The Otherworlders Academy - An Original Teen Fantasy

S1-Ep. 1.1 (R) - Sebastian & Farid

In a dark alley next to the Tin Alley nightclub, Sebastian McFadden's eyes flutter open. Dazed and disoriented, he sits up and groans as his fuzzy consciousness sharpens into focus from the mother of all blackouts.

With the insistent beat of techno-music thumping in the background and the smell of piss and stale beer wafting around him, he cups his aching head in his hands.

As his eyes adjust to the murky veil of night, his gaze lands on the crumpled body laying at his feet...

The dead crumpled body laying at his feet.

"Oh, shit!" Sebastian scrambles back up against the wall.

Short of breath, he tries to steady his trembling hands as he pulls out his cell phone and quick-dials for help.

"Farid," he says weakly into the phone. "Where are you?"

He listens impatiently to his half-brother's answer on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, yeah, I know all of that. Look," he runs a still trembling hand through his hair, then he rises to his feet, pacing the alley in chaotic circles. "You've got to come and get me, bro" he says. "I'm at the Tin Can Alley. Well, in the alley next to the Tin Can Alley. You remember that nightclub, right? The one in No Man's Land just east of Mount Diablo?"

There's a long pause.

"Yes, Farid, I understand. I do. I get it!" He huffs out a breath. "This is the last time, I promise!"

Another long pause.

As Sebastian listens, he slowly thumps his forehead with the heel of his palm, then comes to a stop less than twelve inches from the corpse.

He looks down at it—at him—this guy he hardly knows, shockingly pale and scrunched up into a ball like a fetus.

Sebastian closes his eyes. "Farid, please, you have to come," he implores.

A sad beat passes between them before he finishes his plea. "I really, really need your help."

***

Farid McFadden pulls off his helmet as he jumps off his vintage Harley. After looking up and down the deserted streets, he makes his way down the alley, searching for his half-brother in the dark.

"Sebastian?" he calls out hesitantly as he takes a tentative step forward.

"Sebastian, you here?" His voice is louder this time with a thread of unease seeping through it. He looks around cautiously. Man, he's not getting a good feeling about this.

"Seriously, Bash. This isn't funny. And just so you know, I'm pretty pissed at you for dragging me out here at three o'clock in the morning. If this is a joke, dude, I swear..." Farid suddenly stops short then lets out a gasp. "What the...?"

He looks down at Sebastian, who's crouching down with his arms wrapped around his shins, rocking back and forth helplessly against the wall.

Sebastian swipes away a crusty spot of blood clinging to his bottom lip. And even in the dark, Farid can see the fear evident in his brother's forlorn hazel eyes.

Sebastian croaks out, " I think he's dead." His voice is weak, tenuous, bordering on the pathetic, causing Farid to breathe out a sigh.

Carefully, Farid bends down to feel the guy's pulse. Then he shakes his head slowly. Nothing.

Farid stares at his brother, hard. "Bash...what the hell did you do?"

Sebastian stands awkwardly, avoiding Farid's gaze. "Look, it's not my fault okay?" He takes a few steps backward, putting some distance between him and his brother and him and the corpse. He holds his hands up at his sides. "I swear! I was with Eddie and Theo in the club last night and this guy, he just..." he points to the body, "well, he was being a real ass."