The Faith Eaters, Chapter 2: Finals Week
The Glare is not a political animal. Intelligent, yes, and cunning. But it cares little for the machinations of man or nepharite. True, when Glare meets Glare, they will dance a complex dance and weave a tangled web. But their purpose is not to gain power or authority over the other. Their purpose is to feed. To feed on rage, anger, confusion, fear. They can be compared in many ways to farmers or, perhaps, ranchers -- though their methods are more akin to the raising of veal than steak.Almost immediately upon its discovery and release unto mankind, the Glare became one of Muawijhe�s favorite toys.
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Kinsborough North District High School. Finals Week of Terrance�s freshman year:
"Nerd." The word bites into his psyche, jaws locked, and tears into him. His Glare comes alert, ready to feed.
Terrance wears horn rimmed glasses. His trouser legs rise four inches above the tops of his brown pseudo-suede "CAP!" shoes. His socks don�t match (one black; one brown). The top button of his plaid shirt is fastened, concealing a white T-shirt beneath. Terrance isn�t good at basketball. He can�t catch a baseball. He can only bench press 56 pounds.
Terrance reads a lot. He gets good grades.
Perfect grades.
Terrance is a nerd...
...right?
Frank thinks so. IS thinking so as he shoves the boy into a row of lockers.
And says so. Again.
"Nerd."
Terrance only grips his books tighter and lowers his head, hoping no one in the accumulating crowd will see the tears welling in his eyes. His Glare laps up the delicate hors d�ouvers.
No luck.
"Well, look. Isn�t it sad? Little Terrance is cryin�," Frank leers. Frank�s Glare has been feeding well all morning.
There is a smattering of laughter from the crowd.
Strong hands grab a handful of Terrance�s shirt. "Are you OK little boy?" asks Frank, his voice a mockery of concern.
Those same strong hands, attached to equally strong arms (Frank can bench press 250 pounds) shake Terrance several times, slamming him back into the lockers. Terrance loses his grip on his books and they scatter across the hallway.
Frank laughs.
The crowd laughs.
Two Glares feed.
The buzzer sounds.
With a final parting shove, Frank turns away, spits a huge wad of chewing tobacco onto the floor, and goes to class. The crowd disperses, drifting down the halls to filter through doorways, into classrooms. No one stays to help Terrance collect his scattered text books and folders. No one cares. His Glare defecates, excreting waste from his snack into Terrance�s bloodstream.
STUDENT HANDBOOK: PAGE 7, PARAGRAPH 3
STUDENTS FOUND TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PHYSICAL ABUSE OF A FELLOW STUDENT SHALL BE PUNISHED ACCORDINGLY. FIRST OFFENSE: ONE DAY IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION....The next day was quieter...
The day after was not.
Frank was back in class.
"Only one thing worsen� a nerd," Frank spats, "an� that�s a narc!"
...Different day, same scene... almost...
Frank�s Glare is hungry, of course. It always is. But last time Frank was just goofing around. Now he�s mad.
SLAM! ...into the lockers...
The hands pin Terrance�s shoulders to a locker. Frank glares at his victim for a long moment, then his lips turn upward into a grin...pucker...emit a stream of sticky brown mucus ...return to a grin. Terrance watches as the mixture of saliva and tobacco slowly crawls down the left lens of his glasses. Terrance shudders in disgust and fear. His Glare nibbles on its new meal.
"Terrance here is shakin� like a baby,� says Frank.
The crowd is back.
The crowd laughs.
Two Glares feed. Another scuttles up the trouser leg of a girl in the crowd and settles near her collar.
The buzzer sounds.
"Seeya �round, Terrance," Frank sneers.
A good-bye shove and the crowd clears.
STUDENT HANDBOOK: PAGE 7, PARAGRAPH 3
STUDENTS FOUND TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PHYSICAL ABUSE OF A FELLOW STUDENT SHALL BE PUNISHED ACCORDINGLY. SECOND OFFENSE: THREE DAYS IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION/CALL HOME....three days of safety. Terrance�s Glare rests. Terrance flunks an exam.
Terrance has NEVER flunked a exam before.
Terrance must be scared.
Frank is back.
Frank missed two football turnouts and a game.
Frank is really pissed off.
Frank tells Terrance: "Terrance, my little friend, I am REALLY pissed off." His Glare gorges itself on rage.
Terrance has all his books in his arms. He had hoped to get away from his locker and stay away all day.
Oops... too bad. His Glare rouses itself and laps up some angst.
...body slams into lockers... books, papers scatter... fist hits shoulder... instant bruise... charley horse... lifting... lifting... lifting...
...and into garbage can...
...crowd laughs...
...Frank kicks garbage can over...
...Terrance sprawls...
"...any more sh!t from you Terrance! I don�t want any more SH!T!" Frank�s Glare feeds and defecates.
...buzzer sounds...
...crowd is gone...
...Frank is gone...
Terrance picks himself up off the floor. He uses the tail of his shirt to wipe his nose. He dries his eyes. He gathers his books. He walks to the principal's office.
STUDENT HANDBOOK: PAGE 7, PARAGRAPH 3
STUDENTS FOUND TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PHYSICAL ABUSE OF A FELLOW STUDENT SHALL BE PUNISHED ACCORDINGLY. THIRD OFFENSE: THREE DAYS OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSION/CALL HOME....Three more days of safety...
Terrance didn�t finish his homework last night.
Terrance is REALLY scared.
His Glare is growing fat.
...Frank missed another football game...
Frank�s parent�s had a little talk with their son. That talk included two week�s grounding from the car.
The crowd has gathered around the lockers again -- to watch Frank confront Terrance. From the base of Terrance�s neck, K�T�AitCH says hello to EE-A�RCKK, and both Glares prepare to dine.
"Look, Terrance..."
Terrance smashes into the lockers again. His shoulder hits a door squarely -- leaves a dent.
"You�ve gotten me in a lotta trouble, Terrance." Frank�s eye�s glow with a blaze of anger. His Glare quivers with anticipation. "I can�t drive my car fer two weeks. The coach is mad at me. I�m mad at YOU!
"But I�m a nice guy." Frank turns his face to the surrounding crowd. "I�m a nice guy, right?"
A murmur of agreement from the crowd.
Franks nods. "So, I�ll give you a break, Terrance. If you kiss my feet," he snickers. He slaps a callused hand on the back of Terrance�s neck -- K�T�AitCH laps up the unique flavor dripping off of Frank -- and forces Terrance to his knees.
"Go on. Just DO it!"
Terrance drops his books in a heap on the floor and lowers his face towards Frank's boot. Tears well up in his eyes.
But Frank isn�t really a nice guy any more. His foot lashes out, catching Terrance squarely in the face.
...nose broken...
...buzzer...buzzer sounding...
...Fuc&in� nerd...
...crowd gone...
Terrance drags himself to his feet, using the dented garbage can for support. A glazed look enters his eyes as he slowly gathers his books from the floor, stacks them neatly in a pile and lowers himself to the floor beside them. His Glare belches after its meal and excretes a large deposit of feces into Terrance�s bloodstream.
Terrance stares at his books for nearly ten minutes, blood from his nose crusting over his upper lip, blood from his split upper lip gliding around the curve of his chin to drip into his lap. Then he reaches out a hand and begins to meticulously organize his books by order of period. He then does the same with his folders -- then pulls himself back to his feet and walks down the hall, through the main doors and into the street.
...next morning...
Terrance is standing with his back to the hall.
Frank is walking toward him. "Hey, Terrance," Frank yells. "Howz yer face? Guess you didn�t narc this time, huh?"
Terrance turns from his locker. His eyes are empty, bereft of all feeling, all emotion. They seem to stare through Frank�s chest. Frank stops walking and takes a nervous step back as his brain and his Glare register the hollow-eyed, blood encrusted visage before them...
--Terrance hasn�t washed his face--
...and the dark barrel of the gun reaching out to swallow them.
Frank takes another step back. "No way, Terrance. No WAY!
"It probably ain�t even real..!
"...not loaded..!
"...not even..."
STUDENT HANDBOOK: PAGE 7, PARAGRAPH 3
STUDENTS FOUND TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PHYSICAL ABUSE OF A FELLOW STUDENT SHALL BE PUNISHED ACCORDINGLY...Terrance walked down the hall, through the main doors and into the street. K�T�AitCH settled in for a nap as Terrance turned to the south and continued walking.
EE-A�RCKK shat to clear its bowels, detached itself from its dead host and cast a hateful glance at Terrance�s back, then skittered off down the hallway in search of a meal.
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