Saraphina

Ch. 7 Charon's Secret

Xander;
I have been here for a week or two now. I was sitting on my new bed trying to figure out what was wrong with my new pillow, in my new home, surrounded by new people when I found it. A camera. A small video camera stuffed inside my pillow. I looked it over to find name Joseph written on it. No wonder my pillow was so uncomfortable.

"Hey Rocky!" I called out. "Yeah?" he said from the bottom bunk below me. "Who's Joseph?" I asked. He poked his head up. "I don't know a Joseph, why?" "Because I found his camera stuffed inside my pillow."

He bolted off the bed and looked at it. "If you found it in your pillow then it used to belong to Charon. I guess his real name was Joseph," he said. "What do you mean, was?" I asked. "He's dead," he said like I just asked a stupid question.

I nearly fell off the bed. "You mean I'm sleeping on a dead man's bed?" I yelled. People looked then looked away. "It's not a big deal," he said. I took several deep breaths until my heart steadied.

"I wonder what's on the camera," I said not wanting to know the why or the nature of which the boy who's bed I'm sleeping in died. "I don't know," he said, thoughtfully. "Probably something to Saraphina," he said with an undertone of jealousy or bitterness, but mostly curiosity.

"Then why doesn't she have it?" I asked. His eyes widened. "A lot of the kids here bring suped up cameras that don't run out of storage. This is probably his video diary or something." He made this look on his face that looked like forced hate. The look you make when you want to hate someone or something so bad, but you just can't.

"What should we do with it?" I asked. "Let's show it to Saphira and Calli. Calli can probably make a way for us to see the videos. If they're for Saraphina, then we'll give it to her, if it's not-" he said. "Okay," I said. It felt wrong, not just giving it to Saraphina, but at the same time, I kind of wanted to know a little more about the guy who's bed I took. Who's place I seemed to take. People acted like I am some kind of memorial to this guy. What made him so special? Why does that make me so cool?

After afew days , people have looked at me and cried, cussed, or even called me Charon. I have no clue in Hell who the fuck this guy is, but news flash, I'M NOT HIM! I'm not a hero, or smart, or good looking. My powers aren't even that cool, but they still act like I'm his replacement. All except the few who know me, and Saraphina (who seems to be too busy to notice I'm alive).

The only two reasons I'm going through with this,  is because I wanted to know who's place I'm  taking and if he's a douchebag.

Also, this seemed like something that Rocky needed to do. It was something about the bitterness in his voice that made it seem like it was the only thing that it would take it away, even if it was wrong. I only had three friends here, I couldn't afford to loose one. I didn't get a chance to talk to Saraphina enough to count her as a friend.

Speak of the Devil! On our way out, we ran into Saraphina. Rocky hid the camera behind his back. "Saraphina!" Rocky said a little too loudly. Damn it Rocky!

"Wh-what are you doing here?" "I was just getting some clothes. What are you doing?" A slight smile was placed on her face. "Hey Xander. You setting in okay?" she said. I nodded quicky. Hallelujah she acknowledged my experience! "Nothing, we're not up to anything!" Rocky said walking off.

"Hey Xander," Saraphina said. "Yeah?" I said. She lifted her shirt slightly. "Meet me in the training hall at 6:00am. I can show you how to fight," she said. "Okay great," I said. "Oh and are you and Rocky okay?" she asked. "Yep!" I said running off.

"Smooth real smooth," I said. "What are you talking about?" Rocky said. "That's how I always talk to her." "Correction," I said having a slight realization. "Pathetic, real pathetic. I think she's suspicious," I said. "No she's used to me being like that," he said. "I'm always kinda nervous around her," he admitted.