-1Out of the Dark and into the Light

Part I.

Early June

Thirteen year old Zackary Martin sat stiffly on the sofa in his families suite at the Tipton Hotel. He was waiting (but dreading) for his mother's return. Final Quarter grade cards had been sent home and as usual his marks weren't looking so hot.

He'd barely managed to scrape by with four low Cs and two D-s' in the six classes he took. Even his gym grade was terrible.

He sighed sadly and wished half heartedly that he for once could be the smart twin instead of the obnoxious, dumb one.

Cody of course had made the honor role. No surprise. His brother had been strutting around the suite like a proud peacock, waving his grade card in the air chanting boastfully and prancing about. It ticked Zack off so much that he actually warned Cody that if he didn't shut up and leave, he was going to clobber him a good one.

He groaned and sank deeper into the plush cushions, seeking to get more comfortable. He loved his brother and all but he couldn't stand when his younger twin rubbed his brains in his face. It was like he took pleasure in putting salt into Zack's open wounds, trying to rile him.

"And I'm considered the insensitive one," he thought bitterly. Normally he could take Cody's bragging to a certain extent but today his buttons had been pushed one too many times. He didn't like to get angry at Cody but sometimes it couldn't be helped.

Gloomily, he pulled the dismal report card out of his jeans pocket and gave the disappointing paper a quick scan. His mother was seriously going to murder him for such a disgusting paper. No doubt about it.

He'd be grounded all summer long, no matter how much he begged and pleaded. No T.V., no music, no video games, no friends, no leaving the suite unless necessary, no life.

He flinched as the door opened. His hear was pounding with a sour mixture of fear and dread as his mother and twin traipsed into the Martin suite. Zack observed that Carey was holding Cody' s perfect grade card in her hand . A pleased smile played across her lips as she took in her son's brilliant grade marks. Behind her Cody was positively beaming as he shut the door. It made Zack sick to know that it would take just one glance at his grades for the happy grin to slide right off her face.

"Cody I'm so proud of you! Good job, honey!" Carey planted a loud kiss on her son's hair. She looked at Zack, trying to look stern and slightly hopeful at the same time.

He could feel impending doom fall upon him as his mother looked expectantly at him, her free hand held out demandingly for his grade card. With reluctance he passed it over and crossed his arms moodily across his chest, waiting for the bomb to drop. Cody sat beside him but Zack turned the other way, ignoring him.

He watched as the smile melted off of his mom's face, replacing the prideful grin with a mixture of disappointment and anger. He glanced at his folded arms unable to take it any longer. Nervously, he shifted, awaiting judgment

Carey finally looked up, her usually warm brown eyes, hard and cold like ice. Her hands were actually shaking. Disbelief and squashed hope was written all over her face.

Zack was too ashamed to meet her eyes.

"Zack, what is this?" her tone was clipped and sounded like she was fighting to control herself.

"I would have thought that was obvious," he answered sarcastically, hiding his fear well.

Carey exploded.

"Don't use that tone with me young man! I know damn well what it is. I mean what the hell is up with these grades?! Two D-s? Zack, this is the worst report card you've ever given me! Do you want to fail the 8th grade?"

Neither of them noticed when Cody quietly left the room and closed the door to his and Zack's shared room.

Zack winced as if she had physically slapped him. This argument was playing out worse than he had imagined.

"Sorry," he mumbled to the floor, hoping to calm her down.

"No, sorry doesn't cut it! Not this time! Your not stupid Zack, yet your grade say otherwise. What am I going to do with you?" she sighed in frustration. "Your lucky you didn't fail," she paced forward a couple steps, massaging her temples.

Zack was just beginning to relax when she whirled to face him.

"Is that what you want? Huh? To be left behind while your brother and friends move ahead?" At Zack's head shake she continued. "Why can't you be more like Cody? He makes perfect grade and stays out of trouble. I never have to worry about him not making it in life. Why can't you just this once be like your brother?" the moment those terrible words slipped out and reached her rebellious son's ears she instantly regretted it. She wished she could suck those hateful words back, because she didn't mean them and they weren't true. She loved Zack just like he was though she knew he could do so much better academically .

Zack looked hurt for a moment but it didn't last long. Carey's hand rushed up to cover her mouth. Fury took over and Zack stood up angrily, hands clenched in tight fists at his sides. He tilted his head back to meet her regretful eyes, his own eyes blazing darkly.

"That's what you want isn't it? Me to be just like Cody? You want two brainy-acks in the family? What I'm not perfect enough? I don't fit your criteria for the perfect son? Is that it? Well sorry I'm not the perfect little angel you always hoped for. But hey , no worries. How about I just disappear forever. That way I'll finally be out of your hair and out of your perfect little family!"

Zack swiftly turned on his heel and left, slamming the door for emphasis. The slamming door echoed all down the hotel hallway and curious neighbors poked their heads out, eyebrows raised in silent questions. He rode the elevator down to the lobby and shoved his way through the guests and Mr. Moseby. Without hesitation he dove out into the driving rain and ran. He was soaked to the skin instantly but he couldn't have cared less. The abnormally icy rain water felt good on his flushed face.

Zack turned down an alley way and broke into a all out sprint, pushing himself harder that he would have normally. He knew he wasn't thinking rationally but there was nothing he could about it. Logic and common sense had fled his mind leaving nothing but anger and pain. Fury was at his controls now telling him what to do. So he ran.

Ran until it hurt. Ran until he couldn't breathe. Ran until he was far from the Tipton. Ran until he didn't even realize where he was at anymore.

Gasping, he fell against a tree trunk, clutching at the rough bark to keep from falling in a heap at the muddy roots. His chest was burning and there was a painful stitch his side. His hair and clothes clung to him with sweat and rain. The bottoms of his jeans and sneakers were covered in a thick layer of mud.

Zack wearily rubbed and a hand over his eyes, trying to clear them of water. He looked around at his surroundings, vainly trying to depict his location but all he saw were trees. Lot, and lots of trees. It appeared to be woods of some sort but he didn't know any woods except Boston State Park and he didn't remember seeing any signs.

Blinking rain out of his eyes and trying not to panic, he turned in search for his tracks in the mud. He spotted a set in the trampled weeds and sloshed mud. Figuring he had no other option, he followed them to what he hoped would be civilization.

After fifteen long minutes of following his zig-zagging foot prints he finally left the woods and found a slick, desolate road. Shivering with relief he picked up his trail on the shoulder of the road and continued walking. With any luck a car would drive by and he could hitch a ride back to town.

Night was falling fast and the rain was showing no sign of relenting. He hunched his shoulders against the cold and wished he could have remembered to bring a jacket. He also wished he hadn't acted so rashly and let his anger capture him in its clutches. He knew his mother hadn't really meant what she said but it still stung. No doubt she would yell some more when he returned home… if he returned home.

Zack found himself almost welcoming his mother's scolding and Cody's long winded lecture about the dangers of running away.

He sniffed, feeling a cold coming on. He glanced up to see if he could sees city lights in the distance. He couldn't. Maybe he was going the wrong way. No, he didn't think so. Those were his tracks in the gravel. Man, where was he? The smooth black road seemed to stretch on forever. He looked behind him and was surprised to see two pinpricks of car lights about a mile behind him. He stared, none of it registering in his mind what that meant. And then it clicked. A car meant a ride to town! Yes! He was saved!

He kept walking not wanting to seem to eager. He shoved his numb hands in his pockets and ducked his head pretending not to notice the headlights.

The road ahead of him was suddenly aluminated by the car's -or should he say the van's- head lights as it pulled up beside him.

"Hey!", he waved his hand just in case the driver didn't see him. The van's brakes squealed as the pedal was applied. It pulled up along side him and the passenger side window slid down. Thick cigarette smoke rolled out into the chilly night air. Zack wrinkled his nose as the sour smell of alcohol hit the rain cleansed atmosphere.

A dark, half hidden grubby face appeared in the window way as the driver leaned over. Even standing three feet away from the guy, Zack could smell beer on the man's foul breath.

Zack backed away, getting a bad vibe from the stranger. All his instincts were screaming at him to run, to hide, to put as much distance as he possibly could between himself and this man. The only thing keeping him rooted there was the years of manners his mom had drilled into his and Cody's heads.

"Need a lift kid?" the man asked, grinning enticingly at him, revealing yellow rotted teeth.

Zack shook his head.

"No, sire."

"Ya sure?"

He nodded, taking another step back. The man's toothy grin vanished in a whisk of grimy teeth. A cold hateful look replaced it, chilling Zack to the bone.

"Get in the car," he ordered, pulling something from behind his back that Zack couldn't see.

"W-what?" he said stunned.

"I said get into the damn car!" the man bellowed back at him.

Before Zack could react, the side door skidded open and another man just as dirty as the first, jumped out and tackled him, pinning him to the asphalt. The man in the van threw him something and he deftly caught it uncapping the syringe and plunging it deep into the teen's neck.

Zack cried out in shock and pain as the tiny needle bit his skin. He watched through wide terrified eyes as the man sitting on top of his chest, threw the empty syringe into the woods. Whatever kind of drug was in it was beginning to take immediate effect. His eyes grew heavy but he fought desperately to hang on, to stay conscience but it only made him more dreary. Exhaustion and the drugs took over and he fell unconscious .

The last thing he remembered was being dragged and stuffed carelessly into the back of the van. The wailing of tires on the road and both of the men's laughter filled the smoky van then the rest was a hazy blur as they sped away, taking Zack from everything that was important to him. Away from his family. His whole entire life. Nothing would ever be the same again. Zack. Cody. Carey. Little did they know was that it would be a long torturous two and a half years before they would be reunite again. They would never be the same again because scars of the past run deep within and nothing is easily forgotten.

To be continued…