The human-shaped bulge rolled over under the mass of blankets and sheets, and an auburn tangle of hair popped out. Black eyes narrowed against the red glare of the electric clock’s numerals in the nearly dark room. It read five-fifty-eight AM, and the dark eyes widened until they revealed their true color to be a lighter brown, highlighted red by the given light. The boy suddenly tumbled from the bed, struggling to stand. He dashed for the door, swinging it open to reveal a pitch black hallway. Stumbling towards the bathroom, he stepped inside and closed the door. Light poured from under the door into the hallway. There was a silent moment before the door swung upon and the boy hastily dashed for the bedroom again to retrieve his forgotten clothes. On his way out he banged his toe against the wall.
“Shit!” He ground out, wincing at the pain, before attempting to limp to the bathroom. The lights flicked on suddenly, and he had to shield his eyes from the light. Standing between him and the bathroom was his uncle, looking very distraught and confused. Sleep was still evident in his eyes.
“Everett…?” He rasped, “What are...what are you doing?”
“Oh…um, sorry Uncle James,” he paused the name still feeling awkward on his lips, “I’m running late for school. I need to, uh, get in there.” He said, pointing to the bathroom his uncle blocked now. His uncle, as if time had literally slowed his actions and thoughts, seemed to take a longer pause than necessary. Then he took his time to turn and glance at the bathroom door Everett still pointed to. After looking back at him, spotting the mess of clothes tucked under his arms, he took a long breath in. Then he blew it out in one long sigh.
“Everett…what time is it?”
“Six…”
“Right. And what time do you need to be leaving for school?”
“Twenty after….” Realization lit up Everett’s eyes, and his face fell. His grimace turned his expression into a regretful apology.
“Right, ten after
eight. You’re two hours early.”
“Right. I’ll just…head back to bed, then.” He stared at the floor, wishing not to look at his James’ expression as he headed back to his bedroom. Shutting the door behind him, he flipped on the lights and flopped down on top of the haphazard sheets, leaving the clothes somewhere on the floor. He stared around this unfamiliar bedroom that was now to be called his, and turned his head to stare over at all his unpacked things in the corner. It had been a week now. Or was it a week and a half? Either way, he’d been here long enough to settle in. Yet he hadn’t done so. This place just wasn’t his home. He’d never particularly liked Florida, but he’d never hated it either. And his home had always been there. Now he had been forced to move across country to this place. Rai Island, the home island of his parents, who had hated this place with a burning passion. Why? The reason had never been obvious, but now perhaps he’d find out for himself. Already his uncle and aunt seemed to hate having to put up with him, though their kids seemed to like him enough.
Sighing, he closed his eyes. This hour was the norm for him. Right now, states away, his friends were probably heading to their second class of the day. Everyone he knew was in school right now, and he should have been with them. Friends that probably didn’t remember his existence. But nevertheless, he’s called them friends. Thinking about his highschool, and all the times he complained about it, he wondered if it would now look like a top rated school in comparison to this Martin Van whatever place. With a troubled heart, his brain reminded him of why he’d been sent here, and everything that had come with his foolishness. Slowly, his breathing leveled out, and his chest rose and fell with each shallow breath. He was asleep before he could realize it was taking over.
_____________
A strange beeping protruded his senses, and Everett found himself wondering what it was. Right, the hospital. Kaden was here. Something had gone wrong. He’d fallen. No one had helped. So he’d been taken to the hospital? No, that wasn’t right. Kaden had left already. He was gone. No one could help anymore. So what was that noise? Everett’s eyes flicked open, panic filling them as he hurriedly turned his head this way and that. He lay in some strange, cold bed. The sheets itched against his skin. Cords were intertwining all around him, connected to him in every way. He could feel the sting of the IVs, and the discomfort of the tubes that entered his airways. He tried to move, tried to reach for the tubes, to remove them; but his body never even twitched despite his struggles for control. It was ss if he had invisible restraints. Why was he here? Why? He didn’t want to die…
The beeping grew louder, and so did his desperation. As if the effort had been draining the life from him, blackness began to take over. His vision turned murky, heat cascading over him, and his ears buzzed. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t hear. He couldn’t think. His body flung up into a sitting position, sweating profusely, and he stared at the wall of the bedroom with wide eyes. Taking deep breathes, he twisted back to glance at the alarm clock, the beeping blaringly loud. It was…five minutes after eight? Everett blinked against the murkiness of his brain. Why was this bad? What did he have to do this morning? It took only a short moment for it to come to him.
“Crap, school!” He jumped up out of bed, grabbing the clothes that had been left on the floor, and ran for the bathroom. After hopping in for a quick shower, he threw on a pair of fitting blue jeans and a tight white t-shirt. His hair, sopping wet, trailed water down his neck, soaking his shirt. By the time, he picked up his things and went back to his room to grab his bag, half his back was wet.
“Uncle James? Aunt Susan?” He began to yell for them, hoping they might give him a ride. But the house was empty when he went looking for them. So they’d probably taken Gregory and Henry to school. The feeling of being unwanted hit him hard, and he let that sting settle in as he made way for the front door. If they didn't want to help him, then he'd just find a way for himself. It was only about a fifteen minute walk, if his calculations were right. James had shown Everett the school from a distance about a couple days after he'd arrived, and told him the best ways to get there. At first, Everett had thought nothing of this. But now he wondered, did James expect this to happen? For Everett to be running late and causing trouble? Well, yes, he probably did.
He slammed the front door shut a little harder than necessary, and practically jumped down the wooden steps. As soon as his shoe touched the pavement he was off jogging down the driveway. He adjusted his backpack on his shoulders, and tightened the arms with a swift pull to the straps. Then he was running down the street of his uncle’s neighborhood, his set course in mind. Well, with the way the rain was coming down on him, no one would notice his wet shirt and hair; the rest of him would be wet, too.
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