Legacy's Ghost

Episode 4: New Kid in Class

Edmond guides me to the only empty seat in the room, next to Trina.

She tucks a lock of red curly hair behind her ear, then offers a half-wave from her seat. "Hello."

"H-hi," I say, then slide into my seat, and stare at the sleek tabletop in front of me.

The teacher, a perpetually grumpy man by the name of François, drops a tablet in front of me with a thud before he squints and stalks to the front of the room, muttering to himself.

Edmond follows Mr. François to the front then claps his hands, drawing our attention.

"Students, I want you to meet the final addition to the Trinity Apprentice Group, or TAG."

All eyes turn to me again. I'm pretty sure someone growls.

Pressing my back into the hard wooden seat, I grip the edges of the table, resisting the urge to bolt.

"Welcome," Trina whispers in from next to me. Her voice reminds me of what I'd imagine woodland fairies to sound like when they talk: sing-songy and magical.

I glance at her and start to smile, but over her shoulder, an older boy with dark beady eyes, black hair, and a smattering of freckles over his chubby cheeks, glares at me.

My smile fades and I turn to look straight forward again.

"Atan will be a part of our Ghouls." Edmond raises an eyebrow as murmurs rippled through the classroom.

"I expect you to treat him with precisely the same respect you do your other counterparts. Is that understood?"

The room silences. I hold my breath, waiting for an outburst.

"Is that understood?" Edmond says, louder this time. He lifts his chin and glares down his nose at the students in the foreboding way only a headmaster can do, silently threatening each of them with severe punishment if they go against his wishes.

"Good." Edmond points to various cameras strategically placed throughout the room. "I will be watching all of you." He turns and casts a long look at Francois.

François presses his lips into a thin line, and straightens, squaring his shoulders, then he says, in a thick accent."Oui, Headmaster."

"I will be back after your class to get him fitted for the proper clothing and supplies," Edmond says. Cook will bring food for him to eat during class."

"But Monsieur--"

Edmond cuts him off with a sharp look.

François purses his lips and inclines his head. "Very well."

With a nod, Edmond marches toward the door, placing his hand on my shoulder and squeezing it briefly as he passes me, then disappears, leaving me alone with everyone.

When the classroom door close, the teacher clears his throat. "Who here can catch Mr..."

François' eyes squint like he's was trying to read a book from across the room. "What is your name, boy?"

All eyes are on me again. Don't they understand I want to be here about as much as they do? I'd do anything to be away from all this attention, all senses on alert, waiting for an attack.

I press my eyes closed. At least I can't see the accusation in their stares this way. Then I clear my throat. "Atan."

Mr. François leans closer. "I didn't hear you. What is it?"

"Atan," I say, louder.

"And your last name?"

My cheeks burned at the reminder that I had no family or history. I stare down at my new tablet and mumble, "I don't have a last name."

Behind me people whisper. I sink deeper in my chair, wishing I could melt into it and disappear. Years of being a nobody—a ghost people ignored--made it nearly impossible to be the center of attention.

Both of Francois' eyebrows rise. "Very well. Can anyone catch Mr... Atan up on what we are discussing before we were interrupted?"

"We were talking about how drilling was the reason why Earth collapsed, and we came to Legacy," Rigel says. He glares at me again as if he thinks his gaze can burn me to ashes.

I avoided his stare by pushing buttons on the tablet and trying to figure out how to get the Earth to appear in front of me.

Behind me, someone sighs. "Haven't you ever used a screen before?"

I shake my head. Heat climbs up my neck and ears, probably making my face as red as the Eastern moons.

A blond haired boy--Oliver is his name—comes to my desk and swipes over the screen's surface, then scrolls down a table of contents until it stops on the appropriate chapter. He taps the screen again, and the Earth appears, rotating in front of me at eye-level, like the others in the class.

"Thanks," I say, flashing a relieved smile.

"No problem."

Aside from Trina, Oliver is the first kid who hasn't looked like he wants to beat me up since I got to class.

François clears his throat and straightens his tie. "Thank you for helping."

The teacher's eyes scans the class. "Can anyone tell me why drilling caused the Earth to collapse?"

Trina raises her hand. "They drilled too deep, cracking the outer-core which created a chain reaction. The oceans sank into the cracks which shifted into cavernous fissures in the Earth until all the water was gone--evaporated from the heat of the core. But instead of all the steam rising and cooling to become rain like a normal cycle, the core accelerated global warming until it was too hot to sustain life and making it impossible to cool the evaporated air into liquid again."