Chapter 4: Blackwater and Bullies (2/2)

You will NOT talk back to us, and you will do e tell you to do like obedient little dogs That said, we'll try and not to dirty ourselves with this place tooaround ant to let off some steam, are short a few bucks here and there, or just feel like fucking with you"

"Can't fight without a sucker punch, huh?" said Adam as he shakily stood up only to eat a powerful kick to the sto several h pain while trying to stop hi

"Or you end up like him," said the leader He s crystal clear fro: you try and bitch and h at you nobody gives a daht as well make this clear from the start: I'm the son of this Academy's head - I'm untouchable, and so are ht kill you, nothing will ever happen to us Understand?"

All the students remained in silence This time, all of them were silent in fear except, of course, Aldrich who just stood in the back and minimized attention to himself

"Good," said the leader He scanned his sharp eyes around the rooed in the fear he inflicted When his eyes landed on Elaine, he nodded to hiood meat

Elaine shi+vered

"And you, you're not bad looking Shame you're a Dud," said the leader "But ly…open irls like you If you want to co nice to you"

The leader stared down at his watch "Oh, evaluations are about to start" His sadistic srew even wider as he eyed everyone expectantly "I very rounds"

With that, the leader waved a callous goodbye and strolled out with his posse, leaving Aldrich as the first to tend to Adah to tend to the downed man

"Your stomach will be bruised for a couple of days That nose won't set properly either, considering how badly broken it is," said Aldrich as he inspected Adam

"Fuuuck," said Adaly as sin Broken nose won't change a dahtly sot you to smile! Think I wouldn't notice?" said Adam

"Be quiet," said Aldrich as he rolled his eyes and called out to the rest of the room "Anyone have first aid supplies? If not, I have soet it," said Elaine as she rushed to her room

"I-I don't want to do this!" said Frank, the quiet kid, his fear finally spilling over andto quit this prograned up for!"

"Yeah?" Adam stood up as Aldrich supported hiet sht on anyway? Where you won't even get hired to sweep the streets or unclog the sewers because there's an Alter out there with a power for it?

This is our only shot of everFeel free to waste it if you want But I'h money to stay off the streets You feelwhen Adaardless, Aldrich did find respect for Adaenuine deterh where it came from was different

For Aldrich, his detereance For Adauy had been ho off the streets Either way, it was evident that the two of the shot

Jake see to cut it here

Frank seemed like he was too soft Someone who, even as a Dud cast down by society, had not suffered too much hardshi+p Probably was a spontaneous Dud like Aldrich,that his parents had powers but he had unfortunately popped out with none

Regardless, see froht place for him

In a way, Aldrich would have been like that too If his parents had stayed alive

Elaine, surprisingly, Aldrich could see soth in Despite the leader of the bullies blatantly harassing her, she, though visibly fearful and unnerved like the rest, still et a ardless, Aldrich only hoped that deterh what see