#ennos

<<You better not!>> <<I will!>>

Ennos scowled. Then again, he was always scowling. He was such a scowling, angry boy. He crossed and uncrossed his arms as he looked down at Tuorrir. He currently stood on a rock. A really big rock too. Biggest he could find in the moment. The other younger boy stared up at him, frowning and fidgeting on his feet.

<<I told you no babies allowed!>>

<<I’m not a baby!>>

<<Yes, you are!>>

Tuorrir could feel the tears at the edge of his eyes, but he furiously wiped them away. If he cried then he’d prove Ennos right. And he wasn’t about to do that. Sucking in a big breath, he ran towards the rock, leaping and try to grab onto the spot Ennos had. But Ennos was much taller than him and could reach it. No matter how many times he tried jumping and putting his hand into it, he couldn’t. He was too small. He was a baby. This time he couldn’t stop himself from crying.

<<Why are you so mean?! You’re the worst! I hate you!>>

<<Go cry to mom!>>

Tuorrir tried to stare at Ennos through the tears, but the sun hurt his eyes even more. He stuck his tongue out before running away back towards their home. Ennos watched him, frowning the entire time. When he was positive Tuorrir wasn’t coming back, he turned around and started climbing again. Now and then, he would glance behind his shoulders checking when he could. Tuorrir wasn’t here. That was good.

Ennos climbed the rocks as fast as he could. Trying to ditch Tuorrir had caused him to be late. His hands hurt against the hot rocks and he banged his knee in his hurry to get to the meeting spot as quickly as he could. By the time he managed to reach the small crevice, he was sweating and gasping for breath through the breather. The breather barely did anything to clean the air, but he promised Tuorrir he would wear it. The boy had carved Ennos’ name onto the side. Just in case some other kid tried to take it. He had called it dumb, but sometimes he liked to trace it with his fingers.

The older boy slipped down into the crevice and welcomed the shade, protecting him from the heat of the sun. He hurried along the narrow path before coming into a larger opening. No one was entirely sure how it had happened. If the rocks just naturally formed this way to create a sort of cavern or if someone had carved it out. Either way, it was the coolest place to be and all the kids knew to avoid it. The older kids used it as their spot. But now Ennos was becoming an older kid, so it was okay he was here, right? He swallowed a bit nervously as he looked at the people, a meeting already taking place.

There were a few kids around his age. Kids he knew from school and others he knew because they near him. His community was one of the larger ones, so it was reasonable that he didn’t know everyone. Especially the much, much older kids who were leading the meetings. One of them was talking. He was Urgop. Ennos knew him. He was the older boy that sometimes came to school and talked to them during breaks. The teachers had to chase him away, but they always knew where to find him. Ennos was positive he looked at him as he came late, but he didn’t stop whatever he was saying as the boy joined the crowd along the back.

<<-and we’re here to offer you protection if you pass. Those fuckers on the other side of the land, they’ve been over here picking fights. Breaking our stuff. You join us, you’re protecting your people and community. You want your mom to get beat up because she doesn’t want to give up some supplies?>>

A chorus of no’s shouted inside the space.

<<You want your sister or girlfriend to get raped because she doesn’t wanna put out that night?>>

Ennos looked around a shout of no’s came. He wasn’t sure what ‘raped’ was, but it must be bad.

<<And do you want your baby brothers or sisters to worry about coming home late from school or work and losing what they earned that day?>>

Ennos could at least shout no to that one.

<<That’s right! You’re here ‘cause you wanna make a difference. And by joining us, we can protect this community from that other group, the Guns, by joining up with us, the Bones. We don’t care if you’re black, red, brown, girl, boy, gay, whatever. All you gotta do is take the pledge and your mark, and you’re with us for life.>>

There was a rousing cheer and even Ennos cheered with them. It was hard to see what was happening next, but the boy felt a surge of energy and power. That was right! He was going to make a difference. He was going to make sure that no one bothered his family ever again. The thought of Tuorrir coming home with the black eye enraged him. He had never cared much for Urgop and the Bones, but he had started listening more after that. And when Tuorrir and Jahmila came home with bloody noses and crying, he decided he’d do it. He didn’t mind. If it meant giving up some sleep to help patrol or ditching classes a bit early, he could do it.

The boy wasn’t too sure when, but eventually a line formed and he was part of it. He stood near the back, shoved out of the way by older kids. He scowled at them, but they just kept shoving him. For the time being, he bit his tongue. He wanted to be in more than he wanted to pick a fight with them. He just shuffled along when the line moved. He wasn’t too sure how long he waited in line or what the line was even for. He tried peeking to see, but he couldn’t see much of anything. All he could hear from Urgop talking lowly. He seemed to be saying the same thing over and over again.

Eventually, Ennos got to the front of the line and could clearly see what was going on. Each person repeated what Urgop said, swearing loyalty to the Bones for the rest of their lives, accepting that failure could mean their death, and that they were supposed to do whatever was asked whenever it was asked. Then, they drank something weird and pulled up their shirts to get their marks. Even from a few people away he could hear the sizzle of the metal against the flesh. He felt himself paling a bit as he ducked his head back into line. He swallowed nervously. He could do this. He could do this. Finally, it must’ve been his turn. Urgop looked at him and it looked like he was trying to hold back some laughter.

<<Looks like we got a little one. You even old enough to come here without your mom kid?>>

<<You see her around?>>

Urgop paused before laughing. <<Well, you got fight. I’ll give you that. Why you here? Some big kid stole your lunch?>> He laughed and the other older, older kids laughed with him. Ennos could feel his face flush a bit and he scowled.

<<I thought you wanted people? You gonna go back on your word?>>

<<Woah kid, calm down.>>

Urgop was still chuckling but he held up his hand. <<We’ll let ya in. Our word is good. You promise to serve the Bones and do exactly as they say?>>

<<Yeah.>>

<<You promise to help patrol and fight even if that means you could die?>>

<<Yeah, of course.>>

<<And do you understand that if you break any of your promises, we’ll kill you?>>

<<Yeah. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t know that.>>

Urgop laughed again and Ennos wasn’t sure if it was a good laugh or a bad laugh. Must’ve been a little good because soon he was being offered the cup. He smelled it briefly before taking the plunge. It made him couch and it tasted bad. Really, really bad. It tasted like those men smelled. The ones who sat around drinking all day at the edge of the settlement. It hurt his throat. The older, older kids laughed but he didn’t back down. He stepped up and lifted his shirt. Now up front, he could see that the image was a crudely made skull. He couldn’t help but cry out when they pressed it against his skin. He nearly stepped away but another boy was holding him. When they pulled it away, he trembled and looked down at his waste. It looked funny from this angle, but he didn’t care. He was too busy trying to not cry and blink away the tears from the pain.

<<Welcome to the Bones. See ya around kid.>> Urgop laughed and slapped him on the back as he stumbled forward. They waved him away. Only the older, older kids were behind. Ennos made his way from the gathering.

It was slow going home. Pulling himself from the crevice took some time and luckily no one was around to hear him sniffle at the pain throbbing on his side. Finally, he managed to get out and noticed the sun was starting to go low. It was moving towards sunset. He had been in there for a few hours. The boy was careful going down. He tried to slip down as many rocks as he could, but some of them he had to jump down and that made his throbbing side hurt more. When he was on the ground, he walked slowly home, trying to not favor his good side. His home was near the middle with a cluster of other houses. Mom worked in a shop a few blocks away along with Auntie. They still weren’t home when he got home. But the rest of the kids were.

Ennos say Jahmila playing dolls with the new baby Olly. In the corner Tuorrir sat drawing pictures on the board before showing them to the Ariyah and Exbelle. When he came in, they looked at him, but most resumed their activities. Tuorrir hadn’t forgiven him and shot him a mean look before furiously erasing the board to draw something else. Ennos frowned but he went over to the three kids.

<<Did you guys finish your homework?>>

<<Not now Ennos!>> Tuorrir was definitely still upset.

<<Yeah. It’s hard and I don’t like it.>> Exbelle whined.

The three were about the same age, with Exbelle and Ariyah being just a bit younger than Tuorrir by a few months. They went and learned the same things since they were close enough. Ennos went to the same room as Jahmila even though she was older. She had problems learning and mom and Auntie said that she had one more year left before she went to find some work. At least Ennos was better than her too. He went to school and now he had a job too.

<<I don’t care. Go and do your homework. Mom and Auntie don’t send you all to school for nothing.>> The three didn’t move, content to ignore him. Ennos stomped his foot, earning pain to be shot up his side. <<Now! Or I tell Mom and Auntie when they get home!>> The three looked at him wearily and maybe with a bit of hatred as they stood up.

<<You’re the worst.>>

<<Stupid Ennos!>>

<<I hate you!>>