Caries Somnium (pt. 2)

That night I had a strange dream. I and some other people that I have never seen before had to go through a series of trials and if we failed we died. Luckily, I made it through all of them so far. There was this other girl there. And I began to fancy this girl. I have never seen her and she didn’t seem the least bit familiar. I hoped that she would make it through each trial so I could talk to her more. I pushed everything I had so I could stay with her in line and talk. The last trial for her, O my reader was to cross a dangling old bridge. As she was crossing it, the ropes snapped and there she was hanging on the edge for dear life. I dove to grab her arm. The haunting thing was that I could remember looking into her eyes and seeing the intense and hopeless fear on her face. She fell down into the black abyss and that was all I remembered.
The next morning I woke, O my readers and the sky was overcast all gray. It didn’t leave much room for a sunrise unfortunately. So I did the old morning dooz and dressed myself while making breakfast at the same time. On the way to the second session of hell for the week I go. While riding along in the hell chariot with the kids all being annoying as before, I was still in deep thought thinking about my dream. Some of the detailed images started fading away and that whole ride I was gathering images in my brain and putting them back together like a puzzle. Though most of my memories of the dream went away I could never forget the face that poor girl made.
The bus stopped in front of the school and dropped us off. In the commons area you could tell everyone was talking about their adventures last night on the streets. I noticed with all my joy that Big Rig wasn’t at school that day. He probably wanted to avoid the humiliation of his newly deformed face, that wretch. My minions were all excited talking about last night as usual and laughing about. ‘How did you get away without being caught Virgil?’ asked Arctinus, ‘Homer and Dante ran like hell while me and Sappho hid in the little cornfield. The mini-chopper had to have seen us. It flew right over us but I guess the coppers didn’t even bother to dispatch their units after us.”
‘That’s because they are tired of all our mischief.’ I replied, ‘And while all you were scattering about like ants, I had the chance to drive off and the police are smart enough to know that most of us are not of driving age. So I drove off as if I was an ordinary person driving home from work on a Monday night.’
‘When did you get smart on us Virgil?’ laughed Homer. ‘Maybe you should open up your mind a little more and you may feel a bit smarter.’ I replied with an arrogant tone to my voice. The troops with their confirming nods had nothing else to say and the bell rang.
History class was easy that day, O my readers. All we did was watch historical films on major events. Our teacher showed us a bunch of videos on the Wars on Terror. I was somewhat enjoying it. The screen started flashing all these clips from the terrorist attacks on September 11th. People were running away screaming, crying and all that. When it showed bodies falling out of the building I couldn’t keep myself from laughing. It was like something in my stomach wanted to get out and the only way was laughter. I can’t really explain it but a person falling from a building like a doll struck me to be very funny for some sick reason. So there I was holding in all my laughter almost ready to explode while more clips of tragedy flashed on the projector. I wasn’t the only one my reader. Another clip of people flying out of buildings was shown and this kid in my class bursted out with laughter. The teacher was all like, ‘Hey, I don’t find that funny!’ And the student apologized all smart-alecky like. The kid getting yelled at only built up my laughter any more. But I was saved by the bell, O my readers.
Biology class was the same ol’ same ol’. It was all lectures and notes and no fun experiments or dissections. I went back to reading in that class as usual. The teacher seemed to stop caring. Half of the class was always asleep anyways and the class was always taught by computers most of the time. Nothing great happened that hour so I will go forward to third hour. It was the hour of Latin and the hour of Ophelia. I walked in and she was already in there sitting. After a deep a breath, I said, ‘Hi there Ophelia, how art thou?’ and out of all my happiness she replied with bright glistening smile. ‘Hey Virgil, what did you do last night? I never see you uptown.’
‘Well I usually have my own hang out place. You should hang out with us some time. We’ll sure treat you like a princess.’ I said, with my palms soaking with sweat. She laughed and said, ‘Oh really, I think that would be cool. You should call my cell sometime.’ Right there she gave me her frequency and I knew it was already going to be a good day and I didn’t even need the sunrise to make it better. My heart was pounding so hard out of love and happiness. I remember thanking the ol’ faithful Muses above for giving me my charming words. Ophelia was so sweet. I knew she and I didn’t belong in this world or this time. I got the taste, O my readers, as if it was the taste of true love. And I went to art class that day daydreaming like some mindless lover boy. The art teacher said to draw whatever and so I drew my lovely Ophelia. I put my art and soul into that drawing but it never fitted her true beauty.
I went to lunch all bright smiley and love struck. My warriors were no different than before just talking about how much they hate school like always. Homer asked, ‘What are you so happy about? You usually don’t smile like that.’
‘I think I’m in love my friends.’
‘Let me guess, Ophelia?’ said Arctinus. Sappho put on this wide-eyed but not so surprised look on her face and said with disgust, ‘Ick! Ophelia?’ I can’t see why anyone could be disgusted with something so beautiful so I asked, ‘May I ask what is wrong with that Sappho? Ophelia is pearl in mud!’
‘I don’t know why, there is just something I don’t like about her.’
‘You’re jealous of her beauty!’
‘Well she is pretty fine I must say.’ added Dante.
‘Oh whatever.’
In English class, I had to sit through all the same immaturity as the day before. Except that day we got into a class discussion about the new reality TV show Mod. Youth. Mr. Scarfe asked us what we thought of it and if it was right. I tell you now my readers that I was fully against it as it will play a big part later in my story. Some of my fellow students were against it and some didn’t care. I hated how Mod. Youth portrayed kids as unsympathetic tainted demons. They made it seem like we were infected by some vicious virus that made us violent and disrespectful. Don’t get me wrong, O my readers some of us were like that but not me. Well maybe I was just a little violent but that was the way I was. Anyways in the class I raised my hand and said, ‘I am against it because I think it’s a corporate scam and using society’s current problems in order to get good ratings and, of course money.’
‘So you think the producers are gold diggers? I see. Over the years we’ve seen reality shows covering the same topics like the problems of today’s society. Things like racial difference, wealthy people, and celebrities. While we are on this note what do you all think of the certain topic Mod. Youth covers? For some of you that don’t know they discuss the issues of today’s youth and all the rioting and violence they cause. They show the viewers the daily lives of these so called hooligans. Sadly some of the people find it funny to watch a fourteen year old kid lose his temper in front of the camera and hit his parents.’ After Scarfe said that I could tell for the first time he was enjoying that class. And yes it was kind of funny to watch a kid go mad and start hitting everyone but I knew we weren’t all like that. Scarfe then continued, ‘Personally I think Mod. Youth is an exaggeration. Yes, you kids are immature more than usual I should say but as time progresses and generations and ideas change, growing up becomes more complex. I guess what I’m saying is you’re all just growing up. I heard on this show that some psychologists are planning to rid all youth of immaturity in the coming years by forcing new discipline in schools and creating more laws. That doesn’t make much sense to me. When we were kids we all did immature and stupid things. If you’ve never did any stupid things when you were younger then you really didn’t have a childhood at all. Isn’t that all part of growing up?’
I was very intrigued by his words. Not very many people in the class seemed to care but it sure moved me. And so that little speech of his stayed with me forever especially after the events that I shall tell my readers later. The rest of the day I thought about things like I usually do. One thing that always bugged me especially on that day was going to my locker. I was surrounded by fat people. They smelled horrible. You could practically smell their lunch all over them. They always have that wheezing breathing noise coming out of their fat noses. This girl that had a locker next to mine smelled awful. Every time I’d breath around her it was like drowning in her hair. If one of her hairs touched you, you would smell like fat people the rest of the day. Now enough of me complaining about fat people, I shall talk about what happened last hour. Vex was saying all sorts of crap to me more so than ever. I knew exactly what he was trying to do. He wanted a fire to spark inside me so I’d become angry and try to fight him and probably taking advantage of me making him look tough in front of everyone. That day I had nothing to do but smile so I didn’t let him get to me. I took all his rude comments and did nothing about it while in the back of my mind I was laughing because I knew I was going to get him tonight.
School ended and I road home on the hell chariot. With a big smile on my face and power of music filled my ears. I couldn’t wait until nighttime where everything was alright. When I got home, my readers, I went straight to my room ignoring my family. Music bounced off all the walls in my rooms and it was magnificent. Whatever I asked the main computer to play it would play it and only in my room. I took a nice hot shower still listening to my music. Thoughts washed through my head just as the water on my face. And again, O my readers, I was more ready than ever for tonight.
When the clock struck at nine I snuck outside and jacked my mom’s car with her ID card like always. Off to town I went in search of my minions. They were in their usual spots on the Square. I greeted them and said my old ‘how art thou’ and Arctinus said. ‘Virgil don’t you think this poetry Shakespeare talk is getting old? Just because we are called the Poets does not mean that every word we say should sound like one from a poem.’
‘Yeah it is getting a little old.’ said Dante.
‘You fools. Everything is a poem. You and I and everything around us make up the universal poem. Poetry is merely an energy of words that flows through the universe.’ I said as if I knew everything.
‘Maybe to you Virgil, but keep your poetry to yourself.’
I knew I had to end this dispute fast before it got any further.
‘Arctinus just shut up. Now Homer, the scout that you are, have you spotted the enemy?’
I could tell that Arctinus was irritated after I changed the subject but it had to be done.
‘I think you’re going to be happy with me Virgil.’
‘What is it?’
‘I found a friend of yours. I saw Vex with a couple of robo geezers down Main Street by the old school.’ said Homer with a confident smile on his face.
‘Well what are we waiting for?’
We all piled up in the car and cruised down Main Street and further down to the next intersection, just as Homer said was Vex with some robos passing around their cigs. Quietly getting out of the car I devised a plan to surround them for we were outnumbered. And surround them we did. We charged at them in all directions and they were lost in confusion. The beating now started, O my readers. Vex was right up against the wall all cowardly like Big Rig before him. He pleaded, ‘Virgil look I’m sorry. I won’t bother you in math class anymore I swear please just leave alone.’ I was not impressed with his pleading. So I replied, ‘Well well well not so funny now, eh funny boy?’ I kicked him square in the chest and sunk to the ground groaning in pain. The robos ran away except for this girl on the ground who seemed a little scared. I approached wanting to rape the stupidity out of her for joining such a disgusting breed. When I turned her over, O my readers, a shock shot through my spine for I saw a sight I wish was never to be sought. The robo girl was none other than my beloved Ophelia. She was dressed in robo clad. I never would have thought Ophelia! She didn’t act or look like a robo styled kid but it seems at night like most of us, she changes her identity. I looked into her eyes with surprise but with much sadness and I think she looked into my eyes with the same expression. It reminded me of that dream I had with the girl holding on for her life and looking up at me with a sad and hopeless look. We didn’t say anything to each other and I ran off hoping she was just an illusion. But she was real alright and I was struck with a broken heart.
I called it a night and my minions whined and griped about how early it was. They went home unsatisfied and so did I. When I saw Ophelia like that, it was the first time I questioned myself about all the mischief we caused on the streets. I wondered to myself ‘why?’ is this really what I want to be? I felt very different after that night.
When I got home I felt a little sick. Mentally or physically I’m not really sure. I went inside the house slowly and quietly. Out of all the sadness and confusion going through my head, my dad just had to intercept me at the top of the stairs. ‘Where the hell have you been?’ he said sounding like he just woke up. ‘No where just hanging out with my friends uptown.’
‘I’ve been up waiting for you. I could be asleep right now if it weren’t for you.’
‘Whatever dad, go get drunk or something.’ Saying that was a big mistake. He smacked me across the face and I tumbled down the stairs.
‘I’m not in the greatest mood I sure as hell don’t want to hear your smart-ass comments. I know what you’ve been doing in town all these nights. Stealing your mom’s ID and driving around without your own license. You always have to be cool don’t you Virgil, you always have go out at night and act like an idiot and be apart of a gang. Get to bed and if I catch you going out again I’m holding your license until you’re 21.’
I held in all my anger and all my tears. After he told me to get my ass in bed I slammed the door and collapsed on my bed. I remember crying myself to sleep. That ended up being a disaster. First, I found out that Ophelia was among the ranks of my enemies and then my dad finds out I’ve been stealing my mom’s car. I didn’t go to school the next morning, O my readers. In fact I didn’t go to school for the next two days. Skipping was easy. My parents weren’t doctors after all.
There was a visible sunrise in the morning. I saw it like it was the light of Heaven. All I did during those days I was absent was think about life and where I was headed. I also thought about what Mr. Scarfe said about growing up. Maybe it was the time for me to grow up and all that time I thought I was already grown. I listened to my lovely music and avoided my parents by locking myself in my room like an old hermit. Relaxing on my bed, I listened to piano concertos all afternoon while burning incense. I didn’t even bother hanging out with my friends. They called my cell a few times but I just turned it off. For the first time I didn’t even want to see them. Alone time and a two-day vacation was what I needed, O my readers. I could hear my parents talking about me in the kitchen saying stuff like “and you know what else he did” blah blah blah and such. I didn’t really care though, just so they didn’t walk into my room without knocking. All this relaxing and deep thinking did not, however, prepare me for the events at school the next day.
In the commons all the kids were more rowdy than usual but it was no big deal. There is no need for me to describe what happened in my early classes, O my readers, nothing great happened. It was sometime after lunch when things started getting out of control. There was talk about an uprising among the student body. I didn’t react much because it wasn’t anything I haven’t heard before. Many kids have tried to start a rebellion and all ended in failure. This time it was different my readers for the main power here was numbers. Not just one group was talking about an uprising but the whole school. The faculty was now realizing that something was wrong but it was too late. A trash can flew across the floor in the common’s area followed by a howling of screams. The student body gathered in its masses and began leaving a path of chaos. They started smashing window and trashing the classrooms and the teachers panicked. Hordes of students flocked out the front entrance either escaping from school or to trash the whole town of Sullivan.
My warriors and I joined the mob outside the entrance. The whole place already looked like a mess. Shredded paper and trash covered the ground. It looked as if an army was storming the front lawn of the high school. Soon the waves of kids were crossing Wolf and Section Street climbing over cars. About the same time the students reached the road the coppers arrived. The teachers and other staff formed a line along the main entrance and the big police vans blocked all entrances to the school drive way. I knew exactly what they were trying to do. They were trapping us within the school yard. A helicopter and some mini-choppers flew over head with their flashing lights. A microphone could be heard blaring out ‘Control those kids! Control those kids!’ The students were all jumping up and down yelling and screaming taunting the police. I even saw some students throwing their leftover lunch at the police cars.
A large van pulled up and a squad of men hopped out wearing armor as you see on TV when riots are going on. At that point the students went even more out of control charging the police and crawling on the vans trying to smash their windows. Some even attempted to jack some of the police units. Kids were now starting to be thrown into the vans by the police to be contained so the students fell back. Mass confusion spread among the students when everyone turned on each other. Students began fighting one another forming a battle field in the school yard. There wasn’t a better time to get the best of your enemies, besides at night, than this moment. And it was the best time for the police to close in on us. My minions attacked the largest group being the robos. It was like a dream come true to me. I was actually in a real battle. Almost like the ones I read and write about.
In the midst of all the pushing and shoving I was separated from my soldiers. I began to call out but I didn’t receive an answer. The riot became a little frightening at that point. A lot of the faces I saw were bloody and some looked scared. It was no laughing matter now, O my readers, it was serious. A few robos grabbed a hold of me and started kicking me in the stomach. I grabbed one in the leg and bit him. He screamed and sure enough he let go. I wasn’t finished with him yet so I got on him and started smashing his face with my fist. The other robo kids around me were wrestled to the ground by the police but I was still beating in this one’s face. As I was about to throw in one more punch my hand was caught by a large police officer. Some other coppers came to his aid and picked me up. I was kicking and punching in order to break free but it wasn’t enough. They threw me into a van full of sad and angry students worried about what their parents are going to say. To the slammer we went.
There I sat in the police station like a trouble maker outside the principal’s office. Arms crossed looking helpless I waited to hear what my parents had to say. The deputy came out of the office and I sat there ready to hear my fate.
‘We talked it over with your parents and we’re giving you a choice,’ he said. ‘You can either stay with us in prison for a few weeks or you can go under the custody of those guys over there.’
He pointed at these men with filming equipment and on the back of their shirts read Mod. Youth. It was true after all. They were coming through Indiana and apparently, after they heard about the riot they must have made their way straight for Sullivan.
‘It’s not that hard to decide, kid.’ I had the choice of being locked up in the jungle with other ruffians or become a corporate product of Mod. Youth. That wasn’t much of a choice knowing that if I went to Mod. Youth I’d be free in two weeks. I chose to be the corporate product, O my readers and I’m sure you would’ve done the same.
I couldn’t see my parents by punishment but I could talk to them through the phone. Because they were my parents I did miss them a little until I talked to them. Right after I said hello my mom immediately started barking at me. ‘I hope you learn something from this!’ she said. ‘I’m not even going to say anymore. This is not how I raised you.’ I knew she was going to get dad on the phone so I hung up beforehand. In the back of my throat I could feel myself starting to cry. But I did all I could to keep my tears in.

TO BE CONTINUED