Chapter 87 - Abused...

“Well, I have a problem anyway…” Greg looked seriously troubled. “What’s the matter?” Ekyt asked. “Well, I was getting bullied the other day, and the guy took a swipe at me. So I kicked him, and now they want to expel me!” Ekyt ran a hand through his hair. “I think I can help. Show me this school…”

Outside, the crowd was now sharply divided. Most had realized Ekyt had done what Sonic and company wanted, so they weren’t going to gut him anymore. Others were mad about Sonic not being around, and were shouting for Ekyt’s dismemberment. And yet others were gathered just to see what was going on. Ekyt stepped out. He made eye contact with the crowd. They quieted, an uncertainty in the air. “C’mon.” Ekyt nudged Greg. His first angry mob…I wonder if his parents want this on tape?

Mr. Wilder, the elementary school principal, sighed. “I hate to make an example of that young man…” “Then don’t.” A sharp voice told him. “Sir! You have to- hey!” Ekyt pushed past the secretary, earning a glare. “Can I help you?” the frustrated principal asked with a sigh. “Yes. Yes, you can. Greg Hillman. I heard what happened. You can’t expel him for defending himself.” Mr. Wilder stood up. He was about Ekyt’s height, but with a bigger stomach. He poked Ekyt in the chest several time. “He violated school rules. I run the school, I decide the punishments. You got that?” The principal aimed a fat finger at Ekyt. It hovered about a 1/8 inch away from his nose. Ekyt stared back, before grabbing the principal’s finger. “Don’t poke me. Look, I know what you’re thinking, and it would be stupid. Waster potential. And you’d make a lot of enemies…Greg…his parents…his friends…and me.” Ekyt snarled the last word, glaring at the principal. “I’m not here to scare you. I’m here to make sure you don’t make a stupid mistake…One that might bite you later. So you let him back into school, and do the right thing. Can I count on you to do that?” Ekyt placed a hand on Mr. Wilder’s shoulder. “S-sure.” “Glad we talked. Any more problems, let me know.” Ekyt gave a smile and swept out. Greg walked, his mouth open in surprise. “That…was…COOL!” Ekyt grinned. “Yeah, it comes in handy being the “scariest guy in town.” I hated to do that, but he seemed awfully keen on kicking you out.” Ekyt stopped. “Greg…Has anything else gone on at school?” Greg hesitated. “You can trust me Greg. I’m not going to do anything to hurt you. If something else is going on, I need to know.” Ekyt knelt down, looking Greg in the eye. Without a sound, Greg pushed back his hair. There was a series of bruises. But they weren’t kid-sized. An adult’s knuckles had hit Greg at least three times. “Who did it Greg?” “He’ll kill me…” Greg murmered. Ekyt felt his eyes enlarge. “C’mon, we’ll talk to the police, okay? They can help.”

“…And then Mr. Brackter hit me…” Greg finished. He looked up at the adults in the room. One police officer scratches his head. The other shook his head sadly. “Greg, thank you for telling us. We need to speak with Mr. Brackter. We won’t tell him you said anything…” “I don’t think that will work.” Ekyt, who was standing behind Greg, had a hand on his chin. “He’ll know it was Greg. How about this: I’ll go in and tell his I saw everything…” “If you’re willing to try it…” Officer Piota told him. “You bet. I don’t know if Greg should see this…” Greg laughed. “I want to see it. I can handle it. I laid in a hospital bed for a long time. Besides, it’s not like I haven’t seen you fight before.”

Mr. Brackter looked up at the knock on his door. “Come in.” He was grading test papers. He was a smaller man, with wavy blonde hair, gelled stylishly, and glasses with black rims that made him look like he was back in college. “Hi. I’m here to talk to you about Greg Hillman. You’re Mr. Brackter, right?” “Yes. Please, call me Tony.” “Okay…Tony. How is Greg doing in school?” “He’s one of my brightest students.” “Any bullying, anything like that?” Ekyt asked. “No, not at all. He’s a little clumsy. He fell down the stairs the other day, and if I hadn’t…what?” Ekyt had stood up. “Stairs…leaving a fist-shaped pattern on his forehead…what are the chances?” Mr. Brackter looked up. “I don’t know what you’re suggesting…” “I’m suggesting you hit Greg. Who else have you abused…Tony.” Mr. Brackter took off his glasses. “You rotten kid!” He threw a piece of chalk at Ekyt.

Linda laid awake on her bed that night. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, she managed one more thought about Ekyt. Maybe that’s why she had a dream about him…

Ekyt started in his normal clothes, fighting. “You okay? Hang on back there!” he was driving a motorcycle, dodging potholes in the road. The road seemed endless. Then, things suddenly changed.

Ekyt was wearing a suit. His shirt had been torn open, and someone whose face Linda couldn’t see had him by his tie. That image faded too, and to another one.

Ekyt had on jeans and a white shirt. He looked like a normal high school senior. He seemed to be hitting on some girl. She watched in anger as he stroked her back, and then her butt. She knew Ekyt wouldn’t do that, and never had. Another part of the dream took it’s place…

Ekyt wore a long, white lab coat. He was holding a needle, about to put it in a struggling…echidna? “Easy with that thing doc! I’ve got to get back to the master emerald!” Linda shook her head. It disappeared. It was replaced by the last, and most disturbing image.

The master emerald was tied around Ekyt’s leg, like a leg iron. A sullen, older Ekyt sat silently. “It’s time to end this.” Eggman walked around the table. “C’mon Ekyt, fight!” Eggman walked around Ekyt. “No family…you’re going to die alone…at my hands…no one here to save you…just the way I pictured it. Goodbye, you royal pain.” This Ekyt did nothing. He lowered his head. Eggman punched him, cracking the mask. It fell to the floor, broken in half. He broke every bone in Ekyt’s body, while the human did nothing. He never opened his mouth as though to scream. Eggman laughed as he lifted the human up and threw him off a cliff…

“Okay, you’re guilty!” Ekyt spat, dodging the chalk. “Tony” grabbed a ruler and swung wildly. Ekyt stepped to the side and led Tony swing. He leapt toward Tony, and threw him into the hallway. He skidded across the hall and into a locker. He tried to get up and run, but Ekyt had him in an instant. He slammed him into the lockers. “Hitting kids was a mistake…Attacking me was a good one, too…but hitting a defenseless kid…you’re a coward.” Tony kicked Ekyt in the shin. Ekyt ignored the blow and slammed Tony’s head again. “Keep struggling, and I’ll turn over what’s left of you to the cops in a pencil case.” Tony kicked again. Ekyt dragged the man outside by raking him across a set of stairs, using his face to open the door, and kicking his leg out from under him. The police rushed up and handcuffed Tony Brackter. “I should’ve killed you, you little squirt!” He snarled as he struggled. Greg’s face morphed into a mask of fear. Ekyt leapt at Tony, punching him until he was restrained. “If you threaten him again…So help me…” The police restrained him. “It’s okay, he’s going to get what he deserves. Thanks for the help.” “My pleasure.” Another two policemen escorted Mr. Wilder out. “He and Brackter were in it together all along! Planned on kidnapping eventually, after they had intimidated the kids.” Ekyt nodded with a quick thanks. Right now, he knew Greg needed his attention.

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