Silver Bells and Crimson Ribbons

Chapter One

Green eyes

Alone on a bench at school, watching the other children jump rope, playing four square and eat their lunch. He sat there by himself with his ankles hooked together, both of his hands clasped together in his lap with sad eyes. No one wanted to play with him ever since his outburst in class throwing chairs, pencils, desks and going after his teacher with his daily supplies. After that day he had to do his work in a "special" class with a member of the school committee. In class he did hear the murmurs of his peers and although he couldn't descript every word, he knew that they talked about him and his shameful acts. Only friend he had was the lost kitty that paid a visit at his school.

"There's Teivel, again." A group of three boys shadowed over Teivel. His eyes were big and engulfed in fear then they were enlightened with a smile. Out of the three guys the one in the middle was obviously the leader and his two followers were glued to each side of him. Teivel kept his mouth shut and let a small smile show. The one in the middle had his eye caught by the silky black cat.

"Hey, what's that?" The leader asked scoffing and snickering the cat. "Is that your friend?" Teivel looked at the cat and then back at the three boys and nodded. The two followers had then huddled closer copying their beloved leader. "We have some time left, let's go play with her."

"Well, uh, um..." Teivel mumbled stroking his cat's ears. The two followers peeked a look at their leader as he crossed his arms. His expression was dark and his eyes were heavy. Teivel's eyes darted from the leader to his followers and back to his cat.

"We're friends, aren't we?" The leader asked and the followers nodded. They knew what answer they'd get, but they wanted to hear it for themselves.

"Of course we are." Teivel softly mumbled. His cat pounced onto his lap with her bell around her neck tinkling at every movement. Her bell was small and silver attached around her neck by a crimson colored ribbon. Teivel loved to run his finger along it and listen to the music that she made. Her green eyes were light as she looked at Teivel and mewed.

"Then let us play with her," The leader took a step closer reaching his arms out, but Teivel took her in his arms as his heart beat so hard it felt as though it was going to fly out of his chest. The followers shot a glare at Teivel and the leader took a step back as the bell began to ring. His fists were clenched and his gritting teeth were heard in a whisper. Teivel didn't want to lose his friends so he responded with a: "Please, its okay. After class..."

In the classroom Teivel sat alone, with his cat in his backpack. The teacher sent him to the nurse's office soon after he heard the kids mumble "Well, look there. It's Teivel, did you hear his name meant 'devil'?" Instead of going to the nurse's with his fake stomach ache he went into an empty classroom pulling his cat out.

"I know I'm their friend, but you're my friend, too." He placed the cat on a desk, while he sat on a chair leaning over the table. The cat stared at him swaying her tail to the side. "Don't tell them, kitty, but you're my best friend." He smiled as the cat meowed at him. She soon rolled over onto her side mewing at Teivel as he stroked her bell. The ribbon was silky and smooth, as he ran his finger around it. Her eyes were welcoming and gentle, before closing them relaxing under his arm. She licked his finger while his thumb touched the bell.

"I'm going to give you a name, kitty." Her eyes opened examining his face. He looked at her eyes then smiled. "Tien, it means angel, spirit, and fairy in Vietnamese." Tien then mewed at him, pawing his fingers. His eyes were glued to his fingers embracing the feeling of the soft, warm paws tap his fingers one by one. "I'm not special at all," Teivel pulled his hand back resting his chin against the table. "Teivel, Yiddish name meaning 'devil',"

Then kitty peeked at Teivel, licking his nose and forehead. A few meows and mews echoed in the classroom. At the end of the last meow that came out it seemed to have twisted into the air.

A door swung open revealing the leader and his two followers. Teivel turned his head right before the two followers grabbed his arms throwing him into another chair holding him down, as the leader grabbed some masking tape. As the two followers taped him in the chair the leader grabbed Tien by the neck and dangled her in front of Teivel. She mewed unaware of situation, while Teivel stared at her with his mouth opened ready to scream for help, but he was afraid to lose his 'friends'.

"Time to play with your kitty." The leader gave Teivel a sadistic grin. "Next time when we tell you to do something, then do it." Teivel's eyes focused on his kitten listening to the leader's rant. The followers took their position. One held the chair down and the other stood by the leader taking the cat from his arms. The leader took a hammer from the shelf hitting it against the palm of his hand gently.

"No," Teivel whispered. "Leave Tien alone, please." He squirmed anxiously keeping his eyes on his precious friend.

"Tien? This feline?" The leader asked pointing at Tien. "Oh, we're only going to play with her. We're friends, aren't we?" He smirked as the cat was held down against the ground on her side right in front of Teivel. His eyes widened as a hammer was held up. The helpless kitty mewed in fear at Teivel as though she was begging and pleading for help.

"No," Teivel whispered kicking his feet.

"This is what friends do, Teivel." Teivel knew better though. They never did this in the books or movies. They stuck by each other's side doing favors, not killing their other friends. The leader slammed the hammer down against Tien and a howl was quickly echoing. The beatings came down quickly and all Teivel could do was watch in horror. His best friend was looking at him with misery in her eyes. She was being tortured to her death and all she wanted was help and Teivel couldn't give that. The meows, whines and howls were slowly dying and the leader dropped the hammer and their lay his best friend. Teivel had tears in his eyes and he was showing how weak he was. The leader stood up brushing himself off proud of his work.

"That was fast." Was the only remark he had to say. Teivel's jaw was dropping and his eyes were moist as tears trickled down his cheeks that were soon pale. The leader walked off with one of the followers as the other one cut the tape off the back of the chair unaware that his weak 'friend' could easily escape that. He rushed off with his posse, slamming the door behind him.

Teivel stood up right away dropping on his knees in front of his friend that now had bumps and bruises. Her neck was snapped and her skull was split in the back, but both of her eyes were open and the personable eyes she once had were now dim and dark. She had no life in her at all. She was bathing in her own fluids and her sticky, crimson blood. Teivel whimpered trying to catch his breath.

"Tien, Tien..." He hiccupped and sniffled wiping the goop that ran down his nose. He tapped her shoulder gently stroking her fur one more time, then he was welcomed with the old bell he'd hear whenever she was around. It tinkled as Teivel ran his finger around her neck. In the back he could feel the broken bones that were a result of her beating, undoing the ribbon that he thought he'd never have to take off. He held it examining the blood splotches that were left over. He held it in his clenched fist.

There was a snap in his head. The tears stopped and the sniffling surrendered. Teivel took another look at her eyes, before covering them with his hand and closing them for her eternal sleep. Stuffing the bell in his pocket he picked up the hammer in rage. He looked at his once best friend, lifting himself up looking down at her.

"Tien," He started taking a step back. "I promise I won't let them take another step near you. Ever again..." He backed up against the door with a hammer in his hand, turning the knob with the other. Down the hall the leader was there with his two followers. School had been let out already and they were in the building alone aside from teachers on the other floor. They looked at him and the leader decided to open his mouth one more time.

"Hey, Teivel how'd you--?" A dark look in Teivel's eyes and the sight of the hammer caught the leader's words. He backed up against the wall before running into another room. The followers followed and behind them was Teivel. He slammed the door shut with his foot and shadowed over them like they had done to him.

"That's not friend-ship.," Teivel shouted for the first time after his shameful act in the classroom. He lifted the hammer as the followers trembled before him. "That's killing my best friend!" He smashed the hammer against the wall leaving a dent as the followers shrieked covering their heads as plaster fell from the dent.

"Y-y-you," The leader lifted his hands to show he had nothing to hurt him with. "What do you mean?" He asked with a trembling voice. "We, we" He swallowed hard, shaking.

"We're friends." One of the followers whispered and over the head came a smack with the hammer. The leader and the other follower watched as one comrade's hands came down in a limp falling the opposite way, smacking his cracked head against the ground as blood shot out and trickled.

"Oh my G"..." The leader was pale as a sheet standing up nervously jolting out of the room. The sounds of his sneakers smacking against the smooth floor was heard in an echo. Teivel turned his head looking at the swaying door, then back at other follower.

"Teivel," The follower leaned over getting in the position to run. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He begged and pleaded holding his hands out above him. "Please, please." He cried.

"You held her down," Teivel spoke darkly. "You were smirking," He took a step closer. "You killed her, you killed her." His head lifted and his eyes were dark like the deepest pits of hell.

The leader tired opening the doors, realizing that the entrances were locked after everyone went home. It was too high to jump and he turned his head hearing the hollow smacks and the crying and screams. He stood at the end of the hallway and soon enough Teivel was at the other end with deep, dark eyes and a bloody hammer. His clothes that were nice and tucked had blood splattered left and right. He knew his time was up so instead of being scared the leader smirked back at him.

"You really are the son of a devil." He remarked and Teivel took steps closer. The leader snapped out of his 'bad boy' phase, and backed up against the wall. Teivel stopped dropping the hammer beside him. To his right was an emergency case that had an axe and fire extinguisher that rested snug as a bug in a glass case. He didn't bother breaking it yet, but instead shot glares at the leader.

"That may be my name," He started with a soft tone, but not all that soothing and welcoming. "But you, my friend." The leader's eyes widened as Teivel took a step to his right. "You have the acts to prove that you're the son of the devil."

The leader was speechless. All he did was watch Teivel.

"Friends don't kill friends. You tortured Angel, you beat Angel." The leader listened to the sound of the dark voice that upbraided him. "What does the angel need to say because the devil wants to know." Teivel lifted the hammer smashing the glass case as shards of crystal flew out attaching themselves to the loose clothing and the waxed floor. Teivel threw the hammer at one of the lights on the ceiling knocking off half the light that enlightened the hallway. His hands clasped over the handle of the axe.

Teivel marched closer to the leader swinging the axe behind him then lifted it up swinging it down right through him. Death and the thick scent of blood were in the air.