The Company

Chapter Fourteen- The Washington Still Doesn't Remember My Name and I'm Sad

We made it to the campus of the abandoned school in the morning, and I was terrified.

Even if it had been thirty years after closing down the school, the school was in horrible shape.

It looked like something out of a horror game. The sun came up right against the edge of the roof, and it looked like someone had cut it in half and glued whatever was left where it was. The light rays shone like Heaven's light itself through the broken glass. The-

I jumped up like a scared little kid. A bird, a robin I think, flew right down at my head with an angry squawk.

Nature. Huh. Nature. It's got a way of ruining some kind of special moments that could end up meaning to be something, but no. The bird had to get all territorial and start attacking random kids. 

The Washington stood above us on this greatly-timed rock in front of the school. There was evidence that there used to be some kind of paint on it, and it even had one of those cliché things like "Jenny plus Tommy equals love" or whatever.

"Listen up," he said. He wasn't looking too good himself, but honestly, who was in their best condition at this point? "I just want to acknowledge something before rumors get spread around. Yes, we've lost three of Us."

I took a step back to catch my balance as the crowd started murmuring amongst themselves. Three? Three kids? My gaze shot over to the Adams, then back to the Washington.

It's the X-ray radiation. Oh God.

I was just awestruck. The thought that some kids had actually died trying to get out stuck in my head like an earworm. I took my hat off and looked down at it, my head swimming.

"Hey, hey, hey!" The attention went back to the Washington. "Listen to me! You are all capable of surviving here! You know you are! So come on, will you? Let's get this place habitable. I'll need teams of people to come in with us to find the more...stable spots. Catch my drift? So who'll volunteer?"

"I'll do it!" I heard from behind me. I knew him. He was that bassoon from class. I couldn't help but laugh, though, when he talked. That was honestly the first time I'd ever heard a noise other than a sigh or a cough come out of his mouth. He'd nod, sure, or he'd thumbs-up, he'd angrily show a fist, but it was subtle.

Another voice. It was a girl this time. I didn't know her, but she was bleeding from her nose and a large cut on her forehead. She looked terrified, but not as much as the others. It was a bit more shock than fear, like an "Oh my God, I made it even if most people didn't and I have no clue how" kind of face.

I heard a certain someone, and it shocked me. I didn't expect to hear that voice.

It was a certain someone with black hair, a Tigers cap, and an adorable nose. More accurate to the note, it was a certain Lionel Jakeson.

"I'm in." It wasn't simple, it wasn't quiet, and it wasn't shocked. It was more sincere, complicated, and not afraid. That was the confusing part: the fact that he wasn't afraid. I didn't know how he wasn't, we all were. Everyone but Lionel Jakeson.

Out of everything I've explained and will explain in this story, that is one of the things I can't. I couldn't tell you why he felt brave. I couldn't tell you why he was brave and I wasn't. I couldn't explain Lionel.

That's one of the most important things, isn't it? He couldn't be explained.

I couldn't explain why I raised my hand as much as I couldn't explain why he did.

"Take me in too."

I clapped my hands over my lips. Not only had I announced myself, but I did so with the loudest and most obnoxious voice crack in the world. My cheeks went hot, and I shrunk back a bit.

Of course, all eyes went right to me. I just put my hood up, trying to make sure no one knew it was me.

"Mitchell Jones?"

I buried my face in my hand. Oh, Lord have mercy.

I stepped forward with the others that had volunteered. There was a few more people now,  so now I felt a tiny bit more comfortable.

"That all?" the Washington asked, looking around. "No one else?" He looked down to us, and smiling, he said, "Let's get a move on. Before we go, I need to talk to you, Michaelangelo. In private, if you will."

I pointed a finger at my chest. "Me?"

He laughed a bit. "Uh, yeah. Unless there's another Mike Jones that goes to this school."

I sighed. I'm in trouble, aren't I? I've got to be. He would have no other reason to talk to me otherwise...right?

Right?

I walked over him and noted that the Adams was there with him. She didn't look any better, unfortunately, but it was a start.

"I hear you've got something that we probably should know?" he asked.

I gulped. Oh crap. They found out already? That was fast...

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, playing dumb.

"Well, she told me she learned something about Them from something you've got," the Washington said, motioning to the Adams. "You do have something like that, right?"

I was so relieved that it didn't show. "Oh yeah, I do." I pulled it out of my pocket. "This. It- no, I'll let Kara explain it."

The Adams snapped out of her stupor at the mention of her name. She seemed still shaken and out of it, but she was ready now. "R-right, right. Sure. Check this out." She pushed the button.

"Okay, it's got a fancy light," the Washington asked. He reached his hand over it and almost touched it, but the Adams quickly pulled the blade away.

"I-it's not just a fancy light, S-Steven," the Adams warned. "It's a light that gives off X-ray radiation. It's what killed those kids who got hit by them."

"You're kidding," the Washington gaped. "How in God's name did they do that?"

"I-I have no clue," the Adams said. "We don't have anything that can split apart the blade. Unless we go back into the Academy-"

"No way, we just got here!" I complained.  "We can't all just go back when we haven't even been here twenty-four hours!"

"He's right, you know," the Washington said. "Tell you what: we'll wait it out until we're ready. That's a fair deal if you ask me. Right?"

I looked over to the Adams for help, but she looked completely in agreement with him.

"Why don't you come along with us?" the Washington asked.

"Me?" I asked. "Why me?"

"Well, you're not insanely in shell shock and you're not too injured to go," the Washington explained. "We need all the mostly-well people we can get. For what I know, you're one of the-and this is just a guess- hundred or so people left."

"Do I get a say-"

"Oh, come on, Michael!" he insisted frantically. He cooled down, sliding his hand through his hair. "Listen, Michael. We need all the help we can get. Please. Just give us a hand, won't you? Please?"

I gave a sigh. "Alright. Fine. What do you need me to do?"

"W-well, he did say what we w-were doing," the Adams pointed out. "S-several times, actually."

I face-palmed. "That's true. Alright. Let's move out before I say something else that's stupid."

"Good idea."