The Fifth World 2

Bo: Time goes on and still there is no word... it is utter silence... utterly, completely and painfully silent. All I want is a letter, an appearance... a phone call. I just need to know... is my brother okay? Does his heart still beat? Is he breathing at this very moment? It is not fair. Only a week has gone by... and yet it has been the longest, hardest week of my life. I have fought battles, I have been kidnapped, beaten and right now as I sit in this warm, clean and safe classroom in the middle of Manchester... it still has been the worst week yet.

Recess soon approaches. I have not seen Jonathan at all for the last few days. I have spoken to him and believe me was it uncomfortable and weird trying to explain to him a reasonable excuse for why I had not called for a few days, or answered his calls, or why my brother has mysteriously disappeared.

I see Jonathan at his locker putting some books away. I feel a bit nervous actually seeing him but when I get a closer and am able to look at the young man's face I feel myself smile. Deep down, I know I am truly happy to see him. We may be having some problems at the moment... but boy, it is good to finally lay eyes on him. I increase my pace and when I approach and he welcomes me with a smile... a bit of a strange one but still, it is rather nice and comforting. I refrain from wrapping my arms around him.

"Jonathan," I say with a very happy tone, "how are you?"

"Fine," he says to me, "glad to see you."

Most of the time at school, I have been feeling quite... alone - even with Jonathan there. It has been difficult trying to adapt to my mother being so jubilant and happy all of the time - all the while I know the truth; my brother is somewhere out there... away from the people he knows and loves but what I don't know is if he is dead or alive. Theresa believes Adam is simply sick, she is not worrying for him because I told her not to. I am not certain whether or not that was a good idea because there is literally nobody in this world I can talk to about it all.

"Yeah, Adam's doing fine," I say as I continue my poor but passable excuse for my brothers absence, "the doctors think he will be discharged from the hospital within the next few weeks."

"Ah," Jonathan says, "the poor kid, but I guess pneumonia is common amongst the young during this time of year."

I feel myself press my lips together in a tight and unpleasant line, "I guess so."

Jonathan rocks on the balls of his feet for a while and he seems to be... uncomfortable. That is when I notice the way he is standing. He is slightly on an angle - he is hardly facing me and he is keeping one side of his face away from me. He also seems quite 'on edge'.

"Is everything okay?" I ask him. Okay, now I am nervous.

"Fine, why wouldn't it be?" his answer is cold and almost like a slap in the face to me.

I do not resist to touch him anymore. My hand grabs his chin and I turn his face around to look at me properly. That is when I notice - a big, fat, perfect black eye on the left side of his face.

"Oh my goodness, Jonathan, who did this to you?" I demand from him.

He shakes his head and swats my hand from his face, "nothing, it was just football practice."

"Must have been some intense practice. Did one of the boys do this to you?"

He sighs and rearranges his books before slamming his locker door shut. He is angry, not with me, but I can sense with the whole situation that revolves around his eye.

"It was Derek. I don't know. I don't get him anymore. He's been acting so angry all of the time. It's strange."

The second he says Derek Brown's name a certain disgust consumes my thoughts. I cannot even begin to explain how much I despise Derek Brown. He is one of the most disgusting people I have ever met in my life - and I have come across some disgusting people.

"I don't think anyone will understand Derek, Jonathan, stop worrying about him. He isn't worth your time - look what he did to you." I point at his eye and then I sigh, I'm kind of disappointed that Jonathan is even thinking about Derek in the first place, he knows what Derek did to me, "I'm going to get some food. I'll see you later."

"Bo," I hear Jonathan call out to me as I hurry down the corridor.

I don't want to talk to him about it anymore. Derek is one of the most vile people I have ever come across. Sure, he is beautiful and one of the greatest athletes our school has to offer but beneath those perfect eyes and that sexy smile is someone who is afraid and revolting. I don't care if he has had a hard life. That is no excuse.

I walk into the cafeteria, purchase a chocolate bar and sit down by myself at a table surrounded by at least five chairs. I put my bag atop of one of the chairs and my feet atop of another. I hope nobody sits with me. For now, I would like to be alone. I sit back and close my eyes as I try to imagine everyone I know and love in the Fifth World. They, actually we are in a small clearing. I guess, due to the fact that there is some rubble further out towards the trees, that we are in Seabrooke but the greatest thing about this vision is that it is not a sad place or dangerous or violent... it is a happy place. The sun is shining, the grass is long with a tinge of gold through it and everyone is happy. Everyone being Cynric, Calhoun, Caine, Lucius, Nancy, Felicity, even Janine... and of course... Adam. Dear sweet Adam. He sits in Nancy's arms, all little and innocent looking, as she plays a game with him. This is my happy place. This is where I want to be even if it does mean being away from my mother and Jonathan. I sigh and listen to the voices chatter... I even hear Adam's giggle as a tear runs down my cheek. This is my happy place. It is calling me.

My eyes open and I sit back upright in my chair before wiping my cheek. I hope nobody can see that I am crying. I cough to myself, awkwardly, uncomfortably and I look around the cafeteria as each Average Human consumes their food... they have very little to worry about in their simple lives... they worry about grades and their part-time jobs... I think I can say that I am somewhat jealous of a lot of them. My attention to the students switches to a figure who has just walked into the room... another student, big and tall, standing with a few books in his hands.

Derek Brown looks directly at me. The way he stares... I know that he is recalling the last time I ever saw him. I small smile crosses my face when I remember the way he would cower when Cynric would yell at him. Derek's eyes leave mine and he uncomfortably walks across the cafeteria towards a table with some of his friends. He does this knowing that I am watching. I sigh and decide to look out the window. Again it is another cold and miserable day. The sun is barely shining. The sky is covered in grey clouds that make you feel so depressed if you stare at them for too long.

"Eating alone?" I hear a familiar voice and quickly turn around.

"Not eating at all," I respond quite coldly.

It is Johnson. He has not stopped bugging me for days now. It is the third time he has shown up at school unexpectedly and definitely without welcome. I don't know why but I can't seem to find politeness or even mild happiness to show towards this man. I may share his blood but that does not make him my father. My real Dad died.

"Why are you here?" I ask him.

"Same reason as yesterday," he says to me.

He is wearing, if not the same as the first time I saw him, a grey suit. He appears very formal and definitely too formal for a teacher... but I guess that because of his clothing most of the staff members at school just overlook him as they would assume he would be someone from the board of education or something along those lines.

"Yet you refuse disclose the specifics. You want me to go back to the Fifth World but you won't tell me why. You have been absent my entire life yet you do not provide an explanation or apology. How can I trust you? What makes you think I would go back with you to the Fifth World?"

He sighs and runs his hand over his forehead. This man, this Angelican, is my biological father but I cannot seem to understand why he is so different to me. His behaviour... his mannerisms are completely... different. He barely shows emotion and hardly empathy - clearly evident from Christmas night. It was as if he barely cared for anyone else but myself even if he did save us. Angelicans are described to be generous and polite but not always kind.

"Your brother, for instance."

"Of course," I say to him, "of course I want to go back to the Fifth World to see him but I want to know... why do you want me to go back? What is in it for you?"

"Your mother."

I feel my mouth fall a little and my spine stiffens. Is Mum in trouble? He realises his mistake and quickly says something else.

"No, not Theresa... your birth mother... Evee. I need your help."