Lines of Coincidence - Ch. 3 "Heated"

Unable to sleep, I was discovered thumbing through my comics when Beth split open the door.

      Beth was a slender women, curly blond hair, standing underwhelmingly at about five feet tall.  Very small women, but don't let her size fool you.  She was quick, and knew how to serve a punch.  I know this as I have watched her and Carroll, the husband, exchange blows several times when drunk.  Not really an ideal pair to fostering kids that are taken away from like-situations or worse.  Don't ask me how they still are certified either.  I learned there are many things I will never understand.

      They were in the business of fostering children, more than the charity of it.  They get an extra 300 dollars or so monthly for each of us.  Minimally that money is used on us, and they bank or drink (depends on the holiday) the money away.  As far as saftey is concerned, they are generally okay with the children.  Most of them a scared into seclusion and silence pretty quickly, so the seen and not heard method is often the best choice if you just want to live out your days at the Mavericks in peace. 

      Carroll is the complete opposite of his "soul-mate", Beth.  Physically, that is.  He is rather large.  Muscle connects the dots to everything he has body-wise, except his gut.  He has a large beer-belly that would neglect clown shoes of sun light.  He really does nothing but go to work, and come home to bullies his way to get everything he desires.  He generally leaves most of us alone.  I only imagine what he forces from his wife, and with that brief thought, I will not go there again.

      "Cory,"  said Beth as she barged into my room.  "Get up.  Glad I didn't bust in on you playing with yourself.  That ain't I need right now."  She's not very subtle.  "Especially to those stupid comics."

      I just shook my head has I folded the corner of the right page to mark where I left off.

      Incase you were wondering, I like comics, but I am not a collector.  So you collectors, don't get snippy about  the folding of the pages.  I couldn't care less.

      "Well, hurry up.  Shawna just now decided to tell me she needed to get to school early for a project that is due two days ago, or she flunks history.  I need you to walk Calvin to school before you go."

      "Got it."

      I sluggishly arose from my cot and placed my comic underneath the blanket.

      "Can you move a little more faster than that?  Calvin needs to be there in fourty minutes."

      "Are you planing to watch me dress?  I'm moving.  If you would be considerate and leave."

      "Psh.  I promise you ain't got noting I haven't seen."

      Oddly, that sounded more like a dare than a quirk, but I gave her a rather testy look, pretty testy for me, and she got the hint.

      "Don't let him be late, please."

      "Alright, alright.  What do you care so much for anyway?"

      "I don't need to hear the voicemails from the school.  And if Shawna fails, that brings caseworkers here more often."

      Hevean forbid real concern.

      Finally she left my room and I pulled shut the accordian doors that seperated my room from the rest of the large basement.

      It was a rather bright and sunny day.  Warm too.  Unusually warm for February.  Fine with me, I'm not a snow fan, and I don't do winter coats.

     Calvin walked briskly, talking to me about an up comming Superman issue.  Honestly I wasn't listening too much about it.  Not too far ahead I saw some trouble. 

      Leaning up against a brand new Honda Civic was Gregory Nelson and his small group of friends.  Longtime torcherer of foster kids.  I've known him since my first time with the Mavericks.  I grabbed Calvin by his left shoulder, and pulled on him.  He stopped and looked up at me, and then in front of us.  I made a quiet gesture with my head indicating to Calvin that we were crossing the street early and we were going to take another street down.

      As swift as I was, or I like to think I was, Nelson spotted me like a wolf.  Very quickly he hoped off his vehicle and began closing in on my location.  His pack followed.  We walked simple side streets, so I was not blessed with a car here or their to hinder their advance.  Without picking up any extra pace though, I guided Calvin on the new course I had reset in my mind.

      "Shit-faces, where the fuck you all been?" said Nelson as he caught up.  "Haven't seen you come by here in a long time.  Especially you, Cory."

      "Not long enough," I said back.

      "Is that how you treat an old friend?"

      "Believe me.  You get no respect an old friend would have."

      I continued my pace with Calvin keeping up quite well.  Calvin grasped my left hand.  not long after I felt Calving yanked back.  I halted.

      "Hey!"  I heard Calvin shout.  I turned behind me I saw one of them had snatched him up.  Soon after, the rest of them encircled me, keeping Calvin outside the circle.  He struggled, but the kid was probably twice Calvin's hight and weight.

      "Nelson?  What the hell is wrong with you?  Why do you have to fuck with a little kid?"

      "We're just playing around.  We're just kidding around."

      Nelson decided it was neccessary to step up to my face as I stood there.  he was close enough I could feel the warm air from his breath.

      "Com'on," he said.  "I know you want to fight me.  Do it, lil' bitch."

      I started to breath heavier as I heard Calvin struggling behind me.  I couldn't believe there were people so ... so... like this!    My whole life I've just kept to myself.  I did nothing to hurt anyone.  Certainly, neither did Calvin.  why people find it neccessary to hurt and humiliate others is forever beyond me.

      "Nelson, just kick his ass," one of them shouted.

      "Lemme, go!"

      I looked behind me to see Calvin continuing to struggle to no avail.  That was when I first felt the pulse.  My head felt a slight throb in the back.

      Whack!

      My face met the ground with such force I thought for sure my teeth were permently stuck in the bag of my throat.  I began to hear some cheers and laughs from the surrounding crowd.  Struggling back up to my feet, the taste of cement and blood was filtering through my mouth.  Nothing flet broken or cracked as I slid my tounge around my mouth inside.

      I looked up at Nelson, grining wide.  SuddenlyI felt a burning in my stomach.  I was starting to feel even more heated than before.  I stood up, clenching my fist.

      I suddenly felt the heat.  Usually I'm very talented at holding it in, sucking it up.  Its how Nelson got his kicks.  I stood up, a bit wobbly but I was able to hide it.  Clenching my fists, I started breathing heavier and heavier.  I hadn't been this pissed off in quite sometime.  I try not to get involved with violent situations myself, but I'm begining to think if ths is the time to start. 

      I looked Nelson directly in the eyes.  Still grining.  that really stated to push me over the edge.  People getting off on other's pain and distress.  He'll get his.

      "Beware of the Vibe..."

      "What was that?"  I thought.

      "The Vibe..." 

      I think I'm begining to hear things.  I didn't see anyone say anything, and It was louder than the crowd, as it echoed through my head, this strange, voice.

      My head started to pulse in the back again...

      Another shot to my face.  Nelson sent a left jab into the corner of my jaw.  I tried a quick reaction and swung back, but either missed, or he dodged as I offended nothing but air.  Dizzy, I fell to the ground on my hands and knees, trying to keep myself from returning to the ground.

      Fists clenched, I slam them to the ground shouting out in anger. 

      I was heated.