Of the Forgotten: Cal Wants to Be Famous

Chapter 1 - Little Cal

"The world you know is but a fragment of a much greater truth. But are you ready to uncover it?"

~*~

I found this book once.

It changed my life, but I'll get to that later.

Right now, I'm sprinting out of school like a bat out of hell. I've had enough of today's lecture—another boring day of sitting in that stiff chair I've had enough, nodding like a perfect student.

I'm already ahead of my class anyway, so what's the point?

If you're wondering whether it's okay to jump out of a school window and run... well, no. It's not. Don't do it.

But if you're me—and that's a big IF—pretty sure no one's going to care.

I did it because I already knew what the lecture was about. I'm quite ahead of my peers, and they know that.

At least, that's what I believe.

Unless... well, unless my mother happens to show up. Then I'd be in for it. Big time.

The thought of her finding me sends a shiver up my spine, but I shake it off. There's no way she's around, right? Not today.
It's not like I'm doing something wrong, right? I just... need to be alone. Think.

I run aimlessly, the earth solid under my shoes, each step connecting me to the ground in a way I don't get when I'm stuck inside.

The roads here, near the Night Sky Flowers, are rough and earthy—nothing like the smooth stone paths in the main square.

The scent of the flowers lingers faintly in the air, mixing with the dampness from yesterday's rain. It's calming, in a way, but not enough to slow me down.

I'm just about to breeze through the school gate when I spot her.

Golden-brown curls. Tall, graceful figure. My mother.

I almost choke on my breath, skidding to a stop.

In a panic, I throw myself back through the gate and press up against the stone wall. My heart's in my throat, pounding so hard I can barely hear anything over it. Did she see me?

No. She couldn't have. Right?

It doesn't matter how far she is or how crowded the streets are—everyone notices my mother.

There's something eccentric about her. She's the kind of person you look for without realizing it.

She has that enigmatic charm. And with just that brief glimpse, I knew it was her.

Her presence demands attention, like some unseen force pulling your eyes toward her, no matter how hard you try to look away. She's... magnetic. Enigmatic.

So, even though I only saw her back, I know it was her.

And I'm so dead if she catches me.

Panting, I crouch down behind the wall, my mind racing. Think, think, think. But I don't have time to think. She's close, and I can't stay here. I need to move.

No time to think! I dart along the wall, heading toward the back of the school where the trees grow thicker. There's a spot back there that could give me cover.

As soon as I see the first tree, I leap for it, scrambling to pull myself up. My hands slip on the bark, and for a second, I think I'm going to fall flat on my face.

But I manage to haul myself up and over the wall, my breath ragged and my legs burning.

The other side of the wall is a drop. Not huge, but enough to make my stomach flip as I look down.

The forest entrance looms just beyond, dark and shadowy, and the air smells thick with the scent of damp earth and leaves.

Without thinking, I jump.

Pain shoots through my feet as I land, the impact jolting all the way up my legs.

It feels like my bones are made of jelly, but I don't stop. I can't. Not now.

I grit my teeth and keep running, my legs straining with each step. The crisp sound of leaves crunching underfoot echoes around me, and every crack, every snap, makes my heart race faster.

Am I being too loud? Maybe, but it's just my nerves on high alert.

Sweat drips down the back of my neck. I'm parched, but I don't care. My muscles are screaming, my lungs burning, but the adrenaline pushes me forward.

It feels like hours before I finally break free of the trees. The sun's starting to dip lower, casting long shadows across the ground.

The damp smell of the forest fades, replaced by the familiar scent of the town—stone, metal, and the faint hint of baking bread from somewhere nearby.

And then, there it is. The library.

I stumble toward the back entrance, a small, weathered door painted brown. It's almost hidden from view, like it doesn't want to be found.

The brass knob is shiny, new—probably from lack of use. My fingers close around it, and I push it open. No creak. Smooth like butter.

Inside, the library smells just like it always does—old books and fresh ink, mixed with the faint aroma of roasted black coffee from the café nearby.

It's quiet, almost too quiet after the noise of my escape. But it's a good kind of quiet. The kind that lets me breathe again.

And savor my sprained feet. Ouch.

I wander over to one of the shelves, my fingers brushing the spines of the books. I grab one at random and pull it out. But as I do, another book falls, landing with a soft thud on the floor.

I pick it up, and that's when I notice the cover.

The design is simple—an outline of a faraway moon, and beneath it, the side profile of a woman standing gracefully in a grassy field, her long, curly hair swaying with the wind. Nearby, a tree stands tall, like it symbolizes wisdom and strength.

Her arms are gently open, inviting the kneeling figures around her to listen, as they seem to walk toward the tree. Looking at it feels like I'm seeing something magical and ethereal.

The pattern... it's the same as the one I once saw on my mother's lower back, hidden beneath the lace of her gown.

My fingers tighten around the book's worn edges. I don't know why, but something about it feels... important.

Like this is the start of something I don't fully understand yet.

But I will.

Don't know why, but the image feels oddly familiar, like a dream I once had... or something I've seen in the corner of my eye before.

I open the cover and see the title—The Mystery Beyond.
It stares back at me like it's daring me to open it, daring me to find out what lies inside. I feel a shiver run through me. Maybe it's fate. Maybe it's just curiosity. But I open it anyway.

The words shimmer in gold, almost alive as they beckon me.

As my eyes drift across the first page, one line catches my attention:
"The world you know is but a fragment of a much greater truth. But are you ready to uncover it?"

I don't understand it. Not yet. But something stirs inside me. A feeling that maybe, just maybe, this book holds the answers I've been looking for.

The pain in my foot worsens as time passes in the library, but I ignore it. It'll be gone by the end of the day. I just need to stay here and wait for the healing to complete.

Oh, and that book? It taught me there's a world beyond this island.

———