I sigh as I stand here waiting on my ride to the game for work. "Come on, Kyle, what the hell is taking you so long?"

Kyle is my greatest friend in the whole world, the only friend I have. Unfortunately, I am shorter than him at 6'0 while he is at 6'4. He's got the cliché blond hair, blue eyes, and evenly tanned skin from being athletic all throughout his school days. Then there is me with the dark chocolate brown hair, bright green eyes, and the albino skin to match. I used to be an athlete, but things went wrong.

I hear a horn blasting, looking up from my messages. Low and behold, it is my idiot friend Kyle.

He rolls down the window, grinning like the fool he is. "Hop in!"

"You're late." Is all I reply with as I slide into the front seat, closing the door after me.

"Yeah, yeah. Get over it." He rolls his eyes, turning the volume down a little.

"Kyle, sometimes I worry that you only want to party and you don't care about anything else." I shake my head.

"Yea? And look at you, always on your phone." He raises an eyebrow.

I chuckle. "I have good reason to be staring at my screen and beside so, I can see you perfectly fine. Stop sticking your tongue out at me, what a child. I can be away from my phone, however, I do work besides these crazy fundraisers. I am the primary provider for my household, Kyle, I have other priorities."

"Which I have no idea how you manage. Dude, you never stop working. It bothers me." He frowns as he concentrates on the road. "I never see you taking a break. Why are you on your phone now?"

"My boss is checking with me on my schedule at my first job and the boss at my other job is asking me to cover Michael's shift Friday from midnight to three in the morning. Plus, I am going through my emails and working on scholarships." I reply.

"Scholarships? Man, you are a junior in high school!" He freaks out.

"I've been applying since I was a freshman, calm down. It's no big deal. I've actually won about seven so far. Not very big ones. I get them as soon as I complete my first semester at college. Of course, I might not even need them at the rate my studies are going." I answer and look over at him, my attention no longer divided.

"What did you do now?" He sighs heavily.

"I completed another degree." I shrug.

"What all do you have again? What did you add?" He interrogates me.

"Business, Education, Philosophy because it's pointless, Biology, Chemistry, Information Technology, Criminal Justice, and Nursing. I added Engineering, plus my Masters in all of those." I inform him.

"You seriously need to get a life and relax. Aren't your parents ashamed?" He demands.

"Look, just a little more and I can be exactly who I want to be without all the extra stress. I can get them into a nice home where I don't have to make payments because I paid it all off in the first place. You know they feel horrible." I scowl.

"Yes, I know that, Kamael. I know you're dad lost the use of his left arm and right leg and I know your mother can barely get out of bed. But they worked before, where did all that money go? You're a busy body, but it's sucked the life out of you that you deserve. It's wasted years of your life, consumed it. You've been working these jobs since you were thirteen. You're seventeen and turn eighteen in three months. Almost five years. What is taking so long?" He does not back down.

"I cannot access the money until I am eighteen. You idiot, I pay hospital bills for them, but I have to live somehow and keep them fed. It's not just them I work for, it's myself. Once I turn eighteen and I can access their money, I'll put them in the home. The leftover in their funds is my emergency and in case they need it and my money is my money. I'm going to keep the two jobs for a little while after that to store up money. Besides, I splurged to get my own better working car after trading in two of their three cars and I've had little bumps in the road called household appliances and plumbing I had to pay to get fixed. Though now I can do that on my own." I scold him.

"I'm just saying." He lets it go. "Why the hell would you go to college after you graduate since you have qualifications for basically any job you could want? Why not drop out now? Graduate early, dude."

"The experience and I am not really sure what I want to do with my life." I admit. "College will be my fun years. High school has catty girls and immature dumbasses I can't stand to be around. I'm lucky I found you, don't ruin my fun."

He bursts into pure, joyful laughter and I smile at the thought. "Fine, man, but at least hang out with me more."

"Alright." I agree.

"Hey, does he...does your dad still just sit there and stare?" Kyle wonders.

"..." This question stops me in my tracks before I muster up the will to answer. "Yes," I admit. "He does. No matter what I do, he never responds. Mom stopped talking to me, too. She's about to go, to be completely honest."

"Why isn't she in the hospital, then?" He sighs.

"I took her yesterday. There is nothing they can do but make her comfortable at home. I know when she goes, dad won't be able to eat or sleep. That's all he really does other than sit on the couch and stare." I tell Kyle, worrying about my home.

"How about we just fret about this later and forget it until we have to deal with it?" He suggests.

"Right." I chuckle.

"Promise me one thing." He says.

I raise an eyebrow and shrug. "Alright. What do you want?"

"Play football your senior year." He glances over at me.

"...Kyle," I begin to shake my head.

"Hear me out." He says it so forcefully that I press my lips together to listen. "You're amazing. You love the game and you're really good at it. Coach even wants you to play. He thinks you're good enough to go to the next level even. That is raw talent. You used to play all the time, practice your heart out. It still shows. With all the work you do, you've gained more power and I know you're speed is off the charts. Come on, please, play your last year."

"I don't know." I look down at my hands in my lap.

"Come on, bro." He implores.

"I guess." I reluctantly agree.

"Yes! I'll tell coach tomorrow at practice!" He exclaims.

Oh God, what did I just get myself into?

We finally pull into the parking garage at the university and start our trek to the tent they have for us to meet at. We walk for about twenty minutes before we reach our set destination and when we get there, everything seems to turn gray.

"What's going on?" Kyle goes over to one of the supervisors to ask.

"There was a bomb threat in the school yesterday, but we are still holding the game. We haven't let it out to the public, so don't speak about it. Just keep an eye out for anything suspicious. They think they're going to hit the stadium today." The supervisor responds as I stand next to Kyle.

"Oh, are we on that level three in the rules then?" I murmur and he supervisor blinks at me.

"Yes, exactly. I'll be taking the two of you. Follow me." The man responds.

Kyle and I share a quizzical look before we go after her and get our worker shirts, then we are lead over to the main group where she grabs a few other boys. As we head to the stadium, I am given a clipboard and a radio. She starts talking to me and I listen intently, knowing it is serious.

"You seem to have a remarkable memory. I want you to write down anything remotely suspicious and report it to the officers that will be heavily stationed around the area. Even if it turns out to be nothing, don't feel bad. They've been warned. It's your job. I dig care if someone stands there for just a minute looking through their purse, report it." She tells me. "You're going to be walking around the entire stadium as a wanderer. Catalog everything. Usually, in these situations, we'd have an officer walk with you, but we barely have enough to cover the stadium like we have today. You'll be stopped and asked questions, answer them as fast as possible. There's a map of the stadium on the back of the clipboard. Think you can handle that as well as keeping an eye out the whole time?"

"Yes, uh, I don't really need a map. I know where everything is." I murmur and she smiles a little.

"Sometimes there are people who ask as a distraction, be careful." She tells me and takes my radio, setting it up for me. "Ready to hear the channels?"

I nod. "Yes, ma'am."

"Channel 1 is the channel all security is on, including the extra groups of regular everyday people that are there to help the girls we have to station at the gates. We wanted all boys at the gates today, but we also needed some in the crowd. This is the bad part, it's a really big game today, so everybody is going to be drunk. Be aware of that." She goes on to explain.

"So, anyone suspicious will most likely be sober but might act drunk? Or rather, they'll try to act drunk and pretend to do stupid things that could turn out to be dangerous?" I assume.

"What's your name, sweetie?" She inquires.

"Kamael Zyptolo." I reply.

She scribbles it down on her own clipboard and then I move the clipboard so she can see the worker number in my shirt. "Okay, channel one is security. Channel two is where the supervisors throughout the stadium will be. Channel three will be those regular people your age that have radios at the gates, in the crowd, and walking around. Don't worry about people smoking in the wrong areas today, we have people walking around for that."

"Yes, ma'am." I nod. "Does it matter if I go around in the same circle of do I change patterns? Do I check anywhere other than plain sight?"

"Yes, don't walk around at the same intervals. Please do check bathrooms and such places." She informs me. "Oh, channel four is other staff like vendors and janitors, they have radios. Drunk people, but really if they find messages in the bathrooms or see something while we have a hole in the wanderers."

"Okay." I say.

"I have to warn you, do whatever you can to not die today. Don't get caught, don't get any heroic ideas, nothing of the sort." She gives me such a serious look, I nod slowly in acknowledgment. "Off you go. Hopefully it's nothing."

But it probably is not going to be.

I walk off, waving to Kyle who gets a ticket scanner shoved in his hands. I keep my eyes moving around me and keep at a good pace that will be broken up by the crowd later on.

Around halftime, a girl around my age comes running over to me where I stand with a couple police officers pointing out this woman just standing next to the wall with a notebook.

"Here, this is for you." She holds up a box.

"Uh, what is it?" I am nervous, especially after that guy grabbed onto me. It turned out he was just drunk and thought I was his dead little brother, but it shook me up a little bit when he manhandled me. I'm not allowed to touch any of the fans or do anything to get them off really, just gently push or ask them to not do that. It has to be serious enough for me to do anything like hit them.

"It's your lunch. Kind of your break time. They ordered Chic-fil-A for us this game. It's a chicken sandwich, waffle potato chips, and a chocolate chip cookie." She explains.

"Oh, uh, thank you." I take the box hesitantly.

"Were you the kid that got grabbed by that guy earlier?" She wonders and now I can see she looks older than first glance might suggest.

"Yeah, I was." I tell her.

"You know you're allowed to get them off of you today, right? They got it authorized for today. Don't let them grab you like that." She informs me.

"I didn't know." I frown. "Thanks."

"No problem. How old are you?" She responds.

"Seventeen. I'm a junior." I say.

"Oh, wow, I didn't know high schoolers worked these." She blinks.

"We're the only one. I'm separate from the football team and the soccer team, but I just get my name added to the list and they pay me by mail." I elucidate.

"Neat." She chirps and then waves as she runs off again.

You might have noticed I am a little shy and awkward when it comes to people other than Kyle. Believe it or not, I used to be so much worse until Kyle broke my shell. I am still terrible at conversation, but I am completely open with Kyle.

I lean against the wall and listen to my radio as I watch for suspicious characters and eat my food as quickly as possible. I am not too worried about hiccups today.

"Look, there's that kid who acts like such a prissy teenage girl."

My eyes snap over to two guys at the gate next to Kyle.

Oh no.

"Hey," Kyle raises his voice. "That kid happens to be my best friend. Back off."

"Yeah? What you gonna do about it, little boy?" The guy towers over Kyle, but Kyle glares right up at him.

"It must take a lot for such a small brain to move your fat ass around." Kyle remarks.

Finished with my lunch, I throw it away and walk over. I place my hands on either of their chests and push, surprising the both of them. The big guy lands on his backside while Kyle's back hits one of the open gates.

"Stop it." I am frustrated. "You can settle later however you want, I don't care. Just not now."

"Don't touch-" The other guy who was snickering just a minute ago begins toward me.

"Is there a problem here?" The main guy of the operation, Martin, comes over on one of his many rounds for today.

"Not at all. I just stopped them from colliding into each other and one of them took it the wrong way, sir. I noticed after I sent those officers to check out that girl with a notebook." I am the first to respond, a smile etched onto my face.

He nods. "Alright. Good work." He checks with the supervisor who glances at me before reporting that all is good.

"Your smile is a little frightening, Kamael." Kyle mutters.

"Smiling is my specialty, Kyle. I thought you knew that." I joke with him.

"It's creepy how you can sound so happy." He shakes his head. "You should be an actor. Seriously, it makes my whole body go cold how instantly you can become Mr. Perfect like that."

I roll my eyes. "You're just jealous because the patrons don't walk up to you and ask you where to go and instead ask the guy who's always smiling."

"Just go back to wandering, you little freak." He hits my shoulder before crossing his arms.

"Yea." I say and embark on my next journey around the stadium.

By time I am halfway through my third trip around the stadium, someone comes over the intercoms freaked out. I have to frequently switch stations to check on each channel. It is channel four, a janitor named Becky is flipping out.

"Becky to command. Becky to command." She sounds terrified.

I take the radio off my waist and press the button to respond. "Uh, Kamael to Becky, command went down a few minutes ago to fix their radios. What seems to be the problem?"

"There's a bomb threat in the men's bathroom." She responds immediately.

"Which part of the stadium?" I demand.

"I don't know. I think the east part." She is confused.

"Look outside the bathroom, what's around you?" I suggest as I walk hurry over to one of the police officers. I think he can see the worried look on my face as he studies my expression closely.

"That big blow up bear they always have out." She tells me.

"You're in the north part." I respond and look the officer in the eyes, switching channels to channel one. "Kamael to all security, a janitor has found another bomb threat in the north men's bathroom."

The officer's eyes go wide and I catch his arm before he can rush off. "Hey, wait."

"What, kid?!" He fumes at me and I flinch.

"You can't all just go running. You're force here in the stadium is thin as it is. They're already gone from the bathroom, they'll either be leaving or heading somewhere else. That's just a distraction. You can't leave this gate. What if they come here?" I tell him.

He sighs exasperatedly and gets on his radio as I switch channels to channel two. "Kamael to all supervisors, we have a bomb threat. Shut down the gates immediately. Command is offline. We have been cut off." I switch to channel three. "Kamael to all gates and workers, close the gate, no one goes in or out." I say and walk over to the east gate where I was currently passing by. I come over and close a few gates, only leaving one open to let one of the supervisors out and so he can come back in while he scurries off to get to command.

"Hey, what's going on?" A guy asks. "You're Kamael, right? That guy grabbed you here earlier."

"There was a bomb threat at the north end of the stadium in the men's bathroom. We are shutting down the exits to stop the person from getting out." I say.

"But we just found it, right? Wouldn't they already have left?" He sounds a little freaked out.

"Not unless he's one of the people who waits to admire what he has done or if he's blowing up the stadium itself. Just don't cause mass panic and you'll be fine." I reply.

"But if they're going to blow up the stadium, all these people are here." He presses.

"That's the risk you have to run. Right now, every fan in this place is a suspect and there are officers outside to search for anything on the walls while the ones on the inside do that and more." I explain.

"Who are you? Who gave you permission to lock down?" He demands. "I want out."

"The rules and procedures when terrorism and other threats are presented gave me permission. I read them and now I'm following them. And like I said," I give him a look that freezes him to the spot. "No one goes in or out of this stadium."

"How are you not freaking out?" He exclaims.

"I am, but right now, I'm too busy to worry about that. My friend is on the north gate and students who go to the same school as I do are spread all over the stadium. So shut up and calm down." I inform him.

I listen to the radios as I stop people from going out, not letting anybody else in.

"Why is the game still going on?" Someone asks.

"To keep up pretense. If we were to let out what happened, people would rush the gates. They wouldn't listen to reason. And they're all drunk. They'll get riled up and start fights. All they know is that the bathroom is closed down, police officers are running drills, and the gates have closed down all but one gate at each exit earlier than usual for the drills and are going to remain so because by the time the drills are done, they'd be this way anyway." I explain. "The game is our own distraction."

"Shouldn't you still be wandering around looking for suspicious people?" That girl from before questions.

"That's not my job right now. That's why the officers are running around. Our job is to look for that person or those people while standing here keeping the gates closed and explain that we are currently on lock down as a drill so no one complains." I reply.

"We need only two people at a gate, any supervisors or wanderers with a radio need to stay, send the rest to the north gate. We need more people to control the crowd. Not enough eyes." Someone comes over the radio.

"You guys go ahead. Who wants to stay with me?" I speak up.

They all look at each other and will not answer.

"Okay, you're staying then." I look at the guy who was protesting being in this stadium.

"What?!" He snaps.

"Chances are the dangerous person will be in a bigger crowd that is barely being managed. Stay here." I tell him and the others all go off for the north end while the guy grumbles, standing on the other side of the open gate.

My radio goes off with a bunch of static and I start switching channels to see if it's just that one or all of them. "Did you catch any of that?" I ask.

"Not at all. All I heard was a bunch of interference." He tells me.

"Exactly. But it's every channel." I tell him.

He sighs and holds out his hand. "Here, let me see it."

I look at him weirdly.

"I'm a telecommunications major, give me the damn radio, kid." He tells me.

I raise my hands in surrender and place the radio in his hand. I keep an eye out while he fiddles with it for me. I stop several people and explain as kindly as possible, having them return to their seats.

"Oh! I got it!" He gives it back to me as someone comes over the radio.

"Sadie to all channels! It has been confirmed! The threat is still in the stadium!"

"Oh God." Mr. Telecommunications is staring at the radio in my hands.

"He's wearing a bear suit to walk around!" Sadie continues.

"A bear suit?" He looks a bit pale, he has lost a lot of color.

I put my arm out across the gate. "I am sorry, sir. We cannot let you out."

"And why not?" He demands, in a business suit.

"We are currently under a lock down drill. I hope you'll-" I get cut off by him shoving on my arm and twisting it the wrong way.

Telecommunications grabs the guy by the arm and plants him solidly in the ground. "Back off, we can't let you out."

"This is outrageous!" The man steams.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we are only doing our jobs." I try to placate him, but he is beyond reason at this point. It must be the obvious ego that exudes from him.

"Do your jobs include manhandling fans?" He demands.

"They do when you injure another member of the staff." Telecommunications snaps and motions to some other guy walking toward us as he focuses on the businessman. I hand him the radio in case he has to call security to handle this guy and he attaches it to his waist.

I move to stop the newcomer as I know my fellow worker can handle the upset patron. "Excuse me, sir, but we are not-" I freeze as soon as the gun is drawn and pointed at me, right up against my chest as my smile falls from my face.

"Turn around and don't open your mouth." He orders and I slowly turn on my heel to face the east gate. "Now, I want you to put your hands in the air and next to your ears." I do as commanded and my wrists are caught onto one by one and I am slammed into this person's form. "I want you to tell me your name."

"Kamael." I whisper.

"That radio you gave to that boy over there, I want it." He growls. "Call for him."

"I don't know his name." I murmur.

"Get his attention, then. Or do you want to die?" I can feel the point of the gun pressed up and in between my shoulder blades, right against my spine.

"I'm not afraid to die." I say quietly.

"How about this, if you don't get his attention somehow, I'll blow up this whole entire stadium filled with innocent people." He threatens.

I shake my head and look around before coming up with something. "Hey! What's your major again?!" I yell and it gets my new friend's gaze to settle on me. His eyes widen as he sees that I am in a situation that is not very good.

"Oh my God, does he have a gun?" The businessman runs off back into the stadium.

Well there goes that part of the plan.

"Get the radio." The man says lowly. "Ask him for his name."

I swallow thickly. "What's your name?"

"Louder." The man hisses in my ear when my voice fails me, I don't want to get anyone killed. "Or I'll shoot him."

"What's your name?" I repeat louder than my usual tone.

"Better. Don't make me tell you again." He warns.

"Peter." My friend informs me.

"Peter, can I have the radio?" I inquire.

He nods a little.

"Slide it over." The man orders Peter.

"O-Okay." Peter agrees and slides it, the radio making it three feet in front of me.

"I am going to let go of you. I want you to not do something stupid and get the radio. Then I want you to come back the way you came and closer than before. I have a surprise for you." He says for only me to hear.

I nod slowly and force my feet to work, I bend down and retrieve the radio before walking backwards where he grabs my arm and yanks me right up against him.

"Do you feel that?" His grip tightens on my arm.

Peter has drained of all his color again and there are too many objects poking my back for it to be just a gun anymore and none of them are round like the end of a barrel.

"Yes." I whisper.

"What did I tell you?" He snarls.

"Yes, I feel it." I speak up a little more, but Peter still can't hear me.

"Good. You learn fast, Kamael." He begins twisting my arm and I wince. "Get on the com that goes to all the channels at once and say exactly what I do. Nice and loud, nice and clear. I want my message to be conveyed perfectly. Do you understand?"

"Yes." I answer.

"Good. Raise the radio to your mouth." I do as told. "Press the button." He continues and my finger listens even though the rest of my body is stiff and unresponsive. "This is Kamael." He says. "Repeat it now."

"'This is Kamael.'" I repeat.

"The intruder has been identified."

"'The intruder has been identified.'" I say.

"His name is Juoe Galaxy. He wants to speak with Mark Acron or else this stadium will be blown apart."

"'His name is Juoe Galaxy. He wants to speak with Mark Acron or else this stadium will be blown apart.'" I say exactly as he did.

"Kamael, this is Officer Ignacious, we spoke before." A familiar voice comes over the radio waves. "Are you being threatened?"

"Go on and answer. Tell them everything." He whispers into my ear. "I want you to do me a favor first, though, while you talk to your friend on the radio there."

"Kamael." The officer is more insistent this time. "Kamael, what gate are you at?"

"I want you to keep calm as you answer. And I want you to hold still. The procedure I'm about to go through is very delicate. If you're not afraid to die, then this shouldn't bother you at all." He chuckles. "Go ahead."

"Yes, I am being threatened." I inform Officer Ignacious as I hear a loud ripping sound. "I am currently at East Gate with the threat and one of the other workers, his name is Peter."

"Kamael, what is he threatening you with?" Ignacious demands.

"A firearm." I reply as I am tugged on, something being wrapped around my torso. "And an explosive."

"What kind of explosive?" He barks.

"A bomb." I tell him.

"What kind, Kamael?!" He radishes his voice.

"It doesn't have a name. Let's just say it is nearly the equivalent of an atomic bomb, just that there will be no radiation because the person who is wearing it absorbs is all on impact due to the needle that goes directly into their bloodstream." Juoe tells me and I feel the needle slide into the vein in my elbow. "But don't worry, I'll give them all the details after you answer his question.

"Kamael!" Ignacious calls for me.

"He said it doesn't have a name, but it's as dangerous as an atomic bomb." I apprise him.

"Now give me the radio." He orders. "I suggest not dropping it and running. I have a remote detonator that will set it off."

I let him take the radio from my hand and he lets go of my arm as my other one falls loosely at my side. He starts moving me forward towards Peter, who closes the gate, and stops in front of it.

"Don't try anything stupid, boy. Go run to the North Gate. Tell them I am going to speak and that your friend here is in possession of the bomb and what will set it off." Juoe speaks harshly and Peter darts off. "Now, let's wait. I'm sure you're just dying to know why. You'll find out soon enough. But I can tell you that you are going to hold this detonator and keep it right against your heart." He slams the remote in my hand and stops me from finishing the order. "Press the button."

"What?" I breathe.

"I said," Juoe moves my thumb and pushes down on it until the button is clicked. "Press the button. Move your finger and you explode, wiping out the whole state and the ones next to it." He lets go and my thumb stays glued to the button. "Now you're in control. Like you, I don't care if you die, I just have one exception. I don't care if others die with me. But you do."

"Kamael, what is happening? What did he make you do?" I hear Ignacious come on again, this time he must be informed by Peter. Now I know why he wanted me to tell them Peter was with me, why he gave me the order to tell them everything, knowing I would be concerned for my fellow worker.

"Hello." Juoe speaks. "Kamael is in a bit of a sticky situation. You see, if he lets go of the trigger for the bomb, a lot of people die. The fun part, he's not afraid for himself, but he is experiencing fear."

"Kamael, do not let go of that control. The radiation that will spill will reach out and cover more than just the area the bomb touches." Ignacious says.

"Oh, that's right. That's my job to explain. Kamael listens perfectly well. I chose the right hostage. Your little worker bee here is great at his job, except when he reported me before, it was for having an attitude and being sent back to my seat. I got in trouble on purpose. I'm one of the workers today. It gave me access to the bathroom, I started the rumor of a drill, I went on break and let you stir around, then I came back as a fan in a bear suit after stealing a vendor pass, and got my tools and clothes. One little thing about Kamael that I noticed, well, he gets nervous easily. He has this habit of doing his job a bit too well and it made me wonder, hmm, what happened to this kid?" Juoe speaks and puts one arm around my neck, the same arm that holds the radio as the other one has the gun laying on my shoulder and pointed towards my head as people flood from the bleachers for the gate, stopping when they see me in my predicament.

"What are you going on about?" Ignacious sounds annoyed.

"Kamael here has pills in his pocket for a disorder. He has a friend over there at north gate. We spoke earlier. I believe his name is Kyle. But I'll go ahead and tell you since I found the pills in Kamael's pocket here, I saw him taking them in the bathroom earlier. I know exactly what they are." Juoe begins to go into detail, "You see, Kamael has a type of acute anxiety that if he is stressed too much, he hits a breaking point that can reach drastic measures. Very few people in this world have it. He's one of seven people on a list that have it. I'm sorry, six now. I couldn't believe it. These pills reduce the anxiety the person feels, but it's not just for that, it's for the depression and the unbelievable pain he is in constantly."

"What are you talking about?" Ignacious demands.

"My wife had it before she died." Juoe growls. "Kamael here was contacted to save my wife while she was still in the hospital. He's the only one on the list that has no pain from the disorder because he has O- blood and it is the only type that breaks up the chemical makeup of the disorder in all parts of the body to make it slightly different, which means he could take the pain away from my wife forever if only he would have donated three times to my wife. But it wasn't his decision because he was of age to say yes yet. It was his caretaker since his parents are useless sacks and piles of nothing sitting at the house he has to provide for them. The man who denied the request was Mark Acron, who is the athletic director here, which is why Kamael is allowed to work as a separate entity here, he got special permission. Mark Acron denied the request because Kamael was too busy, too young, and far too destroyed. Yet, here he is. I can tell if he would have had the choice, he would have donated. So I'm giving him the choice to kill thousands or give me what I want."

"What do you want?" Ignacious snaps.

"Easy. I want Mark Acron dead, I want to be compensated for my wife's death since it never came, and I want Kamael's blood here to spill. If it wasn't allowed to save my wife, then it's not allowed to save anybody." Juoe responds.

Stall.

I need to stall.

"And if Kamael won't let go of the detonator for me, I'll shoot the bomb myself." Juoe says. "But don't worry, Kamael here is going to absorb all the radiation with his special antibodies. This disorder and his blood type dispels radiation in the body, which is exactly what causes the pain in people who have this disorder who aren't as lucky as him. The needle in his arm will inject the radiation into his system beforehand, causing him to suffer before the bomb truly goes off. It only takes five minutes. And if anyone interferes, I'll make the explosion happen sooner."

"Put Kamael back on. Let me speak to him." Ignacious is raging.

"He's listening." Juoe responds.

"Kamael, don't you dare let go of that button. Do you hear me?" Ignacious comes on again.

Juoe puts the radio next to my face and I cannot get my voice to work.

"Kamael." Ignacious calls.

"I think he's frozen in shock. Such a huge burden to be placed on this one's shoulders while he's dealing with so much." Juoe chuckles. "I want Acron. Bring him to me or I'll kill the boy and he won't have a choice but to let go."

It takes a total of forty minutes that Juoe counts off for me and the whole stadium seems to be pushed back as police officers pour in, Ignacious at the helm.

Within the time frame, I have managed to get the rubber band that was around my wrist for stress to apply pressure to the button in my finger's stead.

In an instant, Ignacious's eyes are on the item in my hand and he looks surprised. He looks into my eyes and I glance at the gun that is now pressed up against my temple. I bring my free hand up to his arm and try pulling, but he cuts off my air and after a while I cannot breathe at all.

"Try anything or move again, I'll make sure it blows up." He whispers and presses the gun in harder.

"Enough. The boy hasn't done anything wrong." The deepest voice I have ever heard rings through the dead silence.

Mark.

"Well, I can't believe it, you actually got the star himself." Juoe lets off of the gun a little bit and Ignacious jerks his head. But I understand. I look in the general direction and can see just a little bit of movement. Someone with a gun?

Then I see a word form on his lips. 'Drop.'

He wants me to drop the detonator. Is he insane?

Should I trust this man?

Where has trust gotten me?

It brought me Kyle.

It brought me Mark, who is like a father to me.

Before I can regret it, I loosen my grasp on the remote detonator and let it hit the ground.

It catches everyone's attention and I realize the other meaning of the words. I pry Juoe's arms away from me in his surprise and disbelief, getting down on the ground as a shot goes off. I reach for the detonator as Juoe growls, sounding animalistic.

My hand gets stepped on just as I manage to stretch my arm enough to grab onto the detonator.

"I don't think so, kid." Juoe kicks my head and it makes my hand fly away from the remote. "What a pity."

I watch in horror as a group of people rush forward, but they are doubled as my head pounds. Juoe is shot right through the heart just after he rips off the rubber band, allowing the button to pop back up.

I feel nothing for the first few seconds and then I begin coughing. Hands touch my body all over and I hear these awful noises. I am aware of something flooding through my body as blood runs out of my mouth and onto the concrete.

All I hear after what feels like an eternity, "Just a little bit longer, kid. One last wire and you'll be safe. Just stay awake."

And then I'm gone.

"Kamael!"

Brightness shining on my eyelids, my eyes refute the command signal from my brain to open.

"He's my best friend! Kamael!"

That voice, it is so familiar, so soothing to me.

"He's still breathing, but his pulse is weak."

This is a different voice.

"It's critical. Get me the radiation kit and the meds. Does he have anything else?"

Another stranger.

"No, just the meds. He has the rare anxiety disorder. I could never remember the four letters. It starts with a G."

Kyle.

"Greater Depressive Anxiety Disorder?"

"Yes! Yes, that's it. But the doctors called it something else in the hospital we usually go to. Something special because of his blood type." Kyle is crying, he's upset for some odd reason.

I am uncomfortable and I cannot move to adjust.

"Is he O-?" The second stranger demands.

"Yes! He's immune to the pain the disorder triggers in his blood or whatever. I don't know the exact name." Kyle sobs.

"It's important that you do. What kind of immunity? A letter, a base word. I can't treat him unless I know or it could kill him."

"I don't know!" Kyle shouts. "It ends with l-a-s!"

"Boreanugleoatlas?"

I hate that word.

"Yes, yes, what are you going to give him? He can't have any normal medicine. It screws up his senses for days." Kyle is losing it.

"Right now, that's the least of our worries. I need you to leave. He's sedated right now, but it's wearing off. He's going to be in extreme pain, excruciating agony. You don't want to be here for that."

Brighter lights shine onto the backs of my eyelids. A burning sensation starts to bloom in my arm where that needle used to be. As time runs along, the burning becomes a boiling temperature.

"It's worn off. Hold him down."

I hear screaming as pressure hits everywhere in my body all at once, only making the broiling feeling worse. Then I recognize the person screaming is me, but I cannot control it. I cannot feel my body, only the scorching heat coursing through my veins, my muscles, my bones. I want to turn to ash already, it is killing me.

And then, like it never happened, everything goes completely black and the torturous heat is gone.

An incessant beeping noise goes off right by my head and my hand is inside of something, holding onto a warm, soft object. My back hurts and my chest is horribly tight, an odd feeling surrounding my head and covering my mouth.

"You idiot." I hear someone sniffle.

A hospital.

I know that noise.

It's a heart monitor.

What am I doing here?

"Please wake up."

I love that voice, the voice that guided me through my worst times after my life went sour.

By my side all the time.

"Please, Kamael." It whispers to me.

Why am I not breathing right?

I shift as my body rejects the way it lays on the bed. I want to move, I need these feelings to go away. I have to shut off that beeping, it is very annoying.

"Kamael?" The voice perks up. "Doctor Ross! Doctor Ross!"

I hear a door opening and a hand comes in contact with my forehead. "He's awake. Kamael, can you open your eyes for me?" This must be Dr. Ross.

I wage a war with my eyelids and manage to get them to slide open slowly. It is far too bright and I squint until I can see my breath fogging the machine on my face aiding my lungs in dragging air into my airways.

"Are you in pain?" He questions.

I shake my head a little and he smiles some.

"Just uncomfortable then." He reaches behind my head and removes the oxygen mask. "Would you like to sit up?"

I nod and he supports me until he can get the bed adjusted for me to stay sitting. Kyle tackles me and his arms are wrapped all the way around my body. "..." I breathe out.

"You scared me to death." He tells me.

"You're acting...like a girl." I laugh as best as I can and he just cries into my chest. I lift one of my hands up and set it on his back, letting him weep.

"You have made a grand recovery. If it weren't for your extraordinary stubbornness and active system, I don't think the procedure would have worked. You had something to come back to. I will leave you two alone, there's news you should hear and not from me." Dr. Ross informs me. "I will give you the details later, young man. For now, I will let you deal with the issues that have popped up." He leaves the room and closes the door behind him, probably heading for another patient.

"Kyle, what was he talking about?" My voice is scratchy.

"Your dad's heart gave out when he heard the news, he's dead. And your mom couldn't bear to lose the both of you. You were out for a whole month, Kamael. They were both buried where their will said to bury them. They left everything to you. I'm so sorry." He holds me tighter.

A small smile graces my lips and he looks up at me.

"Why are you smiling?" He sniffles.

"You fool." I laugh under my breath. "They're happier wherever they went. They don't have to suffer anymore. I am sad and I miss them, but right now, that is good news. They don't have to worry, they don't have to be in pain, and I know it was hard on them seeing me working so much. Besides," I look out the window. "I think they wanted it for a while there. I could tell. I miss them already, Kyle, but I know you'll be the first to tell me everything will be alright and it's better for me if they're gone, right?"

He puts his arms around my neck as he hugs me tighter, my face getting nestled in his shoulder. "You're such a stupid idiot. But, yes, that's exactly what I'd say."

"You're suffocating me." Is what I mean to say, but it comes out muffled.

But he gets the message.

"Oh! Sorry, Kamael." Kyle sighs as he sits back down in the chair next to my bed.

I run at my eyes and blink to get the tiredness out of them, feeling the fatigue in my limbs. "I was out for a month? Have you been sleeping in that chair the whole time?"

"I haven't known what sleep is for a month, dude. I was worried sick. I basically stay here all day. I have no sports until next year, my studies are just brought to me by the school, and well, since your caretaker is always busy as hell and I'm technically your only other family as I live alone and provide for myself, yeah, I've basically lived in this room." He informs me, turning sarcastic and nonchalant while trying to pull of being a cool guy.

"What'd you eat? Hospitals are expensive and they don't always give you a free meal." I search for the trash bin with my gaze. I do not we it anywhere.

"Takeout, pizza, the occasional free meal here, or nothing at all. The last option was the most frequent. Didn't feel like eating." He shrugs.

I shake my head. "Wow, a dedicated friend. There should be an article in the paper about you." I need to change the subject. "Speaking of best friends, didn't I promise mine I would participate in football?"

"Really? You'll still do it?!" He looks so elated, I wonder how much of a damper my being in here put on his day after all.

I wipe the surprise off my face and smile warmly for him. "I never go back on my word, you know that."

"Yes!" He grins. "We can live together, too!"

"Only if I don't have to deal with you and your girlfriend in the next room over." I smirk.

His cheeks turn bright red. "Fine, dork. I'll make sure you aren't home when we're on dates at the house. Besides, you aren't living alone while you're recovering. And at any rate, Elizabeth is on a trip to Rome."

"All right. Does that mean you're my worker until I'm cleared?" I agree.

He rolls his eyes. "I guess. Are you hungry or anything?"

"Actually, I'm dying for some food, but I am craving Chinese food if you're not too tired of it." I answer.

"Not at all. I'll take you out to get some once the doc says you're free to leave. They had to remove a bullet from your side, so be careful." He chuckles.

"A bullet? I don't remember being shot." I frown. "I'm still putting pieces together, but I'm not that fuzzy."

He shakes his head quickly. "No, man, you were out and they had taken the bomb away. That Juoe guy was still kickin' and he shot you before he was finally put down with a bullet straight through the brain. No question after then, he was dead. Oh, yeah, Marcus wanted me to tell you that he would visit when he could see those green eyes again. It made him too sad to come in more than once a week when all he could see was a kid hooked up to machines the dead need to survive."

"Sounds like him." I sigh.

"He's a hard man." Kyle allows, not really knowing what to say about it.

"He just isn't good with emotions, Kyle. He loves me like a son and he's already adopted me legally. The papers have gone through by now. He can't express them like you and I do, so I learned how to express them his way to better understand how he feels. He's complicated and complex, but not hard. Just an intricate pattern of unique feelings." I look down at my hands, just sitting there in my lap folded together.

"You're way too philosophical for me." He laughs freely and I smile at the pealing sound, it makes my day.

It took four days before they let me out of the hospital, but they were worth it. It has been six months since then and now we are at the stadium, earning the money to go to states. I am no longer an individual and it feels great. Going through that made me learn something, appreciate what you have because it can be gone in an instant. I didn't truly appreciate my life, I just lived it. Now...

I love my life and all the good and bad in it.