"Cause it's the way we talk,

the way we walk,

the way your words connect my thoughts.

The way
we move,

the way we stand, the way our world is in your hands.

My life's just like a prison, we
shout but no one listens.

We're set, all in position,

use us, take us, break us!"

-"Quicken" by Thousand Foot Krutch

/---------\

c h A p t E r O NN e:

What the hell?

Over the noises of the city and the sound of the heavy wind, Carter heard another sound. It was like a mix between the screech of a wounded animal and a high pitched horn. His body went cold and his heart stopped. Without realizing it his hands closed into fists. He looked down at his fists and questioned his own reaction. What is there to be afraid of? He sighed and un-tensed his body, as he lowered his shoulders and his shirt touched his skin he noticed the thick layer of sweat that had formed on his body. He chided himself for getting so scared of a noise and continued his walk home from school.

Carter's fear slowly dissipated with each step, almost as if he was walking away from death. The idea of it made him queasy and paranoid. Every few minutes he would turn around, only to see his own shadow. Calm down, Carter, he told himself over and over. He had nothing to be afraid of, well except maybe of the speeding metal death traps whirling around him. He was never very fond of cars, which is why he refused to take the bus and his sister whenever she asked to drive him to and from school. Whenever he thought about it he wondered why his sister had never been afraid of cars, like he was. They both had reason to.

He licked his chapped lips, that were cracked and swollen from the cold, crisp air. He tasted the salt from his sweat and spit almost instantly from repulsion. He stopped and turned to the pouch on the side of his backpack that had a water bottle. He cracked the lid and took a swig of the water. Luckily it had been chilled from the weather and he felt relieved as the cold water cooled his system down. His mind and body felt refreshed, he closed his eyes and smiled. You see, it's not that bad.

Carter opened his eyes expecting to see the same line of sidewalk that he had before but instead there was a man in it's place. Carter did a double-take of the man. He was short and in a light button-up shirt that was partially tucked into dark slacks. The man looked completely disheveled, with crazy blond hair and deranged hazel eyes. Altogether, the man looked insane. Carter remembered his sister's warnings to avoid adults at all costs because, no one in the city can be trusted. Out of all the times he's walked home he's only ever ran into other kids from school, never anyone over the age of eighteen, being seventeen himself he never really thought much of it but, his sister was right. Avoid adults at all costs, especially the crazy looking ones.

The man smiled when he realized that Carter was eying him. "Good afternoon, kid. My name is Scott, what's yours?" The man licked his lips quickly and Carter wondered if the man had done the movement at all.

"My name is Carter," he wondered if he should have given the man his name but, it didn't really matter if a random guy knew his name, really? What could someone do with just a first name, anyway? "If you don't mind, I have to go, I'm sorry." He sidestepped but, the man stepped with him.

Scott licked his lips again and smiled. "You're not going anywhere, Carter Maverick." He stuck his hands in his pockets nonchalantly and licked his lips again.

Carter's body ran even colder and he set his jaw. "What the fuck, man? Come on, I don't have time for this." He scratched his head, all of his hairs were sticking up and his whole body itched and ached. It was almost as if his body was telling his brain to run, run very far away.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. That's really not cool, kid." Scott said waving his finger as he wet his lips once again. "You're not leaving." Carter growled at him and tried to walk past him once again but, Scott put a hand on his chest, pushing him back. He took his hand out of his other pocket and flipped open a switchblade. "I'm serious," he said in a sing-songy voice.

Carter's eyes went wide and he took a couple steps back and ran into another person. He looked behind him and saw a hooded figure with huge muscles. His insides melted. "What do you guys want? I'm just a kid! I don't have anything for you."

Scott licked his lips and smiled. "Sure you do." He reached with his hand and Carter thought he was going to be hit so he snapped his eyes shut. He felt a light poke to his forehead and cautiously opened his eyes. "Your brain you, fuddyduddy."

Carter was starting to get irritated. "I'm sure you could use a brain but, get someone else's." Carter let out a frustrated sigh. "Can you please just let me go?" Carter didn't see that happening unless he caught Scott off guard and got the knife, which he was pretty sure he could do. Scott was holding the switchblade very loosely and Carter could tell that he wasn't all that used to holding such a small knife, it was almost as if he was expecting to be holding something a lot bigger and more lethal. Carter sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets, trying to look surreptitious as he searched for loose change.

Scott licked his lips and cocked his head to the side. "So what's your choice? Do you come with us peacefully or do we have to use force?" Carter found a quarter and flipped it into his closed hand. Carter inched a little closer to Scott, who smiled, so sure that he had gotten what he wanted.

Carter smirked a few inches from Scott. "I'd rather die than go with you retards." Carter positioned the quarter on the top of his thumb and flipped it. The second it left his finger he knew it wouldn't work. He squeezed his eyes shut and willed the quarter to smack Scott in his eye. Hit him. Hit him. Hit him. He begged in his head.

"What the hell?" He heard Scott say, completely shocked. Carter snapped his eyes open and slapped the switchblade from Scott's grip and snatched it. He instantly slashed at Scott and got contact with his arm. He heard Scott yelp in pain and surprise.

Then, Carter did what any teenager that just got mugged would do. He ran.