Everglade: The Underaged

Chapter Two

There was chaos.

"The boy's too young!" someone yelled.

"Take it away, give it to someone else!" another person yelled.

"Everyone calm down!" the Earl yelled.

"Give it to someone who qualifies!" the bailiff screamed.

"Fake!"

"Scandal!" Luke stared at the egg at his feet. How was this possible? This wasn't supposed to happen! Someone put a hand on his shoulder, none too gently.

"Pick it up." They growled at him. Luke looked up in the person's face. It was the Constable.

"W-what?" Luke stammered.

"Pick. It. Up." The Constable repeated. Luke slowly bent over and picked up the egg. It vibrated in his hands, as if the creature inside knew who was holding it. The Constable drug him onto the stage.

"Who are your parents' boy? the Earl asked.

"They're... dead. They died this morning." Luke answered. A sickness had been going around Everglade, and Luke's parents had caught it. He'd been taken away, quarantined, then fostered while the sickness had taken its toll on his parents. Tears threatened to fall, but Luke held them back.

"What's your first name?"

"Luke."

"I meant your full first name."

"Luciwile."

"What's your surname?"

"Renoldi."

"Natilee and Mike's son?"

"Yes, mi'lord." The Earl sighed. Luke stared at the egg in his hands, still holding back tears. He wasn't supposed to have this egg. This egg was supposed to choose someone else. Someone who qualified. Why him? What should he do? Somehow he knew this egg wasn't going to choose someone else, that it had chosen him for a reason, but what reason was that?

"Unfortunately, the egg's decision is final, this boy will be trained in whatever powers this egg gives him." The Earl announced.

"The kids an orphan!" someone screamed.

"He's too young!" someone else screamed. Luke felt something explode against his face as someone threw a tomato at him. A rotten one, by the smell of it. He was whisked away by two of the Earl's guards.