What They Did (Merome FanFiction)

Chapter 3: False Realities

The answer to the math question last chapter was 37.

7x+39=2+8x

7x-7x+39=2+8x-7x

39=2+x

39-2=2-2+x

37=x

x=37

And now you'll all be thinking, "NERD!" or "HA! GAY!", but I'm okay with that because I want to challenge you all to think and better yourselves through knowledge...or whatever s*** the teachers try to feed us. Don't get me wrong, most of my teachers have been awesome, but...let's just say that whatever teaching school of rainbows and uniwaffles they went to is throwing poop at their communication skills. That's what the conscious' environment was, so it picked up on it's influences... Sorry if that was cryptic...

Jerome's POV

I was running through the forest, fur flying free, in the shade, mixed with splotches of sun rays. Betty was strapped to my back and my hat was in my pocket. My furry feet padded against the soft earth. A twang echoed as an arrow pierced the bark of a tree right in front of me. I skidded to a stop and shut my eyes as it just barely touched my nose. I looked to the right, the direction in which the arrow seemed to originate, and my eyes widened to see another shoot at my feet with a red light flashing frantically.

        "Oh no," I mumbled before a small explosion was set off, sending me off my feet and slamming against the tree. I rubbed my head and glanced up to see a blue astronaut with an orange visor holding the same bow that shot at me.

        'Oh, God, no. Not Jason! I've been caught,' I thought. I really wanted to keep my bacca side a secret, but I guess that meant never letting loose. I was a little hesitant about going into the woods in the first place, but the urge to let my fur fly free in the wind was just too strongk. I guess I kind of regretted my actions at the moment.

        "I got it, guys! It's a bacca!" Jason exclaimed to the bushes. From behind the greens came two guys. One was a brunette, wearing a black commando suit with black and white gloves, maroon boots, sunglasses, and a purple gemstone amulet lined with [budder]. The other had reddish-brown hair, red eyes, and was wearing a white v-neck lined with black, grey cargo pants, back shoes with purple laces, purple wristbands, and black headphones with green inner speakers. Adam and Ty.

        "Ohh, it's in for it now!" Adam exclaimed, blood lust evident in his tone.

        "Guys, I know you're bloodthirsty and all, but I don't really take kindly to being called an it," I reasoned. (WHY NOT?! Is there something wrong with its? :( ) Their heads snapped from their conversation to me, eyebrows raised. Ty grew a ruthless smirk.

        "Wait a minute," he muttered and strolled over to where I was sprawled on the ground. My eyes widened as he dug into my pockets, pulling out my hat. Adam and Jason just watched curiously. Ty snatched Betty from my back. He felt along the handle and pushed a hidden button, a projection of the Benj and Bacc motto flashing in the air. He smiled evilly and chuckled before pressing it again, causing the image to cut out. He glared down at me with the same grin.

        "Well, well, well. What do we have here, Jerome? Did you forget to shave this morning?" Ty teased. Adam and Jason stared at us with disbelief for a moment, but they too started to smirk. It was starting to really scare me. I turned back to Ty. There was no more to lose at that point.

        "A bacca never shaves his pride. His pride is in his fur," I announced defensively. That only confirmed their assumptions. Adam came up and grabbed me by my collar, lifting me up. I struggled at first, but soon found myself glaring defiantly into his sunglasses.

        "I think you deserve a little more than just a cage, Fluffy," he spat, making the nickname sound like an acid packet that he buried under my skin, ready to stay there for eternity if allowed.

        Before I realized what was going on, I was dangling by a rope wrapped around my waist off the edge of a balcony, a bonfire raging below. Ian was gripping the rope that, if loosened, would result in me plunging into the flames below. Funny how one of my most trusted friends was my executor. When you think you know a guy...

        I looked out onto the cheering crowd, noticing some bustling in the front row. I glanced over to see Mitch struggling to get past Seto, who was blocking him under orders of Adam.

        "No! Jerome!" he yelled in anguish. Seto tried his best to calm him down, looking toward me with sorrow now and then, but it just led to Mitch yelling some words that his parents would be very ashamed to hear and attempting to push away once more. Ian leaned toward my ear.

        "He's sentenced for tomorrow morning for helping out a hybrid. Bet you feel bad now, huh?" he whispered with hatred. My heart dropped.

        "No, it's not his fault! He shouldn't be punished!" I retaliated. "I demand his life to be spared as my death wish!" Ian smirked.

        "Oh, Jerome. Silly, naive Jerome. Don't you know that hybrids don't have rights?" he taunted.

        I was about to snap back when his grip loosened on the rope. My eyes widened as I watched the flames come closer. I closed my eyes as they licked at my feet.

        "JEROME!" I heard from the crowd as a sickening smack ('The Lorax' reference! 8D) rang in my ears and darkness encased me.

        "JEROME!" I heard again. I was confused. Wasn't I dead? I pried my eyes open to see the face of my best friend as he tried to shake me awake.

        "What?" I mumbled, burying my face into my pillow.

        "Catch me if you can, Sweetness!" he yelled in a slight Bajan accent, running out of the room, expecting me to chase him. After a few seconds, he came back in and flopped on me, belly up, arms spread.

        "You know, it's more fun if you play along," he inquired. He then took the arm on the side of my top half and started plopping it down over and over onto my back.

        "But I'm tiiiiirrrred," I grumbled.

        "I don't care, get up," he said, continuing to beat me.

        "Mitch, you're abusing me," I said from my pillow. He reached up and pet my, apparently fluffy, head. I don't know if it was animal instincts, but it felt nice and I began making the gurgle-growling noises of a Wookie. Once I realized what I was doing, I snapped out of it and swatted his hand away. He had the nerve to laugh at me. (just kidding, love ya, Biggums) (I like writing regular parenthesis for them, too, it makes it seem more in their perspective, so yes, that was still Jerome's thought)

        "What was that?!" he exclaimed as I sat up and pulled on my hat. I playfully glared at him as the brown particles came up from my feet and over my head, leaving me in human form.

        "None of your concern," I replied jokingly. He jumped up, onto his feet.

        "C'mon! We said we would help Seto with library inventory today," he reminded me. I shuddered a little and nodded, standing up and walking over.

        "You alright, Biggums?" Mitch asked with concern.

        "Yeah, I'm fine," I responded with false enthusiasm. He grinned and we ran out of the house in the direction of Seto's 'house', or as the rest of the village knew it, the library.