Creatures of Snow (2 page)

“Oh, please. As if I
should care what
you
think. Do you know what this uniform represents?” Joshua
gestured specifically to the embroidered emblem on his dark blue
suit jacket.

Sky honestly hadn’t noticed it, but now that
it was literally pointed out to him, he knew exactly what it
meant.

“This represents
knowledge, wealth, and superiority – all the things you’ll never
know or have.” Joshua’s beady little eyes sparkled with arrogance.
“It means that to the world - I’m the victim here, and you’re the
monster.”

Sky stepped back, his
world spreading out beyond the alley and into the noises of the
street. People were walking and moving all around them. No one had
interrupted them yet, but it was only a matter of time.

“No one is going to
believe that a street-punk like you was attacked by a couple of
clean-cut REALM Academy students.” Joshua crossed his arms with a
confidence only an arrogant jerk could master, “And look, there
isn’t a scratch on you - only the blood from poor Anthony’s
nose.”

“We could ask those kids
you were bullying, I bet-”

“Those kids won’t say a
thing, you know why?” Joshua stepped up to Sky with a straight back
and high chin. “Because, unlike you, they understand how things
work and they know who I am.”

Sky felt his jaw tighten
and his fist clench harder, a rage he reserved only for the rarest
occasion began to bubble in the base of his guts.

“Skyden.” A familiar voice
called out behind him.

The breath he’d been
holding escaped in an annoyed sigh, “You’ve got terrible timing,
Al.” He looked back over his shoulder to see his best friend, Allen
Kane standing near the mouth of the alley.

Al only shook his head at him.

“Well, you know what,
Joshua Harmos,” Sky turned slowly and walked towards Al who had
probably just saved them all from a bloody mess, “from now on,” he
crooked his head just enough to let a nasty smile of his own be
seen by Puss Face. “I know who you are too.”

He didn’t wait to see Puss
Face’s reaction; he just turned back around and walked away, past
Al and out into the street.

Chapter Two

Al kept pace beside him as
he hurried down the sidewalk, which was quite a feat considering he
was at least a head and a half shorter. Sky didn’t want to look
down at him yet, Al’s silence was proof he was mad.

“Are you kidding me?!” Al
finally snapped once they were out of ear shot from the alley. “Of
all the days for you to go around and get into another
fight!”

“Sorry, mom.” Sky’s eye
roll didn’t go un-noticed and was answered with a cold glare. “You
must be taking lessons from your uncle Zero, your angry face is
getting scary.”

“Maybe you forgot, but
today
was
sort of
important. You’re missing your own party, you know.” Al shook a
head full of floppy, lemon colored curls. “The one day I get to
stay out past curfew and you make me waste it tracking you
down!”

Al had been Sky’s best
friend as long as he could remember. Al’s uncle Zero was the
co-founder of Fortuna Freight along with Sky’s dad, and Al’s father
was an old friend of the family.

They had reached the
transport stop and according to the schedule in all its backlit
glory, they would be waiting awhile for the next one to come
by.

Al sat down inside the stops shelter with an
exaggerated sigh. Sky hesitated sitting next to him – not wanting
to invite another sour look. He opted instead to lean against the
thin wall of the stop, trying to look calm, cool and unbothered by
Al’s glowering mood.

“How did you find me
anyway?” Sky sulked, rubbing away some of the blood on his
hand.

Al’s eyes were as hard as
the metal bench, “I was waiting for you at the crossroads.” He
shook his head and curled his lip, “When you didn’t show up I went
to the transport stop.” He shrugged and looked away down the road.
“Word travels fast amongst the drivers.”

As the light faded away from the only bit of
visible sky, projected advertisements came to life above them in a
vivid haze of manipulation and subjugation.

“I’m sorry, Al.” Sky
shoved his hands into his sweatshirt and his chin into his chest.
His own rave blue eyes caught his attention momentarily in the
clear glass that lined the back wall. He looked pathetic – his
ragged mess of hair framed a blood splattered face that had missed
one too many nights of sleep. He wiped the crimson spots and
streaks away with his sleeve, glad to have chosen the dark blue
hoodie over the yellow one.

“Why? Why couldn’t you
just go home? You know your dad’s been planning this party
forever.” Al’s angry face had melted away to a look that best
resembled something much worse – disappointment.

Sky sank down to the
bench, letting his head drop even lower. “I know.” But he wouldn’t
have to face what was really happening if he didn’t go
home.

“I know it’s scary, and a
really big change, but you’ve got to grow up sometime.” Al spoke
softly, a tone of understanding in his steady words.

Sky huffed and sat up
annoyed. They were both fifteen, they were both leaving Primary
school behind and moving on to Secondary. What right did Al have to
act all grown-up and mature about it?

“I’m not scared. I’m just
angry. No one ever listens to me.” That was somewhat true. “I
didn’t even want to go to Secondary school.” That was stretching
the truth. “I’d be happy just working for my dad and taking over
the business. What’s wrong with that?” That was an outright
lie.

“The Academy of Arche is a
great school, and hard to get in to. You should be proud to have
been accepted.”

“Zeph’s the founder, of
course I got in.” But that was a lie too, wasn’t it.

He had passed the exams
and survived the physical trials of the Arche Academy with ease. In
fact, it was a great fit for Sky – a school that thrived on those
with a strong mind, will and body. The catch was its strict
discipline and military-like rule. Even Zeph, who was like an uncle
to him (like, the crazy uncle that you only admit relation to when
absolutely necessary), had warned him to consider his application
very carefully. But really, what choice did he have?

He had been denied by
REALM, the only school he would have wanted to go to. He had almost
made it in too. He had passed the entrance exam and went through
all the interviews with confidence. It wasn’t until they did the
background check and discovered his ‘short temper’ and ‘tendency
towards violence’ and his ‘near expulsion from primary school’ that
they decided to pass on his application.

“Stupid. You think I don’t
know you better than that?” Al stood up and began to pace in front
of the stop. “You’re just being a lazy coward, as usual.” Al
wouldn’t even look at him. “You could have appealed your rejection
from REALM, but you didn’t, so how bad did you really want to get
in?”

Sky sank even lower into
himself with a scowl.

“
Why did you even apply to
Arche if you didn’t want to go?” Al stopped and finally looked
straight at him.

“
Whatever! I can’t wait to
go!” He yelled, surprised at how violently it came out.

“Why were you fighting
with those guys then?” Al’s own voice began to rise.

Sky shot up, stepping
towards Al. “They were bullies, they deserved it.”

Al stared hard at him, his
green marble eyes growing even larger, “Don’t tell me you didn’t
know who that guy was?! You would rather go to the Center of
Detention then go to Arche tomorrow. You’re on a path of self
inflicted, self destruction!”

“I didn’t know him! They
were picking on some kids, so I stopped them, that’s all it
was!”

“
You’re scared Sky, and
you need to face it!” Al tried as hard as he could to be up in
Sky’s face.

“Really,” he laughed, “I’m
scared? Scared of what? Being away from home? Following orders?
Homework?”

“
Facing your brother.” Al
shoved him back.

Al might have well just
stabbed him in the chest. Words and sense left his brain; something
that began as rage quickly twisted into a debilitating despair and
he found his butt back on the cold steel of the bench before he
realized he had sat down.

“
Look, I’m sorry. Maybe
it’s not my place to say, but everyone’s just been skirting around
it.” Al already looked sorry. “It’s a big school, sure, but you’re
bound to run into him, right?”

“It never crossed my
mind…” Sky’s voice rang hollow in his ears. That was probably the
biggest lie. Four years. Four years since he had seen Soulen’s
face. Four years since the letters stopped, since the summers on
Haigon came to an end, and since Zeph relayed the message that Soul
needed “space” and no longer wanted to see his own
brother.

“
Just stop lying; you’re
just making it worse.” The harsh words were off-set by his gentle
tone. “Listen, everyone pretty much expected this reaction,” Al
plopped down next to him, “and I’m pretty sure that no one really
thought you would show up tonight anyway.”

“I didn’t realize I was so
predictable.” His voice cracked a bit as he kept his eyes on the
dirt.

“That’s not what I meant,
so shut your face, I’m trying to apologize. I was taking it out on
you when, really; it’s everyone else that I’m frustrated with.”
Pulling his feet up onto the bench, Al rested his chin on his
knees. “The moment you said you were applying to Arche someone
should have asked you how you planned to deal with being at the
same school as Soul, but no one ever said a thing, did they? And I
didn’t either. I’m sorry.” He honestly looked miserable, which made
Sky feel a little better.

The whole situation was
messed up anyway; he didn’t really expect anyone to understand. Al
was just looking into it too much, like he did with everything. Sky
had thought about his brother almost everyday. He had been planning
what he would say to him for four years and he actually welcomed
the chance to see him again: After punching him in the face, he
would tell him he forgave him and would then calmly accept Souls
heartfelt apology. It was as simple as that. No, he wasn’t afraid
of facing Soul, - that much he knew.

Al looked like he had more
to say, but then, for maybe the first time in his life, didn’t say
anything at all. It was odd for Al to act so strangely. Al never
got mad, and never lost his cool… “You’re pretty freaked out too,
aren’t you?” Sky said aloud as he realized it.

Al laughed - his smile
once again lighting up his face to its usual luminance. “You brat.
Of course I am; it would be unnatural to not be scared.” Al jumped
up from his seat and pointed a finger sharply at Sky, “I’ve had a
revelation.” His mood had shifted dramatically into one Sky was
more accustomed to, “Since everyone is already mad at you, and
since I’ve still got a little while till I’m expected home, lets
just, you know, go do something!”

Sky sat up, a touch of the old excitement
that usually preceded one of their adventures started to boil in
the back of his brain. “What do you have in mind?”

“It’s your last night on
the planet, you pick.” He smiled sweetly, tilting his head ever so
slightly.

“
That’s a dumb
move.”

Al shrugged and looked back up at the
illuminated schedule, “Whatever, I have a pretty good idea what
you’re picking.”

“
Ha! That’s what you
think.” There was no way Al would guess it. “The only hint you get
is that we’re heading to Cuor.”

Chapter Three

They waited ‘patiently’
for the transport - As long as patiently meant Al bouncing around
reading aloud every advertisement he could see and Sky re-coding
colorful words into any one that happened to be within
reach.

The transport could finally be heard
whirring its way down the street. It slowed long before it was
necessary as if it knew the boys had been anxiously awaiting its
arrival.

Driver
Calhoun
greeted them warmly as the
doors screeched open.

“Seriously, are you the
only driver around here?” Sky joked and climbed aboard.

“Glad to see you’re still
in one piece.” Calhoun nodded as he passed.

“Nosey old man.” Sky gave
him a quiet smile, knowing he understood the thank you behind
it.

The ride to the city was a
quiet one. Most people didn’t travel so late in the day, and the
transport was nearly empty; as they bumped and jostled along in a
comfortable silence, with their eyes on the passing
desert.

It wasn’t long before the
dirt covered road smoothed out into a level, blemish free surface
as the Capital City came into view.

Cuor was the embodiment of
perfection - the whole city seemed to be carved from a single block
of stone; with the streets blending
seamlessly into the sidewalks that hugged the towering
structures.

Amongst the cityscape, two
buildings stood out rather obviously - the Capital itself that
sat in the center of the city with all streets leading to it like
spokes on a wheel, and the institute of Research and Exploration of
Adjacent Level Macrocosms – or, REALM as it was commonly known,
which made its brilliant stand at the far edge of the
city.