Young Writers Society

CHAPTER 3

I woke early. The sun hadn't quite made it over the horizon yet, but I still got up. My stomach felt weird. I had a bad feeling about what was going to happen today.

A different guard than Michael served me breakfast an hour later. He was sandy-haired and young, probably eighteen or nineteen. He looked at me with curiosity rather than disbelief, but he still didn't act as if i were a normal person. I didn't get it. It wasn't as if I looked different other than my clothes. Nonetheless he seemed friendlier than Michael.

He spoke as he handed me a plate of ham and eggs, and a jug of water. “So you’re from another world?”

“I guess, although I really don’t know what happened. I was playing with my friends and slipped. Next thing I knew I was out in that field looking at two girls who were terrified of me, and an archer threatening to shoot me in the back.” I said, taking the breakfast.

Unlike the others who didn't believe me, this young man looked at me with interest. “What’s the world you’re from like?”

I sat down on my bed. “The sky and land are the same as here. We’re just more advanced in technology. This world will probably be like ours in a couple hundred years. Ours used to be like this.”

He shook his head. “It sounds like you aren't that different. Just from a farther advanced world.”

That really boosted my spirits. It seemed to help, knowing that someone believed me. Mr. Burns hadn't disbelieved me, but he hadn't believed me either.

“I mean it doesn't seem fair.”

“What doesn't?” I asked.

“Well, the jury will most likely vote that you’re a sorcerer.”

“What!" I nearly shouted.

The guard backed off. “Whoa, I don’t make the decisions, I’m just a guard.”

My spirits fell. “Why doesn't anybody but you believe me? I mean it does seem a little crazy, but if they believe in sorcerers and teleporting, why can’t they believe there’s another world, and I came from it?”

“Putting it that way, it does seem like they should give you more of a chance.”

“There’s one way I could have a chance.”

“What way’s that?”

“You could help me escape.” It sounded crazy, but there was a slight chance this guard would let me. Funny, I thought, but I didn't even know his name.

“Hey, I can’t do that. It would get me in huge trouble. Besides, you’d be caught before noon.”

I sighed. “I know. Thanks anyway for listening.”

He turned to leave.

“What’s your name?”

He looked back. “Andrew. Yours?”

“Malachi.”

“Good luck.”

“Thanks. And thanks for being a friend.”

“Friend?”

“Yeah. You listened to me, believed me, and if you thought you could help, or thought that it would do any good, you would've let me escape. Those are important things to me.”

“Well friend, I suppose I’ll be the one leading you to the Room of Decisions. I hope they’ll believe you.”

I hoped too. And prayed. I mostly prayed.

At two o’clock Andrew came in.

“It’s time to go now.”

I came over from where I had been looking out the window. My stomach began forming a knot. Andrew led me down to the bottom of the stairs, where four other guards were waiting. They escorted me to the Room of Decisions. Along the way townsfolk peered out of windows and lined the streets. Word had gotten around about me. Most folks looked at me with curiosity, although some looked at me with a mixture of fear and suspicion. The sun beat down hot, feeling oppresive on top of all my worries.

We entered the hall and walked to the door of the Room of Decisions. The four escort guards halted while Andrew opened the door and led me through the doorway. The tables on either side were filled with twenty men at each. Everyone wore a white robe with a tan belt except for Judge Wright who sat at the big chair at the front. He had a white robe on, but unlike the others, he had a big purple belt.

Everyone looked up as I entered. I got the same mixture of looks as with everyone else. Andrew led me to the extra chair next to Judge Wright, then waited behind me. Judge Wright arose and spoke in a clear, loud, deep voice.

“Will everyone arise?” His voice echoed in the room.

Everyone did so.

“We are here today to decide the fate of this,” He stopped as he remembered me not liking being called boy, “of this boy Malachi. We will now hear his story. You may be seated.”

As soon as all of the white-robed men had sat, Andrew whispered to me to stand back up. I did so.

I took a deep breath and hesitated. I wasn't sure how to begin. Everyone waited, staring at me.

“My name is Malachi Lining. I have lived in the state of Indiana, my whole life, up until yesterday afternoon. I was playing airsoft with my friends when I slipped.” I ignored the confused stares when I said ‘airsoft.’ It wouldn't help to explain. “When I awoke I was staring at this castle. I heard voices and walked around the tree where I saw two girls named Jennifer, and Phoebe. They stared at me kind of frightened, well more precisely at my weapon.

“All of a sudden a guard named Michael came up from behind with a bow aimed at me. He led me to the captain of the guard. They discussed what to do with me, and seeing the things that you don’t get, such as my clothing, my weapon, and where I’m from, they decided to put me in custody.

“Last night when Michael was feeding me supper I told him my name was Chi.” I saw visible signs of glances from the jury. “He led me to a man here named Mr. Burns. They argued about whether I was a sorcerer or not, and then Judge Wright came up. He decided for this meeting, and then I showed him my weapon. Then Michael led me back to my room.” I finished with visible sign of relief of finishing my story. I thought about that and decided that it wasn't a story, but an experience.

Judge Wright stood up as I sat down. “You have heard the story.”

I raised my hand.

“Yes?”

“May you call it my experience rather story?”

Wright nodded. “Very well. As I was saying, you have heard Malachi’s experience. It is now up to you to discuss among yourselves whether you think this boy should be let go, or if this strange appearing of his, along with his strange clothing and weaponry leads you to believe he is a sorcerer.”

One of the men raised his hand. “May I ask what this weapon is?”

Judge Wright answered. “It’s not of great importance, but I have seen it, and believe it is far advanced compared to our weapons.”

That sounded somewhat odd that Judge Wright had said the details of the weapon didn't matter, but at the same time, the less details this jury knew, the more chance I had of them letting me go.

Andrew led me out of the room as it began to buzz with discussion. My stomach knotted another time.

I stood in the hall for some time, watched over by the four guards, and Andrew. I could faintly hear noise from the other side of the door, but nothing understandable. I couldn't stay still. As I thought about the whole I at first felt terrible, like there was no way they would let me go, and then I thought that maybe I was worrying too much. Then back to worrying. The longer I waited, the more nervous I got. Finally Andrew, sensing my agitation, spoke.

“Are you thirsty? We could go outside and get a drink from a well.”

I nodded. Anything that got me moving would help. And now that I thought about, I was quite thirsty. He led me out and we walked to a nearby well. He drew up the bucket and I grabbed a ladle. I dipped it in the water, and took a big gulp. The cool water felt good. I took another big sip. It seemed to cool everything down, including my nerves and brain.

“Feeling better?” Andrew asked.

I nodded. “Thanks again friend.” I didn't think most guards would have done this out of genuine concern for me. But I knew Andrew had.

He led me back to the hall. In some ways I was thankful when a white-robed man informed us that they jury had come to a decision. In lots more ways I dreaded it. We re-entered the room. I could see no visible facial signs as to what verdict had been reached. I I couldn't help but still think that they had decided I was a sorcerer. Andrew himself had said i didn't have much of a chance. In some ways it made sense, and some ways it didn't.

The judge stood. “Malachi Lining, we have come to a decision. After much discussion and debate, the jury and I have made a decision.”

I wanted to tell him to just hurry up and say the verdict, but i just waited.

“We have decided, from the facts before us, that you are a sorcerer of the east, and as such, we must act swiftly to put an end to your sorcery. We have therefore agreed, that in two days’ time, you Malachi Lining, sorcerer of the east, shall hereby be executed.”

My head snapped up. I knew I should have expected this, but it still shocked me.

“No! You can’t do that!” I shouted before I could stop myself.

Andrew laid a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off.

“You have no proof! Just some suspicion ruled by superstition!”

The four extra guards burst into the room at the sounds of my outburst.

Judge Wright acted coolly. “Guards, take this sorcerer, and put him in his room. Put an extra guard there as well.”

They marched down the center of the room. Although I knew I had almost no hope of escaping, I took a few steps forward. When the lead guard was nearly to me, I lashed out with my right leg. I surprised myself, but even more I surprised the guard. He took the blow in the stomach, and toppled into the guard behind him.

My only option of escaping was the middle. I used the confusion of the falling guards to dash past the next two. They instantly took up pursuit. I reached the door and although it was a risky maneuver, I waited until the guards were almost on me, and then slammed the door shut. I heard both of them collide into it, but had already torn down the hall. Once outside I looked around.

I decided to run straight for the town gate. I ran through the marketplace, hoping to use it to my advantage, but it ended up that the four original guards had a much easier time getting through the crowds by simply telling everyone to get of the way for them. Still, I managed to reach the gates before them. I collided with a man herding sheep as I went under the gates. His staff landed on me. I grabbed it as a weapon and got up. I had just begun to run again when I heard a yell from behind.

“Move again sorcerer, and I’ll put this arrow through your spine.”