<O> Marvadel Central High: 9:37 AM <O>

There are many types of uses for the word shit in the English lexicon. There’s horseshit, ratshit, chickenshit, batshit, the list goes on. Most famously of the shit family is bullshit.

<!> Bullshit: A situation so improbable or drawn out of proportion that clean language isn’t fit to describe it <!>

This is some bullshit.

Chemistry class at 9 am on a Monday with Blake Turner on Aaron’s right and Eve Payne on his left. Sometimes dramatic irony can be funny but others it's just mean and this is one of those times. Mrs. Graham went on and on about ionic bonds and peptide whatever but the only bond Aaron wanted to break was with his chair.

Eve popped a stick of gum in her mouth and folded her hands on the table, listening intently to the lecture while Blake idly drew on the table with a sharpie. Maybe he’s as bored as Aaron was. Finally, a word of action broke his dissociative trance and everyone, including Eve started flipping through their textbooks.

Shit. No animal attached. 

“Did you forget your textbook?” Eve asked Aaron, focused on the pages. 

“Yeah.” He answered honestly.

“Hm.” Eve raised her hand. “Mrs. Graham?” 

The teacher turned. “Yes?”

“Aaron doesn’t have his textbook.” Eve pointed a finger at Aaron whose eyes widened.

“Mr. Troy! You know the consequences of missing materials. That’s a mark.” Mrs. Graham took a red expo marker to the board where all the students had their names written on the left side. She drew a tally under Aaron’s column and part of the school’s new policy went into effect.

<!> Crackdown: After being ranked lowest in the region, Marvadel Central High has begun cracking down on “delinquent behaviors.” Part of this crackdown dictates that coming unprepared to a class three times in a week results in a detention <!>

Eve went back to her textbook as if nothing happened and Aaron’s anger only grew as Blake’s snickering met his ear.

“Maaaaaaaaaan I can’t believe this..!” He patted Aaron’s back patronizingly and laughed heartily. “She sold you OUT.”

“Yeah well fuck you!” Aaron snapped, catching the attention of Mrs. Graham. “Mr. Troy! That’s another mark.” 

Aaron’s jaw dropped while Mrs. Graham went to add another tally and Blake’s snickering reached a crescendo. That would’ve been enough to poke a hole in Aaron’s ego but the sight of Eve’s grin in his peripheral stabbed it through. 

Determined to redeem himself, Aaron raised his hand, instantly putting Eve and Blake on guard. “Mrs. Graham!” 

The woman turned around, tired of being interrupted. “Yes?” She asked tiredly.

“Eve is chewing gum! And Blake forgot his book too!” The two looked stunned while Mrs. Graham shook her head with a finger wag. “Mr. Turner. Ms. Payne. That’s going to be a mark.”

As Mrs. Graham walked over to the board, Aaron’s victory was short-lived as she turned to him and added a final tally under his name.

“That last one was for disrupting the class.” She chided. “I’ll see you tomorrow after school. 2:30 sharp Mr. Troy.”

Blake pulled his shirt over his snout as he wheezed, gripping the table with his free hand and drawing scratch marks on the wood. 

“Yeah…I’m not going to that shit.” Aaron mumbled and glanced at Eve, a shadow cast over her face and dark circles surrounding her now saucer-like eyes. 

It was just a tally. Nothing to be so distraught over but then an eerie breeze blew over him, it prickled his skin and made his hair stand on end. 

Danger. He could feel it, and a subtle response from the key confirmed his suspicion. It vibrates against his chest, shaking erratically and buzzing with energy as if disturbed. His thoughts fell back on Sunday evening and the sensation familiarized itself. 

This was what Eve had done that night in the hallway. What she did then and what was happening now was connected. But how did that relate to the key?

“Psst! Eve..” Aaron kept his voice low to go undetected. “..Eve!” The girl didn’t respond, but Aaron knew he was heard from how her fingers curled on the table. 

“Eve!” His voice became a harsh whisper.

“Shut UP.” Eve hissed, looking at Aaron through the corner of her eye without turning her head. “You’re going to get me in trouble again.” She focused on the board.

“Eye for an eye, bitch. Now listen. You said my spirit was greedy and malicious right? But how could you see that? What was that sensation on my skin the other night? What…are you doing?”

“Leave me alone,” Eve said tiredly. “You’d just think I’m crazy.”

“Eh??” Confusion stabbed Aaron before understanding closed the wound. 

<!> “I mean I already knew but now I know for sure. You’re completely insane.” <!>

“Is that your problem with me? Because I called you insane?”

“I don’t have a problem with you.” Eve snapped, turning toward him.

“Real convincing.” Aaron’s laugh left through his nose. “But…sorry.” 

Hearing this, Eve’s face softened just a little. Her eyes weren’t so severe anymore and the chill left the room. 

“I wasn’t trying to be a dick or hurt you but I was and I did. So…sorry.” Aaron folded his arms and leaned forward on the desk. Apologies were always awkward for him. You’d think that’d prompt him to stop messing up but…

“Aaron.” Eve took a deep breath. “I-”

“Now for this week’s project…” Mrs. Graham cut in and silenced whatever Eve was going to say as she immediately turned and faced the board. “You’ll be exploring chemical reactions in the form of a baking soda volcano. Effort is expected to get a good grade.” 

Aaron almost wretched and face planted into the table. He began drifting asleep whilst debating if he could afford another zero on a project. 

“Get with your tables and form a group. Use whatever time and resources you feel are necessary and have the project done by Wednesday.” 

Aaron’s heart sank into his stomach and his breath lodged in his throat. He looked over at Blake who leaned in his chair and let out a low growl that could’ve only been a sigh. For the first time today, Aaron agreed with him. 

The boy turned to his left and eyed Eve who was taking the news…harder than he expected. He was almost insulted by how dejected she looked. 

Her eyes appeared sunken with dark circles around them while her mouth hung open and Aaron swore her spirit left through it. A true painting of terror.  While he wasn’t at all close with these people at this moment Aaron could tell they were all thinking the same thing. 

Shit. This time of the bull variety.

<O> Troy Residence: 4:07 PM <O>

Aaron laid the key down on his desk and angled his reading lamp over it. The rust almost seemed to flake under the light but how could he expect anything different from such a decrepit object? Removing a golden crucifix chain from his pocket Aaron steeled himself for what might happen next. 

He remembered the day his mother gave him the necklace, a family heirloom, and told him about the power it supposedly held. She told him that a powerful dark entity had followed his uncle around the country on his travels as a trucker until a priest gave him this necklace and the curse was dispelled. 

Aaron had never been religious and certainly didn’t offer much credence to the supernatural but the past few days gave him pause. And curiosity. Perhaps the key was a curse and like his uncle the chain could dispel it.

Not sure of what to do, Aaron held the chain over the key and slowly lowered it. Closer. Closer…

<!> Thump <!>

Aaron felt a pulse travel through the chain and then through his skin. The chain rapidly heated up and scorched Aaron’s hand causing him to drop it on the floor. “Shit!” 

Red-hot sparks crackled from the key before it jumped off the table and onto the ground next to the chain where it fiercely rejected the holy item once again and scurried off into the corner of the bedroom.

“Woah..” Aaron flexed his hand and winced at his palm, a red mark seared into the sensitive flesh. If the violence with which the key denied the crucifix or the fact that said crucifix now had a faint glow within the gold links wasn’t enough, Aaron blinked and realized that he was pinching the key against his thumb despite it being on the opposite end of the room seconds earlier.

“Fuck EVERY part of that!” Aaron flicked his wrist and tossed the key into a pile of dirty laundry. While it made him feel better he knew it would return somewhere to his vicinity in due time. 

The situation he was in was incredibly dangerous, and that was already clear to Aaron. But as things continued to develop he began to question if he would even make it out of this alive. And what about his mom? Was she in danger too? 

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Aaron jumped as he thought the key had lashed out but instead, the walls were simply shaking from someone beating on the door. Sighing in relief, Aaron threw on a shirt and ran downstairs. “Coming!” He shouted just before he reached the door. 

As he reached his hand to the knob he heard the telltale sound of a key fiddling inside the lock. Assuming it was his mother, Aaron stepped back as the door swung open and he was greeted by a sight that made his experience with the key seem tame.

“Don’t pull so hard! You’re messing up my mane!” Blake whined as Eve pulled on his beard hair with a straight face. In her other hand was a key and for a moment Aaron thought he’d been freed from his troubles before a different familiarity struck him.

“Did you-”

“It was under the welcome mat.” Eve cut him off, answering his question. “Are you going to let us in?” 

Aaron stammered at the audacity but when he found his words they hit with the right measure of anger. “No! You can’t just try to break into my house and then ask if you can come in!” 

Blake raised a paw. “If I may cut in… she did use the key-OW! Quit pulling!”

“I don’t care if the door magically flew open. I’d still tell her to piss off.” Aaron turned to Eve. “Piss off.”

“Don’t make her angry!” Blake pleaded. “She’s still holding my beard, man!”

“Fuck your beard!” Aaron snapped.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Eve said. “Either you come out here or we come in there. I’m not failing my first project because of you two losers.”

“Losers?!” The boys cried.

“Yeah, losers.” Eve doubled down. “I had to chase him from the cafeteria to the bus lot and then drag him here.” She said with a tug of Blake’s mane.

“But why’d you have to bring him here?” Aaron asked.

“Because I don’t know where he lives and I’m not bringing either of you to my house.” 

Blake looked offended. “You make it sound like I asked to be here-OWHAHOW!”

Eve gave Blake’s mane a final pull before brushing his hair off on her skirt and crossing her arms. “Are you going to let us in or not?”

“No! I’m not going to ask how you managed to catch someone whose thighs are the size of microwaves because I don’t care. About you or the project, I’m fine with getting an F.” Aaron pushed the door closed but Eve’s foot prevented him.

“Well, I’m not. And my parents aren’t either.” Eve sighed and her features softened. “I don't have time or know anyone else to ask. You wanted to apologize to me right? Well, this is how you can make it up to me.”

“This is extortion!” Aaron said.

“Forcing you to do a school project is not extortion. Now let us in so we can get started. The day is still young.” Eve’s fingers wrapped around the door and gently she pushed it open, Aaron stepping back as she did. 

“Fine…” He relented. “I guess if I fail chemistry I’ll have to take it again. And that would be god-awful wouldn’t it?” 

The corners of Eve’s lips turned up in a half smile but her feelings reflected better in her eyes which softened as she raised her eyebrows. “Yeah. I suppose it would be.” 

Eve and Aaron fell silent, their gazes locked on choice objects behind the other. Aaron wasn’t sure what he was afraid of showing by looking Eve in the eyes but their refusal to hold a gaze told them enough regardless. 

Though what that was isn’t clear.

Blake broke the silence by maneuvering over to the red leather couch sitting to the right of the front door in front of the television. The Nephilim plopped down with a groan but sprung up as the afternoon sun had heated the leather until it’d become akin to a stove.

“Goddamn! That almost burned my ass hair off!” 

Eve cringed at the mental image. “Please never say that again…”

Aaron and Eve chose to honor Blake’s sacrifice and sit on the shag rug in front of the couch. The spiel about not wanting to take chemistry again was partly the reason Aaron conceded but deep down he had another motivation for letting Eve inside.

The girl was an oddball that wasn't up for debate. On top of that the key was delivered to Aaron the same night he met Eve, which also doesn’t feel like a coincidence. Maybe he was going insane but…

…he just might need Eve’s special brand of insanity.

Another cry rings out through creation. The traveler from the time before time has made itself known. Sequestered in the world that demands its silence the traveler wishes to be heard.

It was heard.