Wisteria

Chapter X

I woke up the next morning at 6:00 to keep working on my sketch of the mysterious boy. When I finally decided to call it good, I looked over at the clock and saw it was 7:29. I scrambled to shove my sketchbook into my art bag before my roommates were woken up by the group alarm. I had barely shoved the tote under my bed when 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' started blaring from the radio/clock.

Craina was the first to sit up and stretch.
"Good morning," she breathed. "Its a beautiful day." I looked outside. I didn't even notice the majestic painted sky. "Oh my gondola..." I said, captured by the colors,"It is."

"How long have you been up?" Robin asked. "Since six."
"Doing what?" Rekay asked with a giggle, "Contemplating life?"
"You could call it that."
Robin strode toward the window that covered half of the wall while her penguin pajamas trailed behind her.
"The days are getting longer. Soon the power of Cetrana will be at its height."

"Because of the sun?"
"More or less I guess. It's just the energy."
Huh...
A silence filled the room. Then it was broken.

"What was that you were drawing?" Robin asked.
Busted.
"What drawing?"
"The one you shoved under your bed."
"How did you know about that?"
"I'm Rezical. Your business is my business."
"Huh?"
"Mind powers. I can read minds and move things without touching them. Some of the most powerful can even place thoughts in the heads of others," she evaluated.
"So what was it?"
"I thought you could read minds?"
"Only bits and pieces. I can tell you've been focusing on one image and tried to get it out of your head, but I can't see what it is. I can only fully see what you are thinking if you submit your thoughts to me."

I gave up hope on escaping the dreaded conversation and pulled out my sketchbook. I showed them the unfinished picture.

"Who is he?" Craina asked.
"I don't know."

Rekay crossed over to the basket in front of my bed peas sitting on and looked at the picture. "Hmm. He's cute."

Not when he's trying to kill you.
"I guess."

I looked at the clock again and it was now 7:40.

"Hot Belgian waffles! I'm going to be late for breakfast again."
I peeled into the bathroom and changed into my outfit of the day.
"See you later, don't forget!" Rekay said as I ran out the door.

🌀🌀🌀

I took my sketchbook to all my classes to continue working on the drawing of the mysterious boy. I know it seems counterproductive, but drawing helps me listen and remember lectures. I got my pencils set up and prepared to listen as the chimes rang out.

"Good morning class."
"Good morning Mr. Reeda."
"There are many beauties in words of the page, but there are even more in the words of the mouth and of the heart. Folk legends are the backbones of all culture. So today we are going to examine a folk tale that hits very close to home. The Lapis Key!"

Murmurs rippled throughout the rectangular classroom as students inferred about what could make Mr. Reeda so excited. Granted, he was a theatric little man but he looked as if he were preparing his escape act.

"Don't tell me you've never heard of the Lapis Key?" He grinned like we were in for a show. Mr. Reeda took a lilac bead from his left wrist and through it at the blank wall, usually covered with paintings, above his desk and the lights dimmed immediately.

I don't know where it was coming from, but a large circle of light appeared where he had thrown the bead. Then as he spoke shadows appeared and followed the command of his voice as he began to tell us the story.

"There once was a farm of fair brothers three. The eldest called Stanton was strong and boastful. The youngest called Newman was wise and hopeful. The middle child of Oseon was hardworking and loyal. Our story begins with an aging royal. King Samson the Kind was growing in age. He needed an heir so he started to stage a riddle of sorts for wealthy and poor to find one's life set on a journey for more. He searched and searched far and wide. He searched in the cornfields and near the rising tide. Until his riddle reached the farm of Nale where young Newman played with his only ball. Newman ran inside when he had discovered the answer was time and so he recovered his fathers old pocket watch and set a time. A time for a feast to be much sublime. At the time of the feast, Stanton ran off for bread. But a stop at the palace was made instead. 'I know it, I know the answer,' he cried. Mighty thing too, that night the king died. So when Newman went out to claim his prize, he only found his brother, already inside. Newman ran home where he slammed the gate. He was angered and raged, yet decided to wait. 'I know he'll come begging,' he thought to himself, 'My patience will become a great help.' And so soon, as time went on, Stanton realized he wasn't cut out for a throne. He sent for his brother's advice and was given a quest of endurance and persistence. Two parts would belong to this test of insistence. Stanton set off to find the Stone of Friendship in a distant land. He traveled high and low and far but soon lost his will to stand. Beaten down and worn out, he lay down in a cave. Shivering and tired, he told himself to be brave. Immediately a blue flame appeared before his eyes. He followed it until it led him to where the Stone lies. He took it in his hand and held it to the sky. When suddenly what had been day, became the dark of night. The Stone lit up in a thousand colors, stolen from a rainbow. All went light, then all went dark Stanton woke in pain though. He lay upon a forging iron, nearby a raging fire. An old man sat in the corner asking, 'What is your desire?' 'I wish for you to make me a key of worthy kings, a key to unlock grand adventure, a key to give you wings.' The old man perked up quick at this request. He took the Stone and welcomed Stanton, saying 'Be my guest.' The fire roared and the bronze bubbled as the old man set the Stone. But just as contact had been made, perfection had been born. The metal formed itself and began to shed its cape. A beautiful key from molten bronze was starting to take shape. Stanton reached out to touch it and in an instance all things changed. He blinked and opened his eyes to find his environment rearranged. Stanton was atop the highest tower of the palace alongside his brother who nodded assurance from the edge. So Stanton strode up to the highest elevation. And clouds formed from nowhere and down came the precipitation. He held up the key, as high as it could go, and o'er all the kingdom it started to snow. And far off in the distance, way out of sight, a cavern opened into the night. This cavern contained riches beyond all belief, yet when it was found the Kings were stricken with grief. The great cave of riches had swallowed their home. It ate up their family, they were left all alone. They gave up their courtships and to the gardens they tended. Until all of the tension in itself had mended. And so it be told, while riches evade, do be the one from the path who strayed. You may never know if you do not try, so cross your heart and hope to die. Do not let your days merely fill you with old. If you pursue what others dare not, you may end up with the gold."

The shadows on the wall neatly filed themselves and raced back onto Mr. Reeda's wrist.

"Now class," he said more calmly than I've ever heard him speak before,"What does this tell us about history?"

Curruthers raised his hand. "Yes, Edward?"
"I think it means that we come from a bunch of old coots who aren't even capable of making up realistic stories."
Uh oh.
"That is incredibly disrespectful Mr. Curruthers, I suggest you rethink that statement in the disciplinary office."

Mr. Reeda was straining to not explode as Eddie got up and strutted out of the room like he had won a prize. Sickening.

"Now, Ms. Evans how do you think this story reflects on the present?"

Luxory turned back towards the front and made some inference about the moral. Where has she been?

"Aha!" Mr. Reeda exclaims,"I forgot the most important part!" He looked around the room the build suspense before standing up straight and stated with a bit of cockiness to his voice,"The castle in the story, you are all in it, right now."