The Cave - Part Two - Chapter III, Minor Confusion About Death

     Julia walked forward and sat down at her own desk. She looked up towards Metis interestedly.   “Queen Metis?”

     “Yes, child?”

     “How is the light shining through? Aren’t we in a cave?”

     Metis nodded as she looked up at the ceiling. “King Phil has devised a device. One end stays at Up-Above, somehow sending an image down here into the kingdom. Thus, there’s a day down here, and a night. There is a mirror up in the ceiling, which projects onto a large sheet of glass stretching across this cave.” Metis smiled. “It is quite a genius invention.”

     “I’ll say.” Lee muttered, staring up at the ceiling. Dark grey clouds began to roll in.

     “Now.” Metis began, looking back at the four. “The first lesson, is this: There are two differences between wisdom, and ignorance. When they come across a question, wisdom asks ‘why?’ whereas ignorance will only say ‘just because.’ the second difference: When given the answer, wisdom listens, whereas ignorance will hear only what it wants to. I will only say this: don’t be ignorance in this class.”

     Metis launched into the known history of the four kingdoms. For centuries, no one knew who originated the four kingdoms. But thanks to the language the kingdoms are called in, they have a faint clue of which countries the founders came from. She then dismissed them early.

     “The four of you are to be acquainted to Molto further. You are to know the citizens better.”

     “Why?” Julia asked.

     “So you can further understand our culture.”

     “So it’s a field trip?” Luke asked.

     A crease formed between Metis’s eyebrows. “A what?”

     “A school trip.” Julia explained.

     Metis nodded understandingly. “I suppose,”

     Luke jumped up from his seat, almost spilling over a bottle of quill ink. “Awesome!” He nearly ran out of the room.

     Metis was nearly at a loss for words. “Class dismissed.”

     Julia led the three others out. When she closed the door, she found Luke leaning against the wall, his eyes closed. He looked tired, resigned even. Almost as if he had been given a tedious school assignment and accepted the fact that he was going to fail. He looked almost defeated.

     “Dang.” He said.

     “What is it?” Lee asked.

     Luke straightened and walked down the hall. “Without my meds, my ADHD is going nuts. I can’t sit straight for even a second.”

     “You’ll have to get a handle on it soon, Luke.” Oliver said.

     “At least all the exercise we’re going to get will help out,” Julia added.

     Luke rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, I’d guess. I just have to cut it out.”

     “I once read a series of books.” Lee remembered as they turned a corner. “It was a while ago, but the main guy had ADHD and they said that it was just genetics to help him on the battlefield.”

     “Are you saying I’m a demigod?” Luke asked with a smile.

     Lee only shrugged with a smile.

     “Well I’m adopted, it’s a possibility,” Luke decided. “Is there a god of dastardly good looks and irresistible charm?”

     “I don’t know, but you’re certainly not related to him,” Lee responded as they emerged into the throne room.

     Ackerley was waiting on his throne, Matilde by his side. He looked excited and happy. “So, you will be acquainted to my kingdom.”

     “That’s the plan, Stan.” Luke said.

     Ackerley’s beard twitched. “I will send a guard with you to help find your way if you are lost.” He waved over a guard by his side. He turned over to him, not losing his smile. “If you could please escort the children?”

     The guard looked like there was nothing he wanted to do less.Nonetheless, he regarded the king with a nod. “Yes, your highness.”

     Ackerley nodded, facing the children once again. “Then I believe you can begin your little excursion.” Ackerley handed them a cloth pouch. “In here, is twenty-seven Quingots. Goodbye, children, please be back by the time the shadow of the sundial reaches seven o’clock.”

     Julia nodded, waving goodbye to Ackerley. “Yes, your highness.”

     “Have fun,” Matilde said.

     Lee nodded, and they walked out the door. There were several stragglers by the steps of the castle, probably seeking audience with the king. “What are we even going to do?”

     “I don’t know.” Julia admitted. “Queen Metis never gave us anything to do down here, just to get to know the culture.”

     “Maybe we should just wander around.” Luke shrugged. “Just find something to do. We only explored a tiny bit of the kingdom when we first came down here, did you see how big this place is?”

     “So wide you couldn’t see the walls.” Oliver remembered.

     “Exactly.” Luke said. “There has to be something around here to do.”

     The four remained silent as they walked through the kingdom, not being able to think of anything to say with the bored guard listening in. The glare of the sun off the gold and diamond streets was almost blinding to Julia. She had once heard that heaven was supposed to have gold streets, and was forcibly reminded of it. Though she looked through squinted eyes, the citizens of the kingdom seemed to have no issue with the pure amount of light in the city. They went about their daily activities with fully open eyes.

     They once again approached the square of the kingdom, where everything was set up exactly as Julia remembered from the day before. She made a beeline for Jason’s hut. She seemed to be on autopilot, finding the hut almost immediately. She knocked on the door. The door was immediately pulled open, revealing Jason, his hair uncombed as usual, dressed in a dirty gown.

     “Ah, you have all returned! Tell me, have you been sentenced to death?” Jason asked conversationally.

     “Fortunately, no.” Oliver answered.

     “Have I?” Jason eyed the guard a little nervously now.

     “No,” Oliver said.

     “Ah, I see.” Jason nodded understandingly. “Please, come in."

*****

I ended that a bit abruptly, didn't I? Sorry about that, it just seemed like a good time to end. I've finally finished the rough draft for the novel, and am finally getting into the editing bits! Honeymoon over, then. XD Thanks for reading!