Silver Eye

Chapter 3

"Who was it Dave?" Natalie asked from the other room.

"It was just Ryan giving me a heads up. I'm going to have to work overtime today." He answered.

Natalie stepped into the living room. She stood at about five feet and a half tall with a thin figure, long and straight black hair complete with a worried expression instead of her usual composure. "Are you going to be alright? You've been feeling sick since yesterday."

David Smith stood from the couch and looked into her deep brown eyes with his pale blue ones. He was a few inches taller with short brown hair and an average build. He brought his fist over his mouth and coughed once. "I'll be fine. Ryan will be there too, I can always count on him."

David and Natalie had been partners for 13 years. Most religions died out 20 years ago and since then couples would become "partners" through a Union ceremony. Two years after their Union they had a child; a boy that they named Silvester.

"Are you still going to make it to Silver's coming-of-age?" Natalie asked David.

"I can't be sure..." he said. "I might be able to use my condition as an excuse to leave early."

Their son had eventually acquired the nickname Silver as a shortened version of his first name, but also because of his unusual gray eyes. Having just turned 12 years-old, he was now old enough for Spirit extraction, which is referred to as a coming-of-age ceremony for the younger generation.

Natalie poked her head out of the living room and shouted up the stairway: "Silver! Get off your computer and come down! It's time to leave for school!" She then turned back to David pointed her finger at him and whispered: "Not a word about this. You know how important it is for him that you be there since you're always at work. So just shut up and make it there on time."

Silver came bustling down the stairs. He wore his clean clothes and carried in his hands the school's tablet. His arms moved about in excitement as he spoke. "I can hardly wait anymore, mom! What do you think it'll be like?"

"Be careful, you're gonna drop your tablet." His mother warned.

Her son kept his arms still, but could barely contain himself. "I hope it'll be as strong as dad's."

David's eyebrows rose. "Oh? And how would you know about mine?"

"Mom told me it was the strongest ever!"

Natalie gave her partner a guilty smile and hurriedly ushered their son towards the front door.

Silver turned to face his father as he walked out the door and eagerly waved at him. "See you tonight, dad!"

The door closed behind his son and his partner, leaving David alone. He sighed and coughed silently.

* * *

Silver and Natalie sat first in a long line of chairs filled with other children and their respective parents. There was a variety of expressions spread among them, ranging from excitement all the way to fear. The young Silver, though, felt particularly anxious sitting with his arms crossed. "Where's dad? It's almost our turn and he said he'd be here."

"I don't know." His mother answered. "I can't call him because he might be busy. What happened to you, anyway? You were so excited before we came here."

The long wait in line had given Silver too much time to think. Before his mind was filled with only the good possibilities, now he was tormented by all the bad ones. "What if it's a bad or a weak Spirit, mom?"

Natalie put a hand on her son's shoulder. "Don't say things like that. Just believe in yourself and it'll be a great spirit, okay?"

At that moment, the door beside them opened and a short gray-haired middle-aged man in a lab coat stepped out. He signaled to them. "Silvester Smith?"