Blue Rush

The rest of the day was a nightmare. I overheard people all over school talking about the scene I caused earlier, and people were coming up to ask me if I was okay. That's more attention than I wanted. I hate being in the spotlight. People can't just ever mind their own business. But on top of that, there was Archie.

Archie moved like a freaking stalker for the remainer of the day, watching me from behind everything he could find. It was weird, and extremely creepy. I'm pretty sure I know the guy, and he doesn't have the balls to actually come after me… right? This question bothered me most. I thought I knew the guy back in middle school, but then he tried to force me to take rush pills.

We were in the 6th grade. It was an unholy hour of the morning. Like around 3 or something. Nothing good happens at such a time. Except maybe childbirth depending on if you like children or not. But earlier that day, Archie was passed some free Rush pills by an upperclassman. We were taught not to do drugs, especially Rush since it is so prevalent in out society. But Archie was always the type for bright ideas.

I remember we couldn't sleep that night, and we were up talking about the drugs we'd received earlier in the day.

"Do you think they taste good?" Archie asked, looking at the pills in the little box.

"I dunno," I said watching him.

"They make you super-fast and strong is what I hear," he said taking one out and scratching his head of curly red hair.

"Like a superhero?" I said excitedly. I was huge into comics back then.

"Just like a superhero!" Archie replied standing up.

He held the pill up above his head. "We could be heroes, Evan! We'll stop all of the bad guys!"

I stood up next to him. "Yeah!"

Archie then put the pill up to his mouth, ready to ingest it.

I gasped and I grabbed his hand. "No! You can't!"

Archie looked at me, excitement still in his eyes. "Why not? We'll have powers!"

I sat back down. "Mom says those can make you really really sick. She's seen it at her job."

"I'm okay with being sick if it means I can be a superhero," Archie said, holding the pill up to his eye.

I shook my head. "We can't. It's not a good idea."

Archie shrugged. "I'll just be superhero without you."

I leapt at him, but I was too late. The pill was already in his mouth. I watched in horror as he swallowed it.

We sat in silence for a minute.

"Anything?" I whispered.

Archie shakes his head. "Nothing. Not even powers," he pouts.

I exhaled, relieved. Then suddenly Archie doubled over, screaming and convulsing. I jumped backwards.

"Archie! What's wrong?" I gasped.

"It hurts. It really really hurts," he groaned. He then started vomiting hard. It was at this moment I chose to panic.

I scramble around the room for a moment then I got the responsible idea. "I'll go get your dad Archie!"

"No… don't," he whispers. He had stopped throwing up. "I'm okay now."

He looked up at me, and the sight is permanently burned into my brain. Archie's usually round and freckled cheeks are now a darker lavender. I could see the veins in his face. And his eyes… they were almost glowing blue. Archie has brown eyes.

I stood there, too scared to move. And I don't remember what happened after that… because I pass out. I never went over to his house again after that. I don't even know if parents found out that we got a hold on some Rush pills. Either way, I never spoke to Archie again. Until today at least.

At the end of the day, I race over to my locked and scan my student ID. I grab my backpack and slam my locker door shut. I couldn't let Archie catch me. I get outside and sprint towards the bus stop. As I get close Archie steps out from behind the sign. I stop dead in my tracks and mutter a curse under my breath.

"Thought you get away, Evan?" Archie says to me, revealing himself.

"Well, yeah. I did," I retort, ready to get away.

He takes a fresh case of Rush pills out of his pocket. "You don't need to worry about replacing the pills earlier."

"Good, because I wasn't planning on it."

"But you still have to make it up to me," says ominously.

"Like hell I will," growl and turn around.

As I start to make my get away, I run into something firm. Then that something grabs me. I look up to make eye contact with an absolute mountain of man. He turns me around to face Archie again.

"Let me go!" I struggle, but to no avail. This dude has his meat-clamps tight around my arms.

Archie approaches me. "You will male up for all these years, Evan…"

I struggle harder. "Let me go! You're insane, Archie!"

He pouts at me. "I'm wounded that you'd say that Evan. I'm even sober right now."

"Damn you…" I growl.

I watch as Archie opens the case of pills.

"What are you doing…" I ask, warily.

Archie shoots me a psychopathic grin. "You still owe me, Evan. And these pills aren't for me."

I feel the blood drain from my face. "You wouldn't…"

Archie snaps his fingers, and a large hand grabs my head. Archie then grabs my jaws and forces my mouth open.

"Eat up, Evan!" He dumps the whole case of Rush pills into my mouth.

I refuse to swallow the drug. I was able to hold the pills in my mouth until Archie was done, then ripped my head out of my captor's grip and spat my mouthful at my feet.

Archie is visibly angry. "You…"

Archie cocks back his fist and lands a right hook right across my jaw. The blow almost knocks me out.

Archie grabs my neck and forces me to look at him. "Listen here you piece of shit! I'm gonna…" Then, he pauses as if remembering something. His smirk comes back on. "You're a piece of shit. You know that, Evan? But once you piss off the family, you can't win." He snaps his fingers again.

Suddenly I feel something sharp plunge into my neck. I let out a strangled cry as the meat-wall behind me throws me to the ground.

"What… did you do to me?" I wheeze.

"Oh nothing," Archie replies. "Just a little something that will make sure you'll come crawling back to me. And when you do…"

Archie crouches down to be face-level with me. "I'll be waiting for you Evan Foster." At that moment, I black out.