Twisted

Chapter One -

"You are one twisted kid, you know that right?" Corey asked. He said it jokingly, but he actually meant it. Allen was twisted.

                "Yep, and it don't bother me one bit," replied Allen gleefully, popping the 'p' in 'yep' and taking the comment as if it were a compliment. Then again, to him, it probably was. With that he started to finish up his graffiti masterpiece which spanned across an entire wall of the local high school. The last thing he did before gathering his spray paint cans and making sure that there were no signs of him ever being there, was sign his name. Taking out a thin paint brush, Allen signed his name in the bottom right corner of the mural, but with shaking strokes, laying it on thick in some parts and thin in others. Sticking with the forged look, he finished the signature by giving the 'L' in Kinsel an extra big loop. This was part of his plan, to sign his name and have it look like someone was trying to frame him.

                After stuffing the supplies into a small backpack and slinging it over his shoulder, Allen started off down the street. After walking in silence for a couple of minutes Allen came to a sudden stop. Turning around, Corey looked at Allen with a confused expression. Slowly, looking up from his feet, Allen met eyes with Corey. He continued to stare into Corey's eyes, but to Corey, it felt as though he were staring at his soul. He felt exposed and self-conscious, but was scared to move. Not that he could move anyway; his feet were rooted to the spot. Allen tilted his head to the right, his gaze never breaking. After what felt like an eternity, Allen finally started walking again, continuing on as if nothing had happened.

                The duo was just nearing the park when Allen asked what time it was. "I dunno, man, maybe around twelve?" Corey replied lazily, saying it more as a question then a statement.

                "See you tomorrow, meet me at the fountain at nine," was all Allen said before sprinting off into the darkness, leaving behind a stunned Corey. Though there were many fountains in town, he knew exactly the one Allen was referring to - the one in the north-eastern corner of the park off of 112th and Esther Drive. There was no specific reason Corey knew this, for there were many fountains in town and they had no common meeting place.

                Corey was never sure where Allen went at night, and Allen never told Corey, but as the silhouette of Allen faded into the night, Corey began to wonder. Allen never said anything about himself actually, let alone where he went at night. And though he found it strange, Corey never questioned Allen about it, whether it was out of respect or fear.

In all honesty, Corey really did fear Allen. It wasn't that Allen was bigger or stronger than Corey, because really, Allen was average height with an average build. It was what Allen could do. He was a genius and Corey wouldn't deny that; he couldn't. He was the sort of kid that no parent ever expected anything to come from. In class he was the quiet kid in the back, speaking only when spoken to and just barely slipping by. He kept to himself at lunch hour when the other student would socialize, talking about who's who and who's been with who.

It wasn't in the way he talked, the way he walked or acted, but Allen demanded respect from others, and he got it. In fact, he could've gotten away with anything, nobody would dare tell a soul if they saw or suspected something of him. It was odd, but very true.

                With an hour or so to waste before he'd even think about going home, Corey started walking back to the public school, puzzling over Allen.

; so whadda'ya think?