Chapter 1: Summons
The school I go to is considered average amongst my average small town. The school had its nice people and bad people, good teachers and crap teachers, underfunded and food that should be illegal because of its taste(You get the idea). This very school is where I was first summoned. I was in the eight grade and close to the end of my school year, CRCT was only a week away. My friends Kenny, Noah, Jake and I were talking and fooling around in seventh period. “Shut up Cracka! No one cares what you what you have to say!” I said to Kenny. We were arguing about who was better, Rise Against or Bullet For My Valentine. “Hey, you're not very nice.” he said back. “Its because no one likes him.” Noah tried to whisper across the table. “What did you say about me punk?” I said. “Um, uh nothing.” He said back
“You boys need to quiet-”
“Mrs. Smith?” a voice rang through the speakers in the room.
“This is she.”
“Do you have Samuel Roberts at the moment?”
“Yes”
“Can you please tell him to come to the office?”
“Yes I can.” and the speakers made their weird dinging noise.
“I'm goin'” I said and left the table. One of the many things I hated about this school; the office never called me Sammy, like my friends and teachers. It was always Samuel. The hallway was silent as I walked, except for the sounds of my footsteps. I nodded to Doc as we crossed paths, he was an old janitor and has been working at the school for the past thirty years. He is also one of the few cool staff (last year the eight grade dedicated the yearbook to him).
“I was called to the office.” I said when Ms. Jane noticed me.
“Samuel?” I nodded. “I letter was sen to you. Here it is.”
“A letter?” I asked her.
“Yes a letter.”
“Do you know who it's from?”
“Bartholomew's, they think you've got talent.”
Bartholomew's? I thought. If they think I've got the talent to be a mage, they're really desperate. Well yeah I'm smart and in good physical condition but I've never exhibited magic powers. I decided that I would read the letter later, when I got home. School ended in about fifteen minutes. I heard footsteps behind me but before I could turn around someome said;
“Jew, you remembered.” that was definitely Corey.
“It's Friday isn't it?” I asked him
“Yeah.”
It was something my school did. The eight grade BETA members would pick a day in which they would put the flag up and take it down. My group was Friday and it was usually Corey, Jason and I, but Jace(it''s what his friends called him) was absent. The Jew part is actually pretty weird. My friend Jace and I were talking in gym early in the year and he randomly said “Dude you look like a Jew.” Ever since it just stuck and that's what my close friends call me when they're joking, and no, I'm not really Jewish.
In a few minutes we had taken the flag down and turned it back into the office. “C'ya Monday man.” I called out to him when we left the office.
“C'ya then.”
The last few minutes of school went by flawlessly and I easily gathered my things and left for the bus. On my way I happened to look to the opposite side of the street. Standing there was a man I've never seen before. He looked to be at least in his late fifties. He had shoulder-length silver hair with a beard of the same color that flowed to his chest, and like his hair it was also wavy. He was wearing what looked like it could be a tux. Samuel, a voice sounded in my head, look at the letter they gave you today. Accept it. You have a great destiny to fulfill and there is where it will all begin. Do not come looking for me until the time is right, they mustn't know I exist. I have people where you are going that can protect and guide you. Do as they say. I will contact you again when the time is right. The... presence left my head before I could respond and I was immediately left with a huge headache. When I looked back up to where the figure had been he had disappeared. “Dude, you okay?” Kenny asked me. “Yeah, just a headache.”
I got on the bus with no more accidents and during the entire trip home my head said that the experience was just a trick of my mind. Somewhere, deep inside of myself, I knew that it was real though. I had to find this person. I never thought about it again until later in the day, when I saw him again....
My day at home, and probably most of the weekend, would consist of eating, hanging with friends and X-box. Dinner was full of the usual talk with me and my siblings. I never mentioned the letter or the man.
My room was fitted perfectly to my tastes. It was relaxing blue color with my “needed” wants and posters of my favorite things; guitar chords, and bands mostly.
It was really early Saturday morning, about three a.m., when I did get in bed. I saw in the ceiling the strange man from earlier today and I heard his words again. The letter, it was still in my pocket. I would have to show my parents later today.
Dear Samuel Roberts,
It has come to the attention of our scout, Blake Howard, that you may have the potential to be a mage. We only wish for you to know that these scouts are in every town, and that you are not being followed. He noticed you when you were in grade school and you had an.....altercation with a fellow student. We formerly ask you to talk to your parents or legal guardian(s) about this letter. Please contact us by the options at the bottom of this letter to make an appointment as soon as possible.
Hoping you will provide us with your presence,
Dean Hue Walker
Phone:576-394-4040
Fax:466-756-8888
Email:DeanHueWalker@Bartholomews.com
Dean Hue Walker
Phone:576-394-4040
Fax:466-756-8888
Email:DeanHueWalker@Bartholomews.com
When I was in the fifth grade me and another kid, who moved later the same year, had gotten into a fight. What we fight over, I can't exactly remember. I only remember him lunging at me, me ducking and we just tumbled. He had me pinned against the wall when I kneed him the gut. When he hit the floor I grabbed him by the arms, pulled him up and slammed him into the wall. When the teacher got to us it turned out that on his arms where I had grabbed him were burns, in the shape of my palms. No one knew how they got there, at least, not then.
