Breaking the Code

The Broken Light

We moved to Charleston two years ago and nothing about this place is good. My school is full of assholes, my step-mother has the privacy to torture me in anyway she sees fit and trust me there are many and on top of all of this I skipped a grade due to my test scores and am forced to do a ton of peoples homework just to keep them from beating up all the other geeks in school. I can't save them all but I damn well try.

"Yo! Slut-face, I need my math assignment now! I told you to make it a fucking B you ugly whore so if it's not I'll be kicking Wil's ass so hard he can't sit for a week!" A disgusting menthol scented voice whisper shouted in my face. "Fuck off Greg! I have your work right here. It'll get you a damned B. Now leave Wil the fuck alone you self-centered fucktard!" If I knew a better way to protect everyone in this school from Greg and his gang I would but right now this is the best I can do. I deal with him, I do his work and he doesn't touch too many people.

It's only the second week of school but the teachers around here don't give a shit. Who can blame them really? The place is falling apart and over crowded with too many students that were thrown out of every other school in the area. There is this one new group that's kind of interesting though. They all wear these stupid as fuck uniforms and we're all told that they are here as example students to show what will happen if the school doesn't get it's shit together. Personally, I think that's a load of shit. They're too quiet and observant to just be normal students.

Another reason I don't buy the bullshit line is the new teachers that arrived at the same time. My computer teacher, Biology teacher and Japanese teacher all seem way too young to be where they are now without something else going on. Plus, one claims to be a doctor. Um, something fishy I do smell.

When I make it to my coding class Mr. Henshaw is already writing on the board. He keeps telling everyone to call him Corey but I just can't. I won't let anyone get close to me and that includes teachers. The last person who knew me... nope, don't go there Sang. You will not think about Crawler and when you open your email and don't see a message from him you won't be disappointed. It's been three years and you haven't heard anything since then. Why would you now? Honestly, I should just get rid of that email account. He was the only one who knew about it so there's no reason to still have it.

Whatever, just today. I'll look today and then get rid of the account. Closure, that's what looking today is. I need to know that he really isn't going to respond. What better day to erase the account than on the three year anniversary of the worst day of my life.

"Alright class, today I want you to continue working on your games. When you're finished let me know and I'll give you the next instructions." Mr. Henshaw states from the front of the class. On the board is the web address of where to go to set up the video games we're creating. I finished mine two days ago. Not that he needs to know that. I'm having way more fun hacking into Rocky's game to fuck it up. He keeps putting almost nude girls all around and then getting pissed when he finds them in Eskimo suits ten minutes later. Best. Class. Ever.

After about ten minutes of fucking with Rocky I decide to just get it over with and check the email. When I open it up I almost cry. There is an email in my inbox. I haven't checked this email in a week because I couldn't handle the sight of an empty inbox. I'm holding back tears as I open the message. I haven't cried in two years, I won't start now.

English Breakfast tea allows life to flourish.

I'm so sorry, Hacker. I have so much to tell you. These last three years have had so many things change and I wish I could apologize adequately for all the pain my absence must have caused you. I want you to know that I have been trying to find a way to get a hold of you this whole time. B and I were arrested for our work but then we got roped into helping this organization that helps people every single day. The stipulation for them freeing us was that we couldn't have access to any of our old stuff to prevent anything from dragging us back to the life of crime. They encrypted my email address and wouldn't let me into it for anything. I finally broke the code today. When I saw your email from all those years ago I cried. I am so sorry. My only hope is that you are still alive and get this message. I understand if you are mad at me just please let me know you're alive. If you found a way out of that situation then I'll be ecstatic. I have so much to tell you. I've missed talking to you so much!

Signing off for now,

DepthCrawler

P.s. I haven't used that signature in so long. It feels good to be back.

The email was timestamped two days ago. I have missed out on two days of having Crawler back because I was tired of nothing. Fuck, I can feel tears building in my eyes. My light is back. I can finally hope again.

Mr. Henshaw comes over just as I'm clicking away from my email. "Hey Sang! Everything going ok over here?" Now I'm not blind. I can tell that Corey Henshaw is one fine looking man. Tall, sandy blonde hair, blue eyes and even though he seems a little nerdy he has muscles. It's no wonder that barely anyone learns anything from him. They're all too busy staring. To have all of his happy attention focused on me right now is a bit much. I reach deep in my head to put on the mask that has helped me so many times before.

"All good. Just finished my game." I say with a polite smile. I know my eyes probably look a little dead but it's better than the alternative. "Really?" I can tell that he probably saw the tears in my eyes a few minutes ago so the skepticism is kind of fair. "Yep, here." my voice sounds bored as I turn the monitor towards him.

Mr. Henshaw watches the demo of my fighting game play out. You have to solve all of these coding riddles just to be able to pick a weapon and so on. "Wow! I must say Sang you have out done yourself here. Is this the full version or just the assignment?" The look of admiration that shines in his eyes has me beaming internally.

"I-um, I have the full version but this is just the demo. I have to tweak a few things at the end of the full one but I can't seem to figure out the right sequence." I say blushing vividly. In the full version of the game I put a personal joke in for myself. When Crawler and I first started talking we got into a huge debate about what tea is the best and we've kept it going ever since. At one point in the game you have to choose between Chamomile and English Breakfast. One leads to the dungeon and you lose the game the other gives you an immune boost to fight off a plague. The problem is that I can't seem to make myself go beyond that to win.

"Well, how about you send me the full version and I'll help you finish? You've already done so much more than needed I think I can give a little help." He states as I come out of my head. Mr. Henshaw has an odd look on his face that I can't tell the meaning of. Whatever. "Um, sure I can do that now." I say hesitantly. "Great!" Mr. Henshaw exclaims as he walks back to his desk.

After I email him the link I pull open my other email chain. I only have twenty minutes left in class so I need to get a reply written quickly.

Chamomile Tea is the balm to your burns.

I'm so happy to hear from you Crawler. Life has been a little dull these last few years. I'm still at home but I'm ok. It's nothing I can't handle. I am so proud of you for helping that organization. I understand why you couldn't reach me but I must say, they have to have one hell of a good computer guy to keep you out of something for so long. Please don't disappear for so long again. I missed our talks too much. I'm sorry that the last message made you cry. I wrote that when my emotions were running high so it wasn't as bad as I made it sound I promise. Message me back soon please.

Signing off for now,

DyningHacker

I lied to him. My first email back and I lied. It doesn't matter really since he'll never know but I will. As I press send I know I did the right thing in lying. I can't have him worrying about me as well as everything else. I've taken care of myself for a long time now and I can keep doing it. As long as Crawler emails me I can take anything. I know I can.