Midnight Murdertown

Caleb Bolten[1]

Caleb Bolten.

That's the name he read on his new ID photo hanging around his neck on a small black lanyard. Caleb Bolten, the name his parents gave him at birth. The name didn't even feel like his anymore, to him it was now a chain around his leg, trapping him, trapping him inside his past, his present, and his already planned-ahead future. His future didn't even seem like his, either. The name was like a shadow, always behind him, always haunting him. He just wanted to run, somewhere far, somewhere new where he could change his name.

Mathew Summers, he thought. The name made him smile as he continued walking down the dusty sidewalk of his little town of Farlom Ridge.

He kept his knotted fists shoved deep inside the warm pockets of his black nike shorts, kicking at rocks he'd find occasionally on the hot sidewalk near the forest of Farlom.

He passed that forest everyday, and by now was just too tired to bother looking at it anymore. The scene of small old Farlom was just too boring now. He felt imprisoned inside a box here, here in this hot, hot town where you could cook an egg on the sizzling hot streets and bake some bacon on the sidewalk itself.

He began whistling a tune, some familiar tune he'd reconized as soon as he started humming to it. Meet me at the River, a song his mother would used to sing to him before she'd tuck him in at bed every night. He remembered well. Ever since his mother died just two years ago, he'd held on to the precious, fragile moments barely clinging to his memory.

She's walk in, always around eight o'clock sharp, and tell him to get into bed or no song. Of course he'd get into bed, he wouldn't miss a minute with his mother. Not back then, not when he was a kid. So young and innocent, his back turned to the evil of the world, refusing to believe it existed. Luckily his eyes finally opened, thanks to his father, and he got to see the pure hatred and torture of it.

He began to quickly clear his mind, not wanting to sink himself in such a glum attitude today, it was a bright and sunny day, though it was always like that. He decided to cheer up as much as he could, even though school was just around the corner. Literally.

Hey walked through the two front doors of Farlom High, the school full of sweaty, stinky teenagers buzzing around like mosquito's with nothing else better to do. Boredom sure did take a tole here, since this town was so small. Around here, you'd find the kids smoking and gettin' in trouble just for the sake of it. Just to feel something again, anything.

It only lasted for a second though, after that first sip of a icy cold beer in the hot sun. The joy and grace would only happen for what seemed to be a second.

But hey, it was better than nothing at all.

"Hey, there's my boy!" Charlie came walking up to him, hand thrown out for a brother-hug. Caleb clasped his hand in Charlie's and they (kind of) hugged quickly.

"Hey, man." Caleb mumbled, trying not to be glum but obviously failing at it.

"Come on dude, we're gonna be late for class. Hurry on and get your stuff I'll meet you at Mr.Harolds."

"Alright, cya." Caleb slightly smiled and headed towards his locker. If anything else in the world, he wanted to go home and stay there. Everything just felt all scrambled today, more than usual. He shoved in his backpack, not having the strength to carry it around much longer, not after that long walk to school since his dad had left to work without dropping him off.

He had just began shoving in the last of his books, when all of a sudden: "Hey, Caleb?"

He glanced at his left, looking up and down at the girl that stood before him: Angelie Harris. She was, to him, the most beautiful girl in school (and to a lot of other guys, too). She could make you drool like crazy everyday in science class, even just by staring at the back of her bare neck just three seats down from her. The way her long brown hair caressed down her face like a river of loose, wavy curls. Or her sparkling blue eyes, or her creamy, glowing tan skin. All together she was just enchanting, and believe me, if he could talk to her, he would. But for some reason, every time she came near, he would tense up into a statue, stuttering every word that came out of his mouth.

"Oh, hey Angalie..." He came a whole-hearted smile, hoping she was looking at him with the same feelings, the same nervousness.

But why would she? Someone like her would never go for a loser like me, He thought. Maybe he was right. If he went missing tonight, no one would care, no one would bother to look, not even his own father. He was a nothing, a nobody, even to his friends who did the same stupid, boring, old, and useless shit every single day. It had gotten to a point where you just expected it to happen, like a routine almost.

Someone like her wouldn't go for him, so he thinks. Someone like him: With dark chocolaty brown skater hair that fell flat around his face, covering some of his eyes. His eyes: a deep rich brown, and his skin: Not entirely clear, but still okay considering he was sixteen. Someone like her deserved better. Better than better, even, and he just couldn't give her that.

"I just wanted to say thanks." She smiled her sweetly innocent smile, as he melted. He almost forgot how to breath for a moment.

"F-For what?" His mind ran empty.

She looked at him now, curiously. "For the party," She stated as if it were obvious, "I just wanted to say thanks for the party and all, you were really sweet. Thanks."

He remembered now. Just tow days ago over the weekend at a huge party at Luke Dawson's house, some popular football player, some disgustingly drunk asshole was hitting on her for a while, then becoming a bit forceful. That is, until Caleb stepped in and "saved the day."

He smiled down at her, considering his tall height. "Sure, that guy was an ass. You clearly deserve better."

He then felt like dying on the spot. Why'd you have to say that? You sound like an idiot! He sweared at himself.

But it somehow made her smile, her eyes radiating like the sun, her cheeks reddening a bit in a blush. He couldn't believe it: He made her blush.

Somehow, that got him blushing too.

"You're sweet, Caleb." She walked closer, placed her hands on both of his shoulders, climbed up on her toes, and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Even that was enough to make his knees go weak. Once she pulled away, he automatically wished she didn't. She was still smiling, her cheeks a bit more red now. "See you in seventh period."

He couldn't wait that long to see her. He had to see her again, soon, or he'd just die.

But bye was all he said as he watched her leave down the hallway, and thats when the late bell rang.

He took in everything that had happened in the last minute, swallowed it down with a small smirk playing across his lips, and decided to push away that on-edge feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. Today will be a good day, I know it.