SHADOW KID

Chapter 8

"Are you kidding me? A dream about an infinite being?" said Alex, trying hard to control himself from bursting into laughter as Ash rolled his eyes.

     They just finished school, and Ash decided to accompany Alex at the bus stop before his mum came along to fetch him. However, he was starting to 'rethink' that decision now  Actually, he was starting to regret telling Alex about his...
'dream'.

      "I'm not kidding, Alex. The dream felt so real", Ash reassured, before kicking an empty can, upsetly.

       "OK. OK. Calm down", Alex replied, raising his hands in contempt. "But a sureal dream", he repeated. "It just sounds, too... corny". Ash could certainly do without Alex's jibe right now. It was really starting to blow his fuse off, but he couldn't blame him. Anyone in his shoes, would have thought of the same thing.

     Before he could coagulate his reply, Mrs Haily's car pulled up in front of the bus stop. "Okay, gotta go bro", said Alex, as he slung his bag over his shoulder. "And about the dream", he reinstated, turning back. "Just ignore it, dude".

     Right after Alex went home, Ash thought it'd be wise to do the same. Ash certainly didn't want his parents to worry about him again. Especially, his mum.

      Precipitously when he was about to make his move, Tyson showed up. And he wasn't alone. He brought some of his bad company along with him. A bunch of impish, wayward boys as Ash would call them.

      "Well look who's here? If it isn't the abject little crofter". said Tyson, disdainfully.

      "What do you want, Tyson? Aren't you supposed to be with your dad?" Ash probed. It wasn't like Tyson to not follow his dad home, particularly after school.

      Usually, a chic limousine would pick him up or even under the vilest circumstances, Mr Maxwell himself would fetch his son. However, that wasn't the case today.

      "That should be the least of your concerns, peasant. You should be more worried about your own skin", Tyson began.
Ash didn't really get his point, until Tyson decreed, "Let's teach this crofter who we are".

       "Dead meat", thought Ash.

     Ash began to run as Tyson and his gang of tyrants hurtled after him, catching up fast. Tyson was the first as he grabbed Ash by the collar and heaved him starkly to the ground.

     Ash groaned in agony as another boy punched him in the face before taking another grotesque hit in the stomach. Tyson then grabbed Ash by the neck and tugged him to a fence with his elbow. He raised his fist in gusto, aiming for the face and Ash braced himself for the blow.

      "Eat this", said Tyson but before he could even touch his face... Ash vanished into thin air and reappeared behind Tyson.

      Tyson's punch hit the fence and he cursed scornfully as his fist screamed in anguish. "Get that bloody rat!" said Tyson he bellowed cantakerously.

       The rest of the boys complied, attacking Ash just as they were edicted, but each time one of them got close, Ash vanished and reappeared just a few inches away from them. "How am doing this?" thought Ash.

       "Whatever's happening to me. It's good", he rephrased. Then, an idea struck him which made him beam. "What if I use it to get out of this?"

        Ash blocked the next attack coming his way with his forearm and ducked under a kick before reappearing at the back of the assailant. He swiped his legs and the attacker was swept off the ground.

       "How'd you like that?" said Ash pompously. The other boys smirked, as Tyson sauntered forward. "Don't get too cocky just yet, crofter", he mocked and charged at Ash with his shoulders upfront.

        Ash smiled as he felt a surge of energy within him. He vanished again, this time lashing out his knee when he recurred beside Tyson, crunching it into his nose.

       Tyson's felt hot blood spray from his nostrills as he hunkered and collapsed backwards. He grated in anguish as he dislocated his shoulder when he fell.

      The rest of the bullies didn't attack anymore. Not that, they dared anyway. "What's wrong, guys? I'm right here", Ash lampooned.

      "You...you're a freak!" Tyson stammered as he dabbed his nose with his shirt, trying to clot the blood. His debauched comrades helped him up as he said, "Let's scram guys!" before they sprinted off aghast, leaving Ash alone.

       Ash stood there, still partially jumbled and confused with what he did. "What's happening to me?" he mused. Is this what the... 'Shadowverse' was talking about? Is this..." Ash paused, as he struggled to find the right words.

        "My gift?"