Monday, March 16, 2009

Chapter 3: Off to the Mountains The last bell signaling the end of school had rang. The students all rushed and pushed their way through the crowd to get out of the school as fast as they could. Ashen. Picked up his backpack and headed for his locker. As Ashen walked through the crowded hallways of his school, his noticed a few kids talking here and there and no one paid him any attention. They just bumped into him and nkept walking without a single word of apology. Ashen reached his locker shortly after to put his books in the locker. Just as Ashen was ready to walk off, out of nowhere, a hand slammed onto his shoulder. The sudden spark of pain shocked him causing him to jump. Ashen turned around and saw that it was Bruce. A large guy with red hair and was one of this schools MANY bullies. "What...." Ashen said "Ashen....buddy! Whats up?" he said (Ashen lets out a huge sigh and continues to walk off) "Hey! Did I say you can go anywhere?!" Bruce said with a raised and aggrivated voice. "Then what the hell do you want!!" Ashen said angrily. Before Ashen knew it, he was being pummeled and stomped behind the school near the football field. Every blow that landed from Bruce felt as if something was gonna explode from within. This boy was unusually strong. After 10 minutes, Bruce left him alone and walked off laughing. Ashen slowly picked himself up and slowly walked toward home. As Ashen made the 2 mile walk home, he dragged his backpack on the ground because his arms were too hurt to do anything and his legs felt like jelly. As Ashen approached the tall hill which his house stood upon, Ashen sighed as he fought and fought his way up the hill. The sun had began to set cloaking the sky in a deep orange color. After 20 minutes of struggling, Ashen made it to his large mansion-like house where he lived all by himself. Ashen slowly opened the door. "I'm home..." he said knowing that no one would answer Ashen put his things on the ground and went to one of his many bathrooms to bandage himself up after the beating he just took. Ashen's mom was died in the hospital after being hit by a car from some guy driving drunk. Amelia, Steven, and Ashen stood by his mother at the hospital as she died. Her last words to Amelia and Steven were,"Take care of Ashen for me." Her last words to him were," Take care of yourself." With that, Ashen was left with their mansion of a house and a savings of a quarter million dollars. Amelia had taken what his mom had said to her to heart and for the past year, Amelia had been stopping by everyday to take him to school and made sure he does his work.......just like a mother. Steven made sure no one picked on him or gave him a hard time. Ashen always felt different from others and others treated him differently. Steven would step up to his defense. Ashen walked into the bathroom and applied ointment and and bandages to the scars and bruises on his face and limbs. The swelling would have to go down on its own. If need be, he would come up with an excuse to ditch school. After a while, He came out the bathroom and suddenly, the doorbell rang. The sound echoed loudly throughout the house. Ashen instantly ran toward the door. He got halfway to the door before he stopped. It could have only been one person at that door.........Amelia. "(Oh man...if Amelia sees me like this....she'll worry...........damn.....)" Ashen said to himself. The doorbell rang again Ashen walked to the door. "Who is it." he said "You know who it is. Open the door." Amelia said "Um......no. I am a little busy right. Now. Come back later." Ashen said from behind the door. "Ashen..is everything okay?" she asked worriedly knocking on the door. "Everything is just fine Amelia. Call me later or something! Bye." Ashen said Ashen let out a sigh of relief and walked to the bathroom to check on his face. When he got there, he noticed that his right eye was beginning to turn black from bruising. Ashen pounded his fist on the sink as hard as he could. Cursing himself for his weakness. "(If only I were stronger....)" Ashen said to himself as he looked at himself in the mirror. Disgusted at the person that looked back at him. Suddenly, there was a loud thud that came from the hallway. Ashen rushed to the hall only to find Amelia for she had opened the hallway window from the outside and hopped in. "Amelia....!" Ashen said Amelia looked closely at Ashen and noticed the bruises and bandages on his face and quickly rushed to him. "Ashen!! What happened to you!!" she said Ashen quickly turned away. "Nothing." he said "Like hell this is nothing!! Who did this to you!!" she said as she inspected him Ashen angrily moved her hand away "Stop! I don't need your help!!" Ashen said "But Ashen...you're hurt..." she said "So??!! I can take care of myself!! I don't need you to take care of me and solve all my problems!!" Ashen yelled "But...." she said "You're not my mother!! Just leave!!" Ashen said "No..." Amelia said softly "JUST GO!!" Ashen yelled causing Amelia to leave in a panic. Slamming the door behind her. Ashen stood there for a while before heading to his room for bed. The next few days, Ashen was absent from school and Amelia and Ashen hadn't talked or seen each other since. Ashen sat at home watching television on his 61 inch sceen television eating popcorn. Suddenly, his cell phone rang. Ashen picked it up and it was Steven. He was tempted to pick it up but.........he didn't. Ashen let the phone ring and continued on watching tv. In a flash. The week had gone by and still no sign of Ashen. And the three still weren't speaking to one another. Before he knew it, the class trip to the mountains that the teacher suggested was here. Ashen packed some spare clothes and his hygiene stuff, some food and picked up a pure silver dog tag that had a picture of him and his mother on it. He wore it for good luck. Around noon, Ashen arrived at school with his things and several students had lined up to get on the bus. Before he had time to prepare himself, he was standing beside Amelia and Steven. Amelia took one glance at Ashen and turned away in disgust. Ashen sighed and got on the bus. Once one the bus, to his misfortune, Ashen ended up sitting next to Amelia and Steven sat behind them. The old man for a teacher silenced the class because he had something to say. "Class. Thanks to the kind contribution of our very own Ashen.....(class cheers) we are able to take this 15 hour long trip to the Shiuel Caves which houses the....." the teacher said but was interrupted "Wait a minute! A 15 hour long trip!! I was never informed!!" a student said "Silence boy!! (coughs)" "Anyway, we are on our way to the Shiuel Caves which houses the Surtanryu. The kitana of one of the legendary demons Sessaru Shuiel." the assistant said Ashen sighed and looked out the window as the bus began to roll.