The Fourtitude: A Narrative of Naivety

Probably Batman

  August struggled to keep up with all of the kids rushing out to the playground for recess. He eventually caught up with Jackson. "Hey, uh, I don't really know anyone else except Matt, so I figured I could just hang out with you today?"

"Huh? O-oh, yeah, sure. I usually just walk around the field until recess is over." Jackson explained, "No one really likes me though, so I'm not particularly used to... this." Jackson looked at the ground as he walked at a reasonable pace.

"Walking around in circles for a half hour sounds really boring." August looked around for something to do, and spotted a kid sitting on a bench at the back of the field. He was just sitting there. Alone. Doing nothing. Well, not nothing, but nothing significant. He wore all black or plum clothes and a gray hat. His dark-skinned face was barely noticeable under the dark shade in combination with his dark clothing. Dark, dark, dark. "Who's that?" August pointed towards the kid.

"Him? He's Everhet. No one talks to him either. He's just really mysterious and quiet. Someone told me he gets straight A's, but I don't see how, since he sits in silence for six hours every day." Jackson described.

 "He looks like Batman. I'm gonna go talk to him!" August dashed towards Everhet.

  "August!" Jackson scrambled to get a decent footing, "Stop!" But August kept running. Everhet looked up. His eyes turned white, his face still expressionless, as August was pushed in the opposite direction by an unknown force.

"You should be more careful, August." Everhet spoke softly and ominously, "You were about to run into me." He stood up and stared at August and Jackson, who were staring right back at him, more confused than a barefoot jackrabbit on a hot greasy griddle in the middle of August. "I'm Everhet Fushigina."

  "Hi, Everhet! You already know my name somehow!" August stood back up, dusting the dirt off his black shirt, unable to completely clean it.

"Jackson was screaming, 'August, stop!' at the top of his lungs. How could I not know?" Everhet chuckled at August's ignorance. Jackson looked back at him, confused.

"D-did you just chuckle?" Jackson struggled once more to find decent footing, "I-I've never even heard you talk, let alone chuckle."

"Hmph. Guess I just felt okay with it. Just like I feel okay with telling you why you don't go running up to strangers in dark clothing. I'm what's referred to as a psycho. And if you want to stay alive or at least on my good side, don't threaten me."

"Dang, Everhet. You're only nine." August walked back over to him. "So, uh, see you at lunch, then?" He leaned on Everhet's shoulder, and Everhet bore his teeth in an angered frown like a dog barking at nothing.

  "...Fine. But only because you'd have to sit alone with Jackson, and I wouldn't wish that upon my greatest enemies." Everhet sat back down. Jackson was not impressed.