Rise of Darkness

Chapter 2

Light passed through the broken window, lighting up the room. Slowly rising a yawn escaped my lips as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Looking at the clock, I noticed I only had about fifteen minutes before class started. Kicking off the covers I went over to the bathroom and looked into the mirror seeing my bed hair all over the place. Turning on the shower and hopping in, I let cold water run down my face waking me up. After I finished scrubbing and washing up I turned off the shower and dried off. Wrapping the towel around my lower half and stepping back over to the mirror, I began to brush my teeth. Looking down, I noticed the scar that goes across my lower abs and checked to see if I've gotten any new ones. Noticing a dried out cut across my rib cage, I finish brushing to wash it out  before bandaging it up. Checking the time again and noticing that I have one minute till class starts I rush to get dressed, muttering curses under my breath. Throwing on black ripped jeans, a black shirt, and my old beat up converses, I opened my window and hopped out. Then I remembered that I left my car outside that alley last night and it's probably impounded by now.Shaking my head, I start walking.
"Can my day get any worse?" I said letting out an exasperated sound. "I've never tried it during the daytime, but here goes nothing," I muttered as I walked behind a building to where it cast a shadow. Walking up to the darkest corner I think about the janitor's closet on the bottom floor of the school. As I touch the corner, shadow tendrils begin to crawl up my arm pulling me further and further into the darkness. A feeling of warmth surrounded me along with the darkness. I was pulled forward, through the darkness in order to meet a window of light. The tendrils dragged me towards it before throwing me through the window. Smashing into a bucket filled with mops letting me know that I've arrived at school. A broomstick fell, smashing into my head. "Dammit," I hissed. Cracking open the door I peered out to make sure the coast is clear before slipping out of the janitor's closet. Making my way to homeroom, getting myself ready for the verbal thrashing I'm about to receive from Mrs. Jackson. Arriving outside the classroom I let out a sigh before opening the door and made my way to the back of the classroom.
"Nice of you to finally join us, Mr. Smith," Mrs. Jackson replied in a sarcastic tone. I ignored her as I plopped down into my seat. As I laid my head down on the desk the loudspeaker cut on drawing everyone's attention.
"Will Darius Smith report to the principal's office please ... will Darius Smith report to the principal's office please."
Everyone in the classroom turned towards me. Sighing I sling my bag over my shoulder and start to walk towards the office. Not before the teacher had to take one last dig at me on the way out of the room.
"It is always something with you Mr.Smith isn't it? Always late, always sleeping in class, always getting in trouble. Your parents should do a better job of raising you," Mrs. Jackson replied in a snarky tone. I stopped walking and stood there, feet rooted in the floor. Anger boiling beneath the surface of my skin. Not turning around I replied to Mrs.Jackson's comment.
"...my parents are dead." Before walking out the door refusing to grant her a glance. In the hallway thoughts of that night nine years ago ,when I lost them, plagued my consciousness. The officer knocked on my door to tell me about the accident. The ride in the back of the sheriff's car as the rain beat against the window. Water ran down my face when we arrived at the station. Anger towards my parents for leaving me utterly alone. A seven-year-old kid who no longer had guardians to shield me from the true form of this world. Seven years of moving from foster home to foster home. Seven long years of getting abused by those who were supposed to raise me, placing me on the brink of starvation.Eventually, I cut my losses and ran away from the institution. Living on my own for the last two years. It was only a couple of months ago I wasn't sleeping in alleys. I found an abandoned house and started to sleep in one of the rooms. Although a couple of days ago I found a notice on the door that the building was going to be knocked down. So, pretty soon I'm going to have to find a new place to crash. A groan escaped my lips while my shoes scuffed against the floors. Remembering that I won't be able to sleep in my car either since it most likely got impounded last night.
"I wonder who that girl was?" I asked myself, nearing the office. I hope she doesn't tell anyone about what happened. She seems like a chill person so it shouldn't matter. My thoughts started to focus on her. Hoping I got a chance to see her again. Upon entering the office I was greeted by the secretary who told me to wait as she checked in with the principal. After a couple of seconds, she tells me to go right in. Walking through the door and shutting it behind me. I noticed two people sitting in front of the principal.
One was a taller man standing around six feet and seven inches. Looking at the color of his hair you would think he was seventy years old, but if you look at his physique he looked in his late twenties. Bodybuilder type builds with a clean cut full beard. The hair on his head was combed back and trimmed up nicely. Grey suit with a black shirt.
The other person was a shorter girl with black straight hair pulled into a ponytail. I couldn't see her face as it was pointed straight ahead. She was talking to the principal who has yet to notice that I entered the room. I waited patiently for them to finish before making my presence known. But after a couple of minutes of waiting, I got tired of hearing them talk.
"Yo!" I said loudly to draw the attention of the principal. The principal's eyes landed on me before smiling.
"Nice of you to join us, Mr. Smith, how is your day going so far?" asked the principal.
"Not to be rude and all, but can we cut the small talk and give me the detention now, so we can save each other's time." All of a sudden laughter erupted from the man sitting in the chair.
"Hahaha, this boy is just like how you said he would be," Laughed the man in the suit. A snicker escaped the lips of the girl beside him.
"Darius you aren't in any sort of trouble this time. This fine gentleman and this young lady are here to give you an opportunity revolving around your living situation. You know I have never approved of you living alone, but I have turned a blind eye long enough," states the principal.
"And what opportunity is that?  Last time I checked I had never met either one of you." I said feeling a little bit unnerved by the man's big toothy grin. But before I could think about it any farther the principal pulled me from my thoughts.
"Nevermind that Darius, I just want you to hear this generous man out. Okay?" asked the principle staring into my eyes as I stared back. We stared at each other neither one of us wanting to give in to the other. Before my gaze dropped, sighing I responded finally.
"Whatever," I sighed as I plopped down in an empty seat to the side of the room, kicking my feet up on the coffee table separating me from everyone else in the room.  All eyes fixated on towards the giant of a man standing up as though his goal was to block out the sun from the sky. His smile unnerved me for some reason as it contradicted the hardened gaze his eyes gave off.
"Mr. Smith... Can I call you Darius?" The man asked, looking at me with his grin still plastered across his face. Observing him since I've walked in, my sixth sense kept flashing in the back of my head. For a brief moment, there was a slight crack in his gimmick of being a kind and selfless man. My eyes caught something in his eyes, something that disappeared as fast as it appeared. His eyes cracked open revealing a sadistic glint before he closed them continuing his smile. Deciding to at least see what he has to say I nod my head in confirmation. "Good! See, we have heard about your living situation and we have figured that we will provide you with our services. We have a boarding school for troubled students who are in the same situation as you. I can not just stand by and watch as a young man such as you waste his potential and continue living in ways that are inhuman," he says before I cut him off from continuing.
"My situation doesn't concern you. It's the hand that was given to me and I'll learn how to play it. Your conscience is keeping you from minding your business, so you try to put yourself into my business. I'll figure out my situation, so I don't need your input or anyone else's for that matter."
"But you see it is my business. You are too young to be living on your own, so your only options are to either come to the boarding school or to be placed back into foster care. And after looking at your file you and I both know that going back to foster care isn't an option for you," the man says slicking his silver strands back with the rest of his hair. Standing up I start walking towards the door.
"Darius! Darius, you were not dismissed!" The principle commanded trying to get control of the situation. "You will sit back down in that seat and you will listen to this generous man or I will give you enough detentions to last the remainder of the school year!"
".....I've been doing it for this long, what's a few more gonna do!" I stated before slamming the door behind me. Snickering at the sound of yelling from behind the door. The secretary just shook her head at me before returning her attention to typing on the computer. A grin still slapped across my face as I stuffed my hands in my pockets before walking down the empty hallway. As I made my way back to class I thought about whether or not I was going back to class or skipping. I stopped in front of one of the doors that led to the roof.
"I've had enough drama for one day," I said to myself before opening the door heading up to the roof. Swinging the door open the cold wind slaps me across the face, leaving a stinging sensation. My hand pulled my hood down to keep it from flying off and exposing my ears to the cold. The whistling of the wind deafened my ears as I made my way across the roof. Taking a seat on the edge looking out at the city that never sleeps, watching as cars stack behind each other filling up the streets running around the school. Skyscrapers reaching heights that I have dreamed of reaching as though they touch the very heavens themselves. Closing my eyes, I toon into my other senses to paint a visualization of New York City one could only come up with without using their sight. Touch... I feel the cool breeze running through my hair, smelling the scent of hydrocarbon-based chemicals filling the air from the factories, tasting the famous New York hot dogs cooking on the grill. Hearing the sounds of horns honking from the many cars that are on the streets of the city. As I focused on my hearing I noticed the sound of soft footsteps getting closer and closer behind me.
"What do you want?" I asked without turning around and opening my eyes. There was a slight pause of silence as the person stopped their movement towards me.
"Oh, I guess you're as good as people say you are," a voice answered with an undertone of amusement. "I mean what else would I expect from the lord of darkness himself," the voice said laughing to itself. Shoving my hand into my pockets pulling out a pack of cigarettes, I lit one up before taking a drag on it.