Chapter 2: CHAPTER1
"Two weeks have passed since the strange disappearance of one Miss Reina Thompson. Will the mystery behind this incidence be solved or will it be shelved, will the kidnapper emerge for demands or will he be a serial kidnapper? Channel 2 news, Xavier…"
The television was turned off. Max had had enough of the crippled judicial system, saying the same thing over and over again, asking the same questions. There was no way they would find a man that varnished into thin air right in front of his eyes, leaving no trace of a kidnap.
The only reason why people didn't think he was a lunatic was because of the security cameras installed around the "rich neighborhood" due to the incessant robberies in each home. If that motion hadn't been moved, he would have been a lunatic, a murderer or a boy who cried wolf.
His parents held subtle blame against him, being interrupted at the peak of their excavation in Africa with the news of their missing daughter was both heartbreaking and nerve wrecking.
Seeing them at home was strange for Max as his parents were always travelling for research purposes. He usually saw them once a month, he never had the luxury of parental love. What his parents failed to give him with emotions, they compensated with money.
Max kept blaming himself, "I shouldn't have taken the shortcut, I should have the taken the brightly illuminated and busy street, making the kidnap scheme impossible. If I had just pushed aside my fear, if I had just been a man. If, if, if…"
This was the mantra going through Max's head and his parents weren't making the process of forgetting easy for him. Max checked his phone; it read 7:00am.It was a Monday morning, a start of a new school week, meaning he had to go to school. He had exhausted his excuse of mourning his sisters' disappearance; he had to face the world eventually.
Sluggishly lifting himself from the bed, he moved towards the bathroom to have his first bath in two weeks. Max only ever left his room for more food but never to interact with his parents as the conversations would end in raised voices and accusations.
The bath lasted for a few minutes; Max couldn't grasp the concept of bathing for too long. He threw on the first clean pair of jeans he saw and complemented it with a black shirt which reflected how his soul felt, dark and black.
As if dressed for a funeral, Max wore black converse, used his fingers to comb his hair, glanced at his mirror and walk out of his room. He dashed down the stairs to avoid any chance of meeting his parent ,grabbed an apple from the kitchen island before heading for the door.
It looked like a good day to take a walk, his mind wasn't stable enough to juggle the complexities of operating a car neither was he in a mood to be squashed among unsanitary poles, sweaty bodies, bad perfume and poor hygiene in the bus.
Atleast walking required less protocol and more of the locomotive aspect of the body. The school wasn't far from his home either. Since the town was in the middle of nowhere, the choices of high schools were limited to three; Allridge, Monsuite and Leagy. Allridge had more prestige which was Max's cadre. He heaved a sigh as he stood before the bronze gate.
Max wasn't ready for the kind of attention he received when he entered the school building. The normal bee-hive and buzzing hallway became silent as he stepped in.
The silence was so loud in his ears. He walked towards his locker where his friends were. They all wore solemn looks, reflecting a look too familiar to Max, pity. Jack, Emily, Chris and Vivian had always been like his second family, they opened their arms as they saw his distraught appearance.
"Are you okay?" Vivian wasted no time in showing her affection and remorse, "Vivian! Of course he's not fine" Jack stared at Vivian like she was the dumbest person in the world. Max smiled, at least their fighting was still normal. "I'm fine Vee, I'm fine".
Max rubbed the end of his sleeves against his nose. As Max moved to pull his books from his locker Chris put his arms around his shoulders, a way of showing his affection.
The bell rang signifying the beginning of first period, Math. The "five musketeers" walked towards their class. Periods flew by and the next thing Max knew, it was time for lunch.
Max wasn't in the mood for conversations as his friends had made several failed attempts to rope him into conversing, they even tried as much as asking polar questions, but all they got was a shake of the head or a nod.
He was tired of responding; he fetched his earphone from his bag, plugged it into his ears and drowned in the words of Ed Sheeran.The last period rushed through like a breeze as if sensing that Max was not in the mood for a social gathering. Immediately the bell went, Max packed his books and rushed out of school.
As he stepped out of the bronze gate, he began his slow walk back home. Max felt slight hesitation in entering his home. He didn't want to stumble into his parents and engage in a world war without physical weapons but with a weapon that cuts faster and deeper, verbal abuses. As he entered , he didn't bother exchanging pleasantries with his father as he had become accustomed to his father's drunken persona; red eyes, eye bags, consistent burps, and slurring words.
He silently thanked God that his mother was asleep, she had been avoiding him and he feared what she would say when they finally talked, he climbed the stairs towards his room.
The putrid smell that hit Max's nose as he entered his room was too pronounced as he had smelled the fresh air outside. He scrunched his nose and began to pick up the litters of junk food.
He turned on his TV to satiate his loss of hope in his sisters' case. As if like clockwork, the newscaster started speaking
"…news just reaching us about the discovery of Reina Thompson's body found near the beach with a big "R" inscribed on her forehead, paramedics confirmed that she is dead and…" .Max zoned out on every other thing and focused on only one thing, his sister is dead.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone