Chapter 30

"But you could get hurt !" James warned.

"I'm the one who should he scared for you, it shouldn't be tho other way round", Henry replied, smiling, "If you don't want to get hurt, both of you should wait behind while I clear the way."

"You heard him", Judith said grabbing James shoulder, sending him stumbling backwards, "since the stubborn ship insists on walking into the lion's den, it's best we let it be."

"You might be wrong Judith", James gave a sarcastic reply as he waved his head in mock grief, "I got a feeling that those guys are the dead ship right now."

Judith slapped herself in the face, what was wrong with her elder twin brother that he couldn't see things for what they were.

"I know a man who can kill by merely looking at him", James continued, "and to be honest Judith, I saw it in Henry's eyes. He's definitely going to kill someone today."

Both brother and sister watched as Henry walked fearlessly towards the group, not minding how angrily they glared at him. What would happen this time ? Were they really going to beat him up, or was Henry going to find a way to deal with them ? Seven against one, the odds were stacked against him - to them it was, but to Henry that was the norm. His life had always been this way, he always had to stand alone, fighting against the multitude and he had learnt to be victorious even while fighting on his own. So no matter how scary they looked to others, to him they were just baby bunnies.

Walking past Sam who was reclining against the wall, Henry caught Sam's sailing fist which aimed straight at his head. Ducking, he caught sight of something coming for his head from behind, the long object struck the boy attacking Henry from the front on the head, sending him wailing in pain as he fell to the ground, his hand clutching his head.

A metal rod ! Henry's head sparked, he caught sight of the weapon lying next to the groaning boy. Stepping on Sam's toes, Henry stretched Sam's right arm, using it to block the blows of the three boys belonging to Sam's gang. Sam wailed in pain clutching his broken arm while the others not minding, fell upon Henry who handed all of them skillfully.

Two had been taken down, he only had five more to go. Sidestepping the first and the second, sending them stumbling forwards,he dove for the rod on the floor, grabbing it, he parried the blow from another boy, swirling around, Henry sent the rod tearing straight at the boy's leg. He wailed, but was silenced by Henry's brutal kick, which sent him lying flat on the ground. The others charged at him, their rods flashing furiously, but Henry was double-helical in his perception, always a step ahead, they just kept missing him. Striking another in the abdomen with his knee, the boy fell crouching as held tightly to his middle while Henry punched his. Swirling out of the way, Henry avoided the blow coming from his rear, which struck another boy on the shoulder who moaned in pain, his rod falling from his hands. Mercilessly, Henry struck the boy who had attacked him from behind on the back, the blow made him shriek as he fell on his knees and spinning, Henry blocked the falling rod of the last boy standing with the sole of his shoe. Lifting himself into the air, Henry launched a kick with his free foot that sent his attacker stumbling backwards, rising to his feet, Henry struck the boy's chest with his rod.

The hair on Henry's back stood on hearing the shuffling of footsteps coming from behind him, dodging the blow from that rod. he felt the wind rushing last the left side of his face, striking the floor, the impact smashed the tiles into pieces. Time froze and those scenes flashed through his mind, Henry remembered, no - Kied remembered. Those lonely days spent in isolation, separated from and bullied by the others because of who he was, of what he had and of what he was made of - darkness.

Henry's eyes darkened, enraged at that instant, angered by it all, he swung around, striking Sam on the face with his rod. Henry g

had guessed right, he was the one who had brought such a brutal blow down at him, And Henry was going to make sure that Sam paid for it. Sam wailed as Henry struck his face again, but Henry wasn't done yet, striking his broken arm and both legs, he brought a burning kick straight at sam's face which sent him crashing to the floor.

Dropping the rod, Henry spat blood from his mouth,the blood of those who had challenged him. Picking his bag from the bloodstained floor, he walked past the moaning bodies. Running down the stairs, holding back his tears, he didn't care of anyone noticed his bloodstained uniform, all he wanted was to be left alone.

James and Judith ran after him from behind, now on the ground floor of the building, they saw Henry board the schoolbus, wearing a cardigan over his school uniform.

"I told you Judith", James said, "Henry was going to kill someone today."

Judith just stared at Henry from behind the back seat of the bus as they were driven home. She was too startled to say anything, she couldn't even cry. All she could do was watching her brother sit next to Henry was mull over the question of who this boy really was ?

*** *** ***

The video was paused and the Vice principal placed the remote control back on her desk, the silence over the room establishing her authority within this domain.

"From what we have seen", Mrs Rose said, "it was clearly a case of self-defense.

"Self-defense !" Mrs Mark, Sam's mother exploded, "This brat was butchering my son and other innocent boys alive and you have the nerve to call it a "clear" case of self-defense, What's clear about that ?!"

"Yes ! I don't see how his reaction to being attacked as self-defense, from what we saw, it was clear that he could have killed them !" Mr Mark thundered. "This rascal should be sent to jail for manslaughter, nothing less."

"And you are ignoring the fact", Mrs Rose checked, "that your son and six others could have done the same thing to your acclaimed "rascal". If you were attacked by a gang of hooligans in the way just because they claimed it was their territory and for no other reason, would you take it lightly ?"

"It's simple !" Mr Mark bellowed, "I'll report to the police to carry out necessary action."

"Good", Mrs Rose intoned, "this child you see here wasn't even given a chance to run away, he was cornered and the only option he had left was to fight back. If he hadn't reacted that way, he could have been murdered, so your child and his gang attempted murder !"