that now rested on her shoulders.

And as if this wasn't enough, some guy kept following her around everywhere. She would catch him watching her but when she turned to glare at him, he would dash around the nearest corner.

One such time, her best friend, Rose was walking with her.

"Ooo! I think he likes you, Cassidy!" she said.

Cassidy punched her on the arm, "I hope not; he's not really my type."

But as time went by, the boy followed her more and more.

It wasn't until early winter that he really gave her a scare.

She was in a deserted hallway after school. Cassidy opened her pack and took out the Book. She was just opening it when she heard a muffled gasp. She turned to find the source, she caught a glimpse of the boy before two strong arms grabbed her around the throat. She was choking, blackness creeping up on her. The Book slid from her grasp.

The arms let go, allowing her to breathe. Cassidy saw stars.

By the time she finally caught her breath, the Book and the boy, were gone.

Cassidy was distraught. Though she no longer saw the boy, she felt terrible; she had lost her only connection to the world of the triangle and perhaps her only weapon to save it.

She was constantly on the lookout for the boy. When she finally saw him again, he looked very sad and sorry indeed. His clothes were torn and dirty, and his face was smudged with dirt. He was covered in bruises.

Cassidy waited for her chance to give the little twerp what was coming to him.

After-school, she waited behind the dump for him to pass. Cassidy heard the crunch of snow behind her. She whirled around and threw a punch. Then rushed to apologize.

Rose was in tears. Cassidy's fist had landed square on the nose. The snow beneath turned chrisom.

"What's gotten into you!? You never talk-," Rose was yelling.

"Rose, I-," Cassidy began.

"You don't hang out with us anymore; you don't even eat with us! And now this?!"

"Rose, I can explain,"

"No! I'm through with it! You either come clean right now, or that's that, because I know there's something going on that you don't want to talk about,"

Cassidy shook her head.

"Fine! I'll just go and find myself someone who isn't a-a bitch!" Rose stormed off.

Cassidy fought to hold back her tears; what Rose had said had really hit home: her parents were taking her into consoling because of constant fights at home. She was always teetering on edge, afraid that if she let her guard slip someone would discover her secret.

"It's my fault isn't it? You were expecting me, not your friend, huh?" came a male voice from behind her. Cassidy spun around; the boy was eyeing her with kind regard.

"You BASTARD!!" Cassidy rushed at him, knocking him to the ground.

She hit every inch that she could; why not when it wouldn't show against his previous bruises? It was only when she started to calm down that she noticed that he wasn't fighting. He was lying perfectly still in the snow. She put a finger to his neck. There was a pulse, though faint.