The New Kid: Chapter 7

    "...Holy...shit" I said, while looking back and the destruction and carnage.

    "Thought it would be bigger, considering the amount of bombs in that place...but I guess that was a good miscalculation" He said, chuckling. Chuckling...what the hell!?

    "You just killed three people, and you're laughing!?" I exclaimed frantically.

    "Yeah, three people that were going to kill us, and essentially an entire town. I'd say it was justified" He said, bitterly, but still calmly. Didn't he care at all?

    "You can almost never justify murder! And that's what this was, murder. We could've just left, called the cops, and let them rot in prison!" I said angrily.

    "Yeah, rot in prison for what, 5 years on a conspiracy charge, or 10 years, whatever. And that's if we were lucky. All they would need to do is burn the evidence of they're plan, and then what, they'd get even less for just having the bombs. Either way, I doubt they would get life in prison or anything like that. And then what happens when they get out? They come after us, or reinstate they're plot. Either way, not good." Stephan said matter-of-factly.

    "I...either way, an eye for and eye and everyone's blind!" I said angrily.

    "Better to be blind than dead" He remarked.

    "You're such a...a..." I said, stuttering.

    "Let me guess...'monster', or maybe 'heretic'. I've heard it all many times, far to many." He said emotionless. I wasn't sure what to say to that, if there was even anything to say. "Look, think of me what you will, everyone seems to have their own opinion of me, anyway"

    "What's gotten into you? You seem so much, I don't know, colder?" I said.

    "I...I don't know. I guess it's just all this stress. The new town, this body, the fight, this kidnapping...it's just all so much for me...I just wish it would stop." He said, calming down a bit.

    "I...I know. Most of it is my fault too...I'm sorry" I said.

    "It's ok, buddy, I know. I'm sorry for being so on edge" He said, smiling. "But I'm not sorry for killing them. I stand by that decision. Sorry"

    "I just don't know, Steph, I just don't like the thought of killing anyone for any reason." I said.

    "Yeah, I suppo-wait, did you just call me 'Steph'?" He asked.

    "Yeah...I guess I did" I retorted.

    "That's way too girly, I refuse to accept being called that." Stephan remarked.

    "Well, what other nickname can I call you?" I asked.

    "I've been known to go by 'Awesome', 'Amazing', 'King Stephan'." He laughed.

    "Well, if you're gonna be like that, I'll just call you 'freaky-dragon-bro', how about that?" I laughed.

    "Oh, shut up" He said with a smile. Seemed we were done arguing and back to being friends, but I was still nervous, for some reason. It still bugged me that he didn't even care that he killed those three guys, and that he actually chose to do it. There wasn't any apprehension or anything, he just rigged the place to explode. I just couldn't believe that he took life for granted just like that. It made me wonder what would happen if I got on his bad side. Would he kill me, without any thought, any regret? I hated to admit it, but yeah, he was gonna get picked on a lot once we got into school. What would happen then? Could my previous suspicions have been correct?

    "What are you thinking?" I heard him ask me.

    "Oh, nothing. I'm just tired is all" I lied.

    "You good to drive? Remember, I still have a car I need to get home" He said.

    "Oh, yeah, I forgot. I should be good to drive. I just need to go home and sleep" I said.

    "Sorry, Kev, but that's gonna have to wait. We gotta get you to the hospital and get those burns checked out and stuff." He said.

    "Can't I just go in the morning?" I pleaded. Hospital visits take forever, and generally smell like old people and babies, two smells that certainly don't go together.   

    "No, it'll be much better if we go now. We don't want those wounds to get infected or anything. And in the end, it'll help it to heal the faster we get it treated." He replied. He had a point.

    "Fine, okay" I said in defeat. A few moments later we came up to the point where he parked his car. He got out of my Dad's Ferrari and hopped inside. He started his engine and pulled out in front of me. I slid over to the drivers side and followed him out and back onto the main road, where there were a bunch of cops blocking the path. Perfect. We both slowed down to a stop and opened our windows as a cop came up to us, me specifically.

    "Ok, kid, tell us now, what the hell happened?" The cop asked.

    "Sir, long story short, me and my friend got kidnapped. I'll explain later in detail, ok? I just need to get to a hospital right now" I said, stressed.

    "Why do you need to go to a hospital?" The cop asked. I showed him my blistered and burned hands. "Good God, kid, what the hell did they do to you!?" He asked frantically.

    "...a lot. Now can I get through? I'd like to get the treated as soon as possible." I said.

    "Yeah, of course, but afterward, we're gonna have a lot to talk about. Get going" He said to me. I started to pull away, but it seemed that Stephan wasn't following, or they weren't letting him. Oh well, it was the cops, what could they do? He'd catch up. I just wanted to get this whole ordeal over with as soon as possible. I drove up to the nearest hospital, Saint Mary's, and parked. I made sure to put the top up, lock the doors, and shut all windows and take out the keys before I left to walk inside. I limped in the front door, the more hurt you are, the faster they'll take you in. I walked up the front counter and checked in. Filled out all the paperwork and crap that I could, and handed it back to them. Then I just had to wait. I saw a lot of people go in before me, all in a lot worse condition than me though. In wheelchairs, on crutches, just bandaged up in general. I hated hospitals, nothing good ever came from going there. The only reason you ever go to one is if you have a problem, or if you're visiting someone who has a problem. It was just depressing.

    I sat in the little wooden chain and twiddled by thumbs for almost an hour until they came to get me to check me up. Another thing that always annoyed me, but at the same time was pretty justifiable. They always took the people in the most need first, meaning if it's something not fatal you usually end up sitting there forever. But at the same time, it helps saves lives in the process. I guess its just a pros-cons sort of thing. But that didn't mean that it wasn't annoying. "Kevin Dugan?" The lady from the counter said, and I stood up and hobbled over. A nurse came and lead me down a hall into a small little room with a bed, and a nightstand with some flowers and a phone. It always creeped me out how so many other dying or sick people layed in these beds before me, but what could I do? Other that just lie down and wait for the doctor, which is just what I did. I picked up the remote that I somehow didn't noticed on the nightstand and turned on the tv on the wall. The news came on, channel 16. Just a repeat of the 6 o'clock news,  but they did have a scolling bar at the bottom with current news. Lucky for me, our case came up just as I looked.

    "An explosion has occured at an abandoned warehouse just south of Scotsdale. Police have instated an investigation, so far, two dead bodies have been found, still unidentified. Police have located two suspects who were stopped fleeing the scene of the crime. One, 16 year old Kevin Dugan, is currently being treated at St. Mary's hospital for severe burns on his ankles and wrists. The other, 17 year old Stephan Marcelli, has been arrested for first degree murder and is currently being questioned."

    My heart stopped. First degree murder!? That's a life sentence, or the death penalty! We were the victims, how could they do this!? I tried to calm down. He hasn't been convicted yet, and although he did kill them...they had no proof. Everything was destroyed, and the only witness was...me. Jesus Christ, what was I gonna do? Sanctity of life is the law's number one rule, along with God's. Lying to the cops could get me a conspiracy charge, maybe. But how would they know? There was no way anyone survived that explosion. On what grounds did they even arrest him? Did he confess, or did they just assume? What evidence did they have that the bombs just didn't detonate, or that someone else set them off?

    I heard the phone on the desk ring. I supposed that I should pick it up, who else was? I lifted the receiver. "Hello?"

    "Kevin!" It was Stephan's voice.

    "Dude, I just saw on the news! How the hell did you get arrested for first degree murder!?" I asked frantically.

    "They said that I must've blown everything up, they don't even think that those guys were even planning anything!" Stephan said bitterly into the phone.

    "What!? Didn't you tell them about the bombs and everything!?" I yelled.

    "They won't listen! They say don't have the evidence of that!" He said angrily.

    "Shit...what the hell is gonna happen to us!?" I said frightened.

    "Us!? You mean me! They say that no human kid could've done anything like this! They'll bring you in for questioning, then let you go as long as you don't confess to anything!" He said spitefully.

    "What the hell!? That's fucked up!" I spat.

    "It's profiling! Either way, obviously, I need your help. You're the only witness. And you know I didn't do anything wrong!" He said. I hestitated for a second. He did kill them, in all technicalities, he was guilty of first degree murder. But it was just...right. They were gonna kill us...

    "...Right. I'll get you out there. You don't deserve this." I said.

    "Thanks, dude. I hope your treatment goes okay." He said, as he hung up the phone. This day just keeps getting better. I just wanted to go home at that point. Either way, I supposed I would just need to get through it. Looked like it was eleven o'clock at night.

    Soon enough, at around 11:30, a doctor came in. He silently walked over to my bed and looked at the clipboard, outlining what my problem was. He then glanced over at me, more specifically, my hands and feet. "Ok, then. How bad does it hurt?" He asked.

    "Well, right now, not bad at all. It's a bit stinging in some places, and numb in the others. When I put pressure on my hands or feet, though, it gets a nasty sting to it." I responded. He stood there a while and just stared at the page. He then walked over to me and began examining the burns.

    "Well, it seems that it's only on the surface, you weren't in a direct line of fire, just touched something hot for long periods of time. Either way, I'm going to put bandages on and give you wrist and ankle braces. Your right foot seems to be in more damage than the left, so I'm going to put you on crutches for around two weeks. Then just come back here and we'll see how it goes from there. If it starts to hurt, probably will, just take some asprin. If that doesn't help, and it hurts severly, come back and we'll prescribe you with some other meds." He said in a business-like matter. I nodded, as he called a nurse in to help with the bandaging. They didn't waste any time. I winced as they sprayed some stuff on the skin, probably anti-biotics, and when they started to wrap. The pressure caused it to hurt a lot more, but I suppose it was worth it, in the end. The put the cloth braces on, adding more pressure, and brought out some crutches. Painstaking half-hour, but I suppose it was my own fault.

    "So I'm gonna have some pretty nasty scars, aren't I?" I asked.

    "Yes. My suggestion would be vitamin D and C. Lots of it, but not too much. Just directly on the burns. Once the bandages are off, of course. Be careful when washing, wear some kind of bag over them to keep them from getting too wet.

    "I'll do my best. Thanks, doc" I said, as he handed me my crutches. I jumpped down from the table and onto my crutches. I hobbled down the hall and to the front desk. I signed out and everything, and started to make my way out. Standing by the door was a cop, which I really shouldv'e expected.

    "Come with me. We're heading down to the station, where that dragon is for questioning" He said. I nodded and followed him out the door, and into his cruiser.