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Chapter 1
Life Can Be Hell Sometimes

September, Tuesday 15, 10:00am
The councilor is making me write a journal so that I can get my anger out. She said that it's bottled up and needs a way out "creatively". I do not see why I should be punished for someone else bullying me. Though she did tell Ben to write one, too he's the one who started the entire fight. I just want to take him down a notch, but it is funny that big bad Benjamin Wallace has to write in a diary. HAHAHAHAHAHA. Though for me to write in one?! I think it's silly a guy writing in a diary!!!! That stuffs for girls and their stupid giggling.
Stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid. Girls.

4:55pm--
Mom saw what I wrote.
Got grounded. Stu -ANNOYING councilor had to go tell mom what I was doing. She said it was an extra credit assignment. Mom loves those words "extra credit." She's a stickler for good grades. How am I supposed to write to "dissolve my issues" if mother won't let me write freely?
9:23pm--
Ok now she's taking photos of me and Tinker-bomb. He's a good cat. The only one I can tell whatever to and he never tells. HAHA just try and get all the secrets from him mother. Just look into his vacant stare. Aw man, now she plastered the photo on the page. Said it was for "memories." Next thing I'll know she will be buying me frilly dresses. I hope she realizes soon that I will stop writing in this once the time is up. Come on six week semester end!
Toby laughed reading over what he had written the night before. It was slightly amusing to mess with his mother this way. She had always had an answer for everything and it was terribly irritating. He picked up his journal and a pen. "I'm going to go outside to write. Is that OK? Since ya' know I'm grounded and all." Toby rolled his eyes. Samantha was thoroughly entranced by the talk show that was on and shooed him away. Toby shrugged his shoulders; she was in her usual zombie state. The news did that to her.

Wednesday 16, 4: something pm---
Guess I'll write about my father today. Since mother has closed herself off. Figures......
He paused looking up at the tall oak tree shading him. Up high in the branches was a flat that was to be his one and epic tree house. Tinker-bomb mewed drawing Toby's attention to him, he scratched at the cat that was circling his legs begging for attention. "You're stopping my thoughts you silly ole cat." Toby grinned as he picked tinker-bomb up, and stared face to face with the lazy black and white cat. "You really are getting fat." He laughed and set the cat down. It just laid limb, purring with the attention it was receiving.
….I don't really know my dad. He was a solider; at least that's what mom told me. He left when I was four years old so my memories are fuzzy of him, and he was killed by a gunshot wound. She always wanted the normal family life. The one, husband and wife, two perfect kids a boy and a girl; well, she's stuck with just me and Mr. Tinker-bomb.
"Well, well, well! What do my eyes see? Why it's Toby writing in that stupid diary like a little sissy." Ben had been riding past on his red and white bike. He stood on one foot while the other rested on the pedal, his arms slung across the handlebars. "My mother said that, THAT was something that a dumb little pussy does. She even lit on fire with her cigarette." Ben grinned evilly. "BUT YOU, You keep writing I guess you are just a little girl after all! I guess when your birthday comes I'll get 'cha a pink dress. Hell I'll get one for that damn cat of yours!" Ben was prone to use the 'forbidden' words as Toby's mother called them.
Ben was laughing up a storm which was making Toby seethe with rage. He stood up. His hands clinched so tight that his knuckles were going white. Ben still doubled over with laughter hadn't noticed Toby walking over to him. When he did it was too late Toby's fist connected with Ben's nose with a loud pop. Instantly blood started gushing from the broken orifice, it filled Toby with a bittersweet twinge of victory. Ben grabbed his nose screaming a line of obscenities at Toby that would make a sailor cringe as he pedaled quickly back towards his house, but Toby only knew what a few of the words he was yelling 'ment. So it was like yelling at a wall for all the good it was doing.
Toby didn't like the guy, but even he would admit that hitting him that hard was wrong. Though it did shut him up, Toby tried to make it sound good and positive, but the thought of all that blood was doing its job drowning out the positive thoughts.
He knew Mrs. Wallace would call in her gravelly voice and yell at his mom for what Toby had done. He decided to sit back down under the tree and wait for the coming storm. Toby leaned his head back and began watching the clouds drift by when something purple started to grow in size. It was almost like it was negative light sucking away everything in its path. The purple flames grew quickly the closer it got. This was starting to worry Toby, where was it going to land? Was it so huge that it would destroy his house or was it all a trick of the eyes? He stood up and tried to move out of the dark lights way. With every passing heart beat the purple flames drew closer until it collided with the tree. Lodging itself well into its rough bark, Toby just stood wide eyed. It hit right where he'd been sitting. If he hadn't gotten up and punched Ben he'd been dead right now. 'Fate was a tricky bastard', he thought.
The crystal sizzled and popped as it burned deeper into the tree. Toby wondered if it was radioactive as he peered into the hole the crystal was making. His dad might have one of those counter things. He ran into the house clearing four steps on his way up the stairs. "Mom, hey MOM!" She turned away from the television.
"What?"
"Um… you know that counter thingy dad had."
"Counter thingy? I have no clue what you're talking about." She rolled her eyes turning back towards the television.
"You know!" Toby said trying to get her full attention. "It counts the waves from dangerous items." She stopped and scrunched up her face in thought.
"You mean a Geiger counter?" Toby pointed yes and began jumping up and down he was closing in on it. "It's up in the attic with all of his other stuff. Why do you need one?" She crossed her arms, since the show was in commercials her full attention was on him.
"I....ugh....just wanted to ….ya' know …..Play with it." He stammered and began to rock back and forth kicking his foot idly.
"Yeah, what are you going to use it for?" She started eyeballing her son.
"Ok!" He threw his hands up in disgust. "I'm going to see if something is radioactive or not. I just wanted to see." His mother rolled her eyes figuring he was just pretending.
"Go get it, but don't get hurt." Toby waved as he sped past on his way up to the attic.
Standing below the attic door, he jumped, the string leading to the attic just out of reach. Toby's cheeks puffed out in frustration, he crossed his arms and stomped his foot. "This sucks." He stared at the string, the cogs in his brain turning until they finally clicked into place. "OH! I know." He ran down the hall into his room, and grabbed the desk chair.
The wheels on his chair squeaked and whined as they tumbled across the wooden panels of the floor. The chair wobbled back and forth creating a loud irritating squeaky noise as Toby stood on it. The tops of his fingers grazed the ends of the string; Toby leaned onto his tip toes. Heart in his throat as the chair began to sway under the uneven weight. "Almost got it." He told himself Toby bit his lip in concentration. "Tha...THERE!!" His fingers wrapped around the white string. Toby gripped hard as he settled back down into the chair and slowly brought the attic door down with him. Wobbly stepping down Toby kicked the chair away as the attic door slammed against the floor resounding throughout the house.
Dust sprinkled the stale air causing Toby to cough as he swatted away the unbearable particles. He put his hand over his mouth as he climbed up the steps. Cardboard boxes lined the walls along with a few odds and ends. In the corner was his father's trunk. He took his hand off his mouth and coughed once more, but he quickly ran towards the trunk and opened it. His father's uniform, and photos lined the bottom sitting next to a small box. Toby reached for the box it was old, and worn Toby worried that he might get a splinter from it.
He flipped the latch and spotted the counter along with a few other technical items. Toby's eyes lit up, he flipped the latch back into place and rushed down the stairs. He passed his mother as he walked to the door. She eyed him as he passed, but turned back towards the news. He ran towards the tree, Tinker-bomb lying on his back, feet in the air. He rolled over as Toby ran towards the tree meowing for attention. To which Toby ignored, there was something more important in front of him.
He took out the counter and tapped it making sure that it still worked. Sure enough the needle whirred as it came to life, rocking back and forth as it settled on to the green section. Toby placed the sensor at the crystal. The needle wobbled but stayed in the green zone it had no more radiation than an average Walkman.
Toby smiled wide as he pulled out the compact knife from his pocket and began to dig out the crystal. Tinker-bomb was purring and rubbing against Toby's leg begging for attention. "Not now, Tin." Toby nudged the cat away. It looked back up at him green eyes unfocused. Toby kept chipping away until the crystal fell into his hands. It was radiating a dark purple and most haunting as it sucked the light from everything around it.
"Muerow??" Toby shook his head breaking the hypnosis that had taken over him as he turned back towards Tinker-bomb. He stooped and petted the cat, to its utter bliss. "There buddy."
Toby's hands scrapped the old collar that Tinker-bomb was wearing. It was frayed and faded ready to fall off. "Guess you need a new fancy collar, huh?" Toby picked up Tinker-bomb and cradled the cat in his arm as he brought him inside.
"Find what you were looking for?" Samantha was now in the kitchen looking over menus for takeout.
"Ah, yeah." Toby laughed hesitantly. "Just messing around with it that's all." Toby didn't make eye contact, and was hitting his fist against his side. His mom made a face, but let him go on. Toby ran back up the dusty attic stairs and cautiously placed the box back into his father's trunk. He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer to his father to watch over the family from wherever he as. With that he ran back down the stairs, closed the door, and rolled the chair back into his room.
Toby grabbed some spare leather from the crafts box and began working on tinker-bomb a new collar. Sure his mother may have had the money to buy a new one, but they never really felt as sentimental as the handmade ones. "Toby, what do you want for dinner?" Samantha called up the stairs. Toby opened the door to his room, "Whatever you want mother. I'm not really hungry." He could hear her sighing and grumbling about indecisive people pissed her off. Toby rolled his eyes and closed the door, this exchange was nothing new to him, it happened almost every day. She used to cook when dad was around, she would even giggle and say that she wanted to be a chef one day; however ever since she got the visit about his death it seems like she died, too. She went to work at a well to do business her father owned, and never touched any cookware again. The roundness in her face had shrunk and left her face sunken in and dead in almost a zombie like state.
Toby turned back to his collar making, as Tinker-bomb laid on his bed grooming himself. "Ugh...Cat don't do that on there!" Toby sighed, as he went back to work on the project in front of him. Time passed quickly before Toby even knew it his mother was calling him down for supper. She had chosen a local Chinese restaurant for tonight's dinner. "So how was work?" Toby pushed his chow mien around his plate with his chopsticks. He missed the time when his father was home, sure they were fuzzy memories, but they were much happier. Dad and Mom would laugh and talk about their days. A complete contrast to greasy meal they were eating now. Cold and unforgiving like the silence that hung like fog in the air suffocating everything in its path.
"Fine." The sudden noise shook Toby back. "That is. Until I got a call from the counselor..." She picked up a piece of orange chicken and ate it. Toby looked back down at his plate. She was going to blame him for the fight, great just great.
"I didn't start the fight." Samantha's eyes zoned in on him, anger and disbelief evident in them. Toby dropped his head. It was going to be one of those fights. No matter what he said he would be in the wrong. Toby sighed hunger all but gone from him. He sat up from the table when a shrill ringing sliced through the air.
The telephone...
Toby's ocean blue eyes connected with Samantha's steel grey ones. She knew something was up. "I'll get it." Samantha stood pushing her half-eaten plate away from her. Another ring and she was at the receiver. "Hello? Yes, this is she." Toby stood in the door way knuckles turning white as he watched the back of his mother. You could never tell if she was angry or any other inappropriate emotion on the phone. She would smile and act like everything was fine; however when the receiver clicked. All hell would break loose. "You don't say? He really did that, hmm. Well, I will, yes, I will definitely speak with, and yes Mrs. Wallace I will speak with Toby. And. Yes I am very sorry for what happened. Thank you. Have a- have a nice day. Yes, God bless you too." And the click, there it was. He didn't have time to hide Samantha spun around faster than anything he'd ever seen.
"WHAT IN THE HELL DID YOU DO TOBAIS MATTHEW TOBERTON!" Toby knew it was too late to run. He felt like she was growing in size, that or he was shrinking. Then she stopped. She took a deep breath; it had been a long standing philosophy that she would never whip her child in anger, but the next day when she had calmed down and time to think. This, well this may have been the one time she may just forgo that agreement. Toby took a deep gulp of air as it caught in his throat and, began to prep for the pain. He closed his eye and started backing up. "Tobais....go to your room, and don't come out until tomorrow. I'll decide what happens then." The quiet ferocity in her voice was stronger than the yelling. Toby nodded, turned and picked up Tinker-bomb. He jumped up the stairs, getting up them as fast as he could. His room, his sanctuary was the only place he'd be safe from the stare of distain and disappointment. He only wished that he'd been able to talk to her to make her understand why he'd punched Ben. Why he tackled him during class, it was all instigated by Ben. He took pleasure in tormenting people, not just Toby, but everyone. There was a pent up hatred inside that boy.
Toby locked the door behind him; he was panting heart in his throat. He'd never seen his mother so angry. Tinker-bomb mewed to be let down; Toby smiled and petted the cat. "Ok, boy." With a soft thump Tinker hit the floor. Claws clicking as he walked across the wooden floor. Toby walked over to his desk, the journal and half-done collar where laying there. He flicked the latch on his window and slid it up.
For protection Samantha and Aaron had installed bars on the windows. Toby thought they were silly, he could understand if they had lived deep in city, but they lived in a quiet suburb. Where no one would hurt anyone and everyone knew the other. He turned back to his desk and opened the journal.
He had written most of what happened, leaving out the crystal part. For fear his teacher may think he was delusional. Doing this was actually better than he thought it would be. Toby re-read over his entries, nodded that they were right. He looked over towards Tinker-bomb; he was asleep at the windowsill feeling the nice breeze as it past him. Toby smiled, "Oh, to be a cat, not have to talk or worry about anything." He yawned looking back towards the clock on his desk. 9:15PM. He had till nine-thirty before bed time.
He picked up the wire which was bent around the crystal, and began to make the new colar. Time seemed to fly as he wound wire into different shapes, by the time he looked up it was already 10:45. "Guess mother was too angry to tell me to go to bed."
Toby stretched in his chair and stood up to get ready for bed. He gave Tinker a scratch getting a mew out of him. "Good night, boy." Clicking out the light, Toby fell into a restless sleep. His dreams however were anything, but peaceful. He fell into a tunnel that grew darker and darker when it seemed that he'd gone further into darkness than he'd thought existed. A red illuminating light in the tunnel began to grow. He landed hard on his back and right shoulder in a weird slimy mess, knocking the air out of him. The goop covered him from head to toe making Toby gag at the smell, it was rancid death.
He looked over and saw a severed head wafting in the slime, one of its eyes had fallen out. The spheroid was looking straight at Toby. The dull gray eye twitched in the goop, it was tethered to the skull by its tendons. Forming a bridge for the bugs crawling on it in and out of the many orifices eating at what flesh they could. Toby emptied his stomach at the sight. Ugh, never had he seen anything so horrible. Not even in his worst dreams, which this seemed to be too real to be a dream.
He closed his eyes and turned upwards looked at the ceiling, instantly he regretted it. Long red web-like tendrils swayed back and forth of their own accord. Monstrous creatures hung in them, some humans, and pieces of them, hung as well. One male hung by his foot, arms barely attached, the other leg missing along with the head. Toby guessed it was the one floating next to him. The cave was like a bowl that was risen in the middle.
In the middle was a large white and red island. The island was made up of bones and rotting revolting flesh, large bird like creatures with three eyes swarmed the mound picking at the leftovers. Blood flying to and fro some splattered on other birds making them go into a blood-lust fury and slaughter each other. The feathers from the dead birds floated down landing all around Toby, he shivered in fear. He wanted to get out of the gelatinous mess, but the island of bones was less inviting than the floating head behind him. He sighed there was nowhere else to go. The tunnel in which he entered was way above him, and the long tendrils guarded the way up to it.
Toby leaned forward and swam through the decomposing flesh and blood. The stench making his eyes water and he held back the fighting urge to purge his stomach once more. The blood was staining his skin a deep red. His hair stuck to his head with a mix of sweat and the bile he just bathed through. His hands trembled as they reached for the bleached bones. Taking a gulp Toby held back the bile as he pulled himself upwards to the top of the heap. Skulls and other parts falling into the mess below him as he climbed upwards only added to the fear of falling into the mess. Toby could feel the nauseating feeling creeping up with every step as the higher he went the more flesh clung to the bones. His mind raced, where was he and how did he get here. Blank dead faces stared at him, cold eyes gray and clouded over, some missing along with other parts of the person's face.
His bloody caked fingers gripped the final bones of the pile as he dragged himself onto the top. Toby lay over breathing heavily. The pile didn't appear as high from below, but now that he was at the top, the soup was way below him. The floating head was just a small dot in the ruddy mixture.
Newly dead littered everywhere underfoot, some even still alive, if you could call it that. Moans and broken screams begging for death came from those who had not yet given up on life. One man ripped in half coughed out his regrets as the birds gnawed at his intestines, another man screamed as imp like creatures fileted his skin off. Toby's skin crawled at the grotesque sight. He hid behind larger piles of corpses. Hating himself for the fact that he was unable to stop any of the horrible sights before him. Looking towards the middle of the pile there was still a greater pile of bones. Upon it was a tall mass of black flames, a bass dark voice began to emit from the flaming bulk. Arms formed of the flames as they reached into the tendrils and grabbed a young woman. She had been hanging by her neck, and by the ferocity of her movements she must have been new to the hellish landscape.
"The key has landed in the other world." A dark mist formed in front of the mass of flames. It reflected like water showing Toby the creatures face. Eyes the color of lava, a bright orange, its mouth like a spider, the lava from the mouth flowed down its body. The woman shrieked as the flames seared her skin. It bubbled and popped as the sinew tore from its frame. Where his fingers grasped her, her muscle mass turned black and emitted the most terrible smell that Toby could have imagined. The flames laughed darkly. "Yes, scream my little snack." Her screams had turned to pain filled moaning as a majority of her body was turning to charcoal. The flame creature moved his hand over the reflective glass; it rippled and showed the purple crystal lying on Toby's desk. "I only have to get the boy to activate it." Toby gulped he was an unwitting pawn in something this evil, it was unthinkable. "Then I can use the crystal's power to bring my kingdom into the other world." His laugh echoed off the walls of the cave. Toby felt something wrap around his ankles and pull him backwards through the bones and flesh. He grabbed at the parts trying to cling to the pile fearing for his life that he had been found. His grip slipped on the wet flesh, allowing the force to drag him across to the end of the pit. Toby hung suspended in the air upside down as the flame creature turned towards him. "Boy who will not speak up. I WILL have your world. Starting with you." The flame creatures hand crept forward towards Toby. He screamed hands flying to his face; he didn't want to be like the other woman. The closer the hand got the hotter Toby's face got. His hands swung out in front of him.
Cutting through the cold air of the bedroom its blue hue was in stark contrast to the red heat of the hellish dome. The screams woke him from the nightmare, sweat pouring down his face. Tinker-bomb mewed from the window sill. "It.....It was just a dream." He laughed in relief Toby flicked on the table lamp, and all the reassurance he had gained was washed away. His hands were red with caked on blood. Toby could feel his heart stop; he leapt out of the bed and ran to the bathroom.
In the cold tile room he stood facing his refection. His hair was tinged a dark red color, blood splattered on his face and body. Pieces of meat stuck all over him. Toby retched into the toilet. He shakily crawled into the tub the knobs squeaked as he turned on the cold water. Red foot prints stained where the water met Toby's feet. He scratched at his hair meat falling out and slipped down the drain with a slurping noise. Toby scrubbed and scrubbed until the water ran clean even then he felt like it wasn't enough. When he finally got out he looked back at his own reflection. His hair was no longer its natural black, but a warm brown. The blood had soaked in and dyed his hair. His eyes had mutated to a purple.
The blood had stained his skin in a weird way. Many of the splatters looked like characters to some other language. The ones on his shoulders made spirals down his back. Toby leaned towards the mirror more to get a better look. His hand slipped from the sink smacking his chin hard on the counter. Toby dropped to his knees from the pain, crouched on the floor, hands clasped on his chin. Toby clinched his eyes from the pain. He bit his lip to keep from yelling and waking his mother, which would anger her further and make the punishment worse. She'd have never believed him even in his wildest fantasies. He held his mouth closed and blew the pain out his nose. It was a weird thought but instead of screaming he pushed the same air out silently.
Tears dropped on the floor as Toby stayed crouched until the pain had subsided. His hand wobbly grasped the counter as he pulled himself upward. He looked back into the mirror at his chin. "Thank god, no bruise." He rubbed the still sore injury. It was then that the streaks caught his eye. They were gone. He quickly turned, his back facing the mirror. All the streaks and characters had disappeared. Toby's eyes grew wide, what had happened to them? His hair and eyes were still the odd colors, but it was good that the streaks were gone. His mother wouldn't be asking questions about all the marks, she was irritatingly inquisitive that way. However all the marks suddenly gone? It truly unnerved him leaving an unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach. Was he going crazy, or was everything just trying to drive him off the edge.
Toby grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, then staggered down the hall to his room. Putting on a clean pair of boxers and a blue shirt, Toby sat at his desk. There was no way that he was going to go to sleep tonight. He looked over at the desk clock, three am. Sighing Toby grabbed the pliers and began to fold the metal wire.
The more he worked the more his mind drifted to the demon's words. "I only have to get the boy to activate it." The crystal was the key and what did he mean by activate it? Was there something that Toby was to do, some magic phrase to get the crystal to activate. It was too much stress that one simple slip could send that monstrous world flying into the semi-peaceful one he lived in.
He had to destroy it. Then the crystal would be rendered harmless, thus stopping the impending invasion. Toby nodded this sounded like a sound conclusion. He crept down stairs crystal in hand, and ran around to the garage. Since they've moved from their prior house the tools his father had collected were sold so that only a few necessary ones remained. Thankfully a hammer was among those. Toby grabbed the small hammer and laid the crystal on the concrete floor. Raising the hammer high Toby swung with all his might. With a loud crash the purple crystal shattered into powder. A few bigger shards remained, but most had broken into a fine dust. Toby grabbed a dust broom and swept the powder up then threw it into the trash bin. Where the crystal had been broken a purple stain remained. Hopefully Samantha wouldn't notice it.
The bigger crystal pieces were no longer glowing with the dark purple light and no longer seemed to draw in the light. Toby sighed happily. The nightmare, even if only that was adverted he grasped the bigger pieces as he quietly tiptoed back up the stairs. There were four pieces that remained. Toby was glad that the pieces were not glowing and had seemed to go back to normal. He wound the crystal into the collar finalizing the design. Toby heard the soft knock on his door, jolting him out of a dreamless sleep. A line of drool had begun to pool on the table. "Are you awake Toby? It's time for school." Samantha yawned opening the door letting the hall light in.
"Yeah." He jerked upward rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Thanks." Toby turned in his chair facing the door. His mother smiled meekly, and closed the door. Toby stood and stretched, then turned and closed the window. He put on his clothes for school. A red and white top and Capri pants Tinker-bomb thumped as he landed on the floor from the bed. Toby laughed as he opened the door for the cat. "You sure are one fat cat." Making a quick stop at the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready. Silently hoping that the horrible visions where just part of his dream Toby brush in hand looked towards the mirror his heart froze in his chest. His hair was still a reddish brown, his eyes a light purple. His hands went numb as the toothbrush crashed onto the floor.
Tears filled the brim of his eyes, "That was no dream."
He quickly rinsed off the brush and finished cleaning up not wanting to see himself for another minute. He sluggishly tromped down the stairs all the heart drained from him. Samantha was in a better mood, as far as Toby could tell. She wasn't red in the face with anger. "You will have a punishment equal to your crime as is with the law." Toby looked down; this was always her starting line. She felt that if she punished like this then he would have less chance to commit crimes. "Since you broke Ben's nose I'm not going to break yours." She laughed. "But you will be grounded from all technology for a month. No television, no video games. Nothing understand me?" Toby sighed it was a pain; however it was a better punishment than a whipping. "Do you understand?" Toby nodded in agreement. "Ok, it's almost six forty-five. The bus will be here soon. Finish up and get ready." Toby finished his breakfast of cereal, grabbed his backpack and ran towards the door. His mother held her robe closed as she waited at the door while the bus pulled up and picked up her son.
The bus was strangely quiet as Toby climbed up the steps. The eyes of every student pinned on him. Ben sitting in the back seat, eyes zoned in on him. His nose was tapped up and Toby could see a purple haze shining from the punch. Toby could feel the eyes follow him as he made his way to his seat. Throwing his backpack against the wall Toby sat down. The cold glass window felt like a nice relief to the reminder of the heat of the hellish world in his dream. Toby closed his eyes thankful that he might have an hour's reprieve.
That however was cut dramatically short. Ben plopped down next to Toby, a dark glint in his eyes. "Your life is going to be a living hell Sissy boy. This little inconvenience that you brought me." He pointed to his nose. "Will only bring me more pleasure to bring it back to you tenfold." Ben laughed manically as he punched Toby in the shoulder. "Welcome to hell, Tobais." He sat up from the gray leather seat and walked back to his place at the back of the bus with the older teens. The bus until then had been abnormally quiet, all of its passengers knew of Ben's temper and they were waiting to see if he was going to blow his top. This reaction was a little underwhelming to the older teens in the back. They had been looking for a good beating. After Ben had gotten back to his seat the chatter of the students began to rise as the bus turned down the corners of the city towards the Valley Springs Memorial Elementary.
It was going to be a long day...

Description
Chapter 1
Life Can Be Hell Sometimes

September, Tuesday 15, 10:00am
The councilor is making me write a journal so that I can get my anger out. She said that it's bottled up and needs a way out "creatively". I do not see why I should be punished for someone else bullying me. Though she did tell Ben to write one, too he's the one who started the entire fight. I just want to take him down a notch, but it is funny that big bad Benjamin Wallace has to write in a diary. HAHAHAHAHAHA. Though for me to write in one?! I think it's silly a guy writing in a diary!!!! That stuffs for girls and their stupid giggling.
Stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid. Girls.

4:55pm--
Mom saw what I wrote.
Got grounded. Stu -ANNOYING councilor had to go tell mom what I was doing. She said it was an extra credit assignment. Mom loves those words "extra credit." She's a stickler for good grades. How am I supposed to write to "dissolve my issues" if mother won't let me write freely?
9:23pm--
Ok now she's taking photos of me and Tinker-bomb. He's a good cat. The only one I can tell whatever to and he never tells. HAHA just try and get all the secrets from him mother. Just look into his vacant stare. Aw man, now she plastered the photo on the page. Said it was for "memories." Next thing I'll know she will be buying me frilly dresses. I hope she realizes soon that I will stop writing in this once the time is up. Come on six week semester end!
Toby laughed reading over what he had written the night before. It was slightly amusing to mess with his mother this way. She had always had an answer for everything and it was terribly irritating. He picked up his journal and a pen. "I'm going to go outside to write. Is that OK? Since ya' know I'm grounded and all." Toby rolled his eyes. Samantha was thoroughly entranced by the talk show that was on and shooed him away. Toby shrugged his shoulders; she was in her usual zombie state. The news did that to her.

Wednesday 16, 4: something pm---
Guess I'll write about my father today. Since mother has closed herself off. Figures......
He paused looking up at the tall oak tree shading him. Up high in the branches was a flat that was to be his one and epic tree house. Tinker-bomb mewed drawing Toby's attention to him, he scratched at the cat that was circling his legs begging for attention. "You're stopping my thoughts you silly ole cat." Toby grinned as he picked tinker-bomb up, and stared face to face with the lazy black and white cat. "You really are getting fat." He laughed and set the cat down. It just laid limb, purring with the attention it was receiving.
….I don't really know my dad. He was a solider; at least that's what mom told me. He left when I was four years old so my memories are fuzzy of him, and he was killed by a gunshot wound. She always wanted the normal family life. The one, husband and wife, two perfect kids a boy and a girl; well, she's stuck with just me and Mr. Tinker-bomb.
"Well, well, well! What do my eyes see? Why it's Toby writing in that stupid diary like a little sissy." Ben had been riding past on his red and white bike. He stood on one foot while the other rested on the pedal, his arms slung across the handlebars. "My mother said that, THAT was something that a dumb little pussy does. She even lit on fire with her cigarette." Ben grinned evilly. "BUT YOU, You keep writing I guess you are just a little girl after all! I guess when your birthday comes I'll get 'cha a pink dress. Hell I'll get one for that damn cat of yours!" Ben was prone to use the 'forbidden' words as Toby's mother called them.
Ben was laughing up a storm which was making Toby seethe with rage. He stood up. His hands clinched so tight that his knuckles were going white. Ben still doubled over with laughter hadn't noticed Toby walking over to him. When he did it was too late Toby's fist connected with Ben's nose with a loud pop. Instantly blood started gushing from the broken orifice, it filled Toby with a bittersweet twinge of victory. Ben grabbed his nose screaming a line of obscenities at Toby that would make a sailor cringe as he pedaled quickly back towards his house, but Toby only knew what a few of the words he was yelling 'ment. So it was like yelling at a wall for all the good it was doing.
Toby didn't like the guy, but even he would admit that hitting him that hard was wrong. Though it did shut him up, Toby tried to make it sound good and positive, but the thought of all that blood was doing its job drowning out the positive thoughts.
He knew Mrs. Wallace would call in her gravelly voice and yell at his mom for what Toby had done. He decided to sit back down under the tree and wait for the coming storm. Toby leaned his head back and began watching the clouds drift by when something purple started to grow in size. It was almost like it was negative light sucking away everything in its path. The purple flames grew quickly the closer it got. This was starting to worry Toby, where was it going to land? Was it so huge that it would destroy his house or was it all a trick of the eyes? He stood up and tried to move out of the dark lights way. With every passing heart beat the purple flames drew closer until it collided with the tree. Lodging itself well into its rough bark, Toby just stood wide eyed. It hit right where he'd been sitting. If he hadn't gotten up and punched Ben he'd been dead right now. 'Fate was a tricky bastard', he thought.
The crystal sizzled and popped as it burned deeper into the tree. Toby wondered if it was radioactive as he peered into the hole the crystal was making. His dad might have one of those counter things. He ran into the house clearing four steps on his way up the stairs. "Mom, hey MOM!" She turned away from the television.
"What?"
"Um… you know that counter thingy dad had."
"Counter thingy? I have no clue what you're talking about." She rolled her eyes turning back towards the television.
"You know!" Toby said trying to get her full attention. "It counts the waves from dangerous items." She stopped and scrunched up her face in thought.
"You mean a Geiger counter?" Toby pointed yes and began jumping up and down he was closing in on it. "It's up in the attic with all of his other stuff. Why do you need one?" She crossed her arms, since the show was in commercials her full attention was on him.
"I....ugh....just wanted to ….ya' know …..Play with it." He stammered and began to rock back and forth kicking his foot idly.
"Yeah, what are you going to use it for?" She started eyeballing her son.
"Ok!" He threw his hands up in disgust. "I'm going to see if something is radioactive or not. I just wanted to see." His mother rolled her eyes figuring he was just pretending.
"Go get it, but don't get hurt." Toby waved as he sped past on his way up to the attic.
Standing below the attic door, he jumped, the string leading to the attic just out of reach. Toby's cheeks puffed out in frustration, he crossed his arms and stomped his foot. "This sucks." He stared at the string, the cogs in his brain turning until they finally clicked into place. "OH! I know." He ran down the hall into his room, and grabbed the desk chair.
The wheels on his chair squeaked and whined as they tumbled across the wooden panels of the floor. The chair wobbled back and forth creating a loud irritating squeaky noise as Toby stood on it. The tops of his fingers grazed the ends of the string; Toby leaned onto his tip toes. Heart in his throat as the chair began to sway under the uneven weight. "Almost got it." He told himself Toby bit his lip in concentration. "Tha...THERE!!" His fingers wrapped around the white string. Toby gripped hard as he settled back down into the chair and slowly brought the attic door down with him. Wobbly stepping down Toby kicked the chair away as the attic door slammed against the floor resounding throughout the house.
Dust sprinkled the stale air causing Toby to cough as he swatted away the unbearable particles. He put his hand over his mouth as he climbed up the steps. Cardboard boxes lined the walls along with a few odds and ends. In the corner was his father's trunk. He took his hand off his mouth and coughed once more, but he quickly ran towards the trunk and opened it. His father's uniform, and photos lined the bottom sitting next to a small box. Toby reached for the box it was old, and worn Toby worried that he might get a splinter from it.
He flipped the latch and spotted the counter along with a few other technical items. Toby's eyes lit up, he flipped the latch back into place and rushed down the stairs. He passed his mother as he walked to the door. She eyed him as he passed, but turned back towards the news. He ran towards the tree, Tinker-bomb lying on his back, feet in the air. He rolled over as Toby ran towards the tree meowing for attention. To which Toby ignored, there was something more important in front of him.
He took out the counter and tapped it making sure that it still worked. Sure enough the needle whirred as it came to life, rocking back and forth as it settled on to the green section. Toby placed the sensor at the crystal. The needle wobbled but stayed in the green zone it had no more radiation than an average Walkman.
Toby smiled wide as he pulled out the compact knife from his pocket and began to dig out the crystal. Tinker-bomb was purring and rubbing against Toby's leg begging for attention. "Not now, Tin." Toby nudged the cat away. It looked back up at him green eyes unfocused. Toby kept chipping away until the crystal fell into his hands. It was radiating a dark purple and most haunting as it sucked the light from everything around it.
"Muerow??" Toby shook his head breaking the hypnosis that had taken over him as he turned back towards Tinker-bomb. He stooped and petted the cat, to its utter bliss. "There buddy."
Toby's hands scrapped the old collar that Tinker-bomb was wearing. It was frayed and faded ready to fall off. "Guess you need a new fancy collar, huh?" Toby picked up Tinker-bomb and cradled the cat in his arm as he brought him inside.
"Find what you were looking for?" Samantha was now in the kitchen looking over menus for takeout.
"Ah, yeah." Toby laughed hesitantly. "Just messing around with it that's all." Toby didn't make eye contact, and was hitting his fist against his side. His mom made a face, but let him go on. Toby ran back up the dusty attic stairs and cautiously placed the box back into his father's trunk. He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer to his father to watch over the family from wherever he as. With that he ran back down the stairs, closed the door, and rolled the chair back into his room.
Toby grabbed some spare leather from the crafts box and began working on tinker-bomb a new collar. Sure his mother may have had the money to buy a new one, but they never really felt as sentimental as the handmade ones. "Toby, what do you want for dinner?" Samantha called up the stairs. Toby opened the door to his room, "Whatever you want mother. I'm not really hungry." He could hear her sighing and grumbling about indecisive people pissed her off. Toby rolled his eyes and closed the door, this exchange was nothing new to him, it happened almost every day. She used to cook when dad was around, she would even giggle and say that she wanted to be a chef one day; however ever since she got the visit about his death it seems like she died, too. She went to work at a well to do business her father owned, and never touched any cookware again. The roundness in her face had shrunk and left her face sunken in and dead in almost a zombie like state.
Toby turned back to his collar making, as Tinker-bomb laid on his bed grooming himself. "Ugh...Cat don't do that on there!" Toby sighed, as he went back to work on the project in front of him. Time passed quickly before Toby even knew it his mother was calling him down for supper. She had chosen a local Chinese restaurant for tonight's dinner. "So how was work?" Toby pushed his chow mien around his plate with his chopsticks. He missed the time when his father was home, sure they were fuzzy memories, but they were much happier. Dad and Mom would laugh and talk about their days. A complete contrast to greasy meal they were eating now. Cold and unforgiving like the silence that hung like fog in the air suffocating everything in its path.
"Fine." The sudden noise shook Toby back. "That is. Until I got a call from the counselor..." She picked up a piece of orange chicken and ate it. Toby looked back down at his plate. She was going to blame him for the fight, great just great.
"I didn't start the fight." Samantha's eyes zoned in on him, anger and disbelief evident in them. Toby dropped his head. It was going to be one of those fights. No matter what he said he would be in the wrong. Toby sighed hunger all but gone from him. He sat up from the table when a shrill ringing sliced through the air.
The telephone...
Toby's ocean blue eyes connected with Samantha's steel grey ones. She knew something was up. "I'll get it." Samantha stood pushing her half-eaten plate away from her. Another ring and she was at the receiver. "Hello? Yes, this is she." Toby stood in the door way knuckles turning white as he watched the back of his mother. You could never tell if she was angry or any other inappropriate emotion on the phone. She would smile and act like everything was fine; however when the receiver clicked. All hell would break loose. "You don't say? He really did that, hmm. Well, I will, yes, I will definitely speak with, and yes Mrs. Wallace I will speak with Toby. And. Yes I am very sorry for what happened. Thank you. Have a- have a nice day. Yes, God bless you too." And the click, there it was. He didn't have time to hide Samantha spun around faster than anything he'd ever seen.
"WHAT IN THE HELL DID YOU DO TOBAIS MATTHEW TOBERTON!" Toby knew it was too late to run. He felt like she was growing in size, that or he was shrinking. Then she stopped. She took a deep breath; it had been a long standing philosophy that she would never whip her child in anger, but the next day when she had calmed down and time to think. This, well this may have been the one time she may just forgo that agreement. Toby took a deep gulp of air as it caught in his throat and, began to prep for the pain. He closed his eye and started backing up. "Tobais....go to your room, and don't come out until tomorrow. I'll decide what happens then." The quiet ferocity in her voice was stronger than the yelling. Toby nodded, turned and picked up Tinker-bomb. He jumped up the stairs, getting up them as fast as he could. His room, his sanctuary was the only place he'd be safe from the stare of distain and disappointment. He only wished that he'd been able to talk to her to make her understand why he'd punched Ben. Why he tackled him during class, it was all instigated by Ben. He took pleasure in tormenting people, not just Toby, but everyone. There was a pent up hatred inside that boy.
Toby locked the door behind him; he was panting heart in his throat. He'd never seen his mother so angry. Tinker-bomb mewed to be let down; Toby smiled and petted the cat. "Ok, boy." With a soft thump Tinker hit the floor. Claws clicking as he walked across the wooden floor. Toby walked over to his desk, the journal and half-done collar where laying there. He flicked the latch on his window and slid it up.
For protection Samantha and Aaron had installed bars on the windows. Toby thought they were silly, he could understand if they had lived deep in city, but they lived in a quiet suburb. Where no one would hurt anyone and everyone knew the other. He turned back to his desk and opened the journal.
He had written most of what happened, leaving out the crystal part. For fear his teacher may think he was delusional. Doing this was actually better than he thought it would be. Toby re-read over his entries, nodded that they were right. He looked over towards Tinker-bomb; he was asleep at the windowsill feeling the nice breeze as it past him. Toby smiled, "Oh, to be a cat, not have to talk or worry about anything." He yawned looking back towards the clock on his desk. 9:15PM. He had till nine-thirty before bed time.
He picked up the wire which was bent around the crystal, and began to make the new colar. Time seemed to fly as he wound wire into different shapes, by the time he looked up it was already 10:45. "Guess mother was too angry to tell me to go to bed."
Toby stretched in his chair and stood up to get ready for bed. He gave Tinker a scratch getting a mew out of him. "Good night, boy." Clicking out the light, Toby fell into a restless sleep. His dreams however were anything, but peaceful. He fell into a tunnel that grew darker and darker when it seemed that he'd gone further into darkness than he'd thought existed. A red illuminating light in the tunnel began to grow. He landed hard on his back and right shoulder in a weird slimy mess, knocking the air out of him. The goop covered him from head to toe making Toby gag at the smell, it was rancid death.
He looked over and saw a severed head wafting in the slime, one of its eyes had fallen out. The spheroid was looking straight at Toby. The dull gray eye twitched in the goop, it was tethered to the skull by its tendons. Forming a bridge for the bugs crawling on it in and out of the many orifices eating at what flesh they could. Toby emptied his stomach at the sight. Ugh, never had he seen anything so horrible. Not even in his worst dreams, which this seemed to be too real to be a dream.
He closed his eyes and turned upwards looked at the ceiling, instantly he regretted it. Long red web-like tendrils swayed back and forth of their own accord. Monstrous creatures hung in them, some humans, and pieces of them, hung as well. One male hung by his foot, arms barely attached, the other leg missing along with the head. Toby guessed it was the one floating next to him. The cave was like a bowl that was risen in the middle.
In the middle was a large white and red island. The island was made up of bones and rotting revolting flesh, large bird like creatures with three eyes swarmed the mound picking at the leftovers. Blood flying to and fro some splattered on other birds making them go into a blood-lust fury and slaughter each other. The feathers from the dead birds floated down landing all around Toby, he shivered in fear. He wanted to get out of the gelatinous mess, but the island of bones was less inviting than the floating head behind him. He sighed there was nowhere else to go. The tunnel in which he entered was way above him, and the long tendrils guarded the way up to it.
Toby leaned forward and swam through the decomposing flesh and blood. The stench making his eyes water and he held back the fighting urge to purge his stomach once more. The blood was staining his skin a deep red. His hair stuck to his head with a mix of sweat and the bile he just bathed through. His hands trembled as they reached for the bleached bones. Taking a gulp Toby held back the bile as he pulled himself upwards to the top of the heap. Skulls and other parts falling into the mess below him as he climbed upwards only added to the fear of falling into the mess. Toby could feel the nauseating feeling creeping up with every step as the higher he went the more flesh clung to the bones. His mind raced, where was he and how did he get here. Blank dead faces stared at him, cold eyes gray and clouded over, some missing along with other parts of the person's face.
His bloody caked fingers gripped the final bones of the pile as he dragged himself onto the top. Toby lay over breathing heavily. The pile didn't appear as high from below, but now that he was at the top, the soup was way below him. The floating head was just a small dot in the ruddy mixture.
Newly dead littered everywhere underfoot, some even still alive, if you could call it that. Moans and broken screams begging for death came from those who had not yet given up on life. One man ripped in half coughed out his regrets as the birds gnawed at his intestines, another man screamed as imp like creatures fileted his skin off. Toby's skin crawled at the grotesque sight. He hid behind larger piles of corpses. Hating himself for the fact that he was unable to stop any of the horrible sights before him. Looking towards the middle of the pile there was still a greater pile of bones. Upon it was a tall mass of black flames, a bass dark voice began to emit from the flaming bulk. Arms formed of the flames as they reached into the tendrils and grabbed a young woman. She had been hanging by her neck, and by the ferocity of her movements she must have been new to the hellish landscape.
"The key has landed in the other world." A dark mist formed in front of the mass of flames. It reflected like water showing Toby the creatures face. Eyes the color of lava, a bright orange, its mouth like a spider, the lava from the mouth flowed down its body. The woman shrieked as the flames seared her skin. It bubbled and popped as the sinew tore from its frame. Where his fingers grasped her, her muscle mass turned black and emitted the most terrible smell that Toby could have imagined. The flames laughed darkly. "Yes, scream my little snack." Her screams had turned to pain filled moaning as a majority of her body was turning to charcoal. The flame creature moved his hand over the reflective glass; it rippled and showed the purple crystal lying on Toby's desk. "I only have to get the boy to activate it." Toby gulped he was an unwitting pawn in something this evil, it was unthinkable. "Then I can use the crystal's power to bring my kingdom into the other world." His laugh echoed off the walls of the cave. Toby felt something wrap around his ankles and pull him backwards through the bones and flesh. He grabbed at the parts trying to cling to the pile fearing for his life that he had been found. His grip slipped on the wet flesh, allowing the force to drag him across to the end of the pit. Toby hung suspended in the air upside down as the flame creature turned towards him. "Boy who will not speak up. I WILL have your world. Starting with you." The flame creatures hand crept forward towards Toby. He screamed hands flying to his face; he didn't want to be like the other woman. The closer the hand got the hotter Toby's face got. His hands swung out in front of him.
Cutting through the cold air of the bedroom its blue hue was in stark contrast to the red heat of the hellish dome. The screams woke him from the nightmare, sweat pouring down his face. Tinker-bomb mewed from the window sill. "It.....It was just a dream." He laughed in relief Toby flicked on the table lamp, and all the reassurance he had gained was washed away. His hands were red with caked on blood. Toby could feel his heart stop; he leapt out of the bed and ran to the bathroom.
In the cold tile room he stood facing his refection. His hair was tinged a dark red color, blood splattered on his face and body. Pieces of meat stuck all over him. Toby retched into the toilet. He shakily crawled into the tub the knobs squeaked as he turned on the cold water. Red foot prints stained where the water met Toby's feet. He scratched at his hair meat falling out and slipped down the drain with a slurping noise. Toby scrubbed and scrubbed until the water ran clean even then he felt like it wasn't enough. When he finally got out he looked back at his own reflection. His hair was no longer its natural black, but a warm brown. The blood had soaked in and dyed his hair. His eyes had mutated to a purple.
The blood had stained his skin in a weird way. Many of the splatters looked like characters to some other language. The ones on his shoulders made spirals down his back. Toby leaned towards the mirror more to get a better look. His hand slipped from the sink smacking his chin hard on the counter. Toby dropped to his knees from the pain, crouched on the floor, hands clasped on his chin. Toby clinched his eyes from the pain. He bit his lip to keep from yelling and waking his mother, which would anger her further and make the punishment worse. She'd have never believed him even in his wildest fantasies. He held his mouth closed and blew the pain out his nose. It was a weird thought but instead of screaming he pushed the same air out silently.
Tears dropped on the floor as Toby stayed crouched until the pain had subsided. His hand wobbly grasped the counter as he pulled himself upward. He looked back into the mirror at his chin. "Thank god, no bruise." He rubbed the still sore injury. It was then that the streaks caught his eye. They were gone. He quickly turned, his back facing the mirror. All the streaks and characters had disappeared. Toby's eyes grew wide, what had happened to them? His hair and eyes were still the odd colors, but it was good that the streaks were gone. His mother wouldn't be asking questions about all the marks, she was irritatingly inquisitive that way. However all the marks suddenly gone? It truly unnerved him leaving an unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach. Was he going crazy, or was everything just trying to drive him off the edge.
Toby grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, then staggered down the hall to his room. Putting on a clean pair of boxers and a blue shirt, Toby sat at his desk. There was no way that he was going to go to sleep tonight. He looked over at the desk clock, three am. Sighing Toby grabbed the pliers and began to fold the metal wire.
The more he worked the more his mind drifted to the demon's words. "I only have to get the boy to activate it." The crystal was the key and what did he mean by activate it? Was there something that Toby was to do, some magic phrase to get the crystal to activate. It was too much stress that one simple slip could send that monstrous world flying into the semi-peaceful one he lived in.
He had to destroy it. Then the crystal would be rendered harmless, thus stopping the impending invasion. Toby nodded this sounded like a sound conclusion. He crept down stairs crystal in hand, and ran around to the garage. Since they've moved from their prior house the tools his father had collected were sold so that only a few necessary ones remained. Thankfully a hammer was among those. Toby grabbed the small hammer and laid the crystal on the concrete floor. Raising the hammer high Toby swung with all his might. With a loud crash the purple crystal shattered into powder. A few bigger shards remained, but most had broken into a fine dust. Toby grabbed a dust broom and swept the powder up then threw it into the trash bin. Where the crystal had been broken a purple stain remained. Hopefully Samantha wouldn't notice it.
The bigger crystal pieces were no longer glowing with the dark purple light and no longer seemed to draw in the light. Toby sighed happily. The nightmare, even if only that was adverted he grasped the bigger pieces as he quietly tiptoed back up the stairs. There were four pieces that remained. Toby was glad that the pieces were not glowing and had seemed to go back to normal. He wound the crystal into the collar finalizing the design. Toby heard the soft knock on his door, jolting him out of a dreamless sleep. A line of drool had begun to pool on the table. "Are you awake Toby? It's time for school." Samantha yawned opening the door letting the hall light in.
"Yeah." He jerked upward rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Thanks." Toby turned in his chair facing the door. His mother smiled meekly, and closed the door. Toby stood and stretched, then turned and closed the window. He put on his clothes for school. A red and white top and Capri pants Tinker-bomb thumped as he landed on the floor from the bed. Toby laughed as he opened the door for the cat. "You sure are one fat cat." Making a quick stop at the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready. Silently hoping that the horrible visions where just part of his dream Toby brush in hand looked towards the mirror his heart froze in his chest. His hair was still a reddish brown, his eyes a light purple. His hands went numb as the toothbrush crashed onto the floor.
Tears filled the brim of his eyes, "That was no dream."
He quickly rinsed off the brush and finished cleaning up not wanting to see himself for another minute. He sluggishly tromped down the stairs all the heart drained from him. Samantha was in a better mood, as far as Toby could tell. She wasn't red in the face with anger. "You will have a punishment equal to your crime as is with the law." Toby looked down; this was always her starting line. She felt that if she punished like this then he would have less chance to commit crimes. "Since you broke Ben's nose I'm not going to break yours." She laughed. "But you will be grounded from all technology for a month. No television, no video games. Nothing understand me?" Toby sighed it was a pain; however it was a better punishment than a whipping. "Do you understand?" Toby nodded in agreement. "Ok, it's almost six forty-five. The bus will be here soon. Finish up and get ready." Toby finished his breakfast of cereal, grabbed his backpack and ran towards the door. His mother held her robe closed as she waited at the door while the bus pulled up and picked up her son.
The bus was strangely quiet as Toby climbed up the steps. The eyes of every student pinned on him. Ben sitting in the back seat, eyes zoned in on him. His nose was tapped up and Toby could see a purple haze shining from the punch. Toby could feel the eyes follow him as he made his way to his seat. Throwing his backpack against the wall Toby sat down. The cold glass window felt like a nice relief to the reminder of the heat of the hellish world in his dream. Toby closed his eyes thankful that he might have an hour's reprieve.
That however was cut dramatically short. Ben plopped down next to Toby, a dark glint in his eyes. "Your life is going to be a living hell Sissy boy. This little inconvenience that you brought me." He pointed to his nose. "Will only bring me more pleasure to bring it back to you tenfold." Ben laughed manically as he punched Toby in the shoulder. "Welcome to hell, Tobais." He sat up from the gray leather seat and walked back to his place at the back of the bus with the older teens. The bus until then had been abnormally quiet, all of its passengers knew of Ben's temper and they were waiting to see if he was going to blow his top. This reaction was a little underwhelming to the older teens in the back. They had been looking for a good beating. After Ben had gotten back to his seat the chatter of the students began to rise as the bus turned down the corners of the city towards the Valley Springs Memorial Elementary.
It was going to be a long day...