Through The Ascension Room***Book One COMPLETE***

CHAPTER FIVE ~END OF PART ONE~

CHAPTER

                          FIVE

    The platform locks into place leveling itself with the new surrounding ground. The light still burns my eyes and I begin to feel a soft breeze laced with the scent of the ocean.

I take a deep breath. I'm really starting to like the smell.

Richard steps off the platform and I decide its ok to do the same.

    As my eyes continue to focus on the surroundings I see that we are now standing on top of the building. I spin around taking in the scenery, ocean on one side, steep cliff ridge on the other. We are on a small piece of beach closed off at either end by the cliffs and rock. I follow Richard to the edge and look over it into the ocean. I see a bridge extend out into the sea and meet up with a small lighthouse looking building on a small rock island.

The lighthouse doesn’t seem to be lit.

    "You see Alex, we've been watching you for some time now and I understand what you must be going through. Unsure of your purpose in life. Unsure of the strange happenings that occur around you, causing your circumstances to be the way they are. You want answers. Answers that I can help you find."

    "How can you help me find what I'm looking for?" I ask not really even sure I know what I'm looking for.

    "I can teach you to use the gifts you have. You master them, and you'll master the questions." The words are matter-of-fact as they leave his mouth and I feel pressed to believe him. "All of the other kids you saw down stairs came from circumstances not unlike yourself. Orphaned or abandoned. Lost. Misguided. Getting into trouble." He says the last one with raised brows and a tilted head.

"How are you going to teach me?"

"Our society here is built around helping young men and women like you and the others here learn to control their abilities and then use them for the betterment of the universe." He says as I am readying myself for the with great power, comes great responsibility speech but he stops. I wish he had. All my life I have been waiting, wishing for someone to come along that could show me the ropes. Help me understand my powers. Maybe I have finally found them, or more like, they finally found me.

Something about this man both terrifies me and intrigues me at the same time. The gut wrenching effect of free falling church in my stomach as I make eye contact with this mysteriously persuasive man.

I turn to him and throw out my hand, "I'm in."

He looks towards me with an inquisitive face. "If you decide to join us, there is no going back. No changing your mind afterwards. Once you decide to join, your old life is dead. People, places, things you use to love will no longer matter to you."

    When he says that, Aubri pops into my mind. I'll never get to take her on that date I promised her. I'll never find out what could've been between us. I now have a choice. Stay here and actually do something productive with my life and abilities, or leave and go on the date with Aubri...I can't say that the decision isn't hard, but I figure that Aubri is a pretty girl (a very pretty girl) and she will find someone who will treat her like she deserves and take her traveling like she wanted.

Richard must read my body language because he asks, "it's a girl, isn't it?"

    I hesitate for a moment—Extend my hand in offering of a handshake, trying my best to ignore his last question.

    "I'm in."

He smiles and grabs my hand. "Very we'll then Mr. Briggs. I'm happy of your decision." He turns to look back out towards the sea and the lighthouse on the island leaning against the railing. "I believe it is time to show you."

    "Show me what?"

    "The ascension room."