The Darkness BOOK 1: Inner Rebellion

Chapter 2

Within the last four minutes of their train ride, the skies opened up and began to pour down upon the boys.
"Aw, come on!" Boruto grumbled, scowling under the drenched black-and-pink jacket he held over his head. "Of course it had to rain now."
"Of course it did," Metal mumbled, beginning to panic. "What if because I woke up late, the Gods are working against us, and have cast me as a bad luck charm?!"
"Metal," Shikadai sighed. "Relax. It is not raining because you woke up late. His eyes narrowed. "If anything, it's raining because Boruto came to school early"
"Hey!" The blond exclaimed, offended.
"Well, it's the most dramatic thing that happened today," Shikadai defended himself.
"It's raining as a side effect of something called weather," Boruto said stiffly. "Ever heard of it?"
"Yes, I have," Shikadai scowled. "But it almost never rains here, so why would it now? Why today?"
"Who knows?" Denki sighed. "The world works in mysterious ways. Now, about ecology---"
"Denki!" Iwabe exclaimed. "Enough with the science. We're studying other things."
The boy stared at them. He looked from Boruto, to Shikadai, to Metal, then back to Iwabe.
"I didn't know playing video games counted as studying."

* * *

"It finally stopped," Metal breathed, removing his backpack from his head. "I thought it would continue forever."
"Rain doesn't work like that," Denki replied. "You see---"
"Rain is temporary," Shikadai told Metal. "That's all you need to know."
"I knew that," the boy huffed. They jumped down off the train. "And thankfully, we're here!"
They all stood there on the sidewalk, staring at the Academy. Small groups of kids, mostly seniors, were spread about helter-skelter across the school field, whispering with their friends and gossiping about the hottest students.
"I'm not looking forward to this," Iwabe said, suddenly looking disgruntled.
"You're the one that wanted to come early," Boruto retorted, stepping up beside the older teen. "Now you're early. What will you do?"
      "I—" He cut himself off, eyes widening.
       "Iwabe?" Boruto asked. "You okay?"
       "Yeah," the senior said. He turned to look at Boruto, only to be met by wide, shockingly blue eyes. "Of course I'm fine. Are you okay?"
         Just as quick as it had happened, the alteration was over, and Boruto was back to normal, albeit a bit pale.
         "Yeah, I'm good," he said, but the tone of his voice suggested otherwise.
         Iwabe frowned at him. He was thinking hard, trying to identify the emotion in those sapphire eyes. He mindlessly trailed after them as they walked to a corner of the Academy yard. They'd been standing there merely minutes when it hit him, like a blow to the head.
       Fear.
       No, not fear, terror.
       Why had Boruto been terrified just from looking at him?
        He looked over at the spiky-haired blond, teasing Denki about his fascination with weather. It was like the terrified face he'd seen moments ago hadn't even existed.
        So why couldn't he get it out of his head? Why did Boruto Uzumaki have to be so confusing? So mysterious?
        So unknown?