The Teacher

The Teacher: Part I Unchained, Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

HOLDEN ARRANGED FOR THE DRIVER, someone he hired who was not part of the band, to wake everyone up from their deep meditation when we got back into the city. The others were dropped off first, leaving me alone with Holden.

"I didn't want to get into what happened during the ceremony with the others around...but how are you feeling?" Holden asked thoughtfully.

"I still don't quite have my bearings yet. It's like I was ripped from the ground in the powerful suction of a tornado, transported to an alien world, then, and dropped into a strange new world," I tried to explain, feeling a lot like Dorothy must have after stepping from her world into the Land of Oz.

"I get that...I still remember my first time. You won't lose the inner intensity you're feeling, but in time it will become the norm. The most amazing part has yet to unfold, and for each person the transformation is unique," Holden responded.

"Transformation? Wait a minute. I like myself just the way I am."

"Are you sure about that? Anyway, there's no turning back now. Give it some time. I'm here if you need someone to talk to, but I don't think you'll be disappointed. Go. Get out. Get some rest. We're at your house."

"Yes, Master."

"Hey...don't say that, even in fun. From now on that title is reserved only for the Guardian."

"Yes, Sire," I capitulated, much too unhinged to put up any resistance."

"How about getting together soon?" Holden suggested.

"Sounds good..."

"I'll text you."

"Bye!"

THINKING I WAS IN THE LIMO, safely heading for Chicago with a sober professional driver at the helm, my parents were fast asleep when I snuck in the side door, took off my shoes, and quietly got ready for bed without waking anyone up.

Normally, after such a long day and so much activity, I'd have collapsed and slept like the Titanic for hours. I undressed, threw on a T-shirt, pulled the covers back, crawled in pushing aside my collection of stuffed animals sprawling them callously on the floor, and scared my cat, Mowie, in the process, who ran and hid under the bed.

I closed my eyes, fully expecting to be asleep in minutes, but to my surprise I soon felt wide awake and anything but tired. Then, I remembered Holden talking about not needing much sleep anymore. The sensation puzzled me. I couldn't deny this was strangely different. Suddenly I realized I wasn't just going to wake up from a dream and be able to turn the clock back to a time before what happened to me in the chapel.

I kept waiting to feel tired, but that feeling at the end of a long trying day, when you just can't keep your eyes open another second, never came. Knowing it wasn't about drugs, or coffee, or chocolate, some cheap thrill, all things that would wear off in time, I accepted being wide awake at 4 AM and opened Eclipse, the third book in the Twilight series, that I'd had for months but never read.

Summer vacation had officially begun so I didn't have to worry about school, but when the sun came up instead of struggling to get out of bed, I was full of energy and enthusiasm to do something, anything but lay around. Sweat pants pulled up, sports top on, and tennis shoes tied, Bambi, my border collie leashed, it was off for a run.

I'd normally last two or three miles before Bambi would be pulling to keep me going at a quick enough pace to be fun for her. This time I was comfortably cruising at nearly twice my normal speed, hit an intense runner's high at ten miles, and easily kept up a brisk stride until poor Bambi had to beg for mercy by pulling back on the leash and barking a clear what-are-you-trying-to-do-to-me series of yelps.