Ok. I owe all my readers an apology. I took way too long getting this done. I will type faster next time. A really big thanks goes out to Zipity. This chapter would be as good as I feel it is without his help. Thanks bro! Ok. Just to make sure. This is fiction, a.k.a. never happened. All characters are from my imagination and are not based on anyone in real life. Don't get caught reading this if you are under 18, and if you do, it is not my fault your parents walked in at the wrong time. And with that out of the way we now jump...
Into the Darkness: Chapter 3
Some time had passed since Rusty and Augustus met. Around 3 months. They had become quite good friends even though it was a constant struggle for the two to keep Rusty's dark urges in check. Some progress had been made, but not much. Augustus did teach Rusty how to fight, very well. They had both become quite skilled in martial arts. Augustus also showed Rusty how to control some of his powers. He could not help with everything because he had little knowledge concerning dark powers.
Rusty stared out across the forested area behind the school. He sat quietly perched on the top of the gym, his dark hair blowing in the gentle breeze. The setting sun glowed behind him as he watched the world around him. He looked like a statue. Even when he heard some footsteps behind him, he didn't even flinch. He knew who it was anyway. Few people ever saw him up there and of those that did, only one could actually ascend the height as he could.
"Good evening August." There was no emotion in his voice. He was always like that in this place.
"I always know where to find you. You always get so solemn when you are up here. I hate it. Nic told you to live a normal life for crying out loud. I am sure he doesn't want you to spend it up here worrying about when you die again."
"I know. But I can't help it. I always think about what is trying to pressure me into slipping up. I know how important my soul is to the War. I can't let the Darkness have it. I have to think of a way out."
"Even on your birthday? You are still a teenager, kinda, you should live like one. You should be out parting and getting drunk like the rest of us."
"I am not a normal teenager, neither are you. You know that."
"Yes we are. Both of us were born as normal humans. We still age like humans, look like humans, act like humans, have normal human desires..." His voice trailed off after the last statement. "Anyway, I got you something for your birthday."
Rusty perked up at this comment, turned to face his best friend, and saw him with his hands behind his back. Augustus chuckled at Rusty's interest in the gift. With all the flourish of a Shakespearian actor, he presented Rusty with new black trench coat, holding it open so that Rusty could slip into it. The teen began testing the fit of his new coat. And after spinning a full 360 and watching the coat glide about from his frame, he decided the coat was a definite winner.
"I knew you wanted one. I don't know why you didn't just go get one yourself. You have the money."
"Because I knew you would get me one." Rusty hugged his friend. "Thank you so much." Augustus went solid as a statue in response to the close contact of their bodies. He could feel the sweat begin to condensate on his forehead an instant after the embrace began. His fingers went numb and his breathing became labored. He closed his eyes and strained to keep his emotions, and his pulse, in check. Rusty was totally oblivious to the effect he was having on his friend.
"Y-y-yeah, y-y-your w-w-welcome. Y-y-you can s-stop crushing m-me n-now." Rusty took a step back and gave Augustus a confused look. He knew he wasn't hugging him that hard. Why did he look like he had just been in a fight?
"Are you ok? You have been acting as if you are sick or something ever since you tried to tell me about that dream you had 2 weeks ago. Are you sure you don't remember what it was about?" Augustus wasn't sure if his friend had been pretending not to notice or just never thought about bringing it up until now, so his voice was quiet and timid in his response.
"Yeah. I remembered it for about an hour and it just left me." He knew he was doing an appalling job of lying. He remembered every detail of the conversation he had with Nicodemus. How they had talked about the War, about saving Rusty, and about the fact that Nic knew about the feelings and thoughts Augustus had for his friend.
"You know you can tell me anything. We are friends, I am supposed to be here and help you." Rusty was using the most persuasive tone he could muster.
Nic had told Augustus to just let it happen. Let life flow. Rusty's words were so heartfelt that he almost confided in him. "If I do remember, Rus, you will be the first one I tell." He lied again. However, it was the only way to stay close to him. Rusty gave his friend a reassuring hand on the shoulder pat, along with a warming smile. Augustus couldn't help but smile back. Rusty wasn't able to smile very often because of his situation. But this meant that every smile he did have was a sincere one. Augustus fought the urge to kiss him right there.
"Awwww aren't you two sweet." The voice was a distance away and obviously down on the ground. The two teenagers turned to look at the owner of the voice and were surprised to see who it was. James. Rusty resumed his solemn demeanor in an instant. When he spoke, his words were cold as glacial ice.
"What do you want?" Of all people to disrupt a moment with his friend, James was the one he would have picked last.
Augustus hated that; warm and kind one minute, uncaring and solemn the next. He silently cursed the Darkness under his breath.
"Oh, nothing. Was just wandering by and heard voices." Rusty knew better.
"Oh please. You expect us to believe that? You never come to school after hours."
"Hey, I have as much right to be here as you do. Except we aren't allowed on top of the buildings if I remember correctly."
"Go to hell..." Augustus shot Rusty the 'I have a bad feeling look'. Sadly, it was to late.
"You first!" Out of nowhere, a ring of dark energy flew towards Augustus, wrapped itself around his neck and ripped him into the air. The sound that Augustus made sent a shiver up Rusty's spine. At first, he thought his neck had been snapped but when he saw his still struggling friend moving, he relaxed slightly.
"Let him go!" Augustus was held in mid air by the ring around his neck while two other rings caught his arms and legs putting an end to his struggles. He was lowered to the ground and began to hover next to James. James circled his captive, a malicious grin on his face.
"I will let him go, only if you come back to us. We need you. You belong with us." Rusty could only stare at the defiant face of his friend.
"You know I can't do that." Something about that last statement unnerved rusty, as if he should have noticed something. Whatever it had been was forced out of his mind however as he stared at the defiant face of his friend.
"Then I guess I just have to kill him..." A single black claw grew from James' finger and he placed it against Augustus' forehead. "Or I could have some fun first...I always did like torture." He drew the claw around the temple, down his left cheek, and across his lips. "I can make it last weeks without killing him." The claw eventually came to rest under his chin. "But if I have to kill him now, I feel no loss."
"I'll kill you first." This comment provoked a response. Rusty jumped from the building and landed hard enough to make a dent in the earth. He slowly began walking right a James.
"But will you kill the innocent to get to me?" Four students with darkened eyes stepped between Rusty and James. "They are merely asleep. They aren't part of us....yet. But you can stop all this. All you have to do is come back" Rusty took a fighting stance.
"So you are willing to kill them? I should have guessed. Ever since I saw you two in that store room..." Rusty began walking again and the slaves took fighting stances as well. Rusty stopped, trying to fight his reluctance to hurt these people. James ran the claw down Augustus' front. There was just enough pressure to rip his clothes and bring forth some blood. That was enough. Rusty broke out into a full sprint. He kicked the legs out from his first obstacle and shoulder blocked the second. He ran right past the next two and charged James. Without even looking, James delivered a swift kick to Rusty's stomach sending him flying back 15 feet. Before he could get up the four servants were on him. They got him on his knees and held him there despite his struggles.
"I thought you had more fight than that. What's wrong? Tired?" James had a very smug grin on his face.
"Who said I didn't?" Rusty lifted all four teenagers into the air as he stood up.
"Not bad. You know how strong you are. With you, we could rule the world. End the War. You would be one of the highest among us."
"By the same token I could end the War by joining the Light as well." James was truly upset by that statement.
"Do you really want the world controlled by those goody-two shoed, no fun having, self-righteous freaks?!"
"Either that or having it controlled by a bunch of demented, perverted psychos!" A shot of energy hit Rusty in the chest sending five bodies flying. Only Rusty landed on his feet.
"And you talk about all I have? You are about as bad as a..." He took to much time. Rusty was pined against the gym by rings of shadow energy.
"Oh yeah. I almost forgot. I have a secret." James began walking towards his new captive dragging a still struggling Augustus with him.
"Any secret you have isn't worth it!"
"Oh I think you might want to know this one. Did you know someone had a crush on you?"
"I don't want to hear your perversions!" Rusty was beginning to break through the rings at first. James was only smiling as he increased his energy flow into the rings. Every time Rusty would stretch them, they would just contract tighter.
"You wont even let me finish. It's someone real close to you... that you know very well..."
"I don't know anyone that well that could possibly have a crush one me." Rusty's mind refused to let it sink in. James walked behind Augustus and put both hands on his shoulders. The only struggle Augustus continued with was the one holding back tears. In his head he was screaming 'Why did I have to have that stupid dream! Why did Nic have to tell me this!'. But all he could do now was cry as a truth he never wanted to face, and never wanted Rusty to know, was brought to where everyone could see it.
"I'm sure you do. Just think about it." Rusty was confused for only a second longer until he saw the face of his friend. The silence was so complete you could almost hear the click inside Rusty's head. The two friends locked eyes and James broke out into a maniacal laughter for a brief moment. Then he whispered into Augustus' ear.
"You know, if you join us, he would follow. You could have him any way you liked, any time you want. He would be yours." Augustus shook his head as defiantly as he could in his position. "You can feel it, can't you? On one side you have your deep felt love for him, a love you refuse to accept." He switched ears. "And on the other you have a deep felt lust for him." Augustus flinched at that comment. "Oh yes, its there. I can see it in you. You want him so bad. You wanted him before you ever talked to him; you just never accepted it. You watched him, you followed him, and you pictured him every night you slept." All this time James hands began to roam over Augustus' front. Gently massaging, his fingers radiating unnatural, seductive sensations. Rusty could almost see his friends eyes begin to glaze over.
"And now here he is. Not even ten feet from you. And all you have to do is say one word and he is yours. He can't break those rings. You could have him right here, right now." Augustus tried. He tried so hard to resist, to choose what he knew was the right choice. But a tightness in the front of his pants spoke a different truth. Here he had to choose between giving up both their lives for the greater good of mankind, or selling his soul to get the one thing he desired most in his life, a lover.
"Or...." A new ring formed around Rusty's neck and it began to tighten slowly. "I could just kill him now. In which case he would come to us whether he wants to or not. He is more useful to us here, but we will take him either way." Augustus could only stare at his friend, his desire. Watch him as he struggled in vain against his constraints, his capacity to breathe slowly dwindling. And if nothing else, if it meant condemning himself to share the same fate as the one person he cared more for than anything, was already suffering in order to save him; then the choice was.... "You..... win..."
The rings around both their necks disappeared and James lifted Augustus to his feet and looked him dead in the face, their noses almost touching. "I can't wait to bring you over to our side." James forced his lips against those of his captive. Augustus closed his eyes and tried to fight the images that began to flood his mind. Despite the fact that the kiss lasted but a few seconds and the fact that Augustus fought will all his being, when he opened his eyes some of their green glow had faded. Augustus' tears streamed down his face, Rusty only stared into the heavens and listened to the sound of a melodic weeping....
Feel like you are reading a Greek tragedy yet? It gets worse, or better as the case may be. Where do we go from here? Who knows? But if you are on the edge of your seat now, I hope the next chapter will push you over. Stay tuned. Same bat....no. To cheesy. As always feel free to send comments to DivineGlow@aol.com I love getting mail from you. It gives me good ideas for how to mess your heads.