The Bad Guys Save the World

Chapter 11

| The Outside Buzz |

Not thinking about it wasn't an option: the entire school was abuzz with the news.

"Did you hear? They're gonna get rid of all the villains!"

"Finally! The bad guys are gonna get what's coming to 'em!"

"Are you going?"

"Yep! Me and my whole family! We're gonna tailgate it!"

"Whoo, count me in!"

"Can I carpool with you?"

Lucas tried to tune out all of the talk about the upcoming execution, but it followed him around school like a cloud, filling his ears wherever he went. It only made Math and Science harder, and he couldn't even enjoy his favorite elective, Art, because of all the chatter.

All villains...are to be publically executed...two days from now...in the Smash Stadium.

Lucas still hadn't gotten over his shock at Mayor Mario's announcement - his nausea-inducing, incredible, unbelievable announcement. He'd stared at the TV screen when the crazy statement had come out of Mario's mouth, wondering if he'd misheard, wondering if he'd gone deaf or gone crazy. He'd stared at his parents, wondering if they, too, had heard the same words he had. And they had. But their reactions...he still couldn't understand them. His mother had beamed, as if excited at the prospect of watching the villains of SmashVille get executed, and his father had grumbled, "Well, it's about time."

Was he the only one that seemed to think that this idea was...insane? Inhumane? Evil?

It seemed so - he'd heard not one negative opinion about Mayor Mario's announcement all day. Everyone supported the public execution wholeheartedly.

But...why?

"Hey buddy!" Ness appeared beside him and slapped him on the back. It nearly caused Lucas to head-butt his locker door, which he'd been staring vaguely at for the last ten minutes. "You okay?" Ness asked him. "You kind of look out of it."

"Yeah, uh..." It took more effort than it should've to remember his locker combination. He quickly exchanged his Reading textbook for Social Studies before closing his locker. "Sorry, I was just...trying to remember if I did my Math homework." Which he had. And turned in two periods ago. Ness gave him a funny look.

"Okay, well, you wanna pop by the hospital after school today?" Ness asked. "Alph's supposed to be getting out today. His mom's working, so I bet he could use a hand getting home."

"Uh, yeah, sure." Plus, it would give Lucas and opportunity to beg and grovel for Alph's forgiveness-the incident from the fifth grade still actively haunted his nightmares, and he felt horrible that he'd almost done something similar to his good friend.

The lunch bell rang, and Lucas and Ness headed for the cafeteria.

"So," Ness said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "You going this weekend?"

"Where?"

"To Smash Stadium."

Lucas flinched, dropping his textbook. He hurriedly bent and picked it up, and found Ness waiting for his answer with an expectant face. "The Stadium?" Lucas stammered.

"Yeah! Ollie's mom's supposed to be packing a big lunch to take. I figured we could carpool with him, get some free food." Ness frowned at Lucas's pale face. "Uh...unless you already have a ride?"

He was talking about the execution. Talking about it like it a football game. Like it wasn't some sick, crazy gathering where they'd be watching villains get executed. Where real people would be dying, right before their eyes, while they sat there and nommed on food, supporting it.

"Lucas?" Ness now sounded worried. "You don't look so good. Did you take your pills?"

Yes he had, and now they were threatening to come up, along with a flood of vomit. "I've...gotta ask my folks," Lucas said in a brittle voice. "They might...they might just drive me there..."

"Okay." Ness continued frowning. "Well, just lemme know if you change your mind. I mean, if we can, we gotta claim seats in that carpool before that jerk Porky does."

"Right." Ness skipped into the cafeteria, but Lucas did not. Instead, he headed back down the hall, making a beeline for the bathroom.

___

A/N: Wattpad, you are seriously lucky that you aren't one single person, because if you were, I'd punch you right in the face.

They changed their writing format again, and when I tried to copy and paste this chapter, they smashed it up into one HUGE paragraph! I had to go through and separate that big lump into multiple paragraphs again! Beyond annoying!

Anyway, hope you like! ;)