Aegis: Catalyst Grove (8 page)

Graham was stunned.
 
He didn’t know what to make of it.
 
He must have looked like a fool as he continued to stare at Chase with an even more inquisitive expression on his face.
 

Breaking the tension, Chase slapped Graham on the back and chuckled.
 

“Lighten up man.
 
Ms. Winstone told me about you.”
 

Looking over at Damien, Chase said, “
y tú, mi amigo.
”
 

Relief washed over Graham like warm ocean waves.
 

“Thought I was a wierd-o for a second there, didn’t ya,” said Chase.
 

Graham looked at Chase relieved, but sill unsure how to respond.
 
“Yea, you had me going for a second.”
 

Realizing that now was his chance to finally ask Chase some questions; to finally get some answers, Graham opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Damien.
 

“Hey, why did you run from us?
 
Why make us chase you all the way down here?”

“Yea, that was a bit odd, wasn’t it.
 
I guess I needed to stretch my legs, although I gotta say, it was very hard to move that slow.”

“SLOW?
 
I could barely keep up!” said Damien, still panting.

“I may have seemed fast to you, but for me, that was a snails’ pace.
 
I am sure by now, you understand why.
 
The real reason, I suppose, is that I needed to get you away from the crowd so I could talk to you.
 
It is hard to have a conversation while everyone is staring at the kid who almost became road kill.”
 

Chase laughed again as Graham’s cheeks turned light red.
 

“Yea, well, not everyone is a ‘Johnny McSpeed-ster’ like you,” Graham sarcastically replied.

“Touché,” Chased said with a nod of the head, acknowledging Graham’s sarcasm.
 
“The real reason I brought you two back here is that I know you are searching for something.
 
I hate to disappoint, as I am clearly not Cavaness, but I can take you to him if you like.”

Graham almost fell over with excitement.
 
“Really?!”
 

The hope emanating from Graham was palpable.
 
If he wasn’t so elated, he may have shed a tear.
 

“Really, really,” replied Chase.
 
“Maybe you can even get some help with those nightmares of yours.”

“How’d you kn….”

“Ms. Winstone.
 
I think we already had that conversation before the two of you crept into the Parlor Room last night.
 
You are not alone on that one.
 
You know, we three have one thing in common.
 
We are orphans.
 
We have screwed up pasts.
 
Sometimes those things, those vague or horrible memories we tried to burry long ago force themselves to the surface.”

“No kidding,” said Graham.

“I don’t know what you guys are talking about.
 
I don’t have no crazy dreams,” said Damien.

“Well, crazy dreams or not, I am sure there are more questions lingering in your heads.”
 

“Yea, like the question of how do you move so fast.
 
You are like a blur when you run,” said Damien.

“All in due time.
 
Like a good story, you need to hear it from the beginning.
 
That is why I had to get you away from the crowd,” said Chase.
 
“As I am sure you overheard, I am the caretaker of Portfield Manor.
 
You know, the haunted place.”
 

Graham and Damien leaned in closer to Chase as they listened.
 

“There are others who live there, but they are not ghosts and ghouls.”

“Then who are they?” asked Damien.

Graham nudged Damien with his elbow.
 
“Let him finish.”

“Let me put it this way.
 
There are two types of people in this world.
 
Those who accept who they truly are, and those who choose to remain ignorant by ignoring their gifts.
 
I know that sounds a bit ridiculous right now, but if you choose accept my invitation, then you will find out how true that statement is.”

“What invitation?” Graham asked.

“An invitation to find out who you really are,” said Chase.
 
“Once every two years, we have an invitation for people like you who we see as
unique
.”

“You mean broken,” said Graham, not sure if he liked the way this conversation was going.

“Define it how you want, Graham, but I mean unique more in terms of being ‘
set apart
,’ than I do ‘
cast aside
.’
 
You are not broken.
 
You just can’t yet explain what is happening inside.
 
Regardless of the definition, it is your choice.
 
I hate to be vague and cryptic, but unfortunately, I must.
 
If you choose to accept, then we will be at Portfield Manor tomorrow night at 3 am.”

 
Because they were behind the final building of Wellington, Chase could easily point down the road to a clearing in the trees.
 
Chase looked at Damien, then turned to Graham.
 

“Portfield Manor is a few miles from here.
 
Since you are a pro at navigating the woods between here and Greenwood, I have full faith that you will be able to make it to the Manor on time.
 
You want answers?
 
You will find them there.”
 

With that said, Chase ran off down the road in a blur, leaving Graham and Damien in a wake of dust.

“Well that was dramatic,” said Damien in a monotone remark.
 
“What do you think?
 
Personally, it sounds a little hoaky to me.
 
And why three in the morning?
 
What the heck?”

“Maybe, but if this is my chance, then I’m taking it.
 
You do what you want,” replied Graham.
 
“That is, if we make it back to Greenwood without being questioned about our afternoon.
 
Ms. Winstone has already told me not to come back here.
 
If she knows I have disobeyed her, I may not live to make it to Portfield Manor.”

Graham and Damien turned around and began to walk back towards Building 14, where they would make their way back through the woods, then to Greenwood.
 
They both breathed a sigh of relief as they saw that most of the kids were still out on the playing fields.
 

“I think we are good,” said Graham.
 
Just then, the gongs of the grandfather clocks could be heard from inside, instructing the kids to come back for study time, then dinner.

“Wow, we couldn’t have timed that any better,” said Damien.
 

High up on the 3
^rd
floor, Ms. Winstone stood at the window with a cup of tea in her hand, bringing it to her lips for a sip as she watched Graham and Damien emerge from the woods, walking over to mingle in with the other children.

C
HAPTER
S
EVEN

The Pathway to Freedom

Disregarding all pleasantries, Ms. Winstone looked sternly into Graham’s eyes.
 
Whatever was on her mind immediately escaped her mouth like a bird from an open cage.

“I thought I told you not to go back into the woods.
 
Now you’ve drug Damien into it.”
 

Without hesitation, Damien spoke.
 

“Graham was showing me his favorite places there.
 
I asked him to.
 
He told me about them yesterday, and I practically begged him to let me go see it.
 
Please don’t blame him.
 
It was my idea, Ms. Winstone.”

Taking Damien’s story into consideration, she thought for a moment.
 
The boys caught a quick glance at each other hoping that this would be the end of it.
 
Ms. Winstone studied the two of them for a while longer, trying to decipher truth from fiction.
 
After a moments pause, she decided another question was more important.
 

“Well then, if you were so keen on seeing the woods, then what of Wellington?
 
Did Graham show you that as well?”
 

Damien swallowed hard.
 
He did not want to say it, but he knew he had no choice.
 

“Yes, Ma’am.”
 

“Damien, I have no doubt that you hold a certain power of persuasion over Mr. Graham, but my expectation was clear.
 
Wellington is a dangerous place, especially for those who do not seem to fit in.
 
Wellington was and is off limits.”
 

Damien did not know what to say.
 
He wanted to protect Graham from any possible punishment, but Ms. Winstone’s decisions were like stone statues planted firmly in cement.
 
They were immovable.
 

Trying to find a balance of justice and mercy, Ms. Winstone looked at Graham.
 
She wanted to show compassion, but if she bent now, the news of her leniency would get around to the other children, and they would try to break her.
 

“One week of revoked recess time.
 
You are to stay in your room or in a study hall.
 
You eat, you study, and you sleep.
 
Am I clear?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Damien, since you were mostly unaware of our previous conversations, you are off the hook this time, although I expect you to use some common sense every now and again.
 
You should know better than to wonder off into the woods and down to Wellington.”
 

With a stern stare and a depth of seriousness he had never heard in her voice before, she said, “Now the expectation is set.”

The two boys sat still in their chairs like statues.
 
Nothing was worse than a rebuke from Ms. Winstone.
 
It was as if she were addressing your very soul.
 

“I shall also have Mr. Kobble keep a close eye on you two once you return to recess.
 
No more ventures into the woods, or anything else beyond it for that matter.
 
Now, go get ready for dinner.”

The boys stood up from there chairs in unison.
 

“Yes, ma’am.
 
Thank you, Ms. Winstone.”
 

“You know I care for you both.
 
Very deeply indeed.
 
Young minds are always searching for adventure and purpose in this world, especially when they feel they have none in their seemingly mundane, day to day activities.
 
Whatever you two are really in search for, you can find it in the library, not in Wellington.”
 

“Yes, ma’am,” they replied.
 

At that, they opened the wooden door and closed it behind them.
 
As they walked down the hallway and up the stairs to their rooms, they could not get over the lump in their stomachs.
 
They did not like the chastisement from Ms. Winstone, nor did they enjoy the thought of deliberate insubordination, but they both knew what they had to do.
 
They had to make it to the meeting tonight, no matter what the cost.

Graham broke the silence first.
 

“If we really get the chance to meet Cavaness tonight, it will be worth the loss of a month’s recess.
 
A year’s recess.
 
I don’t care how much trouble I get into.”
 

Graham gave a quick punch to Damien’s arm as they continued walking.
 

“Thanks for having my back.
 
You didn’t have to do that.”

“Hey, what are friends for, right?
 
You’ve saved my tail more times than I can count.
 
I’m glad I could finally return the favor.”
 

Damien held his fist out in front of Graham.
 
Graham smiled, giving Damien a fist bump.
 
Turning the corner, they arrived at their rooms.
 

“See you in a few minutes,” said Graham.

“
Hasta Luego
.”

As everyone was cleaning up for dinner, Graham decided it was time to roam the halls in search of the door that would lead them to freedom.
 
Room by room, he looked along the back wall for any exterior doors, and room after room he became increasingly frustrated.
 
So far, he could only locate five doors.
 
The kitchen, the front door the parlor door, and two doors at the end of each wing.
 
With only a few more rooms to search, the next one he came to was the library.