'We meet the people we're supposed to when the time is right.'- Alyson Noel.
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Still furious with Alexander, I decide to go down to central Xenia and sit on the grass by the faerie pod. I sit down on the grass and lie back to relax, when there's an almighty shout from near the redemption tree.
"What the hell is going on?" I say to Daisy, a quiet girl who used to be my next door neighbour and got the same idea as me to sit by the woods.
"I don't know. Something's wrong," she says, looking into the distance in the direction of the tree.
I stand and run as fast as I can, curiosity filling me up like water being poured into a glass.
I skid to a halt behind a massive crowd staring at something next to the barrier.
Whispers fill the air, however I cannot hear anything being said as everything just sounds like an incoherent murmur.
Sighing with impatience, I barge past people to make my way to the front. "S'cuse me, sorry, coming through."
Someone trips me up and I tumble into a boy standing at the barrier with cocoa curly brown hair, wearing a red hoodie and light blue jeans.
"Uhhh... Sorry..." I say, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder awkwardly.
"Is he a supernatural?" Someone shouts from the crowd.
"I don't know..." I say uncertainly.
Suddenly, Professor Avery hobbles forward to stand beside me, in front of the boy. "What's your name, son?"
"Charlie. Short for Charles," he says, looking around in bewilderment. "This is... This shouldn't be real!" He says, grinning.
He reeks of enthusiasm. It's hard to tell if he's one of us.
"Out of my way, out of my way!" Orders my brother, appearing at the scene at last, dressed in his simul uniform, part of which is a flowing scarlet cape.
He moves towards me and stops in front of Professor Avery. "If you could move, Professor, that'd be extremely helpful," he tells Avery quite bitterly. "I'd like to see him properly."
"He's just a boy, Alexander. Do this the right way," pleads Avery.
"I don't recall asking for you to tell me how to do my own job, old man. Step aside," he orders.
They stare at each other for a few painful moments, Avery holding Alexander's gaze in a steely, hard one of his own.
"Yes, your majesty," Avery says finally, sarcastically sweeping an arm and stepping backwards. He catches me watching him and winks.
"How old are you, boy?" Alexander barks.
"Sixteen," Charlie answers. Alex narrows his eyes and Charlie's grin immediately fades. "Sir," he adds, obviously realising Alex is the authority around here.
"Are you a supernatural, then?" Alex asks.
"Ummm...What's a supernatural?" Charlie asks, cocking his head to the side.
"A normal... The other world. The war!" Alexander says to himself. "Everyone get as far away from this boy as possible!" Alex then yells to us all.
A few supernaturals run, a few stay put, and a few even laugh.
"Alex," I say to him, "You don't know... He could be harmless!"
"Oh fuck off, Derythian. This is a real crisis. You're just going to make it worse."
"What have I done?" Asks Charlie innocently.
"You, you... Normal," Alex practically spits at him, "Are probably the reason why many of us may lose our lives, in time to come."
"Alex!" I scream at him. "How do we know he's not one of us?"
"Because, if he was one of us, one of or both of his parents would've been like us as well. And everyone knows a supernatural child must be born in Xenia."
I roll my eyes. "Wow, Alex! You're such a genius. For God's sake, that may be true, but how on earth did he get past the redemption tree if he isn't one of us? The tree notes the presence of normals."
Alex raises an eyebrow and lets out an irritable sigh. "I know. It looks like... Charlie," he says his name carefully, "Is an anomaly in our system with the normal world. Let him stay, and I'll figure something out. But if he's a normal, it's on you," Alex says. Then he turns around and walks through the space the now smaller crowd have made for him, and he disappears from sight, his cape blowing in the wind behind him.
The crowd start to get bored and clear the path, going back to their business, leaving me alone with the newcomer.
"Hi," I say, thinking it's the best road to go down, "My name is Derythian. Ummm... Welcome to Xenia, I guess. It's nice to meet you," I state, holding out a hand.
He shakes my hand firmly. "Nice to meet you too. Can I just call you Ian? That'd be so much easier," he babbles.
"You know what? Whatever," I say, laughing. "So how did you-"
"So tell me," he cuts in, talking loudly, "Am I in a magical land?"
"I guess you could say that," I reply.
"Wicked. What is this place?" He asks.
"You have so much to learn. I'm happy to fill you in," I offer.
I've just realised now, that I forgot to let go of his hand. And in all this time, he hasn't acted like he cares.
YOU ARE READING
See You Yesterday
FantasíaDerythian Kingsley has always been different from his kind. Different from his older brother, leader of his home land Xenia, and different from the normals outside it. But when a new boy shows up at the barrier, Derythian must find out who he really...
