The Red - Handed Boy

Chapter 8 (Part 3) - Twister

Would it be better... if I just forgot everything?
The chill breeze gave life to the night. The streets were completely bare aside from Kent. He was heading towards Heidegger Academy. Kent pondered many thoughts as he walked through the night.
Could I just forget everything? Forget about Indie? I just want to go back to the days of me, and Ashley.
Kent sighed.
All of these flashbacks I'm having, they remind me of better times.
Kent chuckled to himself.
God, let me be swept away by the winds, and brought up to Heaven, where Ashley is.
Kent looked up at the sky. It was a half moon. He looked longingly at the stars, dwelling on each and every one. He thought of Ashley, remembering her face, her smile. He remembered the way she looked at him. Her eyes shining a dark hazel whenever he looked in her eyes.
"Kent..."
He imagined her saying. He imagined her walking towards him for a hug, he started walking towards the imaginary Ashley. They were about to hug when suddenly Ashley's body caught aflame.
"ASHLEY!!!"
Kent called out.
Ashley reached for Kent. Kent reached towards for her. But before they could contact, she asked,
"Kent, why didn't you save me?"
And then her body turned to ashes. And then, Indie came from the ashes.
Kent's eyes widened. They filled with murderous rage.
"INDIE!"
He screamed, and rushed towards him.
"You did this to her."
He said, before disappearing.
And then, Kent snapped back to reality.
What? He asked himself. Was that a daydream?
Kent noticed that he was suddenly out of breath.
Why was that daydream so vivid? It was like... a nightmare.
Kent found himself walking into an alleyway. He was extraordinarily hungry. His book bag was filled with nothing but trash, he drank all of his water and ate all of his fruit. He would eat anything. Kent was in the alleyway, and he started looking through the trash in the alleyway, looking for any semblance of food. He knew it was degrading, but he was so hungry. Kent searched, but he could not find any food, not even scraps.
There's nothing, he thought, I'm going to starve.
Kent felt his stomach starting to convulse. He kept searching.
Please let there be something.
At that moment, Kent heard a sound.
What was that? He asked himself.
He heard the sound again. He started to go closer towards it, the sound started to become louder and louder. It was a high pitched sound. Soon, Kent reached another trash pile, and began to dig through it.
And then, Kent saw what was making the sound.
His eyes widened, and he staggered back.
"WAAH! WAAH!"
It was a baby. It was crying.
Kent hesitated at first, but then went closer to examine it.
What is a baby doing here? Kent thought. Well it looks more like a toddler. It can't be more than two years old.
The toddler had a gentle, caramel complexion, and appeared to be a boy.
His eyes were a bright silver, and he looked at Kent directly into his eyes. Kent was shaking.
Who's toddler is this? He asked himself. Who left him here? Who would do such a—
"Dada?"
The toddler spoke.
Kent's eyes widened even more, he gasped.
What? What?! What is this?!
The toddler spoke again.
"Aw you dada?"
Kent felt his throat dry up immediately.
He broke out in a cold sweat.
Tears were still falling down the toddler's face. The toddler's eyes were filled with a forlorn hope.
Kent was rendered speechless. He felt his stomach convulse again.
Then, Kent saw what was near the toddler.
A lighter and some oil...
He examined the lighter and oil, and then looked at the toddler.
He started to salivate, his pupils dilated.
But then he realized what he was doing, and quickly stopped himself.
What? What was I just thinking about doing?
His stomach convulsed again. He looked back at the lighter and oil, and his hands started trembling. He went towards the objects, and started at them.
Ashley...
He thought.
He went to the toddler, and picked him up. The toddler still had tears on his face.
Kent thought back.
"Hey Ashley. If you had a son, what would you name him?"
"Hmm..."
Ashley pondered.
"I would name him...Clancy."
"Clancy?"
Kent asked.
"Yeah, it means 'The Red Warrior'."
She smiled.
"Wouldn't you want a strong son?"
Kent took his hand and wiped away the toddler's tears.
"Don't cry, Clancy."
Clancy's tears stopped.
"Dada?" He asked.
Kent smiled to himself,
"Yes. I'm your dada."
Clancy looked around.
"Mama?"
He asked.
Kent's eyes dimmed.
"Mama is gone. She was a great woman, a much better person than I will ever be."
His tone got deeper.
"But a monster killed her, and I swear, I will find that monster, and kill it."
Kent noticed that Clancy was trembling.
He held Clancy higher, and then hugged him.
"I'll protect you, for the rest of my life if need be."
I won't let our son die, Ashley.
Then Kent left the alleyway, and he started walking while carrying Clancy. He was walking in the direction of Heidegger Academy. The night breeze was still blowing peacefully.
Kent looked down at Clancy while smiling, and Clancy reached his arm up and yanked on Kent's cheek.
"Ow."
Kent playfully said as he giggled. Then Kent sniffed.
"You need a shower."
He told Clancy. Clancy let go of his cheek and pointed towards Kent. Kent smelled himself.
"I do too."
He said. Kent thought to himself, and decided to take a quick detour. He walked with Clancy until he reached a house.
It was his parents'.
Kent pulled out his cellphone. And he called his dad.
"Son."
His father answered.
Kent took a deep breath.
"Dad, is mom home?"
"You know her as well as I do. She's at the store."
Yes! Kent thought.
And then before Kent could say anything else, his father was at the door face to face with Kent.
"What do you want? It's twelve in the morning."
His father spoke in a monotonous voice.
And then he sniffed, and noticed the baby.
"Where'd you get that?"
He asked.
"I found him in an alleyway. I've named him Clancy."
For a split second, Kent's father's eyes widened, but then they went back to normal.
"You both smell atrocious. Come, clean yourselves."
Kent's father stepped closer to them but Kent stepped back.
"No time."
He said.
"I've come to tell you that I'm getting vengeance on Indie."
Clancy suddenly started whining.
"And about my newfound fatherhood."
Kent's father smiled.
"Indie..."
He mumbled to himself.
"Do you know where he is?" He asked.
Kent shook his head.
"No, but I'm going to Heidegger. If he wants to get revenge on everyone who's wronged him, he will eventually end up at Heidegger."
His father looked disappointed.
"Son, why don't you go to Heidegger and try to hide the children instead of waiting for Indie? His target is the children, not the building."
Kent thought for a bit.
"Yeah, you're right, that's a much better idea!"
Kent's father looked at Kent. Thinking about his past.
"Son, meet again with me in one week. Start gathering and hiding all the children you can. Then meet with me. In one week, I might know where Indie is."
As soon as he said that Kent's eyes widened and he started taking deep breaths.
"HOW?! HOW WILL YOU KNOW?"
Kent exclaimed.
Kent's father stated at Kent blankly.
"There are something's children do not need to know."
Kent was desperate.
"BUT—"
"Kent, your mother will be home soon."
Kent pulled out his phone. It was 12:10 a.m.
"Dad, why are you so nonchalant about this? You haven't called or texted me once since I ran away, and when I came to your house with a baby saying I'm going to get revenge on Indie, you simply brush it all off."
Kent's father sighed.
"Some things have to be done. I'm not in the position to tell you what you should or should not do. I cannot judge nor tell you what's right or wrong. You just have to find out for yourself. Just know, you, son, are one of the only two things I love in this world."
Kent laughed.
"The other one being mom?"
Kent's father stayed silent.
"Can you feel it, son? There's a storm coming. It feels like a twister."
Kent couldn't tell.
"I checked the weather on my phone, it's not supposed to storm anytime this week."
For one of the only times Kent can remember, his father looked genuinely sad.
Suddenly, a car started coming towards the house. It was Kent's mom.
"Goodbye son." Kent's father said.
"See ya in one week."
Kent said as him and Clancy started to run away.
Hopefully, Kent's father thought.
Kent and Clancy ran and got to Heidegger Academy.
It was 12:45 a.m. They went and slept in an alleyway near the school. When they woke up it was 6:15 a.m.
Students were arriving and so were school buses. It was Wednesday. Kent and Clancy sneakily made their way towards students in Kent's grade.
"Guys..."
Kent whispered.
"Guys, it's me."
The students started to hear his voice.
"Don't turn towards me."
He whispered.
"It'll draw attention."
"Kent?!"
One of the girls exclaimed.
"Shhh"
Kent said.
"Keep your voice down."
"Kent what are you doing? I heard about Ashley, I'm so sorry, but why haven't you been at school? The teachers said you went missing eight days ago. What are you doing? Is it related to Indie?"
Kent grabbed her arm.
"You guys have to come and leave with me. Indie is coming to kill ALL of you."
The girl turned around and looked at Kent, and then the rest of the group.
"Huh? Kent, what are you talking about?"
She asked.
"Are you cool man?"
One of them asked.
"Wait is that a baby?"
Someone mumbled.
"Have you gone crazy after Ashley's death?"
Another asked.
"Yo, you can't say that so lightly."
Another said.
"Wait, you know that rumor that's going around, about how Indie killed Ashley? Maybe he's telling the truth."
The girl said.
"Yes!"
Kent exclaimed.
"Now come with me, we don't have much ti—"
"Kent."
A figure approached the group.
Kent's eyes widened.
"Jax."
Kent said seriously.
"Ashley's dead, huh?"
Jax asked as he came face to face with Kent.
"Yes."
Kent replied as his voice broke.
"It's your fault."
Jax said.
"You let that monster, Indie, kill her."
Kent stepped back and felt his throat become dry.
"Jax you—"
"Well, this wouldn't be the first time one of our classmates died."
Kent looked downwards.
"Mira."
Kent said quietly.
And then Jax noticed the baby.
"Why do you have a baby with you?"
He asked.
"I'll answer all of that later, just trust me, we all have to go. Indie is coming. We can all go and find a place to hide, just come with me!"
A bigger crowd started to gather.
"Kent?"
Some of them asked.
"Is that a baby?"
Others asked.
"He's telling us to leave with him."
Some whispered
Bro, Kent thought, is this really gonna play out like every movie where a character tells the rest of the characters to come with them in order to be safe, but they don't listen to the character and end up dying?
"What's wrong, Kent?"
Jax asked.
"You don't seem like you usually do. You're usually such a calm and collected guy, but you're acting very desperate today."
Kent started to get mad.
"EVERYONE! COME WITH ME! I'LL SAVE YOU!"
Kent yelled.
The children looked at each other, and started laughing.
"You sound like a little kid, Kent. 'I'll save you!' You aren't a hero my guy."
One of them said.
"Looks like Ashley's death is really hitting him hard."
Another one said.
"If you think Indie can really kill all of us, then you're actually stupid."
Another person said.
Jax put a hand on Kent's shoulder.
"Kent, buddy, you're making a fool of yourself. Is this really what Ashley would want?"
Kent's eyes widened and he thought.
Would Ashley want this?
But then the thoughts got cut off by siren sounds.
"Everyone! Stand back!"
Kent snapped back to reality.
"The police?"
He asked.
"Oh yeah..."
Jax said.
"I kinda called the police before I even came up to you. Oops."
He shrugged his shoulders.
"You—"
Kent was saying as the police got closer.
Kent started to run while still carrying Clancy. Kent and Clancy kept running and running...

[The Fall of Kent Arc - END]