Forlot - Books 1-3 {Completed}

Chapter Three

I shut my eyes. Sweat poured from my palms. I was so nervous.

So scared.

I tried to move, but my body stayed in its place, for it had been struck by fear.

I gasped as I felt the freezing fingers wrap themselves around my neck.

"Dude, what is your problem?" the shadow spoke. "You screamed like a girl."

"W-what?" I opened my eyes and saw my best friend Damian Dace. He was wearing a yellow, short-sleeved shirt with brown pants and sneakers.

He pushed up his glasses and ran a hand through his blond hair. "Did I scare you?" he asked.

I slowly nodded. "Yes," I responded, catching my breath.

"Sorry."

I rubbed my neck. "Damian, w-why were you about to get my neck?"

"What?" He looked at me as if he thought that I was out of my mind. "I was not reaching for your neck. I was reaching for your shoulder." Damian patted my shoulder. "I was just going to give you a pat like this. That is all."

"...oh." I gulped. I thought that I felt shadowy fingers wrapping themselves around me. Something was not right with this picture.

"I am sorry about the mess," Damian apologized.

I raised an eyebrow. "Mess?" I questioned. "What mess?"

"The mess that I made." He pointed at the candy bowl.

I looked at the bowl, and then back at him. "Wait...you did that? You dropped the bowl?"

"I did not necessarily drop it. I knocked it over."

"...how? The bowl is at the center of the table."

He shrugged. "Beats me. It was at the edge of the table when I knocked it to the ground. Besides, I get pretty clumsy at times."

A smile spread across my face. My best friend was definitely right on him being clumsy. In fact, I believe that he is the clumsiest person on the planet.

Damian has not gone without a day that involved him stumbling to the floor or knocking into someone or something. One time, he forgot to tie his shoelaces, and when he was handing in his homework, he stumbled and bumped right into our teacher, causing them both to fall down.

I could not help but chuckle at the memory. Yes, I felt bad for him and the teacher, but you have to admit that it was somewhat funny.

"I also took out the flashlight," Damian interrupted my thoughts, pointing at the flashlight that was still lying on the counter. "I will put it away." He picked it up. "Where does it go, Nigel?"

"Upstairs," I said. "In the closet. By the way, do you want any breakfast? I have plenty of cereal left if you want cereal."

He shook his head. "No thank you. I had breakfast at my place, and I am full for now." I watched as he headed up the stairs.

I glanced at the clock. Twenty minutes until the bus arrived. I needed to eat my breakfast.

I sat at the table and examined what was in front of me. There was a bowl of my favorite cereal and a napkin. On the napkin was a spoon. Next to the bowl were two glasses. One glass was filled with apple juice, and the other was filled with milk for my cereal. I picked up the glass of milk and carefully poured the milk into the bowl. I licked my lips as I set the glass down.

I was all set now.

I was almost finished eating, when Damian came back in the kitchen. "What took you so long?" I asked as I wiped my mouth with the sleeve of my jacket.

"I had trouble finding the closet," he answered. "It was very dark in the hallway."

"It is always dark in Forlot." I am not kidding. I have not seen light or even the sun in the sky ever since my dad and I moved here. There is always a purple sky, and when it is nighttime, the sky turns dark blue, and the moon comes out. But no light.

Just darkness.

When I was done eating my cereal, I got up and grabbed the bowl, spoon, and two glasses, and then carried them to the sink and set them down. I crumpled the napkin into a ball and threw it in the trash bin. I started back towards the sink, when I heard a loud noise.

Beep!

I glanced out the window and spotted the bus parked next to my house.

That was my cue!

I ran into the living room and quickly put on my sneakers. I grabbed my backpack and raced outside to the bus.

"Hello, Nigel," the bus driver said. "For a second there, I thought that you were going to be late for the bus."

"Never fear, Paul!" I exclaimed happily. Mr. Robinson lets me call him by his first name. "I have not been late for anything, and I am certainly not starting today!"

Paul smiled. "Then take a seat while I get the bus ready to take off."

"You will have to hang on for a minute. Damian visited my house."

He raised an eyebrow at what I just said. "Hmm. That is odd."

"That he has not come to the bus yet? You know that he can be late."

He shook his head. "No, it is not that. Damian should not be coming to school today. He is supposed to be on vacation."