Sunday, November 11, 2007

jamie and eric-3-hallway contemplation

“Why’s your hair so long? You’re a boy, right?”

“Yes.”

“You should cut it.”

“Why?”

“Cuz only girls have long hair.”

“I’m ”.

“Yeah.” Eric was pulling on a part of his sole that was peeling back.

“So we never cut our hair.”

“Oh.”

They sat in silence for a while. Jamie’s breathing had steadied, but he hadn’t moved.

Eric threw a piece of black rubber at the stall door, “I’m hungry, let’s go steal food from the kitchen.”

“What?” The black hair was whisked away as Jamie’s form straightened.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Jamie was started enough to be convinced. The two boys left to wander aimless around the campus.

According to the most of the textbooks, about five percent of the population is bonded. Bonded pairs achieve different levels of intimacy, which allows the individuals to pool their energy and blend their magic skills. No one really knows what factors contribute to the final strength of the bond between a pair. No matter how great a bond the pairs finally develop, everyone describes a similar meeting experience. From the moment you meet you just click—instant best friends—spend the next couple of days together without thinking about it.

Eric was pretty sure that was what Jamie is studying now. Bonding, like the mechanism part, like how it works. If we know how it happens, maybe we could alter the bond. Make it stronger, weaker, sever it. Jamie was so sure in himself. So good. So focused. So unlike Eric.

Eric contemplated his new job. Groundskeeper assistant. The grounds people mostly did yard work, some construction on the building exteriors, maybe they maintained the interiors too. Eric wiggled his toes.

No matter what he ended up doing, it would be an improvement over what he currently did. Nothing. Or not nothing really. Wandering around campus. Scavenging food and alcohol. Hanging out with the younger boys playing video games and fighting. Fighting and climbing around the old buildings to keep in shape. Then at night he would head off to the bars in town. Nights at the bars ended one of two ways: passing out or getting lucky. Sometimes he would find the way home. It wasn’t a bad life. It passed the time.

The bell rung, startling Eric. It had been so long since Eric had been in these hallways, so engrossed in his lazy world. He’d forgotten about bells. And classes. Students began to flood into the hallways, noise coming with them. Eric stood up to get out of the way. His poor feet vulnerable.

Well why not go to class. Eric followed the shuffling stream into a nearby room.

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