The Protection

Forty

I desperately needed to salvage my shrinking GPA. I was once so good at school. Always a 4.0 student. But now other things seemed to take precedence. Things like finding out who planted a box with a dead rabbit in my bed. How my father played into the bounty on my head. And what kind of abilities I had, if any.

My Texas History professor droned on and on staring at the floor, but I floated away. I felt the pulsation of Kyler's presence on campus a hundred yards away. I smiled as I stood up and exited the class forgetting my plans for my GPA. It wasn't like my teacher would glance up from the floor long enough to even notice my departure.

I walked serenely along the sidewalk between buildings towards the magnetic pull. Ivory blossoms bloomed on the magnolia trees seemingly before my eyes. Spring had always been one of my favorite times of the year, when the coldness of winter finally relented and life was growing again. I glanced back towards campus and my eyes drifted to the walkway behind the admissions building. The overwhelming sickness I had felt that night outside of the library returned, and I almost cried out in pain.

Ben hurried in front of me, his eyes wet and diverted towards the pavement. He was in such a hurry that he almost ran me over, but the pained look on his face was enough to make my anger melt away.

"Hey!" I called after him, but he didn't stop. Instead, he jogged faster. I followed him around the corner of the building and into a small, deserted parking lot. "Hey!" I called out again before my hand flew to my mouth.

He lay in a heap, his legs at an unnatural angle and streams of blood spurting from his neck. I glanced around panicked. How could this have happened with Kyler so close by? I screamed for help until my voice grew hoarse, even though I knew he was dead. My eyes glanced up for the briefest of moments to catch a glimpse of gold reflecting off the sunlight. A single white magnolia blossom floated to the pavement, soaked red in the blood...

My eyes snapped back upwards and the pain was gone from my insides. The magnolia trees continued to blossom, unaware of what was going on down below. I searched frantically. The last time I had one of these visions outside of the library, the vision had quickly come to fruition, but Ben was nowhere around me. I rounded the corner of the admissions building to find the parking lot also deserted. The vision had all felt so real. Another roll of nausea hit me, and I staggered sideways against the building.

A junior boy, Dalan, who I recognized from Chapel, rode his skateboard through campus, blissfully unaware, simply enjoying the beautiful spring day, his long black hair billowing around him in the wind. As he rode, Alex, who hated Dalan, watched him through slitted eyes. Alex secretly coveted Dalan's openly gay lifestyle, wishing he could courageously follow his heart too, finding the love he craved against his family's closed minded wishes. Alex waited, steaming inside, biding his time. Seeing his opportunity, he began to sprint. When he reached Dalan, he shoved him harshly off the skateboard from behind, in his mind imagining the small boy was his father. Recalling the way he beat Alex with a belt when he found him kissing a neighbor boy at age 8. A sickening crunch filled the air as Dalan fell forward trying to catch himself, his arm folding on the sidewalk at a grotesque angle. He screamed in agony as Alex stood over him triumphantly,

"Take that you disgusting faggot," he whispered grotesquely as his friends gathered around him, laughing at the broken boy on the pavement.

My head continued to swim, but I turned, stumbling towards campus. I had recognized the statue in the background of the vision. A bird. The one infamously located in front of the Chapel. I rushed towards the statue, and that was when I saw him. Dalan. Riding his skateboard, obviously unaware of the violent situation that was about to unfold. Alex motioned to his friends. He hurried toward the statue, puffing up his chest, his arms outstretched. I had to do something. I ran as fast as I could throwing my backpack directly in front of Alex's path. He tripped over my backpack, rolling onto the grass. He quickly popped up his head, looking for who caused his fall, as Dalan skated away, still unaware.

"Hey, watch it!" Alex snarled as his dark eyes became explosive. Please don't hurt me I quietly prayed. I jogged over to him and kneeled on the grass.

"I'm so sorry. I'm just so clumsy," I flirted, placing a hand on his chest, bowing my head in mock apology, the image of southern embarrassment and submission. I willed my hands not to shake. He seemed pacified after a few moments and before he stood up, he helped me pick up my errant items, handing me a yellow tampon that had trickled from my bag. I glanced around the courtyard, pretending to be embarrassed by my period faux pas, and felt relieved to see Dalan still riding his skateboard past the statue and a blonde I would recognize anywhere. Beth stood a few feet past the statue, her red silky blouse billowing in the wind, and her hand firmly grasping Scott's. I raised an eyebrow as it was unusual for Beth to show such a blatant public display of affection, with anyone, let alone a Freshman. She returned my gaze, raising her own eyebrows a little, surprised by the man I was openly flirting with, Alex Murphy of all people. I ignored her, turned back to him, and shoved the tampon into the cavernous front pocket of my backpack.

"That's okay, Andrews. I guess when you finally let me take you out to dinner we can laugh about this," he quipped, and I rolled my eyes internally. Like I would ever go out with a secretly gay, but also entirely homophobic, man that would break another guy's arm out of insecure jealousy. Of course, the incident had never actually happened, but I just knew he would have hurt Dalan, had I not intervened. I smiled and threw my backpack over my shoulder.

"I would love that," I lied. "You have my number." I waved as I left, knowing full well the idiot didn't have, nor would he ever, have my phone number. I felt Kyler's energy and moved quickly in that direction. I felt him smoldering, and he was only a few feet away, behind the student union building. I rounded the corner and my smile fell as I met not only one set of Brown Eyes, but two. The second set made my stomach lurch. They were cold and bottomless, without an ounce of warmth like Kyler's. A wicked smile played on her nude glossy lips. Kyler's mother stood next to her son, hands clasped behind her back, looking unnervingly impressed with me.

"Hello, Perry."