Overworld Chronicles Books 1-2: Sweet Blood of Mine & Dark Light of Mine by John Corwin Page B
Authors: John Corwin
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Children's Books, Fantasy, Fantasy & Magic, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Children's eBooks, Paranormal & Urban, Science Fiction; Fantasy & Scary Stories
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understand."
Anger pounded in my chest and the next words just shot out of my mouth. "You're probably right. I don't understand rapists."
Next thing I knew, I was face down on the floor looking at a smear of blood on the tiles. My glasses were gone. Someone shouted. An authoritative voice roared for everyone to shut up and move on. I pushed myself to my knees and saw a blurry figure standing over me. I found my glasses a few inches from the blood smear and put them on. The blur resolved into the face of Ted Barnes, the Vice Principal.
"Go see the school nurse," he said in an impatient tone.
I looked around for Nathan but he was gone. "Nathan Spelman just beat the crap out of me."
"Funny, looks like you just slipped and fell. Now go get cleaned up."
"Are you kidding me? I'll bet he has one of my teeth lodged in his fist."
"You want to get suspended, boy?" I shrank back as Mr. Barnes and his gleaming bald head invaded my personal space. "I suggest you listen to me."
It didn't take long for the gray porridge I call my brain to see where this was going. Mr. Barnes was a member of the Quarterback Club, the biggest group of supporters of the football team. I hadn't made too many friends by uncovering Nathan's womanizing tendencies. Mr. Barnes wasn't about to cut me a break, especially when it involved a football player.
I pressed my lips together so I wouldn't say anything else stupid. My upper lip hurt like crazy, but my jaw seemed intact. My tongue traced my teeth and didn't find any unexpected gaps or wiggly ones. I skipped the nurse and went to the bathroom instead, halfway expecting a biker gang to jump me the moment I went inside. After washing off the blood I took a good long look at myself. Lank greasy hair hung past my shoulders. Scratched and battered glasses teetered crookedly on my nose. My split lip looked like the king of all cold sore outbreaks. My chubby, ashen face needed a tan. I was ugly. Worthless. Everyone hated me. I pulled off my glasses and wiped my eyes furiously to keep the tears away. That'd be just swell, walking around with red teary eyes for everyone to make fun of.
Mr. Turpin raised an eyebrow when I entered English class. "Did you have an accident, Mr. Case?"
"I tried to beat the crap out of someone's fist with my face."
"I see." He regarded me for a moment longer before starting the lesson.
I wondered how a guy could go from boxing one day to teaching English the next. Maybe he hadn't taken too many blows to the head, or maybe English was something you didn't need many brains cells to teach—or learn for that matter. When the bell rang, Mr. Turpin motioned me to his desk.
"I take it Mr. Spelman and his ilk are the cause of your bloody lip?"
"More or less."
"Remember that it doesn't matter how big they are if you knock them down first."
"Uh, thanks," I said, edging toward the door. "I'll remember that." I walked down the hallway shaking my head. How in the world was I supposed to knock them down? What did that even mean? Crazy old boxer dude. What he should have told me was to work out until I had muscles as big as his and then smack Nathan in the nose with a set of brass knuckles.
Somehow I made it through the rest of the day. When I got home, I went to my computer and thought about Googling for "How not to be a complete loser." Instead, I found an envelope taped to my computer monitor. My name was on the front of the envelope in my mom's handwriting. I figured it might be a birthday present a few days early. A birthday party seemed like a moot point unless I invited only the Goths. Or maybe they were emo. I didn't really know the difference, come to think of it, and hadn't even asked.
I tore open the envelope and pulled out a letter.
Justin,
You mean the world to me and it agonizes me to have to do this, but your father and I have decided to go our separate ways. Remember when I told you about tough decisions? This is one of those. I love you so much but there's another
Anger pounded in my chest and the next words just shot out of my mouth. "You're probably right. I don't understand rapists."
Next thing I knew, I was face down on the floor looking at a smear of blood on the tiles. My glasses were gone. Someone shouted. An authoritative voice roared for everyone to shut up and move on. I pushed myself to my knees and saw a blurry figure standing over me. I found my glasses a few inches from the blood smear and put them on. The blur resolved into the face of Ted Barnes, the Vice Principal.
"Go see the school nurse," he said in an impatient tone.
I looked around for Nathan but he was gone. "Nathan Spelman just beat the crap out of me."
"Funny, looks like you just slipped and fell. Now go get cleaned up."
"Are you kidding me? I'll bet he has one of my teeth lodged in his fist."
"You want to get suspended, boy?" I shrank back as Mr. Barnes and his gleaming bald head invaded my personal space. "I suggest you listen to me."
It didn't take long for the gray porridge I call my brain to see where this was going. Mr. Barnes was a member of the Quarterback Club, the biggest group of supporters of the football team. I hadn't made too many friends by uncovering Nathan's womanizing tendencies. Mr. Barnes wasn't about to cut me a break, especially when it involved a football player.
I pressed my lips together so I wouldn't say anything else stupid. My upper lip hurt like crazy, but my jaw seemed intact. My tongue traced my teeth and didn't find any unexpected gaps or wiggly ones. I skipped the nurse and went to the bathroom instead, halfway expecting a biker gang to jump me the moment I went inside. After washing off the blood I took a good long look at myself. Lank greasy hair hung past my shoulders. Scratched and battered glasses teetered crookedly on my nose. My split lip looked like the king of all cold sore outbreaks. My chubby, ashen face needed a tan. I was ugly. Worthless. Everyone hated me. I pulled off my glasses and wiped my eyes furiously to keep the tears away. That'd be just swell, walking around with red teary eyes for everyone to make fun of.
Mr. Turpin raised an eyebrow when I entered English class. "Did you have an accident, Mr. Case?"
"I tried to beat the crap out of someone's fist with my face."
"I see." He regarded me for a moment longer before starting the lesson.
I wondered how a guy could go from boxing one day to teaching English the next. Maybe he hadn't taken too many blows to the head, or maybe English was something you didn't need many brains cells to teach—or learn for that matter. When the bell rang, Mr. Turpin motioned me to his desk.
"I take it Mr. Spelman and his ilk are the cause of your bloody lip?"
"More or less."
"Remember that it doesn't matter how big they are if you knock them down first."
"Uh, thanks," I said, edging toward the door. "I'll remember that." I walked down the hallway shaking my head. How in the world was I supposed to knock them down? What did that even mean? Crazy old boxer dude. What he should have told me was to work out until I had muscles as big as his and then smack Nathan in the nose with a set of brass knuckles.
Somehow I made it through the rest of the day. When I got home, I went to my computer and thought about Googling for "How not to be a complete loser." Instead, I found an envelope taped to my computer monitor. My name was on the front of the envelope in my mom's handwriting. I figured it might be a birthday present a few days early. A birthday party seemed like a moot point unless I invited only the Goths. Or maybe they were emo. I didn't really know the difference, come to think of it, and hadn't even asked.
I tore open the envelope and pulled out a letter.
Justin,
You mean the world to me and it agonizes me to have to do this, but your father and I have decided to go our separate ways. Remember when I told you about tough decisions? This is one of those. I love you so much but there's another
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