The car was ice cold, as it had been sitting in the freezing garage.

“Brr it’s cold!” Andri’s mother complained jokingly.

Yet her upbeat attitude was met with dullness. As they drove off, Eryi couldn’t help but gaze at Andri, whose eyes were still black.

“Andri?” Eryi asked quietly.

Andri looked at him, his dark eyes melting only slightly, like he was forcing the storm within them to calm. Eryi gave Andri’s mother instructions on how to reach his home, and once the car parked outside, Andri turned to ask, “What do you think about Bugs?”

Eryi answered honestly, “They’re scary.”

“Don’t you think it would be better if we killed them all?”

Eryi said with a kind smile, “If that’s what you want, Andri.”

Andri immediately threw himself at Eryi, capturing him in an embrace.

Andri said, “I’m glad you think that way.”

Eryi was so overjoyed he couldn’t utter a word. Andri’s mother was watching them with silent horror from the rear view mirror, and her eyes widened at the sight of her son’s expression. His eyes were dark and his smile was endless, like a frozen needle it stabbed her skin all around, sending prickles of agony without. Their hug ended and Andri’s expression turned to normal. Eryi was still floating with joy, so he nearly forgot to get out of the car. In order to not waste any more of Andri’s time, Eryi got out and walked through the freezing cold, up the ice covered stairs, and knocked on the door. His backpack was still sitting on the stairs, so he picked it up and knocked again and again, but still, only the howling wind answered him.

Andri’s mother was glad she didn’t drive off.

She asked, “Is no one going to answer?”

Andri’s mother got out of the car, and covered her mouth with her hand. The cold was too unbearable to breathe. She made it to Eryi’s side and he apologized without looking her way, “I’m sorry.”

Anger filled her heart and she slammed her fist on the door.

“Hey! Your child is freezing out here!”

She slammed the door two more times and then it creaked open slowly. The warm air stung the two’s faces, who had only just gotten used to the cold. A woman with long black hair and dark eyes asked, “What?”

She was only wearing a t- shirt, and it was clear she wasn’t done having fun with whoever was parked in the driveway.

Andri’s mother put her hands on Eryi’s shoulders and asked, “What do you mean “what?” Let your kid inside!”

Eryi’s mother moved to the side, offering Eryi room to enter.

“Get in Eryi. Stop bothering this lady.”

Eryi entered without another word, and Andri’s mother was left speechless. The door closed behind Eryi, and a feeling of dread welled up in her heart. She walked to the car, and got into the driver’s seat. She huffed a long drawn out sigh, and as she was distracted, Andri saw Eryi and his mother partly through the curtains.

Eryi’s mother asked, “Are you trying to make a fool out of me?! Getting other people involved?”

“No,” Eryi answered quietly.

Eryi’s cheek was slapped across so strongly he lost his footing and fell to the floor. As he tried to get up, he saw Andri staring back at him. It felt like their gaze met for centuries, but to Eryi’s dismay, the car drove off. Andri clenched his fists, and didn’t say a word. His frown turned into a light smile and he muttered, “This might just work.”

Two days passed by and Eryi hadn’t been to school. During indoor recess Andri and his group were sitting on desks again, as they always did. Only this time they learned their lesson to not throw pencils around. The small ball they found this time, replaced the pencil. Lumi, a girl who always hung out with Alba and Andri, hurled the ball at Andri’s gut, nearly making him fall over. The ball rolled to the ground and before it made it under the desk, Alba picked it up with a slight scoff.

“Why do you always go after Andri?”

Andri asked too, “Yeah! Why me?”

Lumi smiled deviously and stated, “Cause you’re annoying. That’s why.”

Andri grabbed the ball from Alba and threw it at Lumi’s head, but she caught it and stuck out her tongue. She threw the ball, and just like the other day with the pencil, it flew at Eryi’s desk, only this time his forehead wasn’t there to catch it. The trio paused and then Andri asked, “Have you guys seen Eryi?”

Alba and Lumi asked, “Who?”

“The boy who sits in that seat. You know, the kid with bangs that cover his eyes.”

Alba answered, “Oh, no, I haven’t.”

Lumi added, “I haven’t either, but I heard he wasn’t marked absent. Maybe he’s skipping.”

Andri said with a smile, “Right, probably.”

Andri’s smile then turned into a frown and he curled over. He hugged his stomach and got off the table.

“Ugh, I feel sick.”

Alba and Lumi looked at Andri with much concern and confusion.

“I’m going home, I might die if I stay here any longer. Ugh… My stomach, it’s killing me.”

By the time Andri had finished his sentence, he was already halfway out the classroom door.

Lumi asked, “You’re skipping?!”

Andri laughed and then sped out the school, backpack and all. He strolled through districts with barely any memory on where he had to go, but he was certain that he would find his way. He heard something in an alley, the sound of a baby wailing. Intrigued, Andri ventured after the sound. There was a plastic garbage bag sitting on the snowy ground, and inside of it were the cries. Andri slowly opened it, revealing an infant with insect wings and huge eyes with thousands of pupils.