01 GAIDEN: CONSCRIPTION

This terror, which would not end for another four years, if it ever did end, began when they were fourteen. The beast would ingest them for four years, chew on them, some more so than others before spitting them out not completely unlike the beasts from a Japanese manga that wouldn’t debut for another twelve years. However, not everyone would see these next four years as some societal horror. Some would see them as possibly the best years of their lives.

The blue-tinted overhead storm clouds spanned in all directions as if they encompassed the entire globe. They made the menacing one-story building on the hill look that much more horrifying. The human-constructed terror housed about six hundred some souls five days a week. The front doors opened allowing the warm inviting light inside to break through the darkness. That light was just a ruse, like a siren of ancient mythology. Once inside everyone was trapped; at least for the better part of the day.

Students stepped off their respective buses to march into Liberty Falls High School through one set of double doors. The canopy extended straight from the doors to the edge of the sidewalk where the buses parked and then outward in a T shape but only for about twenty or so more feet. The other canopied entrance next to the gym was just as packed. Many students at both entrances were unfortunate enough to have to stand in the rain while waiting impatiently to the point of pressing up against the person in front of them hoping to reach salvation. Those under the canopy didn’t dare step to the sides of it as the water pouring from it was considered lethal. The only mercy granted was that the wind wasn’t blowing.

The only students who bothered with umbrellas were the ones living within walking distance of the school and those walking from their cars from the student parking lot. Some preferred spending the day soaked and didn’t want to be bothered with an umbrella because it would leave a puddle at the bottom of their locker.

The Tereshchenko twins, Ryan and Riley, sat together on their bus as it trogged up the hill past the football field on its way to the school. The lights of the school penetrated the darkness. It was a beacon for all to see, showing off its arrogance as it demanded attention.

The bus slowed to a stop next to the sidewalk, but far from the canopy. The twins stood up with their backpacks in their hands, waiting for everyone to get off the bus. No one was ever considerate enough to stop and let them out into the aisle.

Ryan hated riding the bus. The local rednecks were always loud with chatter of their Ford or Chevy trucks arguments, bumming cigarettes from each other, and mentioning that someone else in the area is their cousin. He swore they were all inbred because they only dated each other and there was always the proclamation that someone was someone else’s cousin.

They finally stepped off the bus and into the rain. Ryan could see the glow of the flashing traffic light that marked the intersection of Johnson Road and the all-so-clever, unique and creative name, High School Road, which lead up to the school. To Ryan, that light represented freedom. The light was too far away. It might as well be on the moon. He begrudgingly marched into the school.

Students split into different hallways like cars in turning lanes heading to their lockers. God help anyone if they needed to go against the crowd. It was almost as bad as changing lanes coming out of the Fort Pitt tunnels heading into Pittsburgh. The floor was carpeted so everyone’s ears weren’t assaulted by the chirping of wet shoes. The twins arrived at their lockers on one end of the school without incident. They were next to a set of doors that faced the flashing light at the intersection.

The twins were still hungover from the freedom of the summer. They wanted to be back home and back in bed. Ryan would even mow the yard of his own volition instead of his step-father’s orders if he could have more vacation time.

Once they were finished, they merged with the crowd of students to get to their homeroom, which wasn’t far from their lockers. It was in the middle of a hallway that housed the math and computer classes. The bell rang at 7:30 only seconds after the twins walked through the doorway. Now summer was officially over.

Riley leaned against the wall with her arms crossed near the cafeteria as she waited for Ryan. It was the first lunch period out of three. The area was congested with some students passing by on their way to class and others trying to get into the cafeteria. Some stood in groups along the wall of the cafeteria that funneled the passing students into a narrow walkway. Any student that dared walk through the groups was hit with some insults.

Hints of cigarette smoke poisoned the air. Riley assumed it came from the boys’ bathroom. Her assumption proved to be accurate as a teacher walked into the bathroom and then came back out with a student who headed toward the principal’s office.

Riley shook her head. She couldn’t understand why would someone try to smoke in the bathroom. Could they not wait until school was over before lighting one up?

While waiting for her brother, she spotted Steven Scott in the crowd. That wasn’t hard as Steven towered over most other students, even some seniors. He was the only person the twins knew at the school. His father worked with their mother at the fire station.

“Waiting for your brother?” he asked.

Riley nodded. “Yep, he’s coming from the English hallway. Where were you coming from?”

“Math class,” he said. “You?”

“Study hall,” she said. “Since it was in the cafeteria I was going to save us some seats but some girls decided they wanted it more.”

“Upperclassmen?” he asked. Riley nodded.

“Surprised you let them,” he said.

“Normally I wouldn’t but they looked like the type to complain and twist the story to make themselves look like the victim.”

“There’s a few of those types around here,” Steven said.

“God damn it’s crowded here,” Ryan said popping out of the herd. “The other hallways are pretty easy to get through until you get here.”

“Lunch might have something to do with that,” Steven said with a sarcastic tone.

“No shit,” Ryan said trying to match the sarcastic tone. “And I understand you’re originally from Cincinnati but wearing a Bengals shirt around here is pretty ballsy.”

Steven just shrugged. “It’s not my fault this entire state likes the wrong football team.”

“Yeah, they should all be liking the Cowboys,” Wayne Michaels said as he approached from another hallway.

“We don’t like our players drugged up,” Ryan said. He didn’t know this kid but those were fighting words in this part of the country. Ryan wasn’t actually about to start a fight over which team was better but he was willing to throw a few insults around.

“Cowboys still win Super Bowls though,” Wayne said. “When was the last time the Steelers won anything? And how about those Cowboys? What was that score? Thirty-seven to seven?” he asked with a giant, contagious, shit-eating grin. Ryan couldn’t help but smile.

“Fuck,” Ryan said.

“I’m Wayne,” he said. “I’ve liked the Cowboys since way before they kicked Pittsburgh’s ass in the Super Bowl.”

“I’m Ryan and this is my sister Riley. We went to Trinity before coming here.”

“How’d you end up here?” Wayne asked.

“Our step-father lives here, and we moved in with him,” Riley said. “Our mother is a firefighter here too so it’s closer for her, which is how we know Steven.”

The four of them maneuvered their way into the cafeteria; a damn near impossible task. Everyone only cared about themselves and expected others to go around. This made it difficult to get into the cafeteria without bumping into others. There was a half-empty table toward the back of the room.

A group of girls occupied one-half of the table. Three girls sat on one side while two sat across from them. The tables folded in half and it was somehow understood that the folding gap signified a break between people sitting at the table. A group could sit on one half and another group could sit on the other half and neither group was actually considered together even if the table was full. The four of them sat on the other side of gap with the twins on one side and Steven and Wayne on the other.

The cafeteria was set up as typically as one would expect. Each table had its own group whether it was the preps, athletes, outcasts, hippies, rednecks, or trashy people. The twins didn’t really fit into the hierarchy of the school as of yet. At Trinity, they fell into the gray area of the social class as they had friends from each group.

However, they’d have to start over here and it wasn’t in their favor. If their parents weren’t university professors, doctors, lawyers, or any other profession that was considered higher class then they were automatically put into the lower class by default.

The twins lived a conservative middle-class life out on the edge of town. Their mother and step-father were both firefighters, which was an underrated job by southwestern Pennsylvania standards. It paid well but most wouldn’t think so. The twins, Ryan more so than Riley, were made fun of because he often wore clothing from the previous year. Their shoes were from last year’s basketball season and they wouldn’t be replaced until the end of this year’s season. Their mother made the rule they couldn’t wear their new basketball shoes until the season ended and they could only wear them for school. Part of the reason for the rule was that the shoes were over a hundred dollars each.

Ryan still wore his “Scottie Pippen Air” shoes, they were black with “air” written in big bubble letters on both sides. He wasn’t the only one with these shoes. A few others had variations of the shoes but no one else seemed to take care of them. One student had purposely popped the air bubbles on his own shoes that were located just below the sole. Ryan couldn’t understand why anyone would do that.

“So, where’s Vince?” Wayne asked. “I thought he had lunch this period

“Why?” Steven asked. “Do you want him to come sit next to you?”

“Not particularly,” Wayne said.

“Who is Vince?” Ryan asked.

Steven thought for a moment. “The best way to describe Vince is...well obnoxious doesn’t do it justice. You’ll have to meet him to understand.”

The twins noticed a scrawny kid with a tray approach their table from Wayne’s blindside. He was no bigger than a minute and probably 100 pounds soaking wet.

“Who are these two?” he asked. His sudden appearance slightly startled Wayne.

“Well, speak of the fuckin’ devil,” Wayne said.

“They are the twins,” Steven said. “Ryan and Riley.”

“You’re pretty cute,” Vince said staring at Riley. “Let’s go out.”

“It’s gonna take a bit more than that to get me to go out with you. I don’t even know you.”

“Give me a moment and I can change that,” Vince said.

“All you need is a moment, eh?” Riley asked grinning. The other three chuckled. Vince didn’t appear amused.

“I can go all night,” he said. “I can even help you get rid of that accent of yours by sticking my...”

“And we’re done,” Riley said. “So, basketball predictions?”

“Basketball?” Wayne asked. “Football season just started. I say the Cowboys will win the Super Bowl.”

“Shocker,” Steven said flatly. “I’m sure you two will say Pittsburgh.” The twins nodded.

“Cinci all the way,” Vince said.

“I’m a Bengals fan and I’m not that naïve,” Steven said.

“Hey, they just drafted Corey Dillon,” he said. “They are gonna be so good this year. Oh, and my dad is having a cookout for the game against Arizona. Do you guys want to come?”

The jury was still out on Vince as far as the twins were concerned but the invitation seemed harmless enough. They waited until Steven and Wayne accepted the offer before giving their answer.