Streams - Book 1

Chapter 5

School Days.

"This is the first time anyone besides my queen has seen any of my work. Just so we're clear, I'm not a professional writer or artist," Aakil said after retrieving a small brown book from a pile on his desk. He motioned for Jenni to join him at one of the desks toward the back of the room.

Following Aakil, Jenni paused by a window and took in the landscape. Outside, she could see trees off in the distance and the river which flowed out from under the tree a few feet then disappeared over the edge of a cliff.

"We're at the edge of a waterfall?" Jenni said in a panicked tone, the pain in her head spiking once again as her heart began to race.

"Yes, the back side of the tree has grown up to the edge of the cliff. But don't worry, the tree's roots are holding us in place securely, and the tree's base covers a large section of the rivers bed." Aakil replied.

"I hope they're strong ones," Jenni worried, as she pressed her face against the glass. It was a long way down, maybe sixty or seventy feet, to the rocks below where the water churned into white foam.

"Very large, and they have worked their way deep into the river bed and mountain sides. So you have nothing to worry about," Aakil responded. He turned and held the book out for Jenni to take. "I'll be over here seeing if I can help Lilly with your treatment; if you have any questions." He picked up a thick book from another desk.

"What's that, the Gnome guide to Human First Aid?" Jenni asked playfully.

"This is Zamoric's Jumpers Journal, a book that all council jumpers receive at the time of their first jump." Aakil replied holding the book up proudly. "It is within these pages that they record all of their discoveries. It is my hope that he noted something useful about the human body, when he was studying in your stream."

"Do you think my injury is that bad?" Jenni questioned as she ran her hand across the raised area of her forehead.

"No, no, the piece of metal was not in too deep, so all we are concerned with is how best to heal you up and to see if there is anything we should keep an eye out for."

"There was a piece of metal in my head?" Jenni asked with shock as she re inspected the area with her fingers.

"It was small, and it slid out easily." Aakil reassured her.

"Well as long as it was small" Jenni said sarcastically, as she rubbed the area with new found concern.

"Yes, well, I will be up front doing some research if you need anything just call," he said, as he hurried to the front of the room where he disappeared behind the mound of books on his desk.

With book in hand, Jenni settled back in her chair. She focused on the task ahead of her; to learn everything she could about the streams and their history, With the hopes of finding a way back home She opened the book to the first page.

PG1

Definitions

Stream - an alternate realm of existence on the same planet as you are currently living.

Being - intelligent life forms that inhabit a stream.

Jumper - a being from one stream who travels into a stream other than his own for scientific study. (Only council appointed beings can consider themselves Jumpers.)

Stream traveler - a being who travels to a stream other than his own for business or pleasure.

Gateway - a weak spot in the fabric of one stream that is opened with a gate-key, allowing access to the stream beyond.