6. A Certain Broken Book.

"I have news of my own." Steve said, sitting at the front desk. He took out a book from his bag. "I talked to Mrs. Camp. She wants us to study River's ties."

"Argh, what?" Mia groaned dramatically. "What about that other thing we were reading?"

"Sh… Sh… Sherlock H… olmes." Ben chimed.

"River's Ties is garbage." Mia persisted.

"Well it's what you're here for so the earlier we start, the better. Now, let's all sit down and dig in."

"Urggh!" Mia groaned at him. "This sucks." 

"Here. I brought copies for everyone." he finalised.

And so began their short study of River's Ties. The most God awfully boring book on the face of the earth. But that would be it. A shake began in the right wall. A rumble that would change their entire existence.

As he read aloud the first, very long poem, he could hear something. He assumed it came from outside but it was bizarre. It grew louder, distracting him from the page. He glanced up now and then. Clearly the others were intrigued too. Josh was first to speak.

"Is there construction going on outside?" 

"Clearly the universe doesn't want us to read this shit." Mia said.

Before another word could be spoken, the rattle became a boom. The entire East wall was shaking. The violence turned the concrete to rubber and the wooden shelves were thrown. One shelf came too close for comfort and they all jumped back.

"We have to get out!" Mandy shouted, running for the perilous exit. Everyone was crowded behind her but the door wouldn't budge. Adam pushed past Mandy and gave it a go. Windows, that didn't work either. 

"What's happening?" Josh cried.

"Relax," Mia said, looking around. "I have a group of guys, we do this to each other all the time. Very funny prank guys!"

"Mia, I'm afraid this isn't a prank." Beth said seriously. "My phone is dead."

"Standard signal jammer." Mia continued. "Okay guys, come out now!"

Steve could not talk. What was happening to the East wall was not natural. A hole was punched in the wall. He tapped Mia to see. It definitely was not a prank. From the dust, four things seemed to be levitating in mid air. He instinctively took a step back, his back bumping into the opposite wall.

The four things began to rotate and he heard someone swallow loudly. He couldn't take his eyes away. In a shattering haze of brilliant blue light, the room was bathed. It was so bright they had to shield their eyes but Steve didn't. He couldn't. He let the light blind him, pierce him. He loved it. He basked still in it's afterglow as the four things fully fused into one and the light disappeared back into the parts where it came together. It dropped to the floor. It was a book.

As the others opened their eyes,Steve stepped closer. Closer still to spy the strange thing. He couldn't explain it. There was a force pulling him. Before anyone knew, befell to his knees and opened it.

"Steve no!" Josh's voice called as a hand yanked him away by the collar of his sweater. 

As his fingers let go, his brain spiked in immeasurable pain. He let out a yell as a high pitched rattle rang through the air. It was acrid and deathly. They all fell to the floor, clutching their heads in pain. He covered his ears but nothing could block out the sound. Screams shattered woven with the noise as the sound sent him crawling. He was crawling to the book. The cover was open, maybe if he could close it.

Steve crawled slowly. The closer he got to the book, the louder it got. Now his ears were pulsing in a painful throb. The broken book sent waves throughout his body. He came to a stop, unable to go any further. It was ripping him apart. He reached out and closed it. Almost on a dime, the rattle stopped and the pain faded. However, he was unable to move. He lay on the floor, an arm extending outwards. He had never felt so alive.

ADAM DAVIS.

A cute brunette smiled at him from the bar. She was truly breathtaking but he had no space in his mind. After the encounter at the library, they all decided to leave the room like nothing had happened. His mind kept going back to the janitor from the day before. To the crack in the wall. Images flashed of them writhing on the floor in pain and of Steve's bleeding ears and nose. He closed his eyes.

"Hey." a voice whispered and he blinked his eyes open.

"Beth?"

"Crazy day, huh?"

Beth looked radiant and her side smile betrayed nothing of what they went through just an hour earlier. Her hair was held in one big red braid at the back as loose airs framed her face. The fluorescent light in the diner could do nothing to cheapen her beauty.

"To put it lightly," he said, leaning forward. "What was that?"

The expression on her face changed. Clearly they were both at a loss. Beth looked away after some time. No words needed to be said. No words could be said. She turned to the brunette who's look was now murderous.

"It seems I'm spoiling for you." Beth said to him in barely a whisper. Her eyes still at the girl. Beth smiled at the girl and she turned away.

"I'm not looking to pick up." he said in full voice. The brunette turned and walked away.

"So what are you doing here?"

"I used to come here all the time." he turned his eyes to a booth by the window where he always used to sit with his father. "I'm meeting Sam. He should be here by now."

"Did someone say Sam?" Sally said,welcoming herself to a seat. Adam knew her better than Beth. She was a senior and a cheerleader and the student head of dance. She had a not so secret thing for Sam.

"We have to go. Here, have this. You look like you need it." Beth said, before sliding him her root beer float and walking away to a booth with who he assumed were her friends. 

Sam came in with some girl in hand and a guy he didn't know but the two left to go join Beth's crew. He couldn't quite spot her in the mess of heads. Was she gone? Sam was the quarterback for a reason. He understood people and cared for his team. Each individual player had a special relationship with him. He was there for Adam when the fiasco with Steve happened and he had been ever since.

"You look rough." Sam said nonchalantly. "Getting into fights?"

"No."

Adam's voice made it sound preposterous but his busted lip and after the library thing. It seemed to Adam like he had wronged the universe. He had done something to deserve all that was happening to him. Something always hit him. One wave after another and this time he had no idea if he'd make it. 

"Your mom told me about your dad's condition." Sam came to the point. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"What's there to tell?" he couldn't look him in the eye. The very mention of the subject sent Adam on edge.

"You need to go see him, man. Because…"

"Because he's dying?" Adam cut him off, tears no longer abstinent. They ran down his cheeks like acid from a serpent's heart. 

"I didn't say that." Sam's defense was absent to him.

"You want me to go see him? Looking like that? I decide how I want to remember my father! I choose how I will be left behind after he is gone!" he was now hysterical. Up on his feet and animated. He couldn't hear the shattering silence around him. Sam just sat defiantly, a passive look in his eyes. "Everyone is worried about him. It's all about him! But has anyone stopped to consider me?"

"But Adam, we're all here for you… Stop being so God damn selfish!" 

"You know what? Go tell my mom she can stop asking because I don't need this!" 

With that final word, Adam made to walk away but Sam stopped him. Adam tried to shake off but the other boy was stronger. A firm grip on his arm. Sam pulled him to face head on and the tears in Adam's eyes poured even more. 

"You need to talk to someone. Apparently it isn't me and it sure isn't Steve." with that, Sam let him go with a small push and Adam practically ran out crying. Thankfully, Beth's table had cleared out long ago.