2291.08.13 EVT
Tightening his grip on the handle, Shane checked his footing and thrust the plunger again. A cold wave of water spilled from the bowl, soaking through his shoes and into his socks. He swore under his breath.
It’s no fun, is it? Cleaning up after people’s messes. Maybe you should remember that, next time you decide to let someone else take the fall for your choices.
Sighing, he pulled a fresh disposable glove from his pocket, running his thumb briefly across the locket he kept hidden against his chest, beneath his coveralls. It had belonged to his mother, his only possession linking back to his childhood, and now housed the opinionated soul of the only true friend he’d ever had.
Checking carefully to ensure he was otherwise alone, Shane channeled his Necromancy, elevating himself into the higher dimensions beyond the Veil. He reached through the plumbing to retrieve the obstruction, wrapping his gloved hand around the offending material and tugging it with him into the Afterlife.
The toilet gurgled happily, water freely draining once more, as Shane returned to the mortal plane before inspecting the sopping bundle of light green fabric.
“Another uniform shirt,” he sighed, frowning at the sopping garment. “Who keeps flushing these things?”
Some people just like to cause trouble for everyone else. But you wouldn’t know anyone like that, would you?
The shirt would need a thorough washing, of course, but it seemed no worse for wear despite its unconventional storage location. He checked the label for the size. Keeping Jake clothed was posing a challenge; the growing boy needed a new wardrobe every six months. One less shirt to procure would be a welcome relief for the budget.
He wrapped it in a trash bag and shoved it onto the cart, concealing it under some cleaning supplies. Then, grabbing the mop, he turned his attention to the puddles on the floor.
He was only half finished when the door flew open.
“Bathroom’s closed!” he growled, without looking up from his work. “Try the one upstairs.”
“Lawrence.” The man’s voice was unfamiliar, though he seemed to know Shane. “Good. You’re needed on the dock. Truck’s here.”
“I’ll be done in five minutes.”
“Let me help.”
The man was already tugging at the trash, his arms straining to remove the over-full bag from the receptacle.
Shane winced as the bag caught on the edge and began to tear. Surreptitiously casting a Shielding spell to maintain its integrity, he strode over, easily lifting it from its can. “I said five minutes.”
“Yeah.” His erstwhile assistant sheepishly ran his fingers through his short brown hair. “I guess I’d better leave it to the professionals.” He wrung his hands, checking his wristwatch as Shane double-bagged the refuse and hauled it outside the door. “Before you came along, I’d never seen the bathrooms half as clean as you keep them.”
Shane shrugged, returning to his mop. “Any job worth doing is worth doing well.”
You always did put your whole heart into things. Committing war crimes, plunging toilets, murdering your best and only friend…
They spent the next few minutes in awkward quiet, the slick of the water across the floor the only sound.
His visitor was the first to break the silence. “The name’s Jeb, by the way. Biology teacher.”
“Shane.”
Not that this was a secret; his chosen name was embroidered onto his janitorial coveralls in bold, capital letters. But the man seemed to expect an answer.
“I know. Your son’s in my class. Brilliant kid.”
Jake was brilliant, in a way few could ever hope to emulate. Their first meeting, two years prior, had changed Shane’s life in more ways than Shane would ever be able to articulate. With the death of the boy’s mother, his adoption had been both a matter of necessity and obligation. Not to mention Shane’s first step on the path of redemption for his own crimes, both past and present.
“Just doing my best to give Jake the life he deserves,” Shane grunted, rinsing off the mop and beginning to set his cart in order.
Too bad he’s stuck with you. Fearless Commodore to skulking janitor. How far the mighty have fallen.
Shane washed his hands in the sink, drying them on his thick blue coveralls before turning to study the teacher for the first time. The younger human held a bookish innocence, his wiry figure and pale skin a sharp contrast to Shane’s dark, muscular frame.
Faced with the necromancer’s fierce orange gaze, Jeb shifted his weight, cheeks flushed, and jerked his thumb toward the door behind him. “Uh, loading dock?”
“Lead on.”
Shane tucked his cart into the janitorial closet, effortlessly hefting the trash bag over his shoulder. The bag with the shirt remained in the cart; he’d return for it later.
He knew the way to the dock already, having helped unload countless shipments meant for the higher education research labs, but Jeb seemed intent on accompanying him this time. The chance to discuss Jake’s education was a welcome opportunity.
“You need something else?”
“Yeah…”
Somehow Jeb looked even more nervous.
“To put it simply, Jake has been rather… disruptive lately.”
He ran his hand through his hair again, avoiding Shane’s gaze. “Don’t get me wrong, your son knows his stuff! A little too well, honestly. He’s not only bored with his lessons, he’s stopped following the directions on assignments. He gets the right answers, but we don’t know where he’s getting them from. We don’t understand half the things he writes on his worksheets.”
The squelching of Shane’s damp footwear echoed with every step through the otherwise abandoned hall as he considered Jeb's words.
“Jake’s former school had several teachers from the Space Defense Legion,” the necromancer said at last. The same faction he’d sworn vengeance against, after their attack on his original homeworld had killed both his parents, leaving him trapped in oppressive darkness until a rescue team had found him days later. “I’ve been doing what I can to teach him arcana, but he has a real aptitude for their more mechanical technologies.” He paused, grunting slightly as he hefted the trash bag into the disposal unit with practiced ease. “I think because he’s learned both so young, he sometimes combines the two.”
He risked a glance at Jeb and found the biology teacher nodding his head in understanding. “We thought it might be something like that.”
“I’ll talk to him,” Shane offered. “Ask him to stop using the Legion skills he learned.”
“No, no, no!” Jeb looked panicked. “You misunderstand. These are skills we try to teach in later years. Many of them have trouble… And your son’s so far beyond even that.” He scratched his fingers through his hair. “What I’m trying to say is, we’d like to move him to our gifted classes.”
“Oh.” Shane stopped walking, his feet sinking deeper into his uncomfortably soaked socks. “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t afford special classes. I’m only able to keep Jake here because of the employee tuition discount.”
Jeb shook his head, smiling back tentatively. “That’s not a problem. There’s a small fee for materials, since he’ll be doing a lot more hands-on work, but the school’s agreed to waive that this year, in his case.” The biologist looked up at Shane, holding hope in his brown eyes. “And it would be great for Jake. He’s a good kid. I’d hate for his boredom to lead him into trouble.”
“Thank you.” Shane nodded stiffly before resuming his brisk walk toward the loading dock.
“Wait!” Jeb called out, rushing to catch up. “There’s… something else we need to talk about.”
Shane kept walking. “I’ll fill out whatever paperwork you need after we get this truck unloaded.”
“Good. Thank you. But that’s not what I meant.” Jeb was panting now. “I need to ask. Some of the kids came to us, concerned. Have you been teaching Jake… Necromancy?”
“Necromancy?” Shane froze.
And here it is. You’ll never be free from your past. You carry it with you wherever you go. The corruption’s too deep in your soul.
Shane slowly turned to look at Jeb. “Yes. He – we – lost his mother. To the war.” He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “I’ve been teaching him the Soul Call spell, so he can still talk to her.” He shrugged, in an effort to appear nonchalant.
Jeb nodded again. “Was hoping it was something like that.” He looked up at Shane, shifting his weight. “It’s just… He’s been telling his classmates something different. I don’t know if he told you, but some of the bigger kids have been singling him out.”
“We talked. I’ve been teaching him some agile sparring techniques. And Shielding magic. If they can’t catch him, they can’t hurt him.”
“That explains the hallway incident the other day,” Jeb chuckled politely. “Was wondering how he’d managed that.”
His face turned somber. “Many of his teachers, myself included, have been stepping in to protect him, too. But…” He ran his fingers through his hair again. “He’s, uh, taken to telling the other kids you’ll Shatter their souls if they bother him. And that you’re teaching him how to do it.”
“Shatter?”
Like father, like son. Grim.
Shane clenched his fists. “No. Just Soul Call. I’ll talk to him. About the lying.”
Jeb’s tone turned apologetic. “I haven’t said anything to the Office yet. Was hoping to resolve things with you, first. It’s just… I hope you see what a bad spot this puts us in, if parents start to complain. You’re the janitor. You have keys to everything. And…” Jeb knotted his hands. “Well, quite frankly, you’re rather intimidating.”
Shane raised an eyebrow, staring down at the biology teacher. Standard locks had never been much of a deterrent, not with his training, but this was no time to mention that.
“Yes. The man with shoes full of toilet water is always intimidating.”
He took a step forward, his socks squishing in protest at the sudden movement.
Jeb broke into laughter, slapping Shane on the back in what seemed an easy, reflexive moment for the amicable instructor. Followed by immediate regret, from the way Jeb cringed notably after.
Shane managed to suppress his natural reaction to recoil from the unexpected contact, instead forcing himself into an attempt at a smile, and watched as Jeb slowly relaxed again.
“Point taken.” Shane blinked slowly. “I’ll try to be less intimidating. And talk to Jake, about threatening his classmates.”
“Many thanks.” Jeb nodded quickly. “You work hard. For us and your son. I’d hate to see either of you hurt by rumors.”
“Anything else?” Shane raised his brow again, resuming his walk.
Jeb nodded, twisting his hands. “Since you asked… One of today’s shipments is for my sister’s lab. Was wondering if you could deliver that first? She said it’s important.”
“Of course. Think I owe you that much.”
“It’s addressed to Razick. I’ll help you find it.”
