This World

This World
Chapter 2:
The Unknown Friend
Toby looked to the door of his room at the end of the long stretched hallway. He opened his door and felt the scent of his room enter his nose. He looked around his room and saw the mess scattered over his floor. He kicked off his shoes and let out a yawn.

“Why do I feel like I am never coming back,” he asked himself. “I have to believe in what I am doing and go through with it.”

He took the goggles off his head, and placed them on his night stand, next to his bed. He took off his first shirt and unzipped his pants getting ready to lie down. He brought up the sheet to get into, but something caught his eye. The sound stone sit on the head of his bed shining in the reflection of the light in the sky. He closed his eyes and smiled.

“I guess this is real, too bad it wasn’t a dream.” He said under his breathe. “I wonder who those other people are.” He slowly drifted to a deep sleep. He tossed and turned in his bed, hearing noises that he never knew.

“…” he heard something in his head. “… Toby?” A feminine voice echoed in a way that it vibrated his whole body.

“Yes?” He lay asleep answering the call to his own name, wondering who would be calling in his dream.

“I.. I need your help. Toby I need your help.” He heard the voice clearly. It was a familiar voice; she had a hint of sadness and determination in her voice. “Please hear my call, I need you.”

“Who are you exactly?” His words slurred out of his mouth, thinking this wasn’t real. “Why do you need my help?”

“Because that is who you are, it is what you are meant to do.” He could hear a smile appear on her face. “I am the friend you’ve never met.”

“I’ll- I’ll be there.” He said in a more sober voice sounding more determined. “Where are you?”

“Just seek me where my voice sounds,” she whispered. “Hurry Toby it is getting worse.”
He quickly woke up, sweating from head to toe.

“PAIGE!” He yelled as if calling someone from afar. He fell back to his bed. “Who is Paige?”

He pondered in his bed flashing the name through his head. He wiped the sweat from his face and body with his shirt.

“I really should start getting ready.” He climbed out his bed and began to walk on the floor. The cold floor stung the soles of his feet. The moon began to die out and the sun rose seeping through the blinds covering his windows. He put on the pants that lay on his floor and walked to his desk. He grabbed a fresh muscle shirt and the shirt that hung over his chair from last night; he slipped them both on and walked to his door.

“Mom, Bea? Are any of you here?” He stuck out his head from behind his door waiting to hear the voices he yearned for. “Uhh… hello?” He paused to hear a response.

“Of course we are here. You didn’t think we would be gone before you had to leave, did you?” His mom yelled from the kitchen down stairs.

He went back into his room and switched his light on. He looked around his room and began to pick up the mess that lay on the floor. He fiddled with the small collectibles that rest on his shelf. They were all comics and action figures he had since he was a child. Memories of him and his dad entered his mind. He chuckled to himself remembering fun times they used to have together. He then walked to his closet and found his bag already packed with his cloths, boxers and socks. He looked into his bag to see the cloths that were in there, and to his surprise they were all the same. He smiled to himself grabbing his bat, and goggles. He walked down his stairs wrapping his arms around his mom.

“Thank you for packing my cloths for me.” He gave her a smile while hugging her.

“That wasn’t me, it was your sister.” She pointed to Bea standing behind Toby. “She is the one that went into your room and packed all everything you needed for your journey.

“Thank you Bea, I really appreciate it.” He hugged her.

“Please be careful and watch yourself. I will worry, but I know that you will be okay, because you are my son. It is just something a mother knows.” She smiled to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“I will count the days till you come back.” His sister wrapped her hands around his muscular body frame again. “You can tell me all about your journey. Oh and don’t forget to bring me something back.” She smiled to him.

“You know I would never forget about you.” He headed for the door. “And do not worry, I will stop this evil.” He held the door knob and looked down to the floor. “You can bet on it.” He opened the door and gave them a heart warming smile before shutting the door.

“You always did love adventure, as a kid.” His mother smiled. “He knows that we are always here for him.”
Toby stepped into the barely rising morning sun. He covered his eyes from the rays hovering above the hills. He took a deep breath having the fresh air enter and exit his lungs. He began to walk down a dirt road focusing his attention to the town of Onett. He walked a mile from his house only needing half of one to go, and began to hear whispers in the woods. He turned to find nothing about him. He proceeded to walk down his path while hearing more of the whispers. They all over lapped each other so he was not able to make out what they were saying.

“Toby I am trying to call out to you, hear my plea.” He could hear a familiar voice in his head. “I am the friend you have never met before.”
He turned constantly while trying to find out in which direction the voice was coming from. He walked into the woods where he could hear the voice getting louder with every inch he went closer. He brushed off twigs and tree limbs to reveal a cave. He took out a flash light from his bag and began to follow the path that it lead.

“Hello? Is there anyone in here?” Toby yelled as he could see that the cave was coming to an end.

“Yes! Is that you Toby?” He could hear the familiar voice again. “I am at the end of the cave.”He heard her voice grow louder.

Toby ran a short way to the end of the cave following the echoes of the girl’s voice. He turned the corner of the cave and saw a girl standing behind rusty bars. He looked upon her face and became trapped within her beauty. He felt his heart sink into his stomach filing it with a great feeling. He gazed into her eyes from across the room and felt as if time had stood still for that moment.

“Paige.” He whispered under his breath.

He couldn’t take his eyes off of her for some reason, he felt as though all his pain was washed away at the sight of seeing her. He walked up to her, and slowly picked his hand up placing it on against her cheek. His rugged hands brushed on her face, then moving to her dark purple hair. He stroked it with care, staring into her eyes.

“Toby…” she smiled, putting her hand over his. “I am glad you came, I have waited for you.” She pulled his hand down gently. She talked in a gentle tone reflecting off her personality.
“How am I supposed to get you out of here?” He looked around trying to find an answer close by. “Why are you in here?” He looked to her with a questioning look.

“The man who locked me in here is the one that has the keys to this cell.” She reached into her bag beside her; here you are going to need this. “It will help you see the true side to the people.”

“What do you mean the true side of them?” He asked her looking confused.

“Some of these people may not be who they actually are.” She pointed to the circular pendent engraved with an apple. “Gigyas has control over minds; there may be some that you run into. He does not want the four of us to be together.”

“Who is the man that I need the key from?” He twirled the badge in his hand. Pondering on the question he just asked.

“He will not be hard to find, trust me.” She smiled to him and nodded. “He is the leader of his own gang, the street sharks is what he calls them.”

“Don’t worry I will be back here with your freedom.” He pinned the badge to his shirt and walked off.

“You are so much better then I thought you would be Toby.” She smiled happily.

Toby walked out of the cave and rushed into to the town of Onett, with the intent of finding the man keeping Paige lock up behind bars. He ran the half mile to the town and walked into the library located right next to the dirt road. He walked up to the woman standing behind the counter at the entrance of the building.

“Hello ma’am, can you help me?” He looked at her and smiled. “I need to find someone.”

“Oh who might that be dear?” The old woman asked in a caring tone.

“Well I don’t know his name but he the leader of something called the Sharks.” He looked around the library and saw that no one was in there. “Do you know where I could find him?”

“Why do you want to see him? He is a bad man, gave this town a bad name.” She pulled her head down and began to whisper. “He likes to hang out at the arcade; him and his people walk the streets, but be careful because he possesses power like no other human.” She picked her head back up. “But I am sorry I cannot help you.”

“Okay thank you for trying ma’am.” He waved to her and smiled. “Okay the arcade, I remember that place. I used to go there all the time as a kid.”

He walked down the street looking around at the town at the people minding their own business. After taking a right down the street he was walking on he could feel his stomach turn inside out. He felt uneasy walking down the long street. No one walked the street except for him.


“Wow what a change from before, there is practically no one here.” He pulled his back pack up and slowly walked down the street.

“Hey what are you doing here?” A young man came from a shadow behind the drug store building. “You do not belong here.”

“Uhh… I am looking for someone. Your leader he should be.” Toby said in a collective voice. “Take me to him?”
“Hahahah, hey guys listen he wants us to take him to Frankie.” More guys came from behind shadows. “Well that is something that we cannot do.”

“Okay then I’ll tell you what, all of you challenge me.” He pointed to the five guys standing around him. “If you win then kill me, but if I win then you are going to have to take me to Frankie.”

“Hehehh, fine you have yourself a deal.” He smiled and flipped his hair back. “Go guys!”
Three of the guys pulled out switch blades and one guy pulled out a lead pipe. The lead shark stood behind the four guys. Toby stood his ground in the middle of the guys holding his bat in his hand. He pulled down the goggles from his head and boosted his body with PSI power. He lunged forward to one of the sharks, and within the second of him moving he held one of them by the neck threatening to snap his neck.

“Come one now you guys are too slow.”He said mocking them. He kicked the guy forward and smacked him over the back of his head splattering blood all over his friends clothing. “Now come at me.” He charged his body with PSI making himself stronger.

The three guys charged at him trying to slash and bash him with their weapons. Toby dodged every single one of their moves with great agility due to his power up. He waved his hand and sent one of the guys flying through the air across the street slamming him into a metal pole crushing his spinal cord. Toby threw his bat into the air and as it came down he kicked straight into one of the guys stomach’s, spewing blood from his mouth and nose. He fell to the floor crying in pain. Toby walked up to the last guy picking up his bat.

“Boo.” Toby looked into his eyes and smiled. “Either you can get out of here, or be seriously injured.” He smacked his bat to the ground, and the guy twitched and ran off in fear.

“You think you are so high and mighty because you defeated a few grunts?” The head shark said while taking off his shirt revealing his over muscular physique. “Well come on then little man.” He waved his hand signaling for Toby to come at him.

Toby patted his bat on his back thinking of his next move. The two guys stood looking into each others eyes filled with hate. Toby felt his palms begin to sweat while the guy took a switch blade from his back pocket.

“What’s wrong? Not so tough anymore are ya?” He twirled the blade in his hand. “Scared aren’t you? I would be too if I was fighting someone that could eat me.” He began to laugh closing his eyes, at that second Toby ran up to him bashing him over his head, face, and torso area. The man fell to the floor in agonizing pain bleeding from every pore on his face. He coughed his words out bleeding from his mouth. “Frankie is in the arcade in the back room. The arcade is located down this street and to the left.”

Toby looked to the man on the floor and squatted down resting his elbows on his knees.

“Thank you, I hope you get better.” He closed his eyes and smiled to him and waved. “Okay well I am going to the arcade now; you should really take care of those wounds.” He walked off happily acting like nothing happened.
While turning the corner of the street he came upon a large building that gave off a dark and disturbing aura. He looked down to the badge to his shirt and took a deep breath. He slowly approached the building with his bat tightly gripped. He pushed open the glass doors and smelled the stench of stale blood. He walked with caution through the dark place. He sees a door at the end of the room, filled with arcade games all blown out. He walks to the door and reaches for the door knob. He is about to turn it but is stopped by the voice of Paige.

“No, don’t open the door. You will be in danger if you do.” He could hear her voice filled with worry.

“Then what do you want me to do then? He is behind this door.” He whispered.

“Use your powers, they will help you.”

He backed away from the door and forced the door open with telekinesis. After slamming it open an explosion occurred from behind the door arch way. He threw himself behind one of the games and covered from the blazing flames. He looked behind the game and saw a man standing in front of him wearing a red suit and holding a machete in his hand.

“So I hear you have been giving my sharks a hard time, well you are going to have to pay for that.” He went to grab Toby but he upper cut him in his chin.

“Give me the key to Paige’s cell now.” He held out his hand.
Frankie looked to him with a cold and deadly stare as he got up after being punched in the chin. He spit out the blood coming from his mouth.

“Heh, yeah right. Why would I want to listen to you? I have someone higher to obey.” His grin went ear to
ear. “I am I not about to disobey him.”

Toby looked closely at Frankie and saw that he two horns coming out of his forehead, and claws from his hand. Toby was surprised, but aside his negative feelings and stayed focus on freeing Paige. He put his bat inside his back pack and laid it down. He put his fist in front of him and clenched them cracking his knuckles. He made himself faster and stronger by powering up with PSI. He moved left then right then ducked and hit Frankie with another upper cut.

Frankie flew back and dropped to the floor dazed after being hit again. He shook his head to snap out of the daze and looked to Toby.

“Master Gigyas has given me a few abilities too.” He grabbed onto the machete blade and twisted in his hands. He looked to Toby and smiled. “You see? I can do inhuman things too.”

He ran to Toby and struck down to hit him over the head. Toby quickly blocked with his arm, and thrust punched Frankie in the gut. Frankie held onto his stomach and coughed blood out of his mouth. He grew angrier and the horns on his head doubled in size increasing his human capabilities. He charged to Toby with his fist to his side. Toby went at him with his elbow in front of him. Before He could land his hit Frankie disappeared. Toby looked around trying to find the whereabouts of the man. Frankie appeared behind him putting him in a head lock as he stood up. Toby kicked and tried to release himself but the hold was to strong for him.

“Come on I thought that your PSI was supposed to be unstoppable.” He chuckled. “This is what I get? How pathetic.” He tightened his grip on Toby’s neck.

Toby jumped up and slammed Frankie into the ceiling above them. Trying to make his grip weaker. He kept on slamming him into the ceiling, but was still unable to break free. He began to black out and could see Frankie harassing and beating Paige if he would fail to free her. He then worked the power to create a shield around his body with the last bit of strength and expand it pushing Frankie away form him and knocking him to the ground. Toby ran to him and began to punch in the face and every other place on his body. He picked Frankie up by his collar and ax kicked him back down to the floor in anger. He stared at his unconscious body and felt proud looking down at the beaten man. He reached down into Frankie’s pockets and found the key to Paige’s cell. He smiled to himself, picked up his bag, and ran out of the arcade to free Paige.