Action Cat

Frank found himself facing an unusual gym locker, the one for the athletics team. His eyes dared to look through the open slits, and saw nothing but darkness. Brow raised, Frank tapped at the metallic surface lightly. He could hear the fumbling of paper and pencils.
There was something inside. His interest in the locker grew, and he had a sudden urge to pry it open. Frank sighed hopelessly at the lock, wondering if there was a simple way to open it. “Shit,” he cursed in frustration. If this lock was the kind that required a key, he would do the classic ‘pick-a-lock’ method, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Instead, it was a spiral of numbers, in which only the correct combination could unlock it.

In middle school, some lockers had their combination on the backside so forgetful students could ramble through their lockers without interrupting an official to open it for them. Frank bit his lip; hoping athletics students were also forgetful. He flipped the lock, a grin spreading across his face.

“Presto,” he chuckled, writing the combination on his arm before spinning the spiral. Frank then adjusted the spin of the spiral, making sure the small line hit the numbers exactly. His hand pulled at the handle.

There was a person inside.

Chin length raven hair concealed their face, crimson running down their neck. Frank became worried, and became even more so when he noticed the way in which his shoulders were hunched to fit the confined space. His first reaction was to pull him out and set him down on the bench.

Frank managed to pull the figure out, watching as it limped to the seat. He pulled the strands from the face and behind their ears. A busted lip and a bruised eye, blood running from his mouth down.

“What happened?” Frank asked, startled.

The boy shook his head furiously. His head bowed to look down at his feet, avoiding eye contact with Frank at all costs. His lip trembled a bit.

“Um…” Frank began, holding out a slice of pizza. “Want some?”

Again, he shook his head. Frank threw his lunch aside, deciding that now wasn’t the time to eat. He placed his index finger on the boy’s lip, the blood fresh and spilling. “Is this coming from your mouth or your lip?” Frank questioned.

No answer.

“Okay,” Frank gave himself a few moments to think this through. “Hit this bench once if it’s from your mouth or teeth or something, twice if it’s from your lip, three times if it’s none of the above, and four if you have no fucking clue.”

One…two…three.

Frank panicked. “Alright, everything’s going to be alright,” Frank spoke nervously, and had a hard time believing himself. “Just um, can I report this to the school?” He sighed, and already knew the answer. Belleville wasn’t exactly the school that had reliable staff. “Okay, I have some medical stuff at my place so it’d be logical if we ditch and get you something. Let’s go, okay sunshine?”

Frank was wearing a large Black Flag hoodie and slipped it off, pulling it over the student.

“You just wear this, sweetheart, and,” he reached in his pant pocket for a pair of sunglasses, placing them over the teen’s eyes. “that, so you’re not suspicious. We’ll go to my place, get you patched up, and we can hang at my place until you’re good. How’s that sound?”

The teen cracked a light smile, as if to say: yes, I’d LOVE that.

Notes

new chapter c: they meet again!