"I'll be honest with you, I'm not too sure what I'm looking at here Jessie." Travis said as he took the book from Jessie's hand. "This isn't even in English man." He said as he opened the book to a random page.

"It's a book on ancient cultures, my brother is a real sucker for this type of stuff." Jessie said as he reached for another book from the bookshelf in front of them. "You know him, he's always going on and on about this type of stuff."

Jessie turned around and peered over the aisles of bookshelves. It wasn't a big store and didn't have very many genres but it had what he and his friends liked. He liked this old bookstore, it was musty and the guy who owned it was a bit grumpy but he liked the atmosphere. Too bad there aren't many Travis likes, besides complaining. From one of the many aisles, something caught his eye and he turned to see a girl. She had dark black hair and sharp features, she was familiar but Jessie couldn't quite place where he saw her before.

School maybe?

"So your brother is the reason I'm wasting my Saturday in a bookstore and not at home." Travis said as he flipped through the book. "I could be knee-deep in the undead right now man." He closed the book dramatically and sighed.

"It's his birthday tomorrow and I wanted to get him a present he'll enjoy. Plus this is fun man." Jessie replied taking the book from Travis' hands and placing it back on the shelf.

"I was just joking man, why would I ever give up a chance to hang out with my best friend. Even if his idea of fun is wasting a Saturday at a bookstore."

"If you want I can finish picking out a gift alone while you go join Rose and look at some manga." Jessie turned to look at Travis and leaned against the bookshelf. "That is unless you still haven't apologized for ruining her report."

Travis' face flushed as he gave a coy smile and averted his eyes from Jessie's gaze. Jessie shook his head and looked down at his idiot friend. "What am I gonna do with your dumbass."

"Hey man if you think about it, it wasn't my fault ." Travis said as he looked up at Jessie with hope in his eyes.

"You lit it on fire dude."

"Actually it was the firework that did that."

"And who's firework was it?"

Travis put his hand on Jessie's shoulder and smiled. He had to reach considering their height difference. Jessie bent his knees a bit.

"Boomhower incorporated manufactured that firework, my dear friend. I think we could sue and get rich. Come on think about it in the end I did her a favor. She's gonna be rich because of me."

Jessie looked his friend in the eye and wondered to himself where he went wrong.

"You guys talking about how Travis almost blew up my room." An annoyed voice said just outside his field of view.

Jessie turned to look and was met with the image of his dear friend Rose. She was sight for sore eyes, she stood at a solid five feet seven inches towering over Travis at his meager five foot four inches. Jessie chuckled as he felt pride over his height advantage.

"What are you laughing at?" Rose said as she walked closer to them.

"Just how lucky I am to be six-three while you guys remain the size of children." Jessie said right as he was met with his arch-nemesis. Rose's patented punch to the stomach. Jessie bent over clutching his stomach as he coughed.

"Oh look we're the same height now." Rose said as she blew away the imaginary smoke from her fist.

"Come on Rose one of these days your gonna hit him hard enough and make him puke and I'm not cleaning up string bean's vomit. " Travis said as he took a step back fearing what he knows is coming.

"Why don't I just substitute him for you then huh?" Rose said as she approached Travis slowly.

"Run Travis, she can't run for shit. Use her lack of athleticism to your advantage." Jessie wheezed out.

"Shut your lips and face. I'm teaching firework boy a lesson." Rose said as she rolled up the sleeves of her jacket.

"Yes ma'm"

Travis hit the bookshelf behind him causing some books to fall on the floor. Travis grabbed one and held it out like a shield.

"Come on you wouldn't hit a guy with.." Travis turned the book around to look at its cover. "Cooking for idiots: a guide to flavor." Travis looked up and saw the anger in Rose's eyes and accepted his fate.

——————————————•

"I'm so glad the shopkeeper still let us buy the books we picked out after you guys both fell on my fists like that. Such a kind man." Rose said as she beamed holding her newly bought treasure in her arms. She placed it next to her chair and leaned over the their table to look at the menu that lay there.

"Yeah, what a freak accident. I'm also happy about how you practically robbed me after that as well. Making me pay for your books when you know I don't believe in the written word; Sinful act." Travis said as he massaged his arm.

"I prefer if we called it retribution for burning my life's work with your flaming ball of hate." Rose said shooting him a look which sent a chill down Travis' spine.

"While I agree Travis deserved that, I have to ask. What did I do to deserve getting slugged in the stomach," Jessie asked as he looked at the menu in front of them. He couldn't decide what he wanted to eat and sighed as he sat back in his chair. He looked around and decided he wasn't hungry. They were in their favorite place to eat, Mama Violet's diner. Not many kids from their school came here and it wasn't too far from Rose's house where they spent most of their time, so it really was the perfect spot for them.

"And why are we here, didn't we eat at Rose's house." Jessie said as he laid his head back and starred at the ceiling.

"First you called me short, secondly Travis and I were hungry and we figured you could use a big gross burger to put some meat on dem bones." Rose said as she leaned back and folded her arms. "I think all the weight you were supposed to have went to your spine, making you inhumanly tall while as thin as a suburban mom on a diet."

"Truly a curse our poor friend has, we are such good people to tolerate it and accept him under our wings." Travis said as he clasped his hands together in mock prayer.

"Preach."

"Haha I get it, I'm tall and thin. Now can we move on and talk about what our plans are gonna be for the fall dance. Its in a week and we still don't have a plan." Jessie said as he leaned in and peered around the restaurant making sure no one was listening. Nothing but old people and staff. Good. Travis and Rose both leaned in suddenly serious.

"We do as we always do and feign an illness." Rose said as a strand of red hair broke free from their prison that is her grey beanie.

"One that's so obscure that people would have a hard time looking for information online." Travis said lifting up his fist awaiting another to complete the ceremony. "But not so obscure that people don't believe us." Rose said as she met Travis' fist with hers and celebrated their intelligence with one sweet ass fist bump, complete with an explosion.

"Then we spend our evening with our annual Yu-Gi-Oh tournament to decide who takes the blame for when the plan eventually fails." Jessie said excitedly.

"This is why we keep him around, he learns he adapts." Rose said as she smiled at Jessie. An awkward silence filled the space as all three came to one very real sad realization.

"Man we are losers." Jessie said.

"Ahem."

Their waiter (whom none of them had noticed) cleared her throat and Travis jumped almost falling off his chair causing a loud screech to echo across the once quiet diner. Everyone turned to look at him and his face turned a bright pink which didn't go too well with his outfit at all. Too many conflicting colors.

"So the usual?" The waiter asked with a smirk on her freckled face.

"Yeah we'll take the usual, oh and a gun to shoot myself if you have it. Thanks Sam." Travis said as he slumped into his chair trying his hardest to disappear.

"Hey Sam." Rose and Jessie said in unison.

"Hey guys. Good to see you as well Travis." Sam said as she took their menu from Jessie's hand.

"So just curious Sam, just how long have you been standing there." Travis asked tracing a noose with his finger on the table.

"I heard the whole thing."

"Oh you heard the whole thing, how nice I'll take my gun diet please thanks." Travis said as he laid his head on the table mumbling to himself.

"I hope I'm not being rude but why don't you try getting dates for this dance." Sam asked grabbing a chair from a nearby table.

"Oh she's taking a seat instead of doing her job. How nice." Travis mumbled under his breath. Jessie kicked him under the table. Sam stifled her laughter and sat back in her seat. Jessie noticed rings under her dark eyes. She was a nice girl with a nice family but beyond that Jessie didn't know all that much about her.

"Jessie can't dance, Rose can't talk to people and I'm saving myself for marriage." Travis said as he lifted his head from the table. "Why are you still at our table and not giving our order to your mom in the kitchen Sam, why further draw out our pain."

"Oh my mom started on your order the moment you guys walked in. She figured you guys would just waste time and look at the menu for ten minutes only to order the same thing so she just sent me as a courtesy to take your 'order' " Sam said using air quotes at the end.

"Your mom is a saint, tell her that for me please." Jessie said as he peered past Rose's head to look into the small window that led into the kitchen. Sam's mom was staring at them from behind it and flashed Jessie a wink. Jessie smiled and turned to see Sam staring at him, causing her face to flush and look away.

"I mean its not impossible for you guys to get dates, your all decent looking." Sam said as her face continued to brighten.

"I'm not really looking for a date to be honest. I'm just not all that great at social gatherings, and well I don't have the best reputation when it comes to dances anyways." Jessie said as he rubbed the back of his neck. Jessie turned to look at Rose only to see an embarrassed look on her face.

"Yeah I heard about that, you shouldn't let jerks like Patrick dictate your lives. Life will never be easy but its gets a whole lot more tolerable when you don't worry about losers like him." Sam said folding her arms across her chest. Just as Jessie was about to reply a hand dropped a plate in front of him and he looked up to see Sam's mom beaming at him.

"Hi kids, I hope Sam isn't giving you too much of a hard time here." She said as she shot Sam a look. Sam rolled her eyes.

"Hey Mama Violet. Sam never gives us trouble, quite the opposite actually." Jessie said as he eyed his food thinking to himself maybe he had been hasty saying he wasn't hungry earlier. Travis scoffed and Jessie gave him another kick.

"Well was a nice thing to say, isn't it Sam. Why don't you thank him by offering to go see a movie with him sometime." Mama Violet said as she flashed Sam another look. This one Jessie didn't quite get and was even more confused as Sam suddenly stood up face ablaze.

"OK mom I get it, I'll get back to work now." Sam said stiffly as she hurried away. Jessie watched as she dodged patrons and practically ran to the door that led into the kitchen. Miss Violet laughed and turned to face the table. "I'll let you kids finish your food in peace." With that she walked away.

"What was that all about, I would have been fine going to the movies with Sam. Just another opportunity to make a good friend." Jessie said as he picked up his hamburger. Suddenly something salty hit him in the forehead and he looked up to find the culprit.

"You are by far the most oblivious man I have ever met." Rose said as she lowered her arm to grab another fry from her plate. "Obviously she meant as a date dude."

"Yeah man even I knew that, and I don't get anything." Travis said as he poked a fork at his spaghetti. "And can you quit it with the kicking, I'll get a bruise."

"No I knew what she meant by that but I just don't see her that way. You know me guys, I don't really get feelings like that for anyone. I just think it would be cool to see her outside of the diner and school." Jessie said as he took a big gross bite of his hamburger.

"Yeah its really weird, I think in all these years I've known you I can't recall a time where we ever talked about you having a crush on anyone. Do you even like girls Jessie?" Rose said as she grabbed her grilled cheese. "I mean its fine if you don't, but you really don't give off that vibe." She said as she also took a big gross bite.

"Still not gay Rose, I just don't get crushes. Its as simple as that." Jessie said annoyed.

Rose turned and looked at Travis, who also had the same look on his face. Travis shrugged and continued poking his food.

"I'm gonna kill you both one day I swear." Jessie said as he grabbed a couple of fires.

——————————————•

Jessie grabbed his coat from the rack as he walked out the door of the diner, the bell on the door chimed as he waved goodbye to Sam and walked into the cold night air. He pulled his jacket on as he walked toward Travis and Rose who waited for him in the parking lot. Travis was flailing his arms around wildly as Rose stood with an annoyed look on her face.

Some things never change.

"Hey guys I know I said I would go to Rose's house with you, but I just remembered I promised Seth I would see him at work today." Jessie said as he walked towards the bike rack and bent down to undo the lock on his bike.

"You're gonna leave me alone with firework boy again?" Rose said as she walked toward Jessie. He looked down at Rose to see disappointment in her eyes. "What if he tries to blow up my house again?" Rose asked as she handed her lock key to Jessie.

I guess I'm unlocking her bike too.

"You'll be fine, besides your mom took away all of Travis' fireworks after what happened remember?" Jessie said as he handed back Rose's key.

"She didn't get them all." Travis said as he bent down to unlock his bike as well. "No one knows where I hid them and it'll stay that way as long as you narcs are around."

"See! He's a menace to society." Rose said as she pulled her bike from the rack. Jessie stood up and sighed. He pulled his bike from the rack and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I seriously doubt he would do that again, besides he was sorry about it and even offered to do it for you." Jessie said as he got on his bike. "I have the utmost confidence that will be the last time we deal with fire." With that he sped off, not waiting for another worried response or smart ass comment from Travis.

——————————————•

Jessie kicked out the stand for his bike and looked up at the clinic. A green neon sign glowed in the otherwise dark street, it hummed quietly. Jessie felt a chill and clasped his hands together, rubbing them together in a desperate attempt at warmth. He hurried to the front door and pulled on the handle only for it to stay shut.

You have got to be kidding me

Jessie pulled on the door again and sighed, he let go of the handle and took a step back. He looked around the empty street and pulled out his phone. Before he even turned it on he heard a bell chime and looked up to see a man standing in the doorway of the clinic. Jessie smiled and waved at Wally. Wally was a short stout man with a bushy brown moustache with eyebrows to match. not much left on the top of his head though, he wore a security guard's uniform.

"I thought that was you Jessie, Seth told me you might stop by so I stayed a little while longer to make sure you got inside just fine." Wally said as he beckoned Jessie towards him. "Well come on, lets get you out of the cold."

Jessie walked towards the clinic and past Wally who closed the door behind him. Jessie took his coat off and placed it on the coat rack beside the door.

"You go on ahead and see your brother I'll hang back and finish up some things so I can lock up." Wally said as he walked past Jessie and headed towards a door beside the front desk, it read staff only. Before he went through the door Wally turned and faced Jessie, flashing him a thumbs up. "Wish him a happy birthday for me won't you. I know its tomorrow but I'll be out of town by then. I'm actually leaving first thing in the morning."

"You going on vacation?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah I'm taking the Missus out to go visit her family in Chicago, only its a surprise. I'm so excited to see the look on her face as I spring the news. I just know Darlene will be beaming from ear to ear." Wally said excitedly.

Jessie smiled and returned Wally's thumbs up with his own. "I'm happy for you man. I can't wait to hear all about your trip when you get back."

"I'll bring you back a souvenir, Jessie. Give me a holler when your set to head out." Wally said. He then turned and walked through the door leaving Jessie alone in the clinic waiting room. Jessie took a look around taking in the scenery. The waiting room wasn't very large and only housed a few chairs that sat against the far wall and the front desk, the walls were covered in old chipped grey paint. On one of the walls held a photo of the entire clinic staff.

I hope when I'm older I get a job that feels like a second family to me, the way Seth's does.

Shaking himself of dreary thoughts Jessie walked down the hallway beside the front desk, He rounded the corner and looked down the long stretch of hallway. It was only broken up by the occasional door, it was dead quiet. The only sound he heard was the sound of his feet as he took a step and the rustling of the bag in his hand. Jessie stopped and took a step back as he recognized the name on one of the doors.

William Reed. P.H.D

I don't remember the last time I saw Will but I remember Seth being upset when he left. I guess he never had the heart to take down his name plate.

Suddenly the lights overhead flickered and shut off leaving Jessie in the dark. Jessie pulled out his phone and turned on his flashlight which weakly illuminated the hallway in front of him. He moved his flashlight from left to right to get his bearings and sighed.

Wally must have shut off the lights. Nothing left to do but meet up with Seth and leave, can't let Wally be late getting home.

Gathering his courage Jessie trudged down the inky black hallway. For whatever reason the sound of Jessie's footsteps seemed louder and his heart's pace quickened. Each one getting louder as they bounced off the bare walls, leaving Jessie uneasy as he started to wonder just how long this hallway actually was. Jessie heard a chirp and looked down at his phone and his heart started to sink.

Shit, the battery is gonna shut off my flashlight soon. Damn power save functions.

Jessie stopped dead in his tracks as he looked up and saw a figure bent over at the end of the hall, clutching the handle of a door. Jessie's heart finally hit rock bottom when he realized who's door the figure was standing next to. He stared in silence as the figure closed the door and stood up straight nearly touching the ceiling. Jessie heard the soft jingle of bells as he watched as the doorframe started to glow slightly illuminating the figures face. A chill ran down Jessies spine as he looked at the figure's face only to see a skull with the layers of skin pulled back.

Jessie raised his phone's light and shined it on the man in front of him. The figure turned to face him and Jessie felt despair in a way he had never before. The figure had solid black eyes, with long maroon hair. Long strands of hair held back slices of his face revealing its skull as if with a mind of their own. His arms were bound in a straight jacket and every loose strip of fabric had a small golden bell at the end of it.

Suddenly the door exploded from its hinges and was sent crashing into the wall across the hall as a storm of fire poured out into the hall from inside the room. The flames engulfed the figure and he disappeared in the torrent of heat.

"Seth!" Jessie screamed. He dropped his phone but didn't hear it hit the floor as the flames moved closer to him. He shielded his face as the heat stung his bare skin and he took a step back. He heard his phone screen crack underneath his foot.

What the fuck is going on! Where's Seth? Please don't let him be in his office.

The flames crawled towards him, ever hungry as they consumed everything in their path. Forced to step back or be caught in the flames he looked towards the end of the hall filled with a dreadful fear and watched as it disappeared from sight as the flames blocked his view. Jessie started to cough as smoke filled his lungs and felt an intense burning in his chest, he grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled it over his mouth in an attempt to block it out. It did little to help as his coughing became worse and his chest felt like the fire was inside him.

I have to get low stay under the smoke.

Jessie wrestled with his thoughts as he crouched and inched backwards. It was easier to breathe but his mind was still clouded by fear and his instincts screamed at him to run away.

I can't to get to Seth through this fire and this is the only path to his office! What do I do!? Why aren't the sprinklers working, what was that thing I saw? What the fuck is happening?!

Jessie's foot caught on something and he fell backward slamming his head into the ground. Stars filled his vision as he looked up and winced as his head started to pound. Struggling to his feet he could feel something dripping onto the back of his shirt and his vision blurred as he rested his hand against a wall. Overwhelmed with everything Jessie started to breathe heavily and felt the searing pain once more, he grabbed onto his chest and heaved as panic started to set in.

I'm gonna die here...even if I make it out that thing is gonna get me. Wait did it start this fire? Why was it here, why was it leaving Seth's office? I need to find out, I have to.

Jessie pulled his hand away from the wall and his knees started to shake but he held his stance and stared into the flames.

"I won't die here you hear me! I won't let you get away with this, I'll find out whoever you are and make you pay! I swear it!" Jessie screamed into the unknown.

He stood and starred surrounded and listened. He didn't know what he was listening for, a response maybe, but the only thing he heard was the crackling of the fire and his own ragged breathing. Suddenly his knee almost buckled under his weight and he caught himself on the wall again.

I actually have to survive this first. This smoke hurts.

Jessie turned his back on the fire and started to limp toward the end of the hall. Resting his hand against the wall he supported himself as his legs felt too weak to carry him without it. He pulled his shirt over his mouth again and his breathing was shallow, every breath felt as if someone had dropped a lit torch in his lungs only to drop another when he took another breathe. He could feel the heat on his back and winced, his whole body ached.

He shuffled forward and saw salvation as he neared the turn in the hallway that led to the exit. He shuffled faster as the heat behind him became more intense and stung his back. Turning the corner Jessie saw the front door open and felt blessed, he took his hand off the wall and grabbed onto the front desk beside him. He smiled and shuffled towards the exit when he realized something stopping, dead in his tracks.

Wally?

He turned his head to see the staff door slightly ajar and looked through the small crack it provided. A red light flickered in the room and Jessie struggled to make out anything, his vision impaired. He inched forward stopping just before the door and placed his hand on the doorframe, catching his breathe. His hand felt slick with sweat and it slipped sending him crashing through the door. He fell hard on his right shoulder and groaned as he turned pressing his face into the ground. It was warm and he felt a liquid coil around his body. He looked up and screamed pushing himself off the floor and against the door as he kicked out. He starred at the body and gagged. Unable to avert his eyes he looked at it, slumped against the opposite wall. His head was missing. It was wearing a security guard's uniform and Jessie looked at the name tag on the left side of it's chest. He groaned and looked at his hands, they were covered in his blood.

No...not wally...

Jessie stood up propping his back against the wall and took a deep breathe. He stepped in the puddle of Wally's blood and walked out of the room. At this point the fire had reached the front desk and roared as Jessie walked by un-phased as the flamed reached out in a desperate attempt to eat him too. Jessie walked past his coat on the coat rack and walked out the front door of the clinic into the cold night.

I'm warm enough

Jessie spotted a bench across the street and shuffled towards it. As he approached he heard sirens in the distance. He didn't care and continued towards the bench placing his hand on it, feeling the cold steel when he finally did. He sat down and winced, feeling all of his pain but slowly starting to become numb to it. He stared at the clinic and watched as the roof collapsed trapping everyone one inside.

Stay alive Seth...please. I'll wait here for you, I'm gonna take a nap while I wait, I'm so tired.

Jessie heard a ringing and listened as twelve chimes passed through the evening air.

Oh happy birthday Seth. I love you...

Jessie thought as he drifted off to sleep.