Chương 6: 006

One story bled into the next until Lucy finally dozed against my side, tears long dried. A tiny smile curved her lips. I returned it, tucking the blankets around her more snugly. It was close enough to bedtime anyway. No point waking her now. I rose, ignoring the crack in my back, and slipped out to the boys' room. A few kids filtered in behind me, some waving, others tugging me into quick hugs. Their excited squeals cut off when I gently shushed them, nodding back toward Lucy's door.

By the time I reached my bed, exhaustion dragged at my limbs like cinder blocks. Soft snores filled the room, a low, steady hum meant to be comforting. It wasn't enough. Fifty returns. I'd hoped never to hit that hollow milestone. It isn't your fault, kid. Karma's voice slid in, firm and certain. Not once in the time I've known you have you given anyone a reason to bring you back. I bit back a snort. So we're blaming my shit luck then? One or two returns, unfortunately normal. Cold feet. Money trouble.

Life happening. But fifty? The common denominator is me. Chaos did say people have luck stats, she mused. When I get you here, I'll ask him to check yours. I folded my arms beneath my head and let out a humorless huff. If my life's any indication, it's negative. Her laugh rippled through my mind. Impossible. There's never been a negative stat in all of Nexus. A pause. Here, I'll even ask Time. He's been here since the beginning. The door slammed open.

I jerked upright, a curse dying in my throat when I caught Lucy's silhouette in the dark. What? Karma snapped, instantly alert. Give me a second.

"You know you're not supposed to be in here, Luce," I murmured, swinging my legs off the bed. A few of the boys groaned in agreement. Only Lucy crossed the distance and slammed into my chest hard enough to rock me backward.

"Lucas," she sobbed, fingers clutching my shirt.

"He's in the girls' dorm. He's been trying all week. He likes Maddy, but Ms. Rufes stopped him. Nik-." Fuck.

"There's a new boy?" I set her gently on the bed, already moving.

"And no one told me?" There's protocol for that? Karma asked warily. For good reason. My jaw tightened. Doesn't happen often, but sometimes the home gets…troubled kids. Ones who think rules don't apply to them. Ms. Rufes keeps things under control, but she's only one person. This would be the third time I'd had to step in. I turned back to Lucy.

"Stay here. Don't move. Don't come out until I say so." I caught one flash of tearful eyes before she burrowed into my blankets. The sight twisted something sharp in my chest, but there was no time for that now. Keeping quiet, I crossed the hall. The girls' dorm door was already open. Soft, frightened whimpers drifted out, spiking my pulse through the roof. Moonlight spilled through the window, catching a hunched figure crouched beside one of the beds. His hand reached beneath it.

When the light hit his face, it revealed a twisted grin. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Come on," he coaxed.

"You wanna play, don't you? We don't gotta tell anyone." Maddy pressed herself flat against the wall.

"Get away, you fucking creep!" His grin soured.

"That's mean. I just wanna-." Her eyes met mine over his shoulder. Relief chased away the fear like a light scattering darkness. I didn't hesitate. My foot drove into his side with everything I had. He spun away with a grunt, slamming into a bed frame.

"Who the hell are you?" he hissed, clutching his ribs. I planted myself between him and Maddy.

"Someone who's going to get you locked up, prick." His lips curled.

"I'm not going to juvie because of some goody-goody snotnose. Get out of my way, or I'll beat your ass and finish having my fun." I didn't move.

"Over my corpse." Kid, Karma hissed. You sure about this? You're not a fighter and this kid looks…. Like he's on steroids. I swallowed. Yeah. I know. Didn't matter. He isn't getting to her. Or any of the others. I'll drag both of us to hell first. Something must've shown on my face. He scoffed and stepped forward.

"Your funeral-." I struck first. My elbow cracked into the bridge of his nose. He reeled back with a snarl, blinking away tears as molten rage twisted his features.

"You're dead." He slammed into me, driving us backward. Cold metal bit into my spine as the bed frame groaned against the wall. His forearm crushed my throat, cutting off air.

"You think you're tough?" he sneered.

"You're a stick. What can you do?" A fist cracked into my jaw, pain blooming shortly after, fighting with the dizzy lightheadedness from lack of oxygen. Kid! Karma's shout echoed through my dizzy head, but I focused past that. I couldn't afford to pass out, not now. My knee drove up into his groin with everything I had. His grip loosened just enough for me to gasp in air as his howl shattered the room. Footsteps thundered from upstairs. Relief surged through me.

"Ms. Rufes is up," I wheezed.

"You're done. You've got witnesses, you can't talk your way out of this."

"Fuck you!" He lunged again. I dodged what I could, ducking and weaving, painfully aware of the girls behind me. Blows landed anyway, glancing and brutal. My ribs screamed. My leg buckled. My jaw throbbed. An elbow split my lip, followed by the rush of copper flooding my mouth. Damn it, kid. Get help! Karma pleaded. You aren't a fighter, you can't win this! I don't need to win. I spat blood and forced myself upright. I just need to stay standing. He was bigger. Stronger. But I was faster.

Most of his punches cut air, frustration slowing him bit by bit. Every hit I landed made him flinch harder. I couldn't stop. Couldn't slow down. Not even for a breath. If he got past me… Maddy's terrified eyes flashed through my mind. No, not happening. The floor slammed into my side again. I dragged myself back up. His breathing turned ragged; pain warped his face.

"Stay down, you damn cockroach!" he snarled. His fist missed. My knee drove into his gut. When he folded, my elbow snapped into his head. He staggered, barely staying upright, one hand clutching his skull. He couldn't keep this up much longer, but neither could I. Bruises stacked atop bruises. My body screamed for me to stop. I needed to end this. Now.