Fallen Chariot

Chapter 1

My hand quickly scribbled down the answers into the blanks that scattered the test paper. I seemed to be the only one that knew any of the answers, seeing that the rest of the class either scrolled through their phone or was drooling on their desk. I was the only one that was even remotely interested in this course. Then again, I was probably the only one that voluntarily chose this class. When given the opportunity to take Old Norse as a language, I sure as hell was on it. I am currently in the fourth version of this class, being pretty much fluent. I was completely enthralled with the idea of Vikings pillaging and taking anything they wanted. Doing anything they wanted. It must've been because I recognized the huge difference there was from this annoying society and the harsh one that survived back then.

With the click of my pen, I stood and laid the paper on the teacher's desk. Mr. Griffin was a decent teacher, but the students walked over him like a doormat. He was an older guy, and honestly loved what he taught. His class was sort of the bycatch for all the unruly teenagers. We often had conversations in class, confusing all the other kids. My paper was the only one turned in on the corner of his large desk. We still had quite a while until the bell would sound to go home, so my feet turned in the direction of my desk.

"Em?" I turned at the sound of Mr. Griffin's voice and raised my eyebrows.

"Yes sir?" His glasses reflected the bright computer screen in front of him and I walked closer to the desk. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, but disregarded it and kept my attention on him. He's yet to look at me, so I focused my eyes on a picture of a family tree behind his desk.

"Hm, sorry. Uh, can you take this to the office for me?" He pointed to a stack of papers and I nodded.

"Sure." Gripping the papers, I tucked then under my arm and hurried out. The faster I get them upstairs to the main office, the faster I can get back and finish the book I'm currently reading.
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The crisp air whipped past my red cheeks and I wrapped my olive-green jacket towards my body. My bookbag seemed insanely light, due from the lack of weight that my textbooks usually caused. The headphones in my ear were blasting Halsey and I could feel my combat boots starting to come unlaced. My mood was higher than usual, due to it being a Friday, and my dad was off on a business trip for the next week. Him being a pilot consumed most his life. The sky was a dark shade of slate, signaling that it was going to rain later. Or now, since I felt a large drop of water land on my cheek.

The little bookstore I worked at wasn't far in the distance. The rain eased up, but just enough for me to make it to the petit building. The sign above the door was swinging back and forth slowly, due to the gusts of wind flying past it. Two ravens sat on it, keeping their balance. Their beady, black eyes stared down at me, causing me to rush into the warm store. The toasty air hit my cheeks, and my eyes wandered around the rows upon rows of books that sat in their respective places.

"Em? That you?" My head swiveled around, finding my boss, Ken, balancing a stack of books on his forearms.

Ken was like another father figure in my life. He hired me due to my love for books. His salt and pepper hair and prominent nose was only a few of his main attributes. He just returned home from a much needed vacation to Denmark, visiting his sister and her husband.

"Kenny! How was Denmark?" I rushed over and grabbed multiple books from his arms. I heard him release a breath, walking over to set the remaining books on one of the shelves.

"Really nice actually. Quite dreary, but that is something I'm used to." His long arms started shelving the old books, then his bright, blue eyes looked at me in  excitement.