Krystal Chapter 03 – First Encounters By Harrod200 Copyright © 2006 by Harrod200 of Orbital One. All rights reserved.				Email Codey’s World
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The meadow was exactly the same as it had been last time I was here. The sun was still shining brightly, the heat beating down and light breeze removing all the worry, anxiety and anger that I had accumulated over the last couple of days. Everything here compelled me to relax and be calm. As I was sat still on the ground I spotted rustling in the grass near me, moving closer. When it reached me the rustling turned into two cats-one large old looking black one and one small white kitten.

“You’ll never fit in you know. You’re too different to everyone else.” I’m sure the black one spoke in my voice. “Look at you, your eyes, all those scars, you’re a freak! You can’t even remember who you are.  Why would anyone want to know you?”

“Don’t listen to him.” The white one interrupted, “Everyone knows what you’re going through, they’re giving you a fresh start, you can do anything you want.”

“A fresh start? Wherever you go it’ll be the same, everyone will be staring. You’re that freaky little kid who nearly killed five people. Everyone else knows what you’ve done even if you don’t.”

“Look at how everyone’s treating you, you’re not that person. Like Adam said, you’re a different person when the other one takes over. They know that, they aren’t going to judge you because of his actions.”

“They are already judging you! Can’t you see the stares, they all think you’ll hurt them. They’re afraid, you could take all of them at once and still win! You don’t need any of them or their approval, you can already do whatever you want just do it!”

“That’s him speaking! Not you, you’re not that person, sure they’re afraid but wouldn’t you be? They’re giving you a chance to start again, don’t waste it.”

‘Kris?’ a quiet unfamiliar voice from somewhere echoed.

“Start again, start again, why bother? What could you do different? Nothing. You’ve never been to school, you’re dumb, all you can do well is use your fists. Anything else you try you’ll fail, don’t even try.”

‘Krystal?’ the same voice echoed again slightly louder.

“You can do anything you want to do, you’re no different to anyone else. Don’t fight these people, they’ll help you.”

‘Krystal!’ a deeper, slightly familiar voice called to me. I looked around but couldn’t see anyone around. When I looked back both the cats had vanished, the breeze had gone and I couldn’t feel the sun anymore. When I tried to stand I could feel myself being gently shaken.

“Krystal? Are you ok?” I looked up to see Adam kneeling in front of me looking concerned, and one of the twins standing behind him. I was back in the bedroom on the floor.

“Thank god, Kris what were you doing?” Adam asked, his face relaxing a bit.

“I don’t know, I just sat on the floor and when I opened my eyes I was somewhere else, I don’t know, it was…odd.”

“Well, Sam couldn’t wake you up when he came to get you. When did you start whatever it was you were doing?”

“I don’t know, after Sam and Greg left I think.”

“That was more than three hours ago. It’s six o’clock, time for dinner.”

My stomach decided it would most definitely enjoy a cooked meal whatever my mind was going through so I readily got up and walked with Sam and Adam to the dining room.

***

The dining room was a writhing mass of boys shouting, running around and generally being a nuisance to the two women behind the counter who were preparing plates of food. I could instantly tell how this place worked, all the kids seemed friendly enough with each other, playing and joking together with none of the others excluded except three. One of the tables was surrounded by three older boys, about 15 or 16, maybe 17 who were all sat together ignoring everyone else. At one point one of the running boys strayed too close to ‘their’ table and ended up being tripped and sent flying on his face. I made a mental note to avoid them later on and was about to go sit at a table when Adam shouted to everyone;

“QUIET!” after a few moments everyone had scrambled to a seat, leaving just him and me standing in the doorway. “This is Krystal. Yes you have seen him on TV but you are NOT to talk about anything you know or think you know about him.” I felt my face turning red. Glancing over the room one of the three I’d decided to avoid as much as possible caught my eye, his face showing what I’m sure was almost admiration. Adam directed me to a seat on the other side of the room to the trio and got me a plate from the counter, somehow giving an unspoken message to everyone else as they crowded around the serving area vying for position.

“Hey, you feeling better now Kris?” Sam asked as he sat down next to me.

“Yea, you really had Sam and Adam freaked earlier” Greg added taking the seat next to me.

“What were you doing? I couldn’t get you to respond at all.”

“I…I…” I tried to respond,

“You were really out of it. How did you do that? It was cool!” Greg interrupted.

“Guys…” Adam warned from his place by the door, obviously noticing my distress.

“Oh, yea sorry. It’s just so cool that you’re here and our roommate.”

“Yeah, our last roommate was a total asshole. He’d steal anything that wasn’t locked up and would try to force us to give him anything we got.”

“He was sent to a detention centre for mugging an old lady.” I was quietly amazed at how these two were so far having a 3 way conversation with me without my saying a word, but also getting a little agitated.

Apparently seeing that I was more than a little uncomfortable Adam called Sam and Greg over to his table and told them something. I couldn’t tell what because of all the noise in the room from everyone else’s conversations. After a moment they walked back over looking slightly downtrodden.

“Sorry, we kinda get carried away sometimes.” Sam apologised,

“Yeah we aren’t used to new people. We’ve been here all our lives so it’s all we’ve known.” Greg added.

“S’ok.” I managed to whisper. “I’m just a bit overwhelmed, give me some time ok?”

They both nodded and started their own little conversation, but I tuned out and focused on picking away at the small steak I’d been given. I wasn’t really hungry, I wasn’t thinking about my stomach but still on my situation.

I managed to finish up at about the same time as everyone else but waited until everyone else had crammed themselves out of the door before getting up.

“Hey Krystal!” A new voice called from behind me as I reached the bottom of the stairs. Turning around I recognised the three thug-types coming up behind me. Bracing myself for whatever unjustified violence they were about to unleash I looked at them expectantly. “I hear you get roomed with those two little freaks. Tough break man, hey you’re cool, you ever y’know…” he made a snorting gesture, I have no idea if I’ve ever taken drugs, from what I know of the ‘other’ me I don’t doubt it but I’m sure as hell not going to now. Guessing that they were expecting me to say yes I nodded suspiciously. “Cool,” he leaned closer to me and whispered; “I got a stash in my room, drop by later and we’ll have a little party.” He looked over to the office to see Adam watching intently, after shooting him a hostile glance he turned back to me, “Fucking asshole, I’m gonna have him one of these days, looks like someone beat me to it hehe. Seeya later Krystal.” With that he shot Adam another look and walked out of the front doors, lackeys in tow.

“Let’s go to your room.” Adam said as he started up the stairs. When we got there he sat on my bed and I sat at the desk.

“Kris I’m not going to choose your friends for you but those three are bad news.” He said straight away.

“I kinda guessed that when I saw them in the dining room. I’ve got no intention of hanging out with them but I don’t want to make any enemies on my first day here.”

“Have you ever done drugs?” He asked curiously, what has he forgotten I have no memory?

“I don’t know, probably. He seems to be into that sorta thing.”

“I know that Mike thinks I’m blind and deaf, he invited you to join them later?” I hesitated for a moment, do I really want a reputation as a grass? Not really but I definitely don’t want to be like him either. I slowly nodded as he thought about it. “I think I’ll have to do an impromptu ‘random room search’. Don’t worry, they won’t cause you any problems. If anyone does say something to upset you then come to me ok? I know you’re not that person but if you get too angry or upset then he can come out.” He finished the last part unconsciously feeling his black eye.

“I will.” I lied. I don’t want to make any enemies and I don’t want him to come out but I’ll take care of myself.

Adam looked at me for a moment possibly wondering whether to believe me then stood up and left the room. I got up from the chair and flicked the radio of my alarm clock and immediately the room was filled with the sound of a thunderstorm. I lay on my bed simply listening to the patter of rain and cracks of thunder, after a few minutes I had fallen into a peaceful sleep.

I was awoken by shouting and banging from outside, my alarm showed that about one and a half hours had passed since I fell asleep. As I moved towards the door I could just about make out some of the things that were being said, just as I was reaching for the handle, something made me suddenly freeze.

***

I was sound asleep in what seemed to be a very small room, barely big enough for the bare mattress I was lying on when I was awakened by noises and shouting from outside. My parents always seemed to have some party going on so I was used to the commotion and just rolled over and tried to get back to sleep. After a few moments the shouts turned into screams and a large bang with the sound of wood splintering made me sit up with a start. I heard muffled yells of ‘POLICE!’ and orders to stay still from where the party would usually be happening. Suddenly the door burst open, hitting me hard in the face and knocking me back, slamming me into the wall. I was grabbed by a large man and roughly wrestled to the ground and restrained. Pain shot through my face and my right shoulder & arm but my cries were ignored.

***

Somehow in the few moments that the memory had hit me I had retreated away from the door and was pressed hard against the wall as far from the door as I could get. I slumped down hugging my knees close to my chest and started to cry and whimper.

It must have been ten to fifteen minutes I was sat cradling myself. When the door opened I felt a sudden pang of immense fear and started shaking uncontrollably. I looked wide eyed at the doorway, it was just Sam and Greg but instead I saw the massive threatening figure of an angry policeman advancing towards me.

I didn’t hear Sam calling my name or see him come over to me, nor did I hear Greg shouting for Adam, all I could see and hear was the policeman wrestling my helpless body and the sound of cracking from my arm and nose.

I felt a prick in my arm then everything faded away.