“Here Bro, you’ll need something to keep your gear in.”
Wade looked up at the figure in his door way as the green military style duffle bag hit the ground near his feet. Fitting, he thought. He may as well have been shipping out to the army. Everything was going to change, he was sure of that.
“Seriously, don’t call me that.” Wade responded with a somewhat sullen tone as he scooped up the bag.
“What? Bro?” His older brother Rick asked as he shifted to casually lean against the door frame leading into Wade’s bedroom.
“Yeah.”
Rick just shrugged and nodded even though it was clear he didn’t really understand Wade’s reasons for the request. Wade had no interest in sharing it either as he began to stuff his meager pile of clothes into the duffle. If he never heard the word “bro” again it would be too soon. All the guys in his old group of friends had used that word way too often. ‘Bro, what’s up?!’, ‘That was sick, Bro!!’, ‘Bro! She’s so hot, you need to hit that!’.
Wade could sense Rick’s eyes watching him as he packed and after a few minutes the feeling of being watched was making him uncomfortable.
“So… uh, see all your old friends?” Wade asked in an effort to end the suddenly awkward silence.
“Nah. A few. The ones I wanted to. Just kinda kept a low profile.”
“Don’t blame ya, I’d be embarrassed to be my brother too.”
“Whoa. Stop it. I’m not embarrassed by you. At all.” Rick replied sternly.
“Good to know someone in the family isn’t.”
“Wade. Forget Dad and Mom. They’re small town, always will be. Hell, why do you think I left for the Army?” Rick asked, then paused for a few moments. When all Wade did was shrug for an answer he continued on. “In this town, you get out early, or you don’t get out. Trust me. I’ve already seen it with the guys I knew. Talkin’ about leaving still, but they won’t. They’re all getting jobs and stuff. The reasons to stay will out weigh the reasons to go soon. This is your chance to get out! And you’re sulking like a bitch about it!”
Wade watched his brother turn and walk from his room. He couldn’t tell if he had been angry or just frustrated. Grabbing the ticket from on his desk he spent a moment reading it over. One way, Falls Plain to Paragon city. Did his parents even expect him to come back? Christ, they hadn’t even been big enough to spring for a plane ticket. Or see him off today. Now that he’d pissed off Rick, he suspected he’d be walking to the train station to boot. If a year ago someone had told Wade that he would be leaving town a dismal failure, with no one even caring enough to see him off, he would have laughed himself to death. Now it didn’t seem funny at all.
With one last look around the house, he grabbed the duffle bag from his room and walked out the front door. He stopped once he saw Rick leaning against the hood of their Father’s pick up truck parked in the driveway.
“Don’t worry Bro… err, Wade. I’ll always have your back. Now come on and jump in, you got a future ahead of you.”
“Think so?”
“Little brother… I know so.” Rick offered with a genuine smile.
But Wade still had his doubts. A lot of doubts.
Clean Slate
-
Wade Braddock
- Former Member
- Posts:93
- Joined:Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:21 pm
- Location:Vancouver, BC
There is no, more moving, religious experience than cheating a cheater.
-
Wade Braddock
- Former Member
- Posts:93
- Joined:Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:21 pm
- Location:Vancouver, BC
Re: Clean Slate
The Train rocked slightly side to side in what had become a soothing sort of motion. Wade watched the flat mid-western landscape roll by and began to wonder if he’d made the right choice after all. Was leaving town the best thing? Sure, things in Falls Plain had turned pretty sour in recent months but what did his leaving say about him? He was always the hardest one on quitters and people who complained things had gotten too tough and now all the kids would be saying that exact thing about him. He was a quitter, a coward. It made him angry.
Maybe he would get to this Academy in Paragon and find out that everyone had been wrong. Maybe he’s not one of those meta-human freaks. It wasn’t like bullets bounced off him, he still bled and felt pain. Sure, he could bench press over 900 pounds, but that wasn’t even all that close to the current world record. It wasn’t like he could lift and throw cars down the road, and he didn’t have lasers that shot out of his ass. So, just because he was big everyone assumed he was a Meta-human. They didn’t even do any tests!
Actually, Wade conceded that he didn’t even know if there were any tests to run. But if there was, this Westbrook place should have them. If they could clear him somehow, he could always go home and things would go back to how they were supposed to be. Right? Somehow Wade doubted anything would be the same in town, even if he did get him self certified as a real human. Could he really be friends again with all those losers who had dropped him on a moment’s notice? Did he want those kind of people around him, just waiting for a chance to turn their backs again.
As Wade thought about it, he wondered what he would have done had it been someone else. What if he wasn’t the freak, but say, Reggie or Brent that had turned out to be the one tagged as Meta-human? Would he have turned his back on them? Would he have had any choice? Status was paramount in Falls Plain, and it could be lost just as fast as it was gained. A fact Wade was painfully aware of. The more he considered it, the more his heart sank. He knew that had he been in another’s shoes, he would have done the same thing. What did that say about him?
He was a selfish bastard who cared more about looking out for himself than for others. But who wasn’t? Get yours. That was the motto these days right? Pulling out his iPod, Wade made the decision then and there. There was no one in life you could completely trust. Anything he was going to get in life, he’d have to get for himself. He’d guard against all the fakes and users out there who just wanted a piece of him for their own ends. From here on out, it was him versus the world.
Maybe he would get to this Academy in Paragon and find out that everyone had been wrong. Maybe he’s not one of those meta-human freaks. It wasn’t like bullets bounced off him, he still bled and felt pain. Sure, he could bench press over 900 pounds, but that wasn’t even all that close to the current world record. It wasn’t like he could lift and throw cars down the road, and he didn’t have lasers that shot out of his ass. So, just because he was big everyone assumed he was a Meta-human. They didn’t even do any tests!
Actually, Wade conceded that he didn’t even know if there were any tests to run. But if there was, this Westbrook place should have them. If they could clear him somehow, he could always go home and things would go back to how they were supposed to be. Right? Somehow Wade doubted anything would be the same in town, even if he did get him self certified as a real human. Could he really be friends again with all those losers who had dropped him on a moment’s notice? Did he want those kind of people around him, just waiting for a chance to turn their backs again.
As Wade thought about it, he wondered what he would have done had it been someone else. What if he wasn’t the freak, but say, Reggie or Brent that had turned out to be the one tagged as Meta-human? Would he have turned his back on them? Would he have had any choice? Status was paramount in Falls Plain, and it could be lost just as fast as it was gained. A fact Wade was painfully aware of. The more he considered it, the more his heart sank. He knew that had he been in another’s shoes, he would have done the same thing. What did that say about him?
He was a selfish bastard who cared more about looking out for himself than for others. But who wasn’t? Get yours. That was the motto these days right? Pulling out his iPod, Wade made the decision then and there. There was no one in life you could completely trust. Anything he was going to get in life, he’d have to get for himself. He’d guard against all the fakes and users out there who just wanted a piece of him for their own ends. From here on out, it was him versus the world.
There is no, more moving, religious experience than cheating a cheater.
-
Wade Braddock
- Former Member
- Posts:93
- Joined:Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:21 pm
- Location:Vancouver, BC
Re: Clean Slate
Kansas City was the biggest city that Wade had ever been to, but it seemed small compared to Paragon City. In KC, buildings over 15 floors were few and far between but in Paragon City they seemed to be everywhere. There was more people too, more lights, more noise, more everything it seemed. Wade didn’t really have a chance to see too much of the city though, just what sights he could catch from the backseat of the taxi he was stuffed into.
Pulling out his phone, he checked the display and noted that he was pretty much running right on time. It appeared that Amtrak was as efficient as they claimed. The taxi also seemed to be making smooth progress through the city. Like it or not, Westbrook Academy was creeping closer and closer. Even though it was the evening, they had agreed to give him his tour and help him get settled in. That was cool of them. It would have been a hassle to try to find someplace to sleep for a night. Of course, if things didn’t go well it could become way more than just a hassle. He’d be stuck trying to find someplace to stay late at night, in a strange city surrounded by some very strange people.
Strange. That was the best word for Paragon so far. People didn’t even look at Wade twice. It was almost as if they were used to seeing giant teenagers wandering their train stations. Wade supposed it made some degree of sense, if there were as many meta-humans in the city as people had claimed. Sadly he’d found no concrete numbers on Google, some sites seemed to claim every second person was a meta, others put the number as low as a few hundred citizens. Wade assumed the actual number was somewhere in the middle, after all the city had a few different academies dedicated to young Meta-humans.
“Almost there, Pal.” The Taxi driver called over his shoulder and gestured towards a building up the road. “You paying cash, or credit?”
“Cash.” Wade answered somewhat absently. His attention had become focused on his destination. It was so close now.
It was go time. Wade took a deep breath to calm himself. He had been in bigger pressure moments than this. All those times on the football field, or baseball diamond when the game was on the line? He’d always come up big in those situations. So why did this feel so different? Maybe because it was, Wade realized as the Taxi pulled up to the building. Sports were something he knew. Hit a ball, tackle a person. He knew what he had to do in those situations, but this… this would be an unknown.
Handing the cabbie a few bills, Wade didn’t even ask for change and didn’t notice the cabbie wasn’t quick to even offer it to him. He grabbed his bag from the seat beside him and opened the door. Squeezing out of the back seat he stood and stretched his cramped muscles.
“Ok.” He told himself quietly. “Just look around, meet some people, and then get to work on figuring out this whole meta-human thing or whatever. Don’t count on anyone. Do it yourself, it’s just you against everyone.”
Wade took another breath and allowed himself to relax. His face assumed the stoic expression he’d practiced for the last few months. Don’t show them anything, keep them guessing. Wade was certain everyone in this academy would want a piece of him for something or other. He was damned if he was going to get used again.
Pushing open the entrance doors he walked inside.
Pulling out his phone, he checked the display and noted that he was pretty much running right on time. It appeared that Amtrak was as efficient as they claimed. The taxi also seemed to be making smooth progress through the city. Like it or not, Westbrook Academy was creeping closer and closer. Even though it was the evening, they had agreed to give him his tour and help him get settled in. That was cool of them. It would have been a hassle to try to find someplace to sleep for a night. Of course, if things didn’t go well it could become way more than just a hassle. He’d be stuck trying to find someplace to stay late at night, in a strange city surrounded by some very strange people.
Strange. That was the best word for Paragon so far. People didn’t even look at Wade twice. It was almost as if they were used to seeing giant teenagers wandering their train stations. Wade supposed it made some degree of sense, if there were as many meta-humans in the city as people had claimed. Sadly he’d found no concrete numbers on Google, some sites seemed to claim every second person was a meta, others put the number as low as a few hundred citizens. Wade assumed the actual number was somewhere in the middle, after all the city had a few different academies dedicated to young Meta-humans.
“Almost there, Pal.” The Taxi driver called over his shoulder and gestured towards a building up the road. “You paying cash, or credit?”
“Cash.” Wade answered somewhat absently. His attention had become focused on his destination. It was so close now.
It was go time. Wade took a deep breath to calm himself. He had been in bigger pressure moments than this. All those times on the football field, or baseball diamond when the game was on the line? He’d always come up big in those situations. So why did this feel so different? Maybe because it was, Wade realized as the Taxi pulled up to the building. Sports were something he knew. Hit a ball, tackle a person. He knew what he had to do in those situations, but this… this would be an unknown.
Handing the cabbie a few bills, Wade didn’t even ask for change and didn’t notice the cabbie wasn’t quick to even offer it to him. He grabbed his bag from the seat beside him and opened the door. Squeezing out of the back seat he stood and stretched his cramped muscles.
“Ok.” He told himself quietly. “Just look around, meet some people, and then get to work on figuring out this whole meta-human thing or whatever. Don’t count on anyone. Do it yourself, it’s just you against everyone.”
Wade took another breath and allowed himself to relax. His face assumed the stoic expression he’d practiced for the last few months. Don’t show them anything, keep them guessing. Wade was certain everyone in this academy would want a piece of him for something or other. He was damned if he was going to get used again.
Pushing open the entrance doors he walked inside.
There is no, more moving, religious experience than cheating a cheater.
-
Wade Braddock
- Former Member
- Posts:93
- Joined:Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:21 pm
- Location:Vancouver, BC
Re: Clean Slate
What the hell had happened? How could things have been so opposite from what he’d imagined they would be? It started right from the first moment he walked in. Wade had expected some teacher or principal type to meet him and give him a stack of forms and papers to read over, but what did they send? A freaking cheerleader!
Cheerleaders were the very worst kind of person on the planet. There was nothing worse. No one on the planet was more likely to be your best friend when right in front of you, then talk crap about you as soon as you were out of earshot. Fashion, popularity, gossip and fabricated drama. That was what a cheerleader’s life revolved around.
This Peyton seemed no different so far and Wade cursed himself for letting his emotional control slip near the end of the tour. But seeing all those other kids in that bunker room flying around and doing all the things Wade had only heard about or seen in comic books had been like a punch in the gut. Reality set in during that moment. He couldn’t deny things any longer, he was in a school for teenagers who had meta-human powers. And he was going to be one of them.
Wade didn’t recall walking back to the room the tour had started in, but before he knew it he was admitting his uncertainties to the cheerleader. She’d seemed pretty supportive and even offered up a few motivating comments, but Wade was sure as soon as they had parted she ran to her little group of friends and told them all about the new guy. The huge kid, who was nothing but a big pussy.
Maybe he should talk to her about it? Try to explain? No. Best not to. He didn’t want to give her any more ammunition to gossip about him. He’d just stay clear of her and any other cheerleaders he came across. Even that would get them talking but hopefully the others would see it was all just talk.
But which others? He tried to remember the rest of the people he’d met. A few in the commons area seemed decent enough, most of them seemed fairly new as well. If he could recognize them again he would try to see if they were cool people. And what about the weird looking ones in the gym? Sondra and… someone. The beastie looking guy. She was a cheerleader too, and he was hanging out with her so they must be friends. The cheerleader was out just on principal, and if he was a friend of hers, well… guilty by association. Wasn’t that the term?
Who else? The Star Wars guy? Syd? Was that his name? He seemed to actually think he was a fictional character of some sort. Maybe he was crazy, maybe he was harmless… it was hard to tell. Actually, Wade could remember Gregory Ridley from back home. The two had been friends in elementary school. Greg was way into Star Wars too. He hadn’t been that bad a guy really, but once Wade became the star athlete their friendship had fallen apart. Maybe he’d give Syd a chance. What could it hurt?
Juan. The spikey dude. He reminded Wade of the ‘Bro’ crowd back in Falls Plain and Wade found himself immediately liking his style. But that wasn’t his kind of friend any more, was it? No. He wouldn’t fall back in with a group of shallow, self absorbed people again. So what was the attraction there? Maybe it was the only familiar thing Wade had experienced that night. A type of guy Wade knew, hell… a type of guy Wade was. Or used to be, he reminded himself.
“God damn… What am I now?” He wondered quietly as he lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.
What was he? A jock, a bro, a loner? What did he want to be? No one here knew him. No one here had any preconceived notions, he didn’t have any great expectations to live up to. Really, when he thought about it, he was free.
“A clean slate…” Wade shook his head gently and chuckled softly. His brother was right! Wade hadn’t really understood what he meant by ‘a clean slate’ until that moment. Wade had thought it meant getting away from the things that troubled him. But now he really grasped the implications. He could be what ever he wanted to be. Wade laced his fingers behind his head and closed his eyes. With the sudden realization had come a sensation of peacefulness, as well as fatigue from the long trip to the Academy. As his mind slipped towards the unconsciousness of sleep a last thought strayed through his mind.
What do I want to be?
Cheerleaders were the very worst kind of person on the planet. There was nothing worse. No one on the planet was more likely to be your best friend when right in front of you, then talk crap about you as soon as you were out of earshot. Fashion, popularity, gossip and fabricated drama. That was what a cheerleader’s life revolved around.
This Peyton seemed no different so far and Wade cursed himself for letting his emotional control slip near the end of the tour. But seeing all those other kids in that bunker room flying around and doing all the things Wade had only heard about or seen in comic books had been like a punch in the gut. Reality set in during that moment. He couldn’t deny things any longer, he was in a school for teenagers who had meta-human powers. And he was going to be one of them.
Wade didn’t recall walking back to the room the tour had started in, but before he knew it he was admitting his uncertainties to the cheerleader. She’d seemed pretty supportive and even offered up a few motivating comments, but Wade was sure as soon as they had parted she ran to her little group of friends and told them all about the new guy. The huge kid, who was nothing but a big pussy.
Maybe he should talk to her about it? Try to explain? No. Best not to. He didn’t want to give her any more ammunition to gossip about him. He’d just stay clear of her and any other cheerleaders he came across. Even that would get them talking but hopefully the others would see it was all just talk.
But which others? He tried to remember the rest of the people he’d met. A few in the commons area seemed decent enough, most of them seemed fairly new as well. If he could recognize them again he would try to see if they were cool people. And what about the weird looking ones in the gym? Sondra and… someone. The beastie looking guy. She was a cheerleader too, and he was hanging out with her so they must be friends. The cheerleader was out just on principal, and if he was a friend of hers, well… guilty by association. Wasn’t that the term?
Who else? The Star Wars guy? Syd? Was that his name? He seemed to actually think he was a fictional character of some sort. Maybe he was crazy, maybe he was harmless… it was hard to tell. Actually, Wade could remember Gregory Ridley from back home. The two had been friends in elementary school. Greg was way into Star Wars too. He hadn’t been that bad a guy really, but once Wade became the star athlete their friendship had fallen apart. Maybe he’d give Syd a chance. What could it hurt?
Juan. The spikey dude. He reminded Wade of the ‘Bro’ crowd back in Falls Plain and Wade found himself immediately liking his style. But that wasn’t his kind of friend any more, was it? No. He wouldn’t fall back in with a group of shallow, self absorbed people again. So what was the attraction there? Maybe it was the only familiar thing Wade had experienced that night. A type of guy Wade knew, hell… a type of guy Wade was. Or used to be, he reminded himself.
“God damn… What am I now?” He wondered quietly as he lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.
What was he? A jock, a bro, a loner? What did he want to be? No one here knew him. No one here had any preconceived notions, he didn’t have any great expectations to live up to. Really, when he thought about it, he was free.
“A clean slate…” Wade shook his head gently and chuckled softly. His brother was right! Wade hadn’t really understood what he meant by ‘a clean slate’ until that moment. Wade had thought it meant getting away from the things that troubled him. But now he really grasped the implications. He could be what ever he wanted to be. Wade laced his fingers behind his head and closed his eyes. With the sudden realization had come a sensation of peacefulness, as well as fatigue from the long trip to the Academy. As his mind slipped towards the unconsciousness of sleep a last thought strayed through his mind.
What do I want to be?
There is no, more moving, religious experience than cheating a cheater.
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