The Ranking System: Serpenti High, page 3
"It has sentimental value," I said in my defense.
"You shouldn’t wear necklaces in Serpenti High."
“Why? You think it’s too girly?” I spat in a venomous tone.
“Someone might choke you with it."
After the security checkup, he recited the school rules as we walked further into the building. I had the attention span of a goldfish, so I stopped listening after the first sentence.
Students walked past us, glancing at me with smirks and haughty gazes. I felt their hungry eyes following my steps. Strict guards, intimidating students, security cameras, everything had me on my feet. My instincts told me that if I wanted to survive behind these walls, I was going to have to sleep with one eye open. I needed to avoid messing with the wrong crowd, but how was I supposed to do that when everyone looked like the wrong crowd?
"... And if you break any of the rules, you'll be sent to SC," the guard said.
"What’s SC?”
“Solitary confinement.”
“Oh, sounds wonderful,” I mumbled. “What kind of teenagers are sent there?”
"The worst. Delinquents, gangsters, pyromaniacs, mentally unstable kids, all sorts of them," he answered briefly, keeping his eyes focused ahead.
"That's—” Terrifying. “Great."
"The bathroom and showers are over there. There aren't any doors in the showers, so don't be surprised if a naked guy is showering next to you. Some of them like to stare, so I wouldn't stay in there too long.”
"Wait, you mean we have to take showers with our ding dongs hanging out in front of each other?!"
"This isn't a five-star hotel."
"No, but even crappy motels give a minimum of privacy," I hissed.
"Privacy is going to be the least of your problems."
Serpenti High reminded me of the orphanage. In places like these, there were bound to be loopholes. If the food wasn’t good, you had to find the secret pantry. If the bathrooms were dirty, you had to sneak into the one reserved for the teachers and staff. If someone was bullying you, you had to hang out with the right crowd. You had to understand the system to survive. It didn’t matter if you were bigger, stronger, or faster. You wouldn’t get far if you didn’t understand the system first. Survival was defined by how you best adapted to your environment and how you used that knowledge to your advantage.
If Serpenti High was as corrupt as the orphanage, there was bound to be a social hierarchy. There were those at the top of the pyramid and the ones at the bottom, used as pedestals. I needed to make sure I climbed the ranks quickly. Then maybe I might be able to get some privacy.
But who was at the top of the pyramid?
“This is your room,” the guard said, gesturing towards a solid steel door. “Classes start tomorrow. You can find your books in the library. Don’t break any rules. There’s a place far worse than this one if you do.”
He nodded towards the window, and I turned my gaze. Solitary confinement was in an isolated tower across the main building. Something about it made the hairs on my arms stand.
“Best you don’t break rules,” he said.
“Best not,” I grumbled.
“Do you have any questions?”
“Do you have any advice for me?”
He looked at me solemnly and said, “Don’t ask for advice.”
I rolled my eyes. “Besides that.”
“Your friends are your enemies. And remember, everyone bleeds.”
His words seemed to make sense while also meaning nothing. He handed me the keys and I pushed open the steel door that yawned open, stepping into my new room.
Home sweet home.
Chapter 6: The Ranking System
The room was small, so I was surprised to see a boy sitting on one of the two beds. It didn’t occur to me that I’d be sharing the room.
The boy’s back was pressed against the cement wall and his long, slim legs were sprawled out in front of him. The rays of sunlight that spilled through the barred windows cast shadows on his ghostly pale face. I wondered if he’d ever been outside this room. His pale complexion made the purplish shadows beneath his eyes look darker than they probably were. A sign of insomnia.
“Are you my new roommate?” he asked in a thick Russian accent.
“Yeah,” I said.
He ran a hand through his midnight curls and studied me carefully. It was a calculative gaze. He was making sure I wasn’t a threat. I observed him in return, but the only thing I managed to get was that he liked the color black. His dress code was entirely composed of it: black shoes, jeans, and a black shirt that hung loosely on his lean figure.
“What’s your name?” the boy asked.
“Axis. You?”
“Vadim.” He pronounced it as va-dheem. Definitely Russian.
“Nice to meet you."
Vadim blinked then laughed, his shoulders shaking.
"Definitely new here," he chuckled to himself. “The bed on the left is yours. Hope you're a heavy sleeper. The rats behind the walls like to scream at night."
"You mean squeak?"
“Sure,” he smiled.
I set my bag down. There wasn’t much in the room. Two beds, a simple desk and chair that were firmly fastened to the floor, and an empty bookshelf. I sat down on the thin mattress of my bed, tracing a finger down the rough blankets, collecting dust.
"There's a drawer beneath the bed for your clothes," he noted. I nodded and started to unpack the few clothes I brought. Well, the ones Christopher gave me.
"What got you in here, tovarisch?” My roommate asked.
"Excuse me?"
"Bless you."
"No, I mean what does tovarich mean?" I asked, probably slaughtering the pronunciation.
"Ah yes, I forgot you Americans lack the skill to speak languages. It means comrade. How did you get here?”
“I murdered someone," I joked. His dark eyes brightened.
“Another murderer? I am a lucky boy," he mused.
I forced out humorless “ha” but my chest constricted with worry. I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not, but I decided it was best if I didn’t find out. I put my folded clothes into the metal drawer beneath my bed.
“Did you have this room to yourself?” I asked, trying to make small talk. He shook his head.
“I had a roommate."
Had.
“What happened?”
He placed his right hand over his chest and gazed into the abyss.
"Was a good kid. Hope you stay longer, yes?”
I gave him a weak smile. “I’ll try."
He pulled himself onto his feet and walked towards me. He reached over and pulled out the necklace from under my shirt. I stiffened, remembering how the guard told me someone could choke me with it.
“This is not even valuable metal,” he said, bringing the ring to the light and studying it. “It isn’t worth a dime. Why do you keep this?”
It has sentimental value.
“I like it,” I declared.
Vadim snorted. “What you like is going to get you killed. Trust me, you’re not going to survive with this hanging around your neck,” he continued, slipping it back into my shirt. “Someone sees you with that?” He dragged his thumb across his thin neck. “Dead.”
But I noticed that he was wearing a necklace too. It was a dog tag, like the ones worn in the military. He wore it over his shirt as if he wanted people to notice it. There was a number engraved in the middle.
#197
“Won’t that get you killed too?” I asked.
“This? This is what will keep me alive.” I jumped when he clapped his hands together. "Ah yes, you're new here. Come, I will explain how Serpenti High works."
Vadim gestured for me to follow him but there wasn’t enough room to follow him anywhere. He pulled out a mini whiteboard and marker from under his bed, and removed the cap with his teeth. I watched as he doodled something. He turned the board around, showing me the pyramid chart that he drew. At the very top, he wrote three words.
“The Ranking System,” I read out loud. “What’s that?”
“It’s how Serpenti High works. Think of it as the food chain pyramid. The strongest feed upon the weak. It’s a simple rule, really. Almost every student in Serpenti High has a dog tag like mine.”
“Almost?”
“There are 600 students but only 400 have necklaces.”
“What about the remaining 200?”
“We call them the Rankless.” He paused. “Or Nobodies, if you prefer.”
I preferred neither.
He pointed at the bottom of the pyramid.
“Down here are the Lower Class. Everyone with a dog tag ranking between 300 and 400 is here.” He drew a line above the first one. “Above them are the Intermediates, ranging from 200 to 300.”
He then drew another line.
“Above them are the Upper Class, 100 to 200. And at the very top are the Elites.
“Rankless, Lower Class, Intermediates, Upper Class, and Elites,” I recited in my mind.
“The numbers on your tag represent your social status. I advise you get a ranking in the 300’s if you want to be left alone.”
“And what if I don’t?”
He laughed as if even asking that question was absurd. “Then you become a Nobody.”
"What about the teachers? Do they allow this sort of stuff?”
"They do not care. We are the misfits of society, Axis.” My back straightened when he said my name. His hollow eyes bore into me. “If you’re here, it’s because you’ve hit rock bottom. If no one cared about you beyond these walls, what makes you think anyone will care about you within?”
His brutal honesty felt like a punch to the gut.
“The universal rule of Serpenti High is that fighting is part of your life. If you have a problem with another student, there’s no point in arguing. It doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong. The only thing that matters is who wins.”
“What happens to the Nobodies?” I asked, realizing they weren’t even included in the pyramid.
“Many things. They get exploited, treated like public toilets, and often used as a source of sexual satisfaction. The only two ways to survive is fight or fuck.”
“I wasn’t given a dog tag. Does that mean I’m a Nobody?” I asked nervously.
"Ne goni loshadey.”
"What?"
"Ne goni loshadyei,” he repeated. “It's a Russian saying. It means don't rush the horses. You are not yet a loser."
I flinched. “Er, thanks."
“It was not a compliment.”
I decided not to comment upon that. Instead, I asked, “How can I get a dog tag?”
“You can beat someone up, trick them into giving you theirs, steal, murder, the list goes on.” He noticed my jaw drop and added, “But the fairest way to win one is on Thursday nights.”
"What happens on Thursday nights?"
"Bashing Night.”
This school seemed to have its own entire vocabulary.
“What’s Bashing Night?”
“I'll explain later. Baby steps, like you Americans say.”
"Don't they say that in Russia too?"
He laughed. "No, no, in our country, babies run. Now, back to my explanation. You don't need to worry about being rankless for now. New students get a week of immunity so it would be against the rules to attack you. But you should find a dog tag before your immunity shield goes down.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then you’ll end up like my previous roommate,” he said with a bleak smile. “Dead.”
Chapter 7: Our Forever
The other orphans were playing in the playground. I waited until everyone was outside before sneaking into the kitchen. We weren’t allowed inside, which was why I loved going there. I stole a chocolate cupcake from the tray and found some matches in one of the drawers. I snuck past the caretakers who were cleaning up the common room and went to the third floor. When I got closer to the door, I slowed down, steadying my breath so it didn’t look like I ran.
I opened the door and hid the cupcake and matches behind my back. Adam was sitting in his corner, waiting for me. He looked up, and a smile spread across his face.
"Eric!" he exclaimed, scrambling to his feet. He ran towards me but was clumsy and fell flat on his face. I grimaced.
This was the boy I loved.
Adam slowly got on his feet, tears pricking his eyes as he rubbed his knees. He looked up and gasped with a smile, remembering that I was here and completely forgetting his pain.
His dirty clothes hung loosely on his small shoulders and his disheveled hair fell over his eyes.
I smiled warmly. "I got you something."
I didn’t show it, but I was nervous. I’d never given a present to someone. Adam looked at me with eager eyes, and I didn't want to disappoint him. We sat down, his arm against mine, and I revealed the cupcake. Unsure of how he’d react, I couldn’t look him in the eyes and busied myself with lighting the match. We didn’t have the luxury of celebrating with candles. When fire finally caught on the tip, I stuck it into the center of the cupcake.
I finally looked up at him and smiled. “Happy birthday, Adam. Make a wish."
Adam looked like he was about to cry, but he squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his lips together.
I scowled. "I said make a wish, not force a fart." The muscles in his face relaxed but his eyes were still closed. We sat in silence as he made his wish. He finally opened his eyes and blew out the fire.
I removed the match and divided the cupcake in two, giving him the bigger piece.
It was funny how Adam—a boy I met by coincidence, someone who I didn’t even know existed—and I became inseparable. He was quiet and shy, and he’d follow me wherever I went. I quickly found myself getting attached to him, and even got protective over him.
Whenever he disappeared, I knew the other boys were up to no good. I’d pick fights with them and force them to talk, which cost me a couple of bruises and injuries. But I’d always find Adam in the end, and eventually, they left him alone. I didn’t know why, but whenever he was hurt, I felt as if they were touching something precious to me. It was strange. I’d never treasured anything or anyone before.
Adam already finished his half, so I gave him mine. He shook his head, but I gave it to him anyway.
"I'm not hungry. Besides, you need it more than I do,” I said, adjusting his shirt that was falling off his shoulder. He hesitated but slowly began nibbling on the muffin. My eyes wandered towards the scars on his arms. They were too faded to be recent. He must have gotten them before he came to the orphanage.
The thought of someone harming Adam angered me beyond belief. He must have noticed me staring and self-consciously lowered his sleeves. Without saying anything, he rested his head on my lap, his hand blindly searching for mine. I gave out my hand and he pulled it close to his chest, grasping my fingers like a baby. He’d do this every time we were alone together. The first time, I told him to stop. Now, I looked forward to holding his hand.
“What did you wish for?” I asked, breaking the silence.
“You.”
There wasn’t a beat of hesitation in his answer. Flustered, I stupidly said, “Idiot, you already have me. You could have wished for something else.”
"I don’t want anything else."
My face reddened, and I couldn’t find myself to look at him. I felt him gently squeeze my hand.
"Can we spend next year’s birthday together too?" he asked. Why were all his wishes about me?
"We can spend all of your birthdays together," I promised. His eyes brightened like the stars.
He gasped. "Really?"
“Really,” I murmured. “The other kids aren’t bothering you anymore, are they?”
“No, not anymore.”
"Good. If they try to hurt you again, tell me right away.”
"Okay!" He beamed, sounding too cheerful for someone who was being bullied.
"If you want me to spend all your birthdays with you, you have to promise you’ll take better care of yourself. You have to stand up for yourself even when I’m not around. Get stronger. No, be the strongest. Don’t let anyone pick on you again,” I said, poking his skinny arms.
He giggled. “I promise.”
Adam was one of the shortest boys in our orphanage and was also considered the weakest. He often fell sick and looked malnourished, so the caretakers would give him extra attention, which played against his favor. The other boys and girls would get jealous, thinking it was unfair for him to receive special treatment when we were all parentless. When I saw them staring at Adam, it was as if I could hear their thoughts: What’s so special about him?
To me, the answer was painfully obvious.
Everything.
"I'm sorry for being weak," he murmured. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him with a frown.
"If you stay by my side, I'll protect you forever," I promised.
So promise me you won’t leave.
I waited for him to reply, but he didn’t. I blinked, but when I opened my eyes again, Adam was gone. A nauseating feeling filled my stomach, and I frantically looked around.
“Adam?” I called desperately, scrambling onto my feet. But the room was empty. “Adam, where are you?"
I sprinted out of the room. The hallway was pitch dark, but when I turned around, the room was gone.
"Adam? Adam, where are you?" I shouted desperately. "Adam!"
My eyes flung open, and I sat up in a panic. My chest throbbed terribly and sweat trickled down my damp neck. Everything slowly came into focus. I was in my dorm room. Night had fallen, and the cold moonlight streaked through the windows. I glanced at my roommate whose lips were slightly parted, one arm carelessly thrown above his head. Vadim was sound asleep, sleep talking in Russian.
I grabbed the ring around my neck. It was such an unconscious movement that I didn’t even realize I did it until the rhythm of my heart finally steadied. A peal of weak laughter escaped my throat as I ran a helpless hand through my hair. Every time I felt anxious, I’d touch this ring for comfort.
