Rebirth of a Norsemen

Vikings first day of School

Brad didn't know how to answer. Othala didn't mean any one thing. It stood for an endless amount of things. How could he possibly put into words what he had learned?

"I'm waiting" Danny said

"I guess, well I guess it's sort of represents wealth."

"Wealth?" Danny asked raising an eyebrow at Brad.

"Yes, but not in the sense of money. More like in the strength of family and friends. In the traditions that is passed from one generation to the next. An inheritance of sorts. I really can't put it into proper words," Brad explained.

"That's good."

"But I still don't remember anything." Brad tried to stand up but the room blurred in his vision and became rather dizzy.

"No one thought it would. It's going to take more than learning part of a runes meaning before it does. You need to eat it will help with the after effects." Danny said handing Brad generous slab of chocolate.

Brad took the chocolate without protest and took several small bites from it. "What do you mean part of a rune?"

"If you reverse the rune it holds a different meaning. I want you to take the tablet to your room. Every morning instead of meeting here explore one rune on your own. Then at night do it again but turn it upside down."

After Brad could stand on his own he left Danny's cramped shack. The sickness had passed and left in its place an incredible hunger. He still had time before his first class and decided that after he locked the stone tablet safely away in his room he would go for breakfast.

Lost in thoughts of his morning Brad had completely forgotten that Eir had moved herself into his room and he walked in on her changing. Embarrassed his whole face turned red and he couldn't shut the door faster.

This isn't going to work. So needs to move back into her own room.

Brad waited in the hall until Eir opened the door. "Geez, don't you knock?"

"It's my room," Brad yelled pushing pass her to enter.

"I'm only messing with you. What's the big deal?"

Brad didn't know what to say. Where he came from girls her age didn't act like this. Something had to be done, but he really liked her and had to figure a way to get her out without her hating him in return.

"Wanna get breakfast?" Eir asked.

"Sure, one sec." Brad put the tablet in his desk drawer and together they left.

The walk to the so called cafeteria was a short one. Before Brad knew it Eir and he sat at a privet table just big enough for the two of them. His plate was piled high with thick sliced ham, sausage patties, bacon and mounds of scrambled eggs.

"Well you might still be missing your memoirs, but at least your Viking appetite has returned," Eir said with a brilliant smile.

Brad didn't care if she made fun of him. He shoved fork loads of food into his mouth. Driven by the need to fill the bottomless pit he called a stomach. In the years he lived his Martha it was common for him to go days without food and yet he couldn't remember being so hungry.

Table manners lay forgotten as the primal instinct for food took over. Soon his fork laid next to his manners as devoured the bacon by the fistful. If he could see himself he would be disgusted.

Eir's laughter brought him back to his senses. Everyone was staring at him and for the second time that morning he felt his face go red. This was worse though. Half the school was watching and for the first time in his life he wished he was a turtle with a shell to hide in.