With a small thump, the seat beside the solitary guy became occupied. “Yo.” “Hi.” “Want a gum?” “No.” “Suit yourself.” “Hmm.”
View MoreHugo was silent for a while, darting his eyes back and forth from Fruto to Ponjie. The guys in front of him were serious so he slowly drank water before answering.“We’re training to be Elites. Monsters are not a rare occurrence in this field.” Hugo sighed. “I encountered low-ranks, but nothing higher than that. Our mission is still harmless. Why did you ask?”Half an hour later, the exchange for information was successfully completed. Hugo sat motionless while Fruto and Ponjie opened snacks. “You said that Roy and Milan were also there and kept visiting you afterward?” He asked.“After that incident, even if we were not running for elections they made a request to have Milan spar with Fruto.” Ponjie replied in a casual manner.“Hold on. Hold on. The both of you almost died!” “So?” Ponjie raised his brows. Not getting why Hugo’s reaction was big. “It was a pathetic fight. I could only remember there was so much pain. More painful than Milan’s hits for me.”Hugo pressed his palm on h
They were waiting for food for half an hour when somebody knocked on the door. Fruto was busy wiping alcohol on the earpiece he wore out of view earlier before he went to open it and saw Hugo carrying lots of food. “Finally!” Ponjie threw his phone away and complained, “What took you so long?” Hugo was apologetic and replied, “I’m sorry! I ordered so much so it took a while. Also, I had to be careful since Milan and Roy entered the cafeteria. I needed to hide for a while until they’re gone because if they saw me carrying so much and start suspecting, who knows what might happen to Ponjie next?” ‘How can you let Ponjie talk to you like that?’ Fruto wanted to remind Hugo that he should be the boss. Since there were only two chairs, Fruto started clearing what was on top of their study tables and arranged it to connect at the end of Ponjie’s bed. Then, they started eating together. “What’s with you guys?” Hugo asked. “What’s at stake for you to keep engaging with sparring sessions wi
“You look so good, was I too easy on you yesterday?” It was Milan’s first sentence to Ponjie when they entered the room for another spar. Just like before, the Seniors were very early to come. “Sorry, have you been waiting long? Aren’t you guys busy?” Ponjie wondered. Roy, who was in casual clothes this time, answered, “Not really. Our schedule can accommodate practices like this.” A nauseous grating noise sounded inside the room and the three of them turned to Fruto. The guy was dragging a chair lazily near the whiteboard and sat on it. When he noticed that he was being stared at for what he did, he just crossed his arms and shrugged. For the second time, Ponjie prepared to wear the boxing gear before going inside the ring. Milan wasn’t in a hurry as he thought Ponjie was probably worn out anyway. That would just make the fight not worthy at all. To be honest, he was badly disappointed and really thought he could take something away from Ponjie, but there was no gain. Milan deci
When Fruto and Ponjie was done, they were sweaty and hot all over. To keep the heat down, they removed their polo shirt uniform and fanned themselves. Hugo tapped them both on the shoulders and handed them cold drinks.One hand on the waist, Ponjie drank it all in one gulp. He then wiped his lips and pocketed the empty bottle. He’ll throw it in the trash can later when they come across one. “Let’s sit on the bench and be civil. I have a concern that I want to talk about to both of you.” Hugo expressed in a business tone. A breeze passed by sending reprieve to their tired body. However, they felt replenished after drinking so their moods were quite good. Ponjie and Fruto sat at both ends of the bench while Hugo was in the middle. “Did you spike our drinks?” Fruto asked in a casual tone. Sensing that there was no hostility there, Hugo only smiled and his dimples reappeared once more. Fruto rolled his eyes and looked the other way. Ponjie wasn’t bothering with them as he was checking
“I swear, if you really touch me I will crumble down on the floor and die.” “I did not even touch you.” With his palm on his forehead, Fruto kept walking faster than Ponjie. They are on their way to where Hugo was. But Ponjie’s body was in so much pain that every step he took was one step closer to death. There’s not much Fruto can’t do. If his friend is unable to fight then he’ll be the one to face Milan. This morning, Ponjie woke up screaming because he stretched his body on spur of the moment and all the ache and discomfort greeted him without warning. He was in a grumpy mood the whole day and even thought of escaping their classes but there would be no one to accompany him inside the dorm and that would be absolutely boring. They were about to turn on a bend when Fruto bumped into somebody.“Hey, watch where you’re going! You almost hurt my friend!” Ponjie’s voice travelled a few meters away and was loud on the empty corridor. He was about to shout again when a cramp crawled o
Ponjie’s hair was dishevelled and his face was flooded with sweat behind the helmet he wore. He was panting while limping, trying to think on how to return Milan’s blows without falling apart. So far, he couldn’t even get near. Milan’s defense was overbearing and his attacks were extreme and powerful. An inexperienced fighter like him will be pummeled instantly.Two minutes into the fight and he is almost spent. Milan’s smiling and friendly face was nowhere to be found. In front of him was a guy so serious that even the stares he received were lethal. Even so, Ponjie knew that Milan was still holding back for him.Milan took a quick step forward, cutting the distance between them. With great speed, he raised his left elbow upwards and diagonally to shake Ponjie. But Ponjie was ready, he raised his right forearm to block it. Unfortunately, it left his other side open and unattended. With a feint, Milan retracted his elbow and made an uppercut on Ponjie’s abdomen.Ponjie was caught off
Hugo was born to be a leader. He had pushed to become someone with a high status to be able to command and protect people. It wasn't a superiority complex that drove him to this path. Far more complicated than that was his own past. That is why he can’t give this position to somebody else. He has to be the one. Hugo wants victory.But the triumph he longs for in this academy started to dwindle away from him. He faced an enemy that sent troops to impede his way. And fighting against them goes against the very thing he stands for—to protect. These days, he has been wandering. Where did he go wrong? Was his intention not sincere enough? While it is normal to have an opponent, why does he have to face human barriers every day? It was exhausting. He’s an independent candidate and does not have lackeys to promote him everywhere. But he is confident with his ability to lead. Before he entered the academy, Hugo won awards from former schools. Running for a position is backed with evidence.
“That’s not how you do it, Ponjie. Concentrate.” Fruto gently tapped Ponjie’s shoulder to correct his posture. The latter was meditating to expel himself from all “impurities”. He didn’t know what it meant, but it sounded important. “Now breathe gently, feel yourself becoming empty. Let everything out.” Fruto’s calm voice travelled on Ponjie’s ears. He tried so hard to do what his friend says, but something inside him was kicking in. He wanted to jump, to run around, to eat, to play. “Sit still. Focus.” Once again, the energy subsided inside Ponjie. He shouldn’t waste his time still horsing around. Life will never be the same anymore as both him and Fruto carried a heavier weight. He needs to be capable. Time passed with the two of them meditating on the school’s rooftop. It was a different experience for Ponjie. Fruto said that he needs to condition his mind while only doing exercises on the body. Immediately jumping in to practice the art of fighting is not recommended. He h
As they stepped inside, the whole world felt as if it shifted. Ponjie trembled from the coldness. He looked around and saw that there were only a few people on the ground floor.“Don’t you feel cold?” He asked Fruto.Fruto nodded a bit and continued observing their surroundings. He looked closely and noticed that everyone inside was wearing a lab coat except for them. The headmaster did not stop walking. His heels echoing loudly against the white tiled floor. Everything inside the building was white, the walls, the ceiling, the floors.It bothered Ponjie. He turned to the butler and whispered, “This building must be so hard to clean, huh?”“You’re right, Mr. Rozhen. This building is very hard to clean and is very expensive to maintain. However, it is the headmaster who decided that there is a need to establish this facility for the academy. It is the only
Fruto looked outside and stared at the gloomy weather thinking hard about life and the shoes he’s wearing. It was quite old– the shoes, not his life. And his feet started aching just from the first five minutes of wearing it.He let out a small sigh before sneaking his fingers on the sole and pulling it down. He’ll just step on it like he does on slippers. Anyway, he’s wearing white and clean socks. The pants he’d put on does not help, though. He had been looking absolutely ridiculous. His new uniform barely fits him. Everything was too short and tight. But Fruto can’t do anything about it. He was not in-charge of his daily expenses. He doesn’t even have money on his own. Going to school with free stuff was already good. He didn’t dare ask for more. He hugged his backpack firmly while waiting for the bus to reach his new destination. “Your new school.” His uncle said one summer day. Fruto knew that no negotiation would take place. Not when he had lost track of time and wasted two ye
Shelter is an action-packed adventure novel that deals with the paranormal. Fruto is a poor boy who enrolls in Blue Bill Academy. While riding the bus to school, he meets Ponjie. Ponjie is talkative and tries to get along with Fruto. Upon arrival at school, the two boys experience strange things. They felt electrocuted upon entry. Fruto deals with bloodlust. Ponjie, the math genius, and his roommate better watch out. Can Blue Bell Academy help Fruto get himself in control? Or is it a prison where he can never go out?
Comments