Amity

Chapter 5: Attack at the School

Dré slumped as he walked past Dixon to the office. He almost gagged on the scent of cigarettes and cheap whiskey as he walked into the room. Dixon slammed the door shut behind them.

"So," he grunted as he strode behind the L-shaped counter, "picking fights with students, are you?" He sat down on the leather chair before intertwining his grubby fingers on the desk. "And with a football starter, no less. I really hope you can explain yourself."

"I wasn't the one who provoked the fight, sir," Dré explained. "Doug was the one who was making unwanted advances on Megumi. I tried to stick up for her but then he sent Preston on me. Coach Falls was in his office when it all happened-"

Dixon's chuckling interrupted Dré as he rubbed the four large gold rings on his stubby fingers. Dré noticed a blood-red mark at the base of his hand. It almost looked like a tribal tattoo. "You know what these rings are, boy? These are state championship rings from when I was in school. I brought that team up from the piece of crap it was back then to one of the best 4-A high school football teams in Arkansas, and if you hadn't realized this by now, I'm doing the same thing for this school. Think of it as something to encourage the team. As long as they continue to win state, I'll turn a blind eye to whatever they do to the other students."

Dré's temper flared. Dixon just admitted that he was turning a blind eye towards the jocks who bully the weaker students? That couldn't be right. He opened his mouth to speak but Dixon interrupted him. "Now, the question is what to do with you? I suppose that a three-day suspension will be a good enough punishment for you, boy."

"Suspension!? Just for defending myself and Megumi?! That's- That's asinine, even for you!"

"Asinine?" Dixon repeated, his voice rising. "This is a business, boy. I, just like all the other faculty, are here solely to make money. Anything other than that would be a lie. You, boy, just like all of the other non-athletic students here, are nothing to me. Nothing but annoyances."

"So, you'd actually be willing to jeopardize our education and wellbeing for money? How do you sleep at night knowing that you are putting our future at risk for your own personal gain?"

"Like a knot on a log," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I've already made up my mind, boy. Your suspension will begin today." Dixon stood up and walked around the desk. "Now then, you may be dismissed," he said with a dismissive wave. "And bring that other brat in with you."

Dré turned to the door, his rage reaching the boiling point. As he approached the door, with Dixon tailing behind him, Dré heard him say, "Compared to your other brothers, you are a major disappointment."

Dré paused as he opened the door, his heart thumping against his ribcage, ready to explode with rage. "If I am so much of a disappointment," Dré began, turning to Dixon, "why am I doing a better job at protecting students than you?"

As Dré opened the door, he felt a hand grip firmly on his shoulder. The sickening scent of whiskey and cigarettes was almost suffocating. "What did you just say, boy?" Dixon growled.

Dré turned around and opened his mouth to repeat himself before Dixon's clammy hands wrapped around Dré's throat. He slammed Dré against the door, strangling him with a surprisingly strong grip. Dré's feet dangled above the floor as he clutched Dixon's hands, trying to pry them apart. His teeth clenched, Dré looked at Dixon's eyes, seeing only a black mirror. Behind Dixon, Dré could see a young boy with spiky, unkempt hair and a dark cloak hovering behind Dixon, grinning as he watched.

His brain starved for oxygen, Dré's eyes began to roll into the back of his head as darkness swam around his vision.

Then, Dré found himself on the ground, holding the base of his throat as he gasped for air. He heard a voice call out to him, but it seemed to be at a distance. He managed to raise his head, trying to make out the objects in his returning vision. As his head cleared, he saw McManus holding Dixon face down on the ground. Dixon's hands were bound behind his back as tried to shove McManus off him.