The Immortals part IV

No one caught it not even Matt, but he had.

The quick look up, eyes locking on the speaker, his weight shifting to the front of the seat, Mike had responded and he would be watching this one more now. He could tell, though it was small, it was the beginning and this quite, unassuming, almost invisible one, knew all to well the process. Yes he would be watching and proactive. The bell rang and everyone began to move out the door to their next class. Quietly he fell in behind Matt and Mike unnoticed so close his movements looked synchronized with the pair. Just as “The Team” was turning into their next class, just as Mike lifted his hand to let it slide across the rounded corner of the hallway into the room, he reached up and touched Mike’s hand; “Something about Ron last night wasn’t it?” He said and then he was gone. A chill ran up Mike’s spine and he almost lost the Timbit’s he had eaten; “How’d he know? Who was he? Why isn’t it bothering anyone else?” The rest of the day was uneventful. To take his mind off Ron and the mystery man, Mike worked hard at staying in the middle of as many conversations and activities as he could and by lunch it was turning into a good day. The plans were set for the game tonight, and then there was a new movie a bunch of them were heading to see and by the time they got out of it, they all would be ready to drop into a blissful state of uninterrupted sleep. He had almost made it through his last period when he caught something from the corner of his eye. It was only the briefest of moments but he had seen him and he wasn’t alone. There was no mistaking they were in the hall way pointing at and whispering toward Mike, then they were gone! As the bell rang Mike searched the hallway as He followed Matt out to the car. He tossed the keys to Matt and said “here you drive, I’m tired!” Matt gladly jumped behind the wheel and as they raced out of the parking lot Mike began to scan the landscape looking for his mystery man, the real reason he chose not to drive. As they passed the side street next to the school, a mass of student and parent vehicles waited impatiently, with horns blaring, engines revving, cars rocking back and forth alternating between the gas and the brake to get out. A car exploded into Matt and Mikes view spraying gravel and running the stop sign as it passed cars on the right shoulder, heading right for the side of Mike’s car. Stunned Mike glared out the window, Matt in an evasive maneuver first slammed on the brakes then hit the gas. The oncoming car would have broadsided Mike and Matt had Matt not reacted so quickly. The other car locked its brakes just long enough to avoid the accident and for Mike to get a good look at the passenger. “You idiot!” Matt yelled. He glanced at Mike. “Man what gives, they could’ve killed us! Well not really, but if we could die, that would‘ve been close. Hey you okay Mike? “Did you see him Matt? The passenger I mean, it was him!” “Him who?” “Him, the guy outside of 2nd hour.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about man!”

"The Immortals" part III

The next morning Matt woke with a start. His head hurt and he felt a little off but it was nothing new. He began a mental list of the night’s activities taking time to linger over some of the better ones. It was still hard to believe they could pack so much into one night with so little time, most kids had no curfew, his seemed almost unreasonable, 12:30; most of the good stuff was just starting to happen. Jimmy was in rare form last night. After he downed that magnum, how could he drive like that? He took three out-a three races in that beat up truck he was unstoppable. Then when he drove through the side of Ole man Hosner’s barn and the main support beam come down on his truck. That was crazy! Like always though he’ll live to drive another day and so will his truck, can’t believe it didn’t get destroyed. It looked better than before the Barn. His mind just started to ponder that “reality” when he was jerked back to “now” by his mom’s voice; “Matt, hurry up I got to go and I’ll drop you off …you know I can’t be late.” Matt called back; “It’s okay, Mike is picking me up!” His mom headed out the door and as always shot back; “No Tim Horton’s you guys head right to school!” “Okay mom, I hear you!” He already knew they’d stop and like always stroll in three quarters of the way through first period. They’d drop off the Ice Cap to the security desk and pick up their pass or simply nod at their first hour teacher who would ask how their night was. She really didn’t want an answer …she knew, …she was there.

Mike’s horn blared as Matt headed down the stairs and out the door to the car. “Okay, Okay, enough already! You get any sleep last night? I slept like a rock man!” Mike looked over at him as he got in, eyes red and blood shot. “You don’t look so good.” Mike groaned and said; “I slept like crap!” “Michael, such language!” trying to mimic Mike’s mom’s indignant tone. “You should speak using a more intelligent vocabulary!” Mike replied; “Knock it off! First I downed a few more drinks just to stay loose and not think about Pete and Ron, then I was up all night pueking until I passed out! I wouldn’t have come to day ‘cept I want to play in tonight’s game!” The Pete and Ron thing, slipped right by Matt like he didn’t even hear it. “Are you kidding the game and then the extra curricular are the main stay! Now let’s head to Timmy’s we need some coffee!

Matt and Mike, really more Matt relived the nights activities, making plans for the game that night, as well as for the weekend. Like clockwork “The Team” walked into school three quarters through the first period and dropped off the “Ice Cap” to security, picked up their pass and headed to first hour. Strolling into the room everything was as it should be. Some students were catching up on their sleep, others were involved reliving their antics from the night before. Ms. Smyth was in the thick of it too and in rare form. She was laughing and recounting her version of the “barn” story complete with dramatization. This was always interesting, in her early thirties most of the parents didn’t approve of her values including her taste in dress nor her interaction with the students, but the students did especially the guys. Matt and Mike had just found their places when the class was interrupted by the office intercom. “Ron Sanders to the main office please, Ron to the office.” The class stopped long enough to take note of the name, but the usual cat calls and drawn out aaawwwwwwwwwh was strangely missing in fact no one seemed to pay attention except Mike, a small response, but to someone watching a response none the less. No one caught it not even Matt, but he had. The quick look up, eyes locking on the speaker, his weight shifting to the front of the seat, Mike had responded and he would be watching this one more now. He could tell, though it was small, it was the beginning and this quite, unassuming, almost invisible one, knew all to well the process. Yes he would be watching and proactive.