Zeltis chapter eight

Alex sat up slowly, leaning his head on his hand that rested on his bent knee.  He couldn’t help noticing he was again wearing the clothing from his dream, and when his hand brushed through his hair he paused.  He jumped up and hurried to the bathroom to look in the mirror.  His eyes widened as he saw the singed hair and the burnt spot on his clothing.

“Ha, ha, not so easy to explain it away this time, eh?” Zeltis’ voice said inside his head.

Alex spun around, searching the room for the owner of the voice.  “Where….”

“Did you forget me already?  I’m inside your body.”  Zeltis answered with a dry laugh.

“I must be going crazy.  Hearing things in a dream is one thing, but not in the real world.” Alex said to himself and hurried to get ready, almost tearing off the burned shirt.

“Well, you keep trying to ignore me, but I’m not going anywhere.”  Zeltis said, but Alex didn’t answer or acknowledge him.  

He snipped off the bit of burnt hair, making sure it all looked even, before jumping into the shower.  He was relieved when he didn’t hear anything more the rest of the morning.  So he relaxed a little as he made his way to school.

As he sat in his first class, on his phone as usual, he couldn’t help but overhear a group chatting not far from him.

“There was another arson last night.” One guy said.

“Yeah, it was on the news this morning.  My dad is always watching every morning.”  Another guy answered back.

“They managed to put it out right away this time though, and I heard they even caught someone at the scene!”  The first guy said.

Alex’s eyes widened and he looked over at the people talking.  It couldn’t have happened, for real, could it?  


Before he could wonder more about it, the people chatting moved off to their seats as the teacher came in.  Alex had a hard time concentrating on the lessons, and was relieved when it was finally time for lunch.

He got his food and walked toward his favorite out of the way spot.  He was almost to the tree, when he heard a snapped branch behind him and spun around, nearly dropping his tray.  Coming up behind him was Hugh Patton.  Alex put the tray down near him, not happy with the glowering look on Hugh’s face.  

“Hey girly boy,” Hugh said, as soon as he was close enough.  He grabbed Alex by the front of his shirt.  “I’ve never liked you, but now you’re dead!  Why the hell does the girl I like, like such a prissy boy like you?”  He yelled and punched Alex in the face, knocking him back to the ground.

“Couldn’t you have dodged that, or are you really that pathetic?”  Zeltis chimed in, in his head, after hours of being silent.

“Be quiet, I don’t have time for you.”  Alex muttered.

“What did you say?!”  Hugh yelled and charged at Alex.  He punched him again, this time hitting Alex’s nose, causing it to bleed.  

Before Alex could answer back, Hugh hit him again, hitting him hard near Alex’s temple.  Right away blood seeped down into his eye, obstructing his vision.  Alex dazedly put up his hands in a blocking position and barely managed to deflect another blow.  He wobbled to the side and weakly threw a punch, which Hugh blocked with a derisive laugh.

“Do you really take martial arts?” Zeltis said again, and this time Alex didn’t bother to answer.

“What in the world is going on?” Summer’s voice called out frantically, as Alex glanced up seeing her running towards them.

Hugh turned at her call and scoffed.  “Another girl hot on your coattails, I see.  Well, you got off easy this time.”  Hugh scowled and stomped off, giving Summer an annoyed glare before he left.

Summer ran up to Alex.  “We should get you to the nurse, you look terrible.”

Without letting him argue, she grabbed his arm and walked with him towards the nurses office.  He saw a few people look at them strangely as they walked.

“Won’t you get in trouble with the girl’s if they see you with me?”  He said a little worried.

“Maybe, but I can’t leave you like this, can I?”  She said.

She pulled him in to the infirmary after her.  She looked around.  “I don’t see the nurse.  Well, we can’t wait around.  I know enough first aid to at least stop the bleeding, I’m sure.  Sit down.”  She ushered him toward a chair and sat him down.  

He watched as she went back and shut the door, so that the curious people in the hall wouldn’t bother them. Then She gathered the things to treat him with.

He winced when she first wiped off the blood and was dabbing some disinfectant on his brow when she jumped back, her eyes wide.

“What’s wrong?” He started to ask, but soon he could feel what she must be seeing.  The pain was disappearing.  

“The cut on your brow just closed all by itself, and your bruises are disappearing.”  Summer gasped.  “I can’t believe it!”

“Um, I can explain…I” How the heck could he explain, even he wasn’t sure what was happening.

“You could tell her about little old me, because I’m the reason you’re healing so fast.”  Zeltis chimed in.

“She’s not going to believe that you idiot, she’ll think I’m a freak.”  Alex said, inside his mind to Zeltis.

“This, this is amazing!”  Summer gushed with a big smile, and Alex’s jaw dropped in surprise.

“You’re not scared or freaked out?”  Even I am a little freaked out about this.  


“Of course not!  Do you have any idea how cool this is?”  She grasped his hands.  “I love stuff like this, anything supernatural or mysterious.  I never thought I would get to see something like this for real though.”

“I’ve never believed in the supernatural myself.”

“Really?” Her eyes widened.  “Didn’t you know you could heal so fast?  It’s like a special super power or something.”

He pulled his hands away, and ran his hand through his hair.  “Well, it’s kind of a recent phenomenon.  You can’t tell anyone about this.”  He looked at her earnestly.

She shook her head emphatically, her curly black hair bouncing back and forth.  “Of course I would never.  You might get taken to a lab and experimented on, or even dissected.  I’ve read so many books where awful things happen to people who are special.  I would never do that to you.  It’s better for you to use whatever powers you have to secretly help people or something.”

“I don’t think I have become a super hero or anything.  I did just get beat up.”

She laughed.  “Well, maybe but still.  Healing fast is super awesome.  I felt a little nervous talking to you at first, but now it will be easier since we share a secret.  We can be friends.”

“Friends, that sounds nice.”  He smiled at her.  

The bell rang.  “Ah dang, we didn’t even get to have lunch.”  Summer said blushing and turning away to look at the clock.

“Yeah, I better get cleaned up, and we both need to get to class.  Um, I don’t know if me doing anything would help, but if the girls bother you about today, I could try talking to them.”  He too looked away awkwardly.

She stood and smiled back at him. then looked away again.  “I will be fine.  I’m going first.  I’ll see you later.”  She waved over her shoulder and slid out the door, shutting it behind her.

He went into the small bathroom attached to the nurse’s room and washed off the blood.  He just hoped that Hugh wouldn’t see him, and wonder why he wasn’t still injured.  Well, he didn’t have any classes with him, so hopefully they wouldn’t see each other for the rest of the day.  

The people were staring at him and whispering when he finally came out of the infirmary. He just ignored them, and hurried to his next class.  Luckily the rest of the day passed by with nothing else happening.  

One thing that surprised him though, was that he got an assignment to research his family history.  It was such a coincidence.  He had been curious about his mother and now he had a good reason to find out more about her and that side of his family, that he knew nothing about.  

In the car on the way home, the driver glanced back at him.  “Young master, I’m sorry but today is the last day I can drive you around, since you have recovered and your motorcycle is repaired.”

“Yeah, I know you are  my father’s driver.  I’m surprised he didn’t have you stop yesterday, since that was when my bike was finished.”

The driver’s frown was visible in the rearview mirror.  “Well, your father was away on a business trip and only got back today…”

“You don’t need to say anymore, I understand.  Thanks for taking care of me.”

“You aren’t going to the dojo today?”  The driver said after a long silence.

“No, the classes are only three days a week, so I will just do strength training at home since we have a gym anyway.”

“I see, as you wish young master.”

Dinner was on the table, and Alex noticed that the maid was clearing a plate from where his father sat when he was home.  Alex couldn’t help being glad that he had missed seeing him.  It would have been even worse than eating alone, to have to listen to his father berating him.  Or sit and eat while his father ignored him, or coldly glared at him the whole time.  Alex ate quickly and went to his room to change, before going to the gym.  

He listened to music while he worked out, letting his mind wonder.  He was tired and sweaty when he finally finished and let the shower refresh him.

“We’re going out again tonight, aren’t we?”  He said out loud as he was drying off, and glanced in the mirror.

“Ha, well are you acknowledging me now?” Zeltis answered mentally.

“Even if I am crazy, there’s no point in trying to ignore you.  You aren’t going to stop bothering me anyway, right?”

“Well, you’re right about that.  I’m  not going anywhere.”

Alex’s lip lifted to one side and he gave a small laugh.  “What can I even say to that?  Does it matter if I go to sleep, or can you just take over?”

“Well, I could just take you over, but it is many times easier if you are unconscious.”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. He dressed in something comfortable, but presentable to wear outside.  He didn’t think he could fall asleep with his shoes on though, so left them off.  “It feels pretty strange to lay down with regular clothes on.”

Zeltis didn’t answer as Alex lay down and tried to get comfortable.  “Should I sing you a lullaby?”  Zeltis said sarcastically.

Alex rolled his eyes.  “Just keep quiet, and I will somehow manage.”  It was easier said than done, to try to force himself to sleep when he knew Zeltis was waiting for him to do so.  Still, he managed todrift off.