May Sickness: 21

 Chapter 21

            In the days that passed, from the time Roy came home from the hospital to the day before school, the only thing Roy did was sleep. The blood of two individuals were on his hands, one of whom an innocent woman, and the other one that deserved his fate. Even though he had been in numerous fights and even though his goal at the time was to kill Lane, Roy felt guilty for it. Roy had murdered a man and he faced no consequences. But the guilt would be out weighed by the guilt and shame that swallowed him from not saving Raven. He vowed to protect those close to him at any cost, he would use his gift to insure their safety. I won’t let it happen again. I will invade other people’s privacy and anything else to accomplish my goals. Everyone is fair game, everyone except you, Nina, I respect you and will not interfere with your mind. I will never use my powers on you.

            School would be starting the next day, just twelve hours away.

            Roy’s mother had taken the liberty of sighing him up at the school and to buy him the miscellaneous supplies he would need, pens and paper.

            She walked into his room, she saw him lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.

            “Roy,”

            “What?”

            “I know that what happened hit you hard, but moping around, lying in bed, won’t change what happened. I know how it feels and you just have to move on. The blood on your hands will eventually wash off.”

            “You think I’m sad because I killed that guy?! He was nothing to me!” He yelled, but then started to cry, “I couldn’t save her, I couldn’t protect her. I saw Nina in her, they were identical, and even with that I couldn’t help her.”

            She sat on the bed, “The first day of my residence, fresh out of med school, there was a shooting a few blocks from the hospital. For some reason I was right in the middle of the emergency bay. The ambulance came and the paramedics offloaded one of the victims. He must have been shot a dozen times, the medics didn’t know what to do, they were relying on me. The man was still conscious and he was relying on me, but I didn’t know what to do. He was begging me. All I could do was place pressure on some of the wounds. Carting him in, he started to lose consciousness and all the actual doctors were busy with other things. All we did was, in the panic and chaos of the hospital, stand and watch as a poor innocent man bled to death. After it was all said and done, the doctor I was learning under, told me, “Don’t let this bring you down. We all lose patients, it was bound to happen.” What he said angered me, but no matter how I looked at it, it was, in a sense, true. We can’t control everything.”

            “But still, you had no control over it. I did, I could have done something.”

            “You could of, should of, would of, but you didn’t and you can’t. I seem to remember you always talking about how people shouldn’t live in the past or future but in the present. Don’t forget what happened, but don’t let it envelope and control you.” She stood up and walked out of the room.

            She's right. I have to learn from this, but still, no, no more “but still” no more “I could have saved her” I just have to move forward. Soon after Roy fell asleep.

            With the door locked, he started stretching. Once Roy was limbered up, he raised his arms. From the closet and the drawers, of his dresser, his clothes floated in front of him, as if someone was wearing them. What to wear? I want to make an impression... wait do I? Maybe I should try to blend in, it’s not like I trying to get a girlfriend. But if I wear something that makes me look weak I’ll be a target, and I’m tired of fighting. With a wisp of his index finger he started arranging the clothes and creating a combination of outfits. It’s not like me to take this much time to find something to wear. Finally, he came to a conclusion as to what outfit to wear. A pair of shorts, blue, and a short sleeve shirt, white. Before he put the clothes on, he stripped naked. I don’t have to take a shower, I’m a genius. He started to concentrate, the dirt in his pores and on his skin, lifted from his body, then the same happened to any of his dead skin cells. Roy looked in the mirror, My god! I am sexy. His skin was clear of blemishes, immaculate with the only imperfection being the stitches across his back, the small cast on his left hand, and the splint on two of his right hand’s fingers. I must be better than some people, seeing as I don’t put me pants on one leg at a time. Roy started to hover, a pair of underwear, slipped on him followed by the blue shorts, socks and finally shoes. Then he raised his arms, so the shirt could fall on to him perfectly. And finally looking back into the mirror he opened his mouth, plaque, and other disgusting material started to be lifted from his tongue, teeth and gums. This is disgusting, seriously what do I do with it? I guess flush it. It accumulated into a ball, and after looking to make sure no one was in the house, Roy floated it to the bathroom.

            Flush!

            The school was three miles away, Roy looked at the clock, seven thirty. “I’ll be late, but who cares. What are they going to do?”

            Roy walked out of the house and started down the road to the school. Walking pass Raven's house Roy closed his eyes and turned his head to the opposite direction.

            After an hour of walking he arrived at the school.

            The school was large, tens of times larger than Woodline. The student body numbering the thousands, there were even more teachers than there were students at his quondam school.

Roy walked into a building with the words “Office” above the entrance.

            “I’m new here, so I don’t have my schedule.” Roy said to a woman sitting behind a desk.

            “What is your name?”

            “Roy Black.”

            “Spell it please.”

            “Really? It’s the standard spelling.”

            “Just spell it.”

            “Okay. R-O-Y B-L-A-C-K” As he spoke the woman typed his name into the computer. The printer started up, once it had finished the woman handed Roy the paper.

            “Here’s your schedule, your late for your first hour.”

            “Thanks.” And he walked out. What a retard, “Spell it” Really how many alternative spellings are there?

            Roy's classes were math, English, physics, physical education, lunch then his last two classes were history, then health.

            The only thing he knew about the locations of each class was the room number printed next to each class’s name on the schedule.

            Roy decided to take a more traditional route in looking for the classes. Taking his time to find his first class, adding to the amount of time that he was already tardy.

            Algebra two, taught by Mrs. Trish, Roy’s first hour class was located at the opposite end of the campus.

            There was only fifteen minutes of class left when Roy walked into class.

            “Yes, may I help you?” Mrs. Trish asked.

            “Yeah, I’m supposed to be in this class.”

            “Your name?”

            “Roy Black.”

            “I see you on my roster, please find an empty desk.”

            Roy looked around the room, all eyes where fixed on him. He started to concentrate, their thoughts started to flow through Roy’s mind.

            “Wow, he’s cute.”

            “White hair and blue eyes, so sexy.”

            “Look at that fag, he probably thinks he’s tough, I could take him.”

            Roy was trying to find a specific thought, one that was not preoccupied on him. Soon he found a girl, sitting in the back, that was thinking about a drawing she was in the middle of doodling.

            He sat next to her, and looked at the drawing.

            “That’s really good.”

            “Thank you.” She gave him a humble smile.

            The teacher heard them. ”Roy if your going to interrupt the class...” but Roy interrupted her.

            “Dude not today, I’m finally in a good mood.” Mrs. Trish’s face became a beaming red.

            “What did you say?! You come in late then you disrespect me, you won’t get far like that! Now apologize!” She yelled.

            The class constantly looked from the teacher to Roy.

            “Really?”

            “Yes!”

            “Okay, I’m sorry.”

            “That’s it?”

            “I’m sorry for calling you dude when I should have said “Ma’am not today, I’m finally in a good mood.”

            The class started to laugh.

            “That’s not what I meant!”

            “Please specify.” Roy knew from the beginning what she wanted him to say, but he wanted to have some fun.

            The bell rang.

            Roy could hear her thoughts, That little bastard, I’ll kill him!

            Mrs. Trish was in the prime of her life. Thirty years old, skinny, large breast, a perfect rear. Her face was innocent, with large brown eyes, apple red lipstick, and mascara that made her eye lashes look more like butterflies that anything else. That day she wore a short black skirt, a tight white blouse and her short hair in a pony tail, the best she could. If it had been any other person wearing any other outfit, Roy would have shown them respect. Teaching in an outfit like that just screams respect. Whore. Roy thought to himself as he walked by her.

            English and Physics went by in a more peaceful manner, though he was late to them as well. But it was his physical education class that stood out that morning.

            Roy walked into the gym, where the class was taught, and walked to the teacher.

            “Mr. Penn?” Roy asked.

            “Yes that’s me.” Pen answered.

            “Will we be doing anything real physical today?”

            “Yeah. Why do you ask?”

            Roy raised his hands, his left hand in a cast and right hand with two broken fingers. “I really can’t do much.”

            “Damn, what happened to you?”

            “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

            “Okay then. Some other kids are setting out today. All we’re doing is some dodge ball. I’ll tell you this, in this class all you have to do is be here to pass.”

            “Thanks.”

            “Don’t mention it.” Penn blew the whistle. “Roll call.” Mr. Penn went through a list of names, calling each and marking those that were absent. “Billy John and Clark Wilson you two are captains pick your teams.” He turned to Roy, “Roy you can set on the bleachers.” He pointed to a group of kids. Roy walked over to them and sat down.

            “Your that guy that pissed off Mrs. Trish.” One of the boys said.

            “Yeah dude your so funny.” Another added.

            “Well I didn’t do anything to make her mad.” Roy said with a smile.

            “You’re the best, I’m Gill.” The one that first spoke said, reaching out his left hand.

            “I’m Oats.” The other said.

            Roy reached out with his broken hand. “I’m Roy.”

            “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you hand. What happened?” Gill apologized.

            “It’s okay you don’t have to apologize, but if it’s okay with you I’d rather not talk about it.” Roy looked around the gym, the game was starting. He noticed many of the kids, as they were in his other classes. “Why aren’t you two playing?”

            “We’re not really athletic.” Said Gill.

            “And getting hit in the face hurts.” Oats added.

            “There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to be hit in the face. Personally I also don’t like it.” Roy joked.

            After they stopped laughing there was an awkward silence for a few minute. Then Oats spoke up.

            “So... do you like comics?”

            “I like some, but I can’t say I own any.”

            “That’s okay, I don’t own that many that’s why I go to Gill’s house.”

            “So Roy what did you do this summer?” Gill asked.

            “I did a lot, everything from here to there.” Roy spoke bluntly. “What about you two?”

            “I just sat around and played video games.” Said Oats.

            “And all I did was study.”

            “What did you study?” Roy asked.

            “Just a bunch of stuff.”

            “Oh.”

            Elsewhere, in the gym, a group of guys stood in a circle.

            “Look at those nerds over there.” One said.

            “You know what we should do?”

            “What?”

            “We should all throw the dodge balls at them as hard as we can.”

            “Sure, but we’ll have to wait until Penn’s not looking.”

            They inched to the middle of the gym.

            Roy sat on the bleachers with his back to the gym, so that he was facing Oats and Gill.

            They had started a conversation about their favourite comic book characters and which ones were stronger.

            “Obviously he is stronger.” Oats explained.

            “Yeah but he couldn’t beat her.” Gill argued, “What do you think Roy?”

            “Well, he would beat her, but in a story telling sense she is a superior character, as she has flaws and displays a wider range of emotions.”

            “Told you he’s stronger.” But as Oats finished, the six boys had started to throw dodge balls at them. All of them hit Roy except for one, which completely missed them.

            Roy stood up and yelled, “Who the hell threw those?!” But with his back to Oats and Gill they could see that the force of the balls had tore some of the stitches on his back, reopening the wound, making it bleed. The blood soaked through the white shirt, with the larger portion of his back stained with blood.

            “Um Roy... your back is bleeding.” Gill said in a timid manner. But Roy continued.

            “Who threw them?”

            But one of the boys stepped forward. “What are you going to do about it?”

            “Roy seriously your bleeding, bleeding bad.” Oats added.

            “What are you talking about?” Roy reached over his shoulder and touched his back, he felt that it was wet. Roy took his shirt off revealing that a few of his stitches had broken but most of the bleeding was just superficial. But with his shirt it revealed something else, something to the group of boys, his chiselled body, they knew he was out of their league. He turned around revealing the cut to the group, but he spoke to Oats and Gill. “Can one of you hold this on my back so I don’t bleed all over the place?” He offered them the shirt. Gill took it and pushed it against Roy’s back. “Thanks man.”

            One of the boys, from the group, stepped forward, “Sorry man, we didn’t want anything like this to happen.”

            “Shut up.” Roy said coldly.

            Mr. Penn looked and saw Roy with his shirt off, and the blood on his back. He immediately ran over. “Roy are you okay?”

            “Yeah I’m okay, some of my stitches broke.”

            “Here come into my office,” Penn looked at Oats and Gill, “you two can help.”

            They walked across the gym, through a door and into a small office.

            Roy sat on a tall stool, Penn opened a medical kit and spoke, “You two can leave now, thank you.” Oats and Gill left. Penn poured some rubbing alcohol onto a wash clothe and started to dab the dried blood off Roy’s back.

            “You don’t have to do this, it would have stopped.”

            “Like hell I do! I don’t want you to bleed out.”

            “It’s funny,” Roy started.

            “What is?” Penn asked

            “When I first got cut, it didn’t bleed, but after like two hours when I got to the hospital it started bleeding like a stuffed pig.”

            Penn opened a container of petroleum jelly and coated the length of the cut with it. He then put a disposable cotton bandage on top of the cut, followed by rapping the top part with a stretchy nylon rap.

            “This should be good.” Penn pulled out an unopened bag of white under shirts, “Here take this.” He threw one to Roy

Roy put the shirt on and started to walk out of the office.

            “Wait.” Penn said as he sat in his desk’s chair. “Stay, have a seat.” Roy sat back on the stool. “I know you said you didn’t want to talk about your hand but why don’t you tell me about that gash. You look like a strong kid, what happened?”

            “Do I have too?” Roy asked as he started to look down.

            “It’s okay. Whatever you say will stay in here.”

            “This will just be between us?”

            “Yes.”

            “Okay,” Roy let out a deep breath, “a few weeks ago a man cut me.”

            “That’s not all, is it?”

            “He should have killed me. Once he cut me he shouldn’t have stopped.”

            “Why?”

            Roy looked Penn in the eyes, “Because when I started hitting him, I didn’t stop.”

            “So that’s what happened to your hand.”

            “Right.”

            “What happened to the man?”

            With high esteem he said, “I killed him.”

            “I see. There’s something you’re not telling me, but I respect you for what you said, and will respect whatever reasons you have for not telling me.” He reached to shake Roy’s hand. Tears flowed from his eyes. “Are you going to be okay?”

            “I’m okay.”

            “You seem like a good kid, I won’t ask you anymore questions. You can leave if you want.”

            “Thank you, Mr. Penn, for everything.” Roy dried his eyes and walked back to the gym.

            The bell rang, the class was over and lunch began.

            In the cafeteria Roy sat alone, but soon Oats and Gill came over to Roy, but they were accompanied by a third person, a girl.

            “Roy, this is Katy.” Oats introduced her.

            Roy for the first time looked Oats and Gill over carefully. Their not fat, their average. Why wouldn’t they like physical activity. Sure they talked about comics and stuff like that, but that doesn’t mean anything. He then looked at Katy, And she’s not ugly, but she has that awkward aura around her, like she’s out of place. “Hello Katy.” Roy said politely. He then started to read their minds. Everything fell together in his mind. Their gay? Well that’s okay.

            “What’s wrong?” Katy asked as she saw Roy staring blankly at them.

            They think I’m... got to say something straight, but what? “I was just picturing you naked.” His eyes opened wide. Why did I say that?

            “What?” Katy said with a half smile.

            “He was just joking. Remember I told you he’s like that.” Oats explained.

            “Yeah... ha, ha, ha. A joke why would I actually say that?”

            “Oh. I thought you were serious. What a relief.”

            The three sat around Roy.

            They ate in peace for some time, but that harmony was soon interrupted by the group of boys from the gym. They encircles the table, there were more this time.

            A man larger than the rest, and even taller than Roy stepped forward. “I heard what happened in your P.E class.”

Goddamn it. Why am I always a target for this shit? Seriously, not even in movies does someone go through all this shit. “So you’ve come to apologize? Some of the other guys already did, so your in the clear.”

            “Is this fagot retarded?” The man asked his comrades.

            But Roy responded, “Come on man, half the words in that sentence were offensive.”

            “Shut the fuck up. I heard you tried to put a scare in my boys. You think your some tough shit don’t you? Well for that your going to get your ass beat.”

            “Wait! Before you do that, think of the individual words you just said.” Roy started.

            “What.”

            “Well you said, “My Boys,” and “ass beat,” now I mean no offense when I say this but, you appear to be a closeted homosexual. I’m not insinuating that you are I’m just saying you sound and look like one.”

            The man lifted Roy from his chair and stood Roy in front of him.

            “Come on man we don’t have to do this. Plus would you really hit someone with busted up hands?” Roy showed his hands to the crowd.

            “I don’t care!” He punched Roy in the jaw.

            Roy’s face barely moved, but it did hurt, “Ow, that hurt.”

            The crowd was in awe.

            “How is he still standing?” Many people repeated.

            “You seem like a tough little fag.”

            But as he finished his words Roy made his move.

            Roy kicked the man in the right knee, falling him to the ground.

            “Ahh!” He yelled.

            With the man on his knees, Roy kneed him in the mouth, knocking his front teeth out.

            “Now please apologize.” Roy demanded.

            “What?” The man asked after spitting out a glob of blood and saliva.

            “Apologize to me and my friends,” Roy gestured to Oats, Gill and Katy. “If you don’t I could easily start breaking bones.”

            “Okay, man just stop! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Just please don’t hurt me.”

            “If anyone asked where and how you lost your teeth what will you say?”

            “I don’t know! I won’t mention your name, please let me go.” The man got to his feet.

            “Get out of here.”

            The crowd left.

            “Wow, dude you kicked his ass.” Said Katy.

            “Thanks for doing that he’s been fucking with us for years.” said Gill.

            “It was nothing.” Roy replied.

            “No, it wasn’t nothing. You put that jackass in his place.”

            “Please stop talking about it.”

            They started to eat there lunch in silence. Every place is the same. Damn it. “If it’s okay with you guys I’m going to go walk to my next class.”

            “Sure man.”

            Roy’s next class, history, was in the schools main building, on the top floor. It was not that difficult to find, but as he reached the door the bell rang. Roy looked further down the hall. He saw a door with a sign saying, “Roof Access.” Roy walked over to it and jiggled the handle, it was locked. Forcing the tumblers into place, he opened the door.

            Roy walked up a flight of stairs, the stairway was dark making Roy have to use his powers.

            Finally he reached a door, pass it was the roof.

            The sky was cloudy, obscuring the sun and making, what would have been a plain of molten tar into a glorious stage to look out at an audience of buildings and trees.

            Roy sat at the edge of the building. Three years ago I met her just by chance. It was by that shear randomness that made me stop questioning your existence. Meeting her showed me that you were real and that you were smiling on me. But when you separated us I felt a helplessness that I had never felt before, but then you gave me this power and I though I had something big I had to do, but now I’m lost. I don’t know what to do. If you just gave me a sign that will tell me what to do, I’ll do it. God is it selfish for me to ask for something, even after all you’ve done for me? Please let me be with Nina again.

            The bell rang, signalling the end of the hour, and Roy walked back down the stairs, and to his last hour class.

            The health class was next to the history room, but even with that short distance Roy still managed to be late. Keeping the tradition alive! He cheered himself up.

            The class was taught by a teacher by the name Dover, Ms. Dover.

            Roy walked into the class.

            “You must be Roy,” Dover said as she looked at her clipboard. “You’ve seem to have missed last hour and have been late to every class. I hope this isn’t a habit. Is it?”

            “I’m afraid so, I’m late a lot. I’m sorry.”

            The class was gawking at him, the man Roy had knocked the teeth out of was in the class.

            Some kids were talking.

            “He’s not that big dude! Jake said he was like ten feet tall.”

            “Yeah and look, his hands are all fucked up.”

            Finally Roy said, “Am I missing something?”

            To which Ms. Dover said, “You seem to be quite popular, isn’t that right, Jake.” She spoke to the one Roy had fought. Roy looked at him angrily.

            “Dude I didn’t say anything!” Jake yelled, Roy knew he was telling the truth.

            “Don’t worry Roy, your not in trouble, it’s just funny how you knocked some sense into my little cousin.” Ms. Dover said.

            “I’m so sorry.”

            “It’s okay, I assume he deserved it.”

            The hour went by fast and soon the final bell of the day rang.

            Roy walked home, his mother was there waiting for him.

            “How was your day?” She asked.

            “Terrible.” He answered.

            “That’s too bad, guess what I got you.”

            “Aren’t you going to ask why it was terrible?”

            “Nope. Guess what I got you.”

            “I don’t know, what?”

            “A hamster. It’s in your room.”

            “Why did you get me a hamster?”

            “Well it’s like this. You’ve been sad lately and that’s understandable, so I got you it to cheer you up. See it goes like, this when I’m sad, it comforts me knowing I have complete control over something, you. With this you have control of something.”

            “Thanks.” He said bluntly.

            Roy walked up to his room. The hamster’s cage was setting on his bed. He sat next to it. How’s having complete control over something supposed to cheer me up? He looked at the hamster. Complete control. He thought. That’s it. If I can control a hamster it’s only a step from people. That gives me an idea. Roy started to smile. Lets start bending wills.