The Stormwind Chronicles: The Phoenix Orb

Chris

Breakfast was great. In fact, it was the only thing that was actually good about our boarding school. The showers don't have hot water, the internet speed was terrible, and most of the professors were a big bore. I guess they needed to compensate about this using the food. I took a plate of eggs and bacon and a mug of hot chocolate since I was feeling a little cold. I still couldn't get over what I saw outside my window. How could he have been there? It was only a dream. It wasn't real. Ana must have noticed something was wrong. She was sitting in across from me so she kicked me in the shin to get my attention.

"Ow!" I complained. "What was that for?"
Ana took a sip from her orange juice. "You're spacing out. And you look pale. Don't tell me you stayed up all night playing that stupid game you always play?"
"Yeah." Said Zander who was sitting beside Ana. "What's wrong?''
''I-it's nothing." I lied. "I just don't feel like going on the trip that's all."
They seemed to let the subject drop since we all agreed that this was going to be another boring educational field trip and we would have to write a reaction paper about it. Plus we were incomplete. Usually there was four of us but our other friend Christine was not here. Last time we saw her was in vacation, she said she may not be able to attend school this year cause her family might move to another town. I didn't think it would happen but it did. I got a bit more depressed thinking about her and Ana noticed. Again. She always seemed to be able to read people.
"Kinda sad without Christine huh?'' She said not particullary adressing anyone but I knew what she ment.
Zander took this opportunity to get back at me. ''Yeah. I'm sure Chris misses her alot.''
I always get defensive whenever someone says something like that. I mean I liked her, but that was before. She made it clear that all she could give mewas her friendship and hey, I'm cool with that. "Come on guys. Stop it. Yeah I miss her, but not because I have feelings for her or anything. I just miss how things are when she's around."
"Riiiiiiight. Uh-huh." Ana said while she was smiling.
"Really guys? Come on. Let's just eat." I was anxious to change the subject.
"Now you know how I felt awhile ago." Zander said. He nearly chocked on his sandwich realizing he had opned up the subject on what we were talking about earlier that morning.
"How you felt about what? Ana looked at Zander. "About how much you snore?"
Zander looked panicked. "Um yeah. That. That's it. Ha. Ha. Ha."
The nervous laugh at the end was a winner. Ana looked at me with an expression that said That's not it, is it?
I mouthed the words Tell you later. Just then a voice on the P.A. System said that Mrs. Spellman's class would be leaving in 20 minutes.
"I guess that's us." I took last sip from my hot chocolate and got up. Ana and Zander followed me. Ana still questioning Zander about what he was hiding.

When we got on the bus the three of us headed for the back and took our sear. I sat by the winodw. Ana was between me and Zander. She had stopped interrogating Zander. I guess she knew she would never really get him to tell the truth and she wasn't happy about it. She didn't talk to either of us while we were on the way to the museum. It wasn't much of a long ride. Our school wasn't that far from the place. When we got off the bus we formed two lines just as Mrs Spellman instructed. The three of us were at the back. I read the sign outside

Arcaneville National History Museum

Ana sighed from behind me. "I hope something fun actually happens this time." Man, was she going to regret having have said that. Our tour group started to move inside. The lobby wasn't that bad. It was big with a T-rex fossil in the center. Behind the fossil was the reception desk and Mrs Spellman walked over to the receptionist. She told us to wait by the dino. Some of the other students started to sneak out said that they had better things to do and Spellman wouldn't actually notice if anyone was gone. The three of us on the other hand decided to stay. As much as we hated this little tourp we did not want to get into trouble. I was looking around when I noticed a hall on the east wing of the lobby. I was a little far but the inside looked great. There were marble columns along the side as well as stone statutes, each holding a silver sword. There was only one item on display. At the center of the hall was a red orb about the size of a basketball. It was placed ontop of a golden pedestal. There were no guards or glass casing to protect it which I found strange. The thing looked pretty expensive, so why would they just leave it out in the open? I guessed they didn't need to worry since no one else seemed to notice the exhibit.
"Mr Stormwind." Our professor called. "Is something wrong?"
I looked over at her and pointed towards the hall. "What's that ma'am?" I asked.
She looked confused. "What is what my dear?"
"That." I insited and looked over at the the hall. But it was gone. I was pointing at wall. It was like the entire exhibit had been blocked off. Did I imagine the whole thing?
"That's a wall my dear." Spellman answered and the other students laughed except for Ana and Zander and a few of my other friends. She signaled them to be quite and said that we would now be starting the tour. As our group started to move Zander whispered to me. "Are you all right? You've been acting strange since breakfast."
"Yeah." Ana agreed. ''Don't tell me my bestfriend's a crack head.''
I would have said something but I was still wondering about that exhibit. I couldn't have imagined the whole thing. It was there. I don't know why but a really wanted to check it out. So I grabbed my friends arm and started to pull them away from the group.
"Hey." Ana protested. "Where are we going?"
"I need to check sometimg out." I replied to her.
"Check what out?"
"Just come with me."
When we reached the wall where the exibhit was supposed to be I hoped that it would show up again but it didn't. I looked around not sure what I wanted to see.
"What's so special about this wall anyway?" Zander asked.
I didn't answer him. Instead I pushed myself against the wall. I heard Ana yelp. I understood why. I passed right through the wall. I found myself in the hall with the exhibit I just saw. It was exactly the way I saw it from the outside. Except for a few minor details that I had missed. Like the rows of vases sitting on pedestals on either side of the room. I turned around and saw that I could see the lobby. My friends were there looking worried. It was like a one way mirror. I reached out and pulled them in. At first they were a little scared about what just happened then they noticed the room and their fear turned into amazement.
"So this what you wanted to see?" Ana said as she looked around.
"Yeah. I just didn't know how to explain it."
"But what exactly is this place? And why are there no guards or other people in here?"
I didn't know myself. "Guys, look." Zander told us as he pointed tonthe orb on display. It was glowing bright red and the temperature in the room started to rise. We looked nervously at each other and started walking towards the orb. Why? We didn't know. We just felt drawn to it somehow.
When we got within ten feet of it alarms suddenly blared. We all ran for the exit with Ana in front since she was the fastest. When she reached the doorway she slammed into an invisble wall or something and bounced back.
"Ow"
"You okay?" I asked her and me and Zander helped her get up.
"Yeah but-" Sentence was cut when we heard a roar behind us.
"Oh this can't be good. Please tell me it's all part of the exhibit." Zander said.
I doubted that. We turned around and saw the biggest cat we had ever seen.