I started my day like any other, hiding and wandering the streets like a rat. And today, of all days, seemed to be the most hectic.
I knew the group of bullies in this place well; I memorized every face.
To survive in a war, knowing your enemy is important, no, it's essential!
And among all the groups, Bruno's group is the most problematic. They not only intimidate the weak, but also attack other groups to monopolize power.
I heard from the students that some groups were gathering to overthrow them. But as I saw yesterday, Bruno had no problems with them.
And he wasn't content with the victory he had that day. I know this because right now, he and his group are attacking the other two groups that were big enough to face them.
I don't know about the third group, which I heard Bruno talk about yesterday. To tell the truth, I don't even know what group that is.
It's seven in the morning now, and it seems the war started well before that. Many people had already been defeated, and Bruno's group was winning.
I saw new people with them, probably reinforcements from that strange boss of his.
And what could I do in the middle of this confrontation? I just hid and ran. I lay on the ground pretending to be a defeated student, running when they were distracted by the fight, I did what I could.
After going through a battlefield, I finally got away from that mess.
I was hiding in the emergency exit of one of the school buildings, which was currently unoccupied, meaning it wasn't a safe place.
I was trying to catch my breath; I couldn't stay there any longer. I had to go to class; school buildings are only safe areas when classes are in session. When the building isn't being used, the hallways can serve as a battlefield.
I was ready to get up when I heard someone being violently slammed to the ground outside the building.
I managed to see through the cracks in the door, and that guy wasn't from either of the warring groups. He was a normal student, a warmth that entered along with me.
"So this is one of the new ones who thought he could get away with it?" I heard the voice of one of the bullies from Bruno's group, and I saw him being accompanied by a girl wearing a red robe; she had long, curly blue hair and wore sunglasses.
"Yes, from what I see, of this year's freshmen, six of them escaped the intimidation of their gang. They hid and got away from us. They were quite clever and opportunistic, but unfortunately for them, I'm on Yuri's side. No one escapes my sight, so their days are numbered."
So more people will escape that day? More importantly, does she know who escaped?
I can't say she wasn't there that day, but I certainly didn't see anyone that extravagant… or I was just too scared and impressed to notice her presence.
Did she see me? No, it's not possible, and even if she did see me, she won't be able to find me. Two weeks have passed, and no one has come looking for me, so I'm safe.
"That makes three, and the other three?"
"I still haven't found the girl. I don't know how she managed to disappear out of nowhere, so for now she's missing even to me."
What? A girl disappeared out of nowhere. This sounds like fiction.
"She doesn't have teleportation powers?" Teleportation powers? Great, that's all we needed, there are super-powerful mutants in this mess of fights. That freshman had something like that, that strange, unnatural movement.
"That doesn't exist! And I doubt she can move smoothly through the halls of Santa Guerra, especially on the first day of class. I don't know what her secret is, but it's enough to escape my sight!"
It seems this girl is better than me at hiding. But I'm relieved to hear that this business of powers doesn't exist.
"And the boy?" Oh boy? It can't be, could it be… what am I talking about? Of course it's me! Who else could it be? It's not possible, so I still haven't managed to escape that mess from the first day, is that still going to haunt me?!
Calm down, calm down. I just need to stay out of everyone's sight, if nobody sees me or finds me, I won't have any problems. The most they need to know about me is my appearance. If I'm not seen, then I won't have a problem.
I'll be doubly careful now, I'll make sure nobody sees me. Maybe I'll cut my hair, start wearing a hat. I have many resources at my disposal. They'll never find me!
"His name is Arthur Arrow, 16 years old, 1.66 meters tall, blood type AB+. He'll have the same classes as that other newbie today, so catching him won't be a problem!"
A chilling shiver ran through my body; I knew exactly what that meant.
How do they even know my blood type? Damn it! I've been trying so hard to hide, and now I'm being hunted.
It's impossible that they're targeting just any old freshman! What could they possibly get from me that they couldn't get from anyone else?!
I have no choice. Should I talk to Leo? I don't think I can get Dalila's help.
Now everything's screwed up, I'm going to be used as an example. All this time I thought I was incapable of any act of rebellion against the system, but escaping it is also a transgression!
Go to hell, Arrow, you so badly wanted to be like that heat trapped in the statues, now we're pretty much alike, the difference is that he was imprisoned for fighting like a warrior, and I for running away like a coward!
"We have to catch at least this last one. Yuri is already annoyed that he can't solve both problems. So far, I haven't been able to figure out the identity of the last one, or how he manages to hide from my 'sight'."
She forcefully stomps on the head of the fallen boy on the ground. I felt sorry for him, especially since I could be next.
"Anyway, let's take this idiot to the other two. Let's apply the punishment."
I see that beaten boy getting up. He was using all his strength to stay on his knees, his body trembling with the effort, his wounds opening even wider.
He looked in the direction of the two, his gaze filled with panic and fear.
"What are you going to do to me?" He uses all the energy in his body just to ask this question. The girl, without any pity, walks until she is face to face with his eyes.
Even wearing sunglasses, it was possible to feel the coldness in her gaze; it didn't even seem like she was looking at a human being. I see her stepping on the poor freshman's head; he was thrown back to the ground. I could see him trying to scream, but he no longer had the voice to do so.
"What are we going to do with you?" She allows herself a small smile. "We're going to teach you a lesson, we'll leave a mark on your skin. To be more direct, we're going to brand you with a hot iron! A burn that will leave a mark of the results of your mistakes."
I think he should have been desperate, but he didn't have the strength to show it. This was too insane!
How can they brand someone like cattle? And worst of all, they don't even have a good reason to do it. It's just to generate fear and prevent revolts, that's something a crazy authoritarian dictator would do!
I thought my situation was already bad, but now I see how horrible it is. I have no escape, no allies, no means of flight or protection.
So should I just accept it? Fighting isn't an option, so I can only give up and accept the unjust punishments?
That's the only way. Maybe if I lower myself, and even kiss their feet, I can get a milder punishment.
It shows that I recognize my mistake, and I'm willing to correct it. That would also serve as an example. It shows that those who surrender will be in a better situation.
Even though this is a horrible option, it's the best I have. But I can't, I don't know why, but this decision goes against my own mind. I don't want to do it!
But then what are you going to do, Arrow?! I can't escape this time, how am I going to deal with this?!
Why not just give up? Do you really believe you can do something about it?
It's impossible to be so naive, we have nothing to fight for! Fighting for us is masochism! It makes no sense! It doesn't exist for us! You… You are weak!!!
I keep screaming at myself inside my mind. The sunlight began to invade that corridor, dispelling the darkness around me.
I am truly the worst of idiots, much worse than that! I am someone who is creating something useless inside themselves, something that, according to wisdom, only serves to make me suffer more.
There is no reason for me to be cultivating this, there is no fertile ground for it to grow. But still… I feel it growing in my chest, it's getting bigger and bigger. This was…
The will to fight! To be more, to be better. This was… this was… a foolish, inconvenient, deluded… and… hopeful… determination!!!