I knelt before the toilet and hurled for the seventh time. The sound of bile hitting the water and splashing made my stomach squeeze even tighter. There was barely anything left inside of me; the only thing that came out was water and a little bit of stomach acid. After the muscles in my stomach relaxed, I slowly lifted my head from the toilet bowl. Gripping my belly, I gasped for air.

It was later in the day, and when I had woken up I found that I was in my room attached to another IV machine with the same amber-colored liquid. Remembering in vivid detail how I used my powers to slaughter all those puppies, had made me so ill. My airway even felt restricted, especially whenever I thought of a Licky. Too exhausted to get up, I crossed my arms on the seat and leaned forward to rest my cheek on my arm.

"I'm sorry, Licky." I wept quietly to myself. "It's my fault you're gone. I w-wish I could take it all back! I-I should've just told them... no."

I couldn't believe I did those awful things. Why did I do that? I didn't have to, did I? If Joe ever found out what I could do, would he be scared of me? Would he still... love me like he did his books?

My eyes widened. Just when I thought I was done throwing up, I felt my insides bubble up and churn. Going forward, I dry heaved three times. Nothing came out except saliva that dripped from the corners of my mouth. It was then I heard a low ring.

"Two-Sixty-Eight, you've been in this bathroom for fifty-five minutes. This panic episode has gone on long enough. For ten minutes, I've watched you gag and vomit and it's disgusting."

His words shamed me. "I-I'm sorry I'm so disgusting, sir," I said meekly.

"It's time to get over what happened today. It's nothing compared to what we'll have you do in the future. Now, leave the bathroom and get your work done. If your math and reading assignments aren't completed for tomorrow, there will be hell to pay."

"Okay, but... what if I still feel sick?"

"Just go to the meal duct. I've sent salted snacks to help with your... discomfort. As for the two white pills and bottle of water, don't take those yet until your stomach completely settles. It should help with your anxiety."

"Okay, thank—"

The man hung up before I finished thanking him. I let out a long sigh then forced myself to stand on weak legs. With a hand over my mouth, I looked away from the toilet as I flushed it.

I left the bathroom and was careful with the needle in my arm as I bent down and grabbed the tray. Taking a seat at my desk, I opened my workbooks and began my homework. After a while, when my nausea lessened, I swallowed the pills. Thankfully, the medication didn't kick in until after I had completed my last math problem. Shortly afterward, I was knocked out cold with my pencil still in my hand.

~§~§~§~

A hand waved in front of my face as if someone tried to get my attention.

Confused, I looked up. "Huh?"

"Yoo-hoo? Caesar? Did you even hear a word I said?" Noah lifted a brow in question.

I shook my head. "Oh no, I'm sorry. I... wasn't paying attention. What did you say?"

"I said do you want to try some of my french toast? It's really good."

I smiled. "Thank you, but no. I don't wanna waste your food." Looking down at my plate, I picked at a slice of ham with my fork. "I have a full plate I still needa get to."

"Oh, okay." He sounded disappointed.

Aaron opened his mouth falsely a few times before he seemed to give up. With his gaze fixed on the slice of toast, I knew he wanted to try some of it. I thought I was going to have to speak on his behalf when he finally forced out what he wanted to say.

"Um, Noah, if you don't mind... can I try it? B-But you don't have to give me any if you don't want to." He looked away, unsure.

Noah's eyes brightened. "Are you kidding? Of course! Here," he said reaching across the table.

Aaron's eyes brightened. "Really? Thanks—" He pinched his eyes shut, wincing but then shook off the pain and eagerly grabbed his fork. "Thanks a lot."

"Oh and don't forget to try this syrup sauce with it."

"Syrup?" Skepticism made Aaron wrinkle his brows. "Is it any good?"

"I'll let you figure that out." Noah grinned ear to ear. "But I think you might like it!"

I was chewing on some food when Mica called my name. Immediately, I lifted my gaze straight to him, but he averted his eyes to my tray. He was still afraid of hurting someone with his Fore-Light, and I knew exactly how he felt.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay? You don't seem like yourself."

"I don't?" Feeling a sharp itch on the side of my left arm, I scratched it.

"You keep staring off into space and you're not talking as much."

"Oh, you... don't need to worry about that. I'm just tired."

I could tell Mica didn't want to push the issue. He grabbed his spoon and began eating, but then he slowly placed it down.

"I know that yesterday was the first day of your training. If you went through something hard, don't be afraid to tell me—us, I mean. We're your friends after all." Through the corner of his eye, he peered at me. "We won't judge you. Don't ever forget that, okay?" He leaned over the table and playfully nudged my shoulder.

They wouldn't judge me?

His words struck a string inside of me, bringing me to tears.

Noah dropped his fork on his plate, gasping. "Mica, you hit him too hard, now you made him cry."

"What? B-But I barely touched him. I-I just did this." He mimicked his action on Noah.

Aaron gingerly patted my back. "But... he wouldn't be crying if that was the case."

"Sorry, Caesar. I didn't mean to hurt you. Honest!"

Sniffling, I rubbed my eyes. "No, no, guys, that's not it. It's because—" I paused to take a deep breath then caught Mica's frazzled gaze. "—thanks for that. I think... I needed to hear it."

"Caesar..." Looking away, Mica released a breath then smiled. "Of course."

I ended up telling them everything that happened during my training. I hated reliving the tragic event—guilt and sorrow lay like bricks in my gut, but expressing my grief to them actually felt good. It was therapeutic and at the end of it they told me their hardships as well, so I wouldn't feel so alone.

After everything had been placed in the open, I was well enough to finish my breakfast. Time passed and eventually, Mica eased up to the point he looked us in the face, but never too long. We talked about whatever was on our minds, and we were enjoying ourselves. But then as Mica's eyes looked past me, I saw them widen as if he were afraid.

"Did... he just look that Armed man in the eye?"

Armed man? That was the first time any of us had ever used that term.

Before I could turn around, there was a loud thud and a grunt. My muscles went stiff when I saw a green-collared boy on the ground. Saliva ran down the corner of his mouth to the ground; he held his neck, coughing and gasping for air at the same time. There was surprise in the boy's blue eyes, like he was caught off guard.

I glanced at Mica. "What happened? Why is he on the floor?"

He clenched his hand. "The Armed man yanked him by the back of his collar and threw him on the ground."

"Yeah, I saw that, too," Noah confirmed.

"But... why?" Aaron asked, stealing the words from my lips.

"Before that happened, I saw the boy look into his eyes. It appeared as if he were... questioning him."

I sighed. Why would he look him in the eye? Didn't he know the rules?

The man responsible for the attack neared him, causing those nearby to shake with fear. I almost jumped from my seat when he stomped on the boy's chest. With the Armed man's shoes being so heavy I knew it must've hurt. The boy threw his head from left to right and tried to pry his boot off him, but he only pressed it harder in response, resulting in a strained scream.

"I see you're not afraid to look me in the face. Well, idiot, wanna give it another go?" Taking off his shades, he leaned down and taunted, "Hey, why don't you open your eyes and say what color eyes I got? Tell me, Einstein, are they blue or gray?"

The redhead squirmed at the sound of the man's voice. Shakily covering his ears, he shook his head, repeating the word no until the man scolded him to shut it. The boy's odd response and mannerisms gave me a feeling that something was a little off about him, but I quickly put my suspicion behind me.

His hair wasn't long, but long enough to see it had a wavy texture, and he was short. I'd say he was about five feet two inches. He also appeared to be younger than me; if I were to guess, I'd say he was around 14 or 15, and that just made me more scared for him. I wanted to protect him, but it was hard being that I was so afraid of the Armed man.

For a second, the man grinned then an ugly frown marred his face. "Freak."

Placing his shades back on, he scoffed. The boy didn't say a word and only whimpered. He gripped his ears tighter and shook his head repeatedly as if it would take him out of the nightmare he was in.

Furrowing his brows, the man pulled back his foot then rammed it against the boy's side. The force he used flipped his body over like a rag doll. He grunted loudly at the random blow and actually tried to crawl away from the man but he stopped the boy by planting his foot on his back. My empty water bottle made sharp crumpling sounds as my grip tightened.

"I can't just keep sitting here. I... I gotta do something," I said, thinking out loud.

I swung my legs over the bench seat and turned my body all the way around, so it would be easy to interfere if I needed to. I felt Mica's eyes burning the back of my head.

"Caesar, don't be careless. I know this looks bad, but there's nothing we can do for him."

"There's plenty."

"What? Are you gonna ask that man to leave him alone and hope he listens? What if he turns on you?"

I thought for a second. "Better me than him. By now, I know I can heal quickly. I don't think he can."

"All your gonna do is make yourself a beaming target," Mica grumbled, frustrated with my mulishness. "We're supposed to be invisible and not draw any attention to ourselves."

"If it's for the sake of others... then I don't care how bright I might beam."

"Caesar..."

"My caretaker always told me that whenever someone needed help, it's my job to give it to them. He also said to protect everyone as if they were my family and that's what I'll do."

"But... that's reckless. You can't save everyone."

Just then, the Armed man reached for his belt and grabbed a zapper. Pointing it toward the boy's back, he said, "This'll teach you to know your place and keep your eyes down."

I hurried to my feet but Mica grabbed my wrist before I could take my first step. Glaring at him, I yanked my hand away and dashed forward until I was close enough to the Armed man. When the tall man saw me, he gasped and took a few steps back as if he were terrified of me. But why would he be afraid? He was the Armed man, after all.

Before he had time to redirect his zapper toward me, I swiftly threw myself on the ground and went to my hands and knees, my forehead on the icy floor.

"Please, sir, don't hurt him anymore," I said shakily. "I apologize on his behalf." I was hoping my submissive position would let the man know that I had no ill will.

He let out a breath. "For a second there, I thought you were stupid enough to attack me."

My heart thumped loud in my ears as I shook my head. "I would never do that, sir—never. I-I know my place."

"If you know your place then why are you here instead of being at your table? I don't like it when people are nosy." His tone turned dark.

I swallowed. What do I say now?

"I'm sorry if... if I've been disrespectful. All I ask... is that you please forgive that boy for whatever wrong he's done. I-I'm sure he meant no harm."

I couldn't believe what I was doing. Had I made the wrong decision? Should I have listened to Mica and just minded my own business? My limbs were weak and felt as if they'd collapse at any second.

The man was quiet for a long moment. When he walked next to me, I broke into a cold sweat.

"You know what?"

I waited for him to finish his point when his foot slammed full-force against my rib cage. I inhaled sharply and fell over to my side, cheek crashing against the ground. Coughing, I held my throbbing chest. It hurt to breathe; all the air in my lungs had been knocked out. I barely had any time to brace myself when he kicked my stomach with the same intensity. I slid against the ground about a yard, my vision rocking at the agony. Groaning, I thought I was going to throw up my breakfast.

"Nosey animal. You needa know when to mind your own business."

Those who sat near, looked down at me with horror-filled eyes probably asking themselves as if I was mad. Was I? It wasn't like I wanted to get beat around like some toy nobody cared about. All I cared about, at that instance, was the safety of that young boy. For whatever reason, my well-being was second to his. If my beatings distracted the man from returning to him then that was fine. I'd just have to endure until he'd worn himself out.

Sweat trickled down my forehead. My breaths were ragged as I forced myself back on my hands and knees. Without any words, I begged him to let go of the boy's offense.

"Oh, you still got some fight in ya, boy?"

Like lightning, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and I whimpered at the strands he ripped out. Yanking my head back, he almost dislocated my neck. I was fast to snap my eyes shut.

"Your bold behavior's disgusting. I needa make an example outta you so others don't do what you just did. I should just tase you right now, but I don't want you to get too used to that."

"What... what d-did I do, sir?"

I knew I shouldn't have spoken, but I genuinely wanted to know why my actions angered him so much. I tried really hard to present myself in a way that should've been taken as respectful and polite.

"All... all I wanted was for you to—"

His fist slammed against my cheekbone, throwing me to the side again. The chains on my ankles clattered as they hit the floor. My vision spun and, for a second, black dots filled my periphery. It felt as if his knuckles were made of iron!

"You don't talk unless I tell you to!"

"I-I'm sorry! I won't do it agai—"

The air in my lungs were knocked out as he continued to pummel me. If I were honest, it was embarrassing getting beat up in front of everyone. From first glance, it didn't appear that any of the others were watching, but I knew they were. It didn't have to be this way, but I was stubborn. That's what Joe would always tell me, anyway.

I was internally pleading for him to stop pounding me when a distant voice spoke.

"Alright. Hey, alright! That's enough. Johnny, the heck are you doing? You trying to kill him?" The man was livid as he approached. "Have a couple screws gone missing? You know how valuable these suckers are. We're told to discipline them, not beat them to a pulp. Look at this guy, he can barely get up!"

"This punk was showin' off. Thought he could get his buddy outta punishment. Had to show him a thing or two." He shrugged. "Maybe I went a little too far, but it had to be done."

"Stupid idiot," he grumbled. "I saw everything that happened. That greenie over there looked you in the eye, but because of his rank it wasn't that serious. You could've just tased him and be done with it, but you had to be a big shot and make a scene. You're just lucky you didn't make him bleed a whole lot. They'd be pissed if you did."

As they discussed further, I attempted to roll from my back, but couldn't and plopped back down. Clenching my toes tightly, I tried to distract myself from the searing pain, but it was no use. The merciless blows to my gut and ribs were all I could think about. Blood dribbled from my nose and mouth. My lungs begged me for air, but the blows to my chest were severe. I had to settle with short and shallow gasps of air.

Groaning, I slowly turned my head to the side and saw the bully boy, Kole, staring down at me, his eyes clouded with contempt. By the look on his face, it was as if he was happy this happened to me, like I got what I deserved. Glancing at his bandaged arm, I couldn't blame him for his hatred.

I twisted my neck to the other side and caught the redhead's gaze. He was still seated on the ground. Guilt was written all over his face as he gawked at me. He probably felt bad that I got knocked around for his sake.

I was surprised when he slowly crawled my way. Pushing against my back, he helped me to sit down.

When he didn't say anything, I asked, "Are... are you okay? You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"

He stared at me blankly for a few seconds before pressing a napkin to my face. Taking hold of the paper, I wiped my mouth and nose.

I whispered, "Thank you." Smiling softly, I tried to ignore the pain. "What's... your name?"

He looked down at his right wrist and pointed to it, bringing it closer to me.

"Five-Eighty... Two? No, not your Birth Number. I meant your real name. You... have one don't you?"

Pouting, he lowered his chin then shook his head.

"You don't have one?"

The boy looked at me with sad eyes, shaking his head again.

"I-It's okay. Don't feel bad." Not knowing what else to say, I told him, "My name's Caesar. And don't worry, your big brother will come up with a name for you soon. I just need... to think of a good one."

"Big... brother?"

My eyes widened. So, you can talk.

Leaning forward, he hugged me, pressing his cheek against my sore ribs. "Thank you... big brother."

The pressure from his embrace made me want to cry, but I ignored my aches and gently hugged him back, stroking the back of his head.

"We're family from now on, okay?"

"Fam...ily?"

"Yeah, someone told me that it means we now have to look out for each other, and that we stay together forever."

"Family," he said nostalgically then nodded.

Shortly after that, the Armed men finished their discussion. The second one ordered us to get off the floor and take our seats. Five-Eighty helped me up and walked with me to my table.

When breakfast was over we all stood in lines and were led out by the Armed men. Five-Eighty wouldn't leave my side and clung onto me tightly as if he were a child afraid of getting lost. Thankfully, I had healed by then, so his grip against my side didn't hurt. As we were walking, I felt someone tap my left shoulder.

"Caesar," Mica whispered. "Don't get the wrong idea when I tell you this, but next time don't be so... reckless. I know what you did was for a good cause, but watching you get tossed around like that was painful. If that man kept at it, you could've been sent to the infirmary."

Sighing, I was a bit annoyed with his badgering. I wanted to look at him, but I knew well to keep my gaze to the floor.

"Micaiah, you're my friend, actually, I feel as if you're more than that—you're my brother; but I don't need you dictating when or when I can't help someone. I will do what I know is the right thing to do. If someone looks like they need help I will give it to them. The cost is secondary."

I could only guess what his expression looked like, probably disappointed or even sad.

"Okay. I... understand," he said. "But... but I still think you should be more careful with how you handle things."

"That's good enough." I smiled. "Thank you."

I and the others were each placed in our classrooms. Afterwards, I was overjoyed to learn that we didn't have training. It was one of our rest days. We had two every week. I was thankful for days like this, otherwise I was sure we'd burn out.  

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Thanks for reading! Please do me a tiny favor and tell people about this story. <33

Anyway, was Caesar being reckless, or did he make the right decision? Would you do the same?