"Please don't pout, honey. Sit up and quit slouching."

Rowen straightened under his seat belt as ordered and turned his gaze out his window again.

"I just know you're gonna love it there. It's beautiful and full of boys around your age that are just like you. You'll have a dozen and a half friends by the end of the first day!"

He continued to stare silently out his window at the passing trees. He didn't want to go to a private school. He felt like the proverbial family dog being taken on a picnic. There were no others 'like him'. He was one of a kind. He was exactly what the others had said, a freak. But despite his feelings, his mother was making him go. He thought back to the conversation he and his mother had as he sat on his bed while she packed his clothes.

'It's not forever, sweetie. I'm doing this for you. Your principal said you need a better education, where you fit in more with the other students. And I'm at work most of the time and can't give you all the attention you need. This school is exactly what we both need.'

'But why do you have to send me away? I wanna stay here with you!'

'Rowen, you're nine years old. You need friends. And though you may not realize it now, this will have an important impact on your life. You are gifted and you need to nurture your gift, help it grow. Then you'll be able to achieve things later in life that others can't.'

'I want to stay here with you, mommy.'

'Sigh. We're running behind. Let's get going.'

The car turned down a gravel drive at a large blue, green, and yellow sign: Loughton Private School for Boys. She pulled into the large parking lot surrounded by trees.

"We're here!"

The huge ancient buildings were huge and towered over Rowen, who suddenly felt infinitely smaller. They got out of the car and headed slowly to the main building, where the principal, Ms. Richards, was impatiently waiting for them. Rowen sat outside the office in a large wooden chair, while his mother and Ms. Richards spoke in her office. The chair was making his back hurt, so he leaned forward looking down the hallway. Long red carpets, sparkling chandeliers, elegantly carved wooden tables with antique vases. There were only three doors on the wall ahead of him, but all were closed. Bored, he turned his attention to himself.

Black dress shoes and white socks that went almost to his knees, tiny charcoal colored shorts, matching blazer and white dress shirt, and a blue, green, and yellow diagonally striped tie. He felt uncomfortable and looked stupid, in his opinion. His mother tried to assure him that he looked adorable, quickly covering that with gentleman like. A loud bell rang and he jumped.

Soon his mother and the principal exited the room and stood over him, looking down at him. His mother tried nonchalantly to motion him to stand. He finally did so, but the principal only sneered at him. She began to inspect him closely. She herself was a tall and thin woman with a pinched face and cold eyes. Her black hair was pulled tightly into a bun at the base of her neck. She wore black shoes, dark stockings, and a charcoal skirt and shirt with a red rose broach. It was the only thing that reminded him he wasn't in a black and white movie.

"Well. His grades are quite good considering....Nothing remarkable, mind you. He needs work on posture, manners...Sigh. We have our work cut out for us on this one."

The shrewd woman turned her nose and lead them both down to the end of the hall to the front door. His mother knelt before him.

"Well baby. Have fun, be good, make friends. I'll miss you. KISS. I love you. Call me, okay?"

"Ahem. We do not allow phone calls home unless it is an emergency."

"Oh. Okay then. Write me. Bye, bunny."

They hugged, but Rowen wouldn't let go of her.

"Mommy please don't leave me-"

"Gentlemen do not whine."

He looked up at the woman with tears in his eyes.

"They do not cry either. Goodday, Mrs. Hashiba."

"Good bye."

"Bye mommy..."

He watched, heartbroken, as his mother drove away and out of sight. Ms. Richards grabbed his shoulder and led him away.

"Sigh. Let's begin. We've not a moment to spare.

Rowen looked over his shoulder at the fading light of freedom.

RIIIIIING!!

A hundred screaming and yelling boys ran excitedly out of the building. They cluttered together in small groups. Rowen slowly walked down the stairs staring down at the books in his hands. A boy ran past him, knocking all his books out of his hands.

"Move it, dork!"

Rowen bent down to pick them up while meekly looking through his bangs to his assailant. A boy by the name of Brian Snow. He ran over to his friends, sneering at Rowen over his shoulder while his friends laughed at him and exchanged high fives.

It had been over a week and he still had no friends. At his old school, Rowen was the smartest kid and was disliked for it. Here, he was nothing special and was disliked for it. All the teachers picked on every detail about him that wasn't perfect, and his classmates ridiculed him for it. He was beginning to feel like an utterly inferior creature. He gathered his things and headed over to his dorm room that he shared with three other boys that seemed to rather refuse his existence.

The other boys talked loudly and roughly played while Rowen sat his books on his desk and sat down. He drowned out the excited yells and hid his face in his book, staring at the words, but now reading them. He closed his eyes tightly as he silently sobbed for his mother to take him home.

The weekend rolled around again and on Sunday, just like any other day, Rowen was isolated. He sat on a large white fountain with a marble statue in the middle depicting a large eagle holding a writhing fish prey in it's stony grip. He sat silently and read, as he usually did, minding his own business. He grew tired of the text and turned his face upward to gaze at the clouds rolling past in the sky. His expression grew thoughtful.

'I wonder what I look like from way up there...'

SMACK! SPLASH!

Rowen fell back into the water after a football crashed into his forehead. He sat up shivering, holding his head as he looked around him in the water at his soaked books which had followed him.

"Haha! Nice catch, dork!"

He ignored the roaring laughter, gathering his books. He would be severely punished for the damage done to them, if the pages were to wilt or tear. He finally turned his eyes up to the jovial boys, as tears filled them. He ran away from them, towards the office building with waves of cruel and taunting laughter echoing behind him.

He ran into the huge room with red carpets, huge couches, and marble pillars. He couldn't imagine why he had chosen the principal's building to run to. He glanced at her shut doors, then rushed to the first of three doors on his left. The first was locked and looking cautiously over to the shut glass doors with the black curtains, he went to the second. Locked. He walked to the third, but it also was locked. He leaned his back against the door and slid to the floor, hugging his knees as fresh tears trailed down his cheeks.

Several minutes went by until he heard the door click behind him. He rushed to his feet and wiped his eyes, fearful he would be reprimanded for crying again. But the door did not budge, and nothing happened. He slowly put a hand forward and pushed lightly on the door. It swung open with a groan. He looked up the narrow, dimly lit staircase to the dusty ceiling with dangling chains that tapped each other with small 'clicking' sounds.

Rowen spun as he heard voices draw nearer to him from behind the glass doors. He quickly dove into the room and pushed the door to behind him. He looked out the small crack at Ms. Richards and three other teachers. He held his breath and listened.

"...That Hashiba boy is...is...well. We haven't had a student like that ever since I was first employed here. He's nothing but trouble, I can tell. No manners, no class, no character or worth. But I vowed to make that boy a gentleman, and by God, I will...even if I have to beat it into him."

The voice and footsteps faded and Rowen sighed. He closed the door quietly then turned to the stairs.

"Hello?"

Someone had to have opened the door. He walked up the rickety staircase and found three doors to his right.

"Hello? Anybody here?"

He walked to the first door and turned the dusty knob. He pushed it open and jumped with a little squeak.

"Hi."

A boy with black hair and green eyes greeted him.

"Um...hi."

The boy nodded his head, motioning for Rowen to enter. The room was dimly lit, but he could see on the wall with the door, a long table covered with plants in clear mason jars. On the left wall were stacks of boxes labeled 'BOOKS'. The right wall had a closet door towards the far end of the room, and the back wall had only a window with a dingy pull shade. In the middle sat a large desk and a leather swivel chair.

"Sit down."

Rowen obeyed. He set his dripping book bag on the floor beside him. He looked up and was startled to find the boy's hand in his face.

"By the way...I'm Jonathan. What's your name?"

Rowen shook his hand.

"Rowen."

Jonathan bowed to him.

"Um, thanks for opening the door."

"Not a problem. I didn't figure you needed to be scolded by her, since you were already upset."

Rowen nodded as he looked at his dangling feet.

"Why were you crying?"

"Huh? Oh. Um, some guys were being mean to me. And I ruined all my books. Sigh. I just want my mommy- uh mom to come and take me home."

"Yeah, I want to leave here too. I hate it here."

"Don't you have any friends?"

"No. You?"

"No..."

"Well, we could be friends, Rowen."

Rowen looked up at Jonathan's big smile, and smiled himself.

"I would like that!"

"Great!"

RIIIIIING!!

"Dinner. You coming?"

"I'm not hungry. I ate my lunch just a few hours ago. Why don't you go get your tray and bring it back here?"

"Alright."

"Just make sure Katherine doesn't see you."

"Katherine?"

"Yeah, the principal."

"Oh. Well, I'll be right back."

Throughout dinner they talked, and afterwards they sat on the floor sifting through the old boxes of books. Rowen grew bored at the book about horses he was reading and started talking again.

"Why were you up here?"

Jonathan shrugged absently as he reviewed a book on airplanes.

"It's a place for me to be alone. I used to have a problem with bullies too, but this is a kind of 'safe haven' for me. And now for you too."

"Was this a class room?"

"Yeah. It used to be a biology room. Then they built the other buildings to accommodate more students and just turned it into storage. They were gonna tear it down but instead, they remodeled the bottom floor for her office."

"Hey..."

"What?"

"What's with that sign? Over the closet?"

Above the closet door hung a small wooden plaque with three little monkeys. 'See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.'

Jonathan cleared his throat and stared at the sign in thought.

"They used to lock kids in there as punishment. I guess the sign was food for thought for everyone else. They'd stay in there until Katherine thought they were ready to come out and behave."

"Guess I'm lucky they don't do that any more." Rowen snuffed. "It must've been really creepy being locked in there."

"Yeah, it was."

Rowen's eyes grew wide.

"She locked you in there?"

"Yeah. But they don't do it any more."

"How long were you in there?"

"A while."

"That must've been horrible."

"I don't want to talk about it."

Rowen nodded.

"What's in there?"

"The closet? Nothing."

"It's locked." Rowen said over his shoulder as he turned the knob.

"That's because there's nothing in there." He became uninterested.

"But if it's empty why would-"

"You sure do ask a lot of questions."

Rowen blinked at him a few times. His voice was a little harsher than he felt necessary. Jonathan was standing now and walked over to Rowen. He took his hand off the knob and lead him back over to the books. They sat silently reading, but in minutes Rowen was bored again.

"Jonathan?"

"What."

"Um, I was just wondering why you call the principal Katherine."

"She doesn't like being called by her first name by students. Thinks it's disrespectful. It really gets her goat. I do little things like that. Not enough to get in serious trouble, which makes her all the more angry. It's just enough to make her turn red."

Rowen laughed.

"Let's talk about something else."

"Uh...like what?"

"Tell me about your mother."

"Gosh...okay. Um, she's really pretty and sweet, but she works a lot. She spends-er, used to spend all of her free time with me. Then my stupid school called and set up a meeting with her. They told her I was withdrawn from the other kids. They said I needed a more challenging instruction than they could offer me. She said she sent me here because she wants what's best for me."

"Because she loves you?"

"I guess. I just want her to understand that what's best for me is to be with her. I want her to take me home and let things be like they used to be. She can love me there too."

They continued talking throughout the night.

RIIIIIING!!

Rowen jumped. He groaned as he uncurled from the ball he had rolled himself into and squinted into the light.

"Oh my God I'm late!"

He jumped up and grabbed his book bag.

"Bye Jonathan, if you're here! I'll see you later!" He yelled as he ran out the door.

The teacher glared at him as he sat down, still trying to make himself look presentable. His hair stuck up wildly and his clothes were wrinkled, but he was only seven minutes late. That wasn't too bad. The teacher slammed his pointer on Rowen's desk, wrenching his attention from his appearance.

"Tardiness is unacceptable young man. This will not happen again. Is that understood, Mr. Hashiba?"

"Y-yes sir." He replied meekly.

Brian and his friends snickered at him and someone threw a paper wad at him.

Come lunch time, Rowen was exhausted. Every single one of his teachers noticed the condition of his books and reprimanded him. One stood him in the corner for the entire period. All had threatened to alert the principal. He wasn't able to concentrate on his work ad had barely done any at all. He was sure that would be reported as well. He snuck down the marble hall and up the stairs with his lunch. Jonathan was waiting for him in the same room and smiled at him as he entered.

"Boy, you look trashed!"

"Yeah. Last night was rough. I can't come in after school tonight."

"But-but why?"

"No no, it's not that I don't want to, I just have so much homework to do."

"You can come up here and I'll help you!"

"Weeeellllll..."

"Pleeeeease? You're the only friend I have. And I don't want to be alone."

Rowen's heart was touched. He smiled warmly to Jonathan's pleading eyes.

"Okay. I'll come. Now-hey. Where's your lunch?"

"I'm not hungry. I'll eat it later."

"Suit yourself. I missed breakfast and I'm starved!"

At least Rowen's four classes after lunch didn't have books. Rowen couldn't bear getting in trouble again. After dull lectures, monotonous group reading, and out of key singing, the day was done. When he went upstairs, he laid his books on the desk and laid on the floor.

"Haha. What are you doing?"

"Just resting my eyes. I almost fell asleep in a few of my classes." He yawned. "Wake me in ten minutes, okay? Then we'll start."

"Sure thing, buddy."

Rowen stirred and opened his eyes. They focused on a pair of green ones staring intently at him from their perch atop the desk. Rowen stretched as Jonathan hopped off the table.

"Hey."

"Hey. Nice nap?" Jonathan helped him up.

"Ow! Man, I'm gonna hafta bring a pillow or somethin'!"

He stretched again and yawned, tired eyes landing on the pull shutter over the window. It was black.

"It's night!? Why didn't you wake me up!?"

"Lack of sleep isn't good for your body. Don't worry. I finished all your work for you."

"You did?" He squeaked, surprised.

"Yeah, no sweat."

"Thanks. A lot."  He smiled at Jonathan, and Jonathan smiled back.

"Hey, why don't you go get a pillow and a blanket. We can stay here again."

"But what if I'm late again?"

"You won't be."

"Alright. I'll be right back."

His roommates were asleep, so no questions were asked as Rowen silently grabbed sleeping gear, and headed back to the room.

True to his word, Rowen was not late to class, but he did miss breakfast again. He was scolded for disrupting his class, as his stomach acknowledged its neglect throughout first and second period. During lunch, he went to the showers and cleaned up and changed his dirty clothes, another thing he was reprimanded for. After he was done, he took his lunch to see Jonathan.

"Hi."

"Hi. I only have fifteen minutes, so this'll be quick."

"Rushing eating will make you sick...sure you can't stick around longer?"

"I'll be late for my next class."

"So?"

"Sooooo I don't feel like getting in trouble anymore."

"Pssh. You won't get it that bad. First time, a verbal beating, second time, a warning, third time trouble."

"Aren't you worried about getting in trouble?"

"No. I have a free next period."

"Oh."

"C'mon! Besides, there's something I wanna show you."

Rowen was thoughtful for a moment. One missed off key singing lesson, if you could call it that, wouldn't hurt.

"Okay, but at least let me eat my lunch first." Jonathan smiled.

"Sure thing, kid."

Rowen was dazzled by the enormous poster Jonathan had set up on the floor at the top of the stairs while he was eating. Spread across its gleaming surface laid millions and millions of stars. A key at the bottom pointed out galaxies and constellations. They spent hours tracing their fingers over the imaginary lines, arguing about what they were.

"It's a polar bear!"

"I'm telling you, its a horse! See the tail?"

"That's the head!"

Rowen fell asleep on the star chart and Jonathan gently slipped the pillow under his head and covered him up. He smiled at his snoozing form and whispered to nobody in particular.

"We can't have you catching a cold and getting sick, now can we?"

The next morning was easier on Rowen, but he was still tired and a little cramped in places. But he perked as he remembered, it was Friday. The week had flown by, filled with the warmth of Jonathan's friendship. On his way out of the lunch room, he was stopped by the boys who shared his room, who coincidentally were also Brian's friends, Chris Thompson, Eric Saddle, and Daniel Smith. Eric stepped up to his face, towering over his small frame like a giant.

"Where have you been? You haven't been in your bed in almost a week!"

"I moved out."

"What?" He said in a condescending tone.

"I'm really surprised that you noticed. Or care. You can have my bed if you want."

"If you moved out, then where are you staying?"

"With a friend."

His friends and he himself began to shift uncomfortably from foot to foot. Quite obviously looking for proof that he did something bad and needed to be ratted out, Eric continued his interrogation.

"...Well then why is all your stuff still there? Hm?"

"No room."

He walked off and sighed to himself. That was fast thinking on his part. Eric and his friends were left standing in the wind, not knowing any way to continue. They turned in unison and frustration.

"Dork."

Rowen walked into the small, dusty room.

"Jonathan? Hello?"

He walked back into the hallway.

'He's usually here first. I wonder where he is?'

He decided to wait for him in the room. He turned.

"AAAAAHHH!!"

He jumped back as Jonathan stared at him with curiosity and a touch of amusement.

"You're gonna have a heart attack someday. I can tell."

"Were...you...just...here?"

"I've been here for a long time."

"Oh."

He tried to get his heart rate back down as he entered the room and sat at the desk to his awaiting meal. Rowen started eating, making small talk between mouthfuls.

"Oh hey. I found a bird's nest with three newborn babies in it. Wanna go check it out later?"

Jonathan shrugged apathetically.

"No. Not really."

"Well what do you want to do? Wanna go in the other rooms and look around?"

"Alright."

The next room was full of boxes and chairs. They pulled one out and put it in the other room on the other side of the desk. Jonathan sighed.

"Good! I was sick of having to stand or sit on the desk or floor."

The boxes were full of out dated biology books and equipment. A jar containing a pickled frog made Rowen interested in the third room. When Jonathan moved the jar and a leg fell off, he was extremely interested in the third room. Jonathan finally and regretfully went with him.

The third room was almost completely empty, only a box full of posters in the corner.

"That's where I found the star chart. All the rest are boring. Bios on dead people, human anatomy. That type of stuff."

They returned to their room and after a few minutes, Rowen started sifting through the desk drawers. Pencils, scissors, paper tinted yellow with age.

"Let's draw."

Rowen shrugged, never abandoning his search.

"I'm no good at it."

"Let's write something. Letters to your mom or something."

"I wrote her last week. I don't have anything to say."

"Wanna do that star chart thing or look at books?"

"Nah."

The final drawer at the bottom right. It squealed as Rowen wrenched it open. Inside was a stack of yellow newspaper clippings. He reached down for them but Jonathan quickly pushed it shut with his foot. Rowen looked up in surprise at Jonathan's serious expression.

"I've read them all. Boring stuff about the school."

"...oh..."

He reached down and grabbed Rowen's wrist which still dangled in mid air. He pulled Rowen out of the chair and led him into the hallway to the star chart.

Rowen had bathed, changed, and eaten breakfast and was heading to the room. He placed his hand on the knob and gasped as he was roughly spun around by the shoulders to face Ms. Richards. He mentally scolded himself for forgetting to check for her.

"I need to talk to you young man."

He sat in her office on the other side of a huge mahogany desk, and an even larger leather chair that surrounded the principal. The giant bookshelf behind it and gigantic couch and coffee table behind him made him and the tiny wooden chair he sat in seem minuscule.

"Mr. Hashiba. It seems you have been neglecting to try your hardest. You've been tardy to first hour, and completely skipped fifth through eighth. You have been disruptive and your appearance...Well...let's just say has been unacceptable. What is your excuse?"

Rowen stared meekly into her tight, angry face.

"None? Humph. I didn't think so. Also, it seems you have switched rooms without authorization. Where are you currently boarding?"

He didn't speak. She glanced harshly at him over her file.

"I asked you a question, Mr. Hashiba, and you will answer me."

Still nothing. She huffed in almost a pleased way.

"I guess I should have expected no better. I'm afraid I have no choice but to deal with you in the harshest possible way. Your mother will be hearing of this as well. You are dismissed, Mr. Hashiba."

He slowly got up and shut the door behind him. He made a mad dash to the door and ran up the stairs into the room.

"You said I didn't have to worry! You said I wouldn't get in trouble!"

He scanned the room, but no Jonathan. He stormed out into the hallway.

"Where are you?"

He listened and waited.

"In here."

He spun around to see Jonathan in the doorway of the room. He walked over to him and had to stand on his toes to get in his face.

"You said I wouldn't get in trouble!"

"I'm sorry, Rowen. They must've changed the policy."

"Oh, well that's okay then." He mocked venomously. "She has no choice but to deal with me in the harshest possible way, Jonathan."

"She said that? And you walked out? Huh. Consider that your verbal beating. She's only trying to scare you straight. Besides, if your mom finds out, she might come and get you."

Rowen eased out of his face and softened slightly.

"I guess that might be possible..."

He looked sheepishly up at Jonathan.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"It's all right."

Rowen sighed and looked into the room.

"Where were you? You weren't there before, this time I'm sure."

Jonathan blinked at him a few times then walked to the second room.

"I was in here."

"Oh."

"C'mon. I found a snake. It's in a jar."

Rowen slumped and groaned as he dragged over to him.

"Pickled?"

"No. It was slithering around on our poster. Let's go play with it!"

They walked into the room over to a cabinet on the left wall. On it was a large glass jar. They went up to it and examined the the black, brown, and gold snake with a reddish head coiled at the bottom. Jonathan nodded toward it and Rowen breathed deeply, and stuck his hand in to get it out.

"Grab it just behind the head."

Rowen nodded. He had almost grabbed it when it swung around with lightning speed and bore it's fangs into his hand. He whipped his arm out screaming in pain. He cradled his right hand as two trails of blood and the yellow venom dribbled down the holes right above his thumb, near his wrist. He had stopped screaming and was crying.

"Wahhuhaowweehuh... sniff sniff...ohowwww"

Jonathan grabbed his wrist gently.

"You'd better see the nurse!"

Rowen nodded.

"Sniff. Come with me? Sniff."

Jonathan slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry. I'll stay here and get him out of here. I didn't think he'd bite you! I'm so sorry Rowen!"

Rowen nodded and slowly left the room.

Jonathan turned to the snake in recoiled in the jar and glared dangerously at it. He reached into a box and lifted out a shiny scalpel.

"How dare you?"

"Poor baby. Almost done...there!"

The plump nurse's kind and loving nature made Rowen feel a little better. She was the only nice person he had met there besides Jonathan.

"No more snake handling for you!"

She smiled sweetly at him. After the shot and the painfully tight bandage, he easily took her words seriously. He felt dizzy.

"Here you go sweetheart. For being such a good, brave little patient."

She handed him a large red sucker with an even larger smile on her face. He meekly took the sucker and she gently ushered him along. When he returned to Jonathan's company, he waited on him hand and foot.
Rowen was upset, but not at him, seeing how sorry he was.

"Where's the snake?"

"I let him go."

"Oh...the nurse said it was a copperhead."

"Oh. Does it hurt?"

"Not as much as before. I just feel a little tired and dizzy. Would you mind if I took a nap?"

"Of course not. Go right on ahead."

Rowen slept the day away while Jonathan sat ever vigil watch over his slumbering form.

Sunday went much better as far as Rowen was concerned. It was storming and thunder and lightning cast vague silhouettes of trees outside across the dark interior of the room. Everything moved and bent in time with the rain. Jonathan noticed Rowen's eyes darting around at every shifting shadow.

"Kinda creepy, huh?"

"Uh yeah. I guess you could say that...hey I went through some of my stuff and found a deck of cards. You wanna play?"

"No. You shouldn't use your hand. It might start bleeding again. We can't have that."

"Why are you so worried about it?"

Jonathan smiled broadly.

"Because. That's what friends do...and we are friends...right?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Good. I just need you to understand how important you are to me."

"Well don't fret about it so much. Let's play."

"I'll deal."

Rowen couldn't wait for school to end. He had a lot of homework to do, but Jonathan said he'd help him. His last period seemed to drag on forever, but he somehow managed to hold on. He went upstairs and into the room, but no Jonathan. He set his books down and walked to the second room, nobody there. He went to the third. He wrinkled his nose at the stench. Flies buzzed around and smelly, bloody lump of something thrown in the corner. There was a bloody trail all over the floor, and spattered of it on the walls and ceiling.

"Yuck!"

He quickly shut the door.

"Jonathan?"

He walked back into the first room and saw him walking towards the desk, smiling at him. Rowen narrowed his eyes.

"Where did...how did..."

"...I found the key to the closet. Homework?"

Jonathan quickly drew his attention to the books.

"What? Oh oh yeah. Lots of it ,too."

"What is there?"

"Math, history, and reading."

"You read, I'll start math."

Rowen was not a slow reader by any means, yet by the time he was finished reading, Jonathan had completed his math assignment as well as his history. He looked at Rowen pleasantly. Rowen nervously chuckled.

"Geeze, I'm not that slow, am I?"

"No. I'm just that fast."

The rest of the week flew by with only minor incidences. Jonathan constantly popping out of the closet, not letting Rowen in, and changing the subject when he asked what he was doing in there. But Rowen was a loyal friend and shrugged it off.

Friday, Rowen had tossed and turned the night before and almost fell asleep in his classes. He didn't understand why he was so tired, but couldn't sleep at night. It was something in his brain that he couldn't identify or even grasp.

During lunch, Brian ad his crew stopped him on his way to get his tray.

"Hey, buddy. We need to have a chat."

Rowen turned but both his arms were seized by two boys. They lead him to the basement below the cafeteria. They opened the heavy wooden door and threw him in, on the cold dirt floor. He got on his knees and brushed himself off.

"What do you want to say?"

"I'm hurt! Really! I mean, buds don't lie to each other like that!"

Rowen looked up at Eric, trying to hide his annoyance and fear.

"We're not buddies."

They all opened their mouths wide with shock. Eric began to pout.

"Well, fine. Be that way!"

They all started laughing as they pushed the door shut. Rowen scrambled to his feet, and in the sudden lack of light, he ran into the door. He turned the knob and kicked the door as he screamed.

"Let me out of here!"

"For what it's worth, buddy, we were gonna lock you in there regardless. Hahaha!!"

"Later, dork! Hehe!"

Rowen kicked and screamed and sobbed for what felt like an eternity. He could feel the warm liquid pulsing down his arms as he banged his fists raw. He could hear the movement of rats and things that slither and things that bite behind him. Rowen was exhausted. He couldn't feel his hands and all his tears had run dry. He leaned his head on the door as it swung open. Rowen was startled by the light and the towering form of an angry janitor.

"What's with all the noise? LOOK! Look at what you've done to the door! You're gonna have to pay for that young man!"

"I'm sorry, sir. But some boys lo-"

"I don't want to hear any excuses! Now you march over to Ms. Richards office this instant and tell her what you've done! I'll get a cafeteria lady for your escort. Make sure you don't bail out!"

"Yes sir."

The woman pushed his back until he was in the building doorway."

"Go!"

Rowen nodded. Much to his delight, she turned and walked away, not noticing which door he went through.

"You're late." Jonathan jumped at the sight of his bloody cuffs and hands. "What happened!?"

Rowen unfolded the details of the incident and Jonathan's brow steadily lowered.

"They should be punished." Jonathan abruptly smiled.

"What?"

"Oh...nothing. I have something to show you. I'll be right back."

Jonathan left and Rowen scanned the room. His eyes landed on the desk. He looked behind him then rushed to the bottom right drawer and pulled it open, sticking the clips in his blazer pocket. He slid the drawer shut as Jonathan came in with a planter and a grin.

"Neat, huh?"

"Uhhum yeah. Real neat. Hey, it's kinda hot in here. Let's open the window."

Jonathan turned to place the planter on the cabinet.

"It's stuck. Won't open."

"Well let's at least get some light."

"No! I like the dark!"

Ignoring him, Rowen walked over to the window and released the shade. With blinding light and one last protest and the flapping shutter, Rowen fell to the floor screaming. Jonathan had vanished into thin air. Screaming and crying, Rowen rushed to the door, but it slammed shut just as he reached it. He twisted the knob frantically while screaming for help.

"Pleehease! Please somebody let me out!!"

His pleas were choked out by sobs. He started to grow silent and trembled as he heard the sound of the shutter being pulled down. Inch by inch he turned his shocked eyes and pale face to the window as inch by inch the light began to fade. But Jonathan wasn't pulling the shade down. Nothing was pulling the shade down. Rowen turned dazedly back to the door.

"AAAHHH!!!huhhuhh! PLEASE!!!"

"Stop it. No one can hear you."

"LET ME OUT! PLEASE!!!"

"I said STOP!"

Rowen was slammed against the door and he slid to the floor unconscious as Jonathan stood beside his head, looking down at him.

"Get it, now!!"

A thin blonde rushed to a teacher wearing khakis and a green sweater waiting at the door. She handed a ring of keys to him and he scrambled through them looking for the right one. He found it near the middle and hurriedly unlocked the door. He bolted up the narrow stairs to the first door and found it locked. He tapped on it lightly.

"Hello? Are you in there?"

He received no answer and checked the other two, and returned to it.

"Hold on! We'll get you out!"

He fumbled for the key.

"I told you no. Now look what you've done! You've brought people here. And you made me have to hurt you. I would never hurt you, Rowen. I need you. Please don't leave me, friend."

The voice disappeared as the door gently swung open. Rowen was blocking the door, but the teacher could see blood. He eased in and shook him gently by the shoulder. Rowen did not move, and the man scooped him up into his arms and carried him downstairs. Once there, he began to wake up.

"Hey. Are you okay?"

Rowen looked around and started to cry, but a busted lip and a glance of the approaching principal stopped him. She grabbed his wrist and yanked him out of the teacher's arms. He landed with a painful and echoing 'thud' on the marble floor. Still holding him, she walked to her office, dragging him most of the way.

She slammed Rowen down in the chair and firmly shut the doors. She quickly walked over to him and glared down at him.

"Just what do you think you were doing, going up there? Hm? What exactly would you have done if no one had heard you? Hm!?"

He opened his mouth but nothing came out.

No one is allowed up there! No one has been allowed up there since...the classes moved!"

"That's not true."

Her eyes narrowed to tiny slits.

"How dare you contradict me. I've been here longer than you, young man. I know what I'm talking about."

"So do I. Jonathan was up there."

She scowled at him.

"What did you say?"

"You locked him up there in that closet. He was up there with me-"

"You little liar!"

"It's true! You put him up there because he called you Katherine-"

She slapped him across his right cheek, adding to the throbbing of his lip.

"You little bastard! You horrible, wicked little boy! Who have you been talking to? Who!?"

She roughly shook his shoulders and he started crying.

"Jonathan..."

She shook him harder.

"Owweehuh. Sniffle."

"Unacceptable answer! Now tell me the truth!"

He sat and cried and she slammed him into the back of the chair. She circled her desk and sat down.

"I'm calling your mother. I'm telling her what terrible monster you are. I'm telling her to come get you now!"

She began furiously punching numbers as Rowen tried to sort his thoughts through the throbbing in his head. What had happened? Jonathan was acting strange, then he was in some man's arms. What had happened?

Rowen turned his head to a memo on her desk written on bright green paper. He leaned forward and read it:

Principal Richards-

    Brian Snow, Eric Saddle, Chris Thompson, and Daniel Smith have all been sent home due to serious injuries, causes unknown. They will not be returning this school year.

Rowen's eyes widened and his mouth dropped. He quickly stood up and started backing away.

'They should be punished.'

She turned to see him.

"Sit down this instant! I'm not through with you!"

He backed away.

'They should be punished.'

"Where do you think you're going? Dammit!"

She slammed the phone on her desk and stomped over to him. She squeezed his shoulders and shook him. She looked down in disgust as the pale, wide eyed, trembling boy wet himself and her rug. She rushed away from him.

"Ugh! Somebody get in here!"

The man from before came in, quickly surveyed the scene, then gently lifted Rowen up and took him to the infirmary.

Rowen lay on his back, knees in the air, on a crisp sheet of paper drawn over a hard bed in the nurse's office. The fluorescent lights didn't penetrate the darkness clouding his eyes. In his mind he went over every detail of what had just happened with Jonathan. The nurse came in and placed a palm on his forehead.

"You cold, hon? I'll go get you a blanket."

Rowen was wearing white briefs, and a white baseball T-shirt with green collar and sleeves that went to his elbows. They were the only clean clothes they could find of his, no doubt no thanks to his roommates. His eyes suddenly focused on his blazer hanging on a chair on the other side of the room.

Newspaper clips

He slowly got up and walked over to the chair. His bare feet lightly slapping the cold floor and the buzzing of the lights the only sounds in the dull white room. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the papers. He sifted through them, many falling apart in his hands. There was only one that was still legible. He read:

TRAGEDY AT LOUGHTON PRIVATE SCHOOL

Authorities are baffled by the strange disappearance of a student attending Loughton Private School for Boys. Nine year old Jonathan Price vanished after being placed in an upper room of the main building for disciplinary action. The principal, Katherine Richards, is still undergoing questioning. This is very eye catching to police officials, since only a week before did another young student have a fatal accident. Not much information has been released as of yet, but a sweep of the grounds revealed nothing. No foul play is believed to be involved.

Beside this was a picture of Jonathan. The same hair, same eyes, same smile. He looked up to the top at the date. The clipping was fifteen years old. He dropped all papers except for that one. In the distance he could hear the nurse approaching.

"Don't worry. Your mommy's on the way to pick you up and take you home."

Rowen bolted for the door and out of the building despite the nurse's pleas. Rowen an through the yard, ignoring snickers and gasps from lingering students. He ran inside the office building, to the third door, but it wouldn't open.

"There's nothing up there for you."

The principal rushed over to him followed closely by the male teacher.

"You can't go up there, you're leaving. And good riddance."

Rowen threw the wadded paper at her and approached her with a venomous look.

"YOU! You murderer! You killed him! You left him up there and he died! You murdered him! YOU MURDERED HIM!!"

She gasped at him as all the color drained from her face.

"...no...NO!"

"YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT!! IT'S YOUR FAULT!!"

He turned to the door and turned the knob. It opened and he ran up, the door closing behind him. The teacher ran to the door, shocked.

"It...it was locked!"

"...no..."

He turned the knob but it was locked. He looked at the woman as she sank into a chair looking at the newspaper article.

"...no..."

He ignored her and rummaged through his pockets for the keys.

Rowen ran up the stairs, past the dangling chains that swung and tapped each other loudly. He burst into the room and locked it. Jonathan needed him. He was his friend and he needed him. Rowen decided that he would help him rest. Rowen turned and walked into the open closet door. He looked up and saw a hole in the ceiling. Using the metal rods, he climbed up into it and disappeared into the darkness as the closet door swung slowly shut behind him.

The door finally was opened and he and two other teachers looked up at the chains wildly swinging, striking each other and the walls. The lead man was very startled at how cold it was, and that he could see his breath. They all rushed up to the first room.

"I want to kill her. And I want to leave. You can help me."

"I want to help you, Jonathan, but I won't help you kill."

Rowen fell back and touched a finger the stream of blood running out of his nose. He brushed it away with the back of his hand as the voice began again.

"She hated me! She left me up here to die! She murdered me! She'd have done the same to you if she could!"

Loud talking and footsteps fell into the room and approached the closet door below.

"We're running out of time! Help me, friend!"

"Why were you up here?"

"She left me! I came up here to look for another way out!"

"But why did she put you up here?"

"It doesn't matter!!"

"Why?"

"SHUT UP!"

Rowen fell back and coughed once, and blood spattered the dusty floor.

Where is my son!?"

"Please, ma'am. We're having a difficult time reaching him. If you'll just be patient-"

"I want my son, now!"

"No! Ma'am please!"

She ran up the stairs to the first room where three man were standing by the closet, and Ms. Richards sat on the desk, looking vacant.

"I don't have the key. We'll have to break it down."

"Rowen?"

Rowen turned his head to the hole in the floor on the other end of the room.

"Mommy?"

He crawled towards the hole to see her but he was knocked back into the far corner and started spitting up more blood. He cradled his aching chest.

"You...you said you'd never hurt me."

"I'm...I'm so sorry, Rowen! Please! Please stay with me. You can help me, then we'll go home!"

"On one condition."

"Anything!"

 He looked apprehensively at the hole. There was a loud banging, then light shone up into the room.

"Rowen?"

"Rowen. Who are you talking to? Is Jonathan up there with you?"

"Anything." It whispered.

Rowen thought to the pain in his chest and head, and the green paper with the memo found its way in.

"Tell me why she put you up here."

"NOOOO!!!"

"I'll tell you."

Ms. Richards stood below the hole beside a perplexed Mrs. Hashiba.

"He pushed a class mate down the stairs and killed him."

Rowen stared at the hole, his beliefs now confirmed.

"I locked him up here as punishment. And to keep the other children safe, even if only for a while."

"Stay with me..."

"MOMMY!!!"

He ran for the hole again. Below, everyone could hear his footsteps, then nothing, then a loud crash overhead in one of the other rooms. Mrs. Hashiba cringed. She drew her hands to her mouth and started to cry.

"ROWEN!"

She ran out into the hallway then into the third room. The stench of rotting flesh threw her back a moment, but she quickly reentered followed by one teacher.

"Hang on baby, I'm coming!"

"The other hole's too small. They're getting an ax from the fire box. We'll have to chop our way in."

"You're not leaving!"

"MOMMY! HELP ME!!"

"Mommy's coming bunny!! Mommy's coming!!"

"You said you wouldn't hurt me!"

The disembodied voice laughed cruelly at him.

"There's no escaping, so there's no point in lying to you anymore. If you won't help me, then I'll do it all myself! I knew Robert for three years and I killed him. I've known you three weeks..."

A bony hand shot out of the corner behind Rowen and grabbed his left arm.

"AAAHHHH!!!!"

The man came running in carrying two axes and another brought two chairs.

"There's no room in the closet. We'll have to start a new hole."

With that, they began chopping on the ceiling.

"You know I don't need you to hurt or kill anyone, but I can't leave here without your body. Unfortunately for you, you won't be in it at the time." It teased.

"NO! MOMMY!"

The axes made only small cuts in the ceiling, and time was running out. The tiny hand slashed out at Rowen cutting his leg as the other hand shot out of the wall on the other side of Rowen and began choking him. Rowen gasped for air as he clawed at the hand to get it off.

"Let him go."

The shadow shifted, leaving Rowen coughing in the corner.

"Katherine..." It hissed.

"Leave him alone. It's me you want."

She finished crawling into the attic through the hole in the closet. Rowen couldn't hear them over the chopping of the axes.

"Yes, you are what I want. But not all that I want. I've been here too long. It's all your fault. Now I'll get my revenge, and my freedom. He's my ticket."

"No."

"You can't order me around anymore, Katherine."

It lunged at her slashing her face with its claws. She screamed in pain and it howled with pleasure.

"Why did you leave me here!?"

"You were evil. You killed. You deserved to be left up here, but I never thought you would never leave. But now I see that you haven't changed. That I was right. You don't deserve to die...you deserve to burn in hell!"

It screamed again and slashed again and again until she slumped to the side, bloody and not breathing. It laughed wickedly and shifted again, back to Rowen.

"One down..."

Rowen's scream never left him as it closed its grip around his throat again, tighter this time. The axes made a hole about a yard away from Rowen. But it was just a little too small to fit through. Rowen began kicking at his assailant as he began to lose consciousness. He was slammed hard into the corner.

CHOP CHOP

His eyes rolled slowly back into his head.

CHOP CHOP

His purple lips fell limply open as he exhaled his last breath.

CHOP CHOP

A man jumped up into the room and scanned the darkness. He shuddered as he caught a glimpse of Ms. Richards bleeding body. He heard a shifting and turned to see a figure moving in the corner.

"Rowen?"

A small gray body turned to face him. Pale, rotting, tight skin clung close to the bones and white hair stuck wildly out. Dirty teeth and pulled back split lips opened and a decaying, black, dry tongue pushed forward as it screamed and rushed towards him.

Bony hands swung wildly, seeking him out. It reached him and both screamed as the man peered into the black voids for eye sockets. Suddenly one scream stopped. The man slowly dropped his voice as he looked up and saw the other man, standing over them. He released the ax handle in his hands and the body fell to the side, the ax blade sticking out the back of its head.

"Is...is...it dead?"

"I don't know...can you kill a corpse?"

"Rowen!?"

Mrs. Hashiba peered restlessly into the dark attic. The two men hurried to the corner and slowly lowered Rowen's limp form down the hole. The third man laid him out on the floor in the hallway, his mother close by his side.

"Rowen?"

"...He's not breathing."

She began crying again as he performed CPR on her pale, blood covered baby. After several pumps and breaths, Rowen drew a deep breath. Her tears turned to those of joy as she gathered his tiny body, convulsing with coughs, into her loving arms, and rocked him gently. She patted his back softly and kissed the top of his head.
 

"...mmmommy..." He whispered.

He fell asleep and smiling, she rose to leave.

They locked the third room, second, and first. They locked the door at the base of the stairs. They locked down the entire building.

Mrs. Hashiba cradled her child in her arms, wrapped in a soft blue blanket as she headed to her car. The entire trip home, he slept, his head on her lap, her arm draped over his shoulder.

The ambulance took two bodies away.

RIIIING!!

Screaming kids ran out of the building, gathering with their friends. The excited calls were muffled inside the marbled hall. Through the third door on the left, up the rickety stairs, to the first door on the right. The chair behind the desk turned.

"Hi! My name's Jonathan. What's yours?"