[Good to be back, eh?]
I guess the best place to start is on a rainy October day, two weeks from when we'd killed Kehera. I was sitting in, wait for it, Math Class. Yeah, plot twist, eh? Basically, Sadie recommended I go to Brooklyn Academy of the Gifted [B.A.G] with her, Walt, Zia, Carter, and Christina. It'd been hard, since the last time I was in school I was dating my first girlfriend, Amy Hoff, who died, but it'd played out nice because I was in the same class as Christina. Sadie said it was luck, so it must've been luck that her and Walt sat right next to each other and never got in trouble. Luck.
I was sitting in the back of the classroom looking out the window when the teacher called on me.
"Jake? I asked you a question," He said. The teacher was a tall, skinny guy who looked about 45 years old and he had a short temper. His name was Mr. Kreeman and he was the devil spawn I swear.
"I'm sorry, sir," I apologized, sitting forward, "I couldn't hear the question-"
"Oh yeah, new kid?" One guy asked up front. Apparently he was a total jerk according to other kids, "You need us to write it down for you and tape it over your eyes?"
I balled my fists, "Yes that would be mighty kind of you."
The boy stood up and looked at me and I saw Mr. Kreeman smirk. He just loved this kid. "Listen up, new kid," The boy said as he walked over to my desk, "I will bash your rib cage in."
I looked up at him from my desk. He was pretty round and muscular with an ugly face melted into a permanent scowl. So I gave him a fake smile, "You talk a lot of crap for someone who's getting their class work peed on." I pointed at his desk and everyone whipped their heads to look. I loved my cat controlling abilities and still sure as hell do. There was a gray Tom urinating all over his math textbook and staring at him with cold eyes. The teacher looked shocked and didn't move.
"Now, Matt," I said as I stood up in his face. He didn't like people knowing his name for sure, "I'm going to give you two seconds to get back to your seat before I kick your fat white ass into next Tuesday."
He looked shameful but out of the corner of my eye I saw Christina Rivera, who you all probably know, smile at me and that made me smile. But at that moment, the classroom door opened. I recognized Walt Stone's dark face right away. He looked around once then beckoned to me, "Jake, we've got a problem. Christina, we'll need your help."
"Excuse me," Mr. Kreeman scowled, "That is my student in my classroom. He does what I say."
I jogged to the door and grabbed Christina on the way. When I got to the front of the room, I kicked the teacher so hard in his private parts that he fell over.
"Don't tell me what I can and cannot do," I spat at him and then accompanied Walt and Tina as we ran from the classroom.
"Walt, what's up?" Christina asked nervously as we ran to the front doors. Sometimes we'd have problems whilst at school but we never left class so suddenly.
"We've got a little bit of a problem," He said as we opened up the doors of the school and ran. Usually, I drove my Impala to school so that's what we hopped in. Walt told me to go to The Brooklyn House and I floored it. As we drove he explained what was up.
"Two initiates were found dead," He dropped the news sadly and it hit like a hand grenade, "We don't know how they died; they were young and their chests were branded with the Kehera Tribe symbol. But gods did they hit close to home."
"That's what they're trying to do," I said angrily as we pulled to a stop in front of the Nome. My home for a few peaceful weeks then BAM! Two kids found dead, "They want to strike fear deep and hard."
We got out and broke into a full sprint as we entered the Brooklyn House. Some initiates noticed us and the others looked scared. This was a big problem, as you can see. We followed Walt to the roof and when he opened the door I lost my ability to speak. Carter, Sadie, and Zia were talking in low voices and Sadie's face was white. Walt went over to her and put an arm around her shoulder.
"Jake," Carter said and his expression was grim, "Glad you came."
"Anytime," I assured him patting his shoulder. He had two years on me but we were the same height, "Where are the bodies?"
He guided me and Christina over to his griffin's pen. The griffin was circling the house in a sort of recon formation. Carter walked behind the pen then averted his eyes. I saw the bodies and Christina gasped and squeezed my shoulder tight. The bodies were fresh; one was laying flat and it was tall. The other one was laid across his chest in an easily distinguishable shape.
"A cross," I choked out, "This is a message." I walked around them and saw no visible wound.
"I think it's Chaos magic," Carter whispered as we crouched beside them, "They could've used lightning or some other kind of...terrible magic."
A piece of paper caught my eye and I retrieved it. I unfolded it and took one glance then shoved it back in the dead initiates pocket.
Dear Mr. Lloyd,
This is only the beginning.
Kamehea.
I embraced Christina who was sobbing and I thought about the letter. Only the beginning? I stroked Christina's red hair as she sobbed into my shirt and I assured her everything would be alright. When, in fact, I was unsure wether I'd live to see tomorrow.
