The Blessed

CHAPTER TEN

In Renchiology, we were to dissect an A class walker. On the silver tray before me was a slimy black blob with an uncountable number of finger-like legs. On top of it was a partially open bloodshot eyeball with a green and yellow iris. I poked at it with the blunt end of the small knife. Its legs twitched and flexed in a sickening motion.

Daniel was right, this was pretty gross.

Yet, morbidly cool at the same time. It looked like something out of an Edward Lee novel.

“Now, let’s turn over our specimens,” said Mr Kajulu.

He was a small man with square-shaped specs. I was probably because it was still the first lesson but he didn't seem quite as bad as Daniel made him sound. I liked him so far because he didn't seem to notice my presence which was a good thing.

Before I could slice open the jaundiced-coloured underbelly of the Renchi, a knock came at the door. It was a tall boy with long brunette hair. He was, and I say this in the most heterosexual way, quite attractive. He kinda looked like popular teen heartthrob Timothy Chalamet.

“Yes Connor, come in.”

As he entered the class I noticed that his badge was bronze which made him a prefect.

“Afternoon sir. David Pakati is wanted by the Director.”

***

When I arrived at his office, the Director was standing in front of the window.

The large tree with the red-green leaves was staring back at him.

"Take a seat," he said.

I sat on one of the two chairs opposite his.

He turned around.

"How's your first day so far?"

I couldn't think of any other word besides,

"Different."

The Director smiled. It was a warm and fatherly smile. Of course, I didn't identify it from firsthand experience. It looked like those smiles sitcom dads put on when their son or daughter learns a heartwarming family-friendly lesson at the end of the episode.

"Don't worry. By the end of the week, things won't seem so different."

I thought about my mother. Through my mind's eye, I saw her sitting on one of the big sofas in the lounge. She was watching the eight o'clock news with a cup of tea in her hands. It wasn't a random thought. She, too, always used to assure me that any problem that was bothering me at the time would cease to do so in due time.

Why was I here?

In this place. A place that didn't make sense to me. I should've been home, listening to my mother's stories about her childhood and her relationships with her relatives. I should've been at school doing my assignments. I should've been hanging out with Thomas...

Stay...

My hands were tense, fingers digging into my palms. They immediately loosened up.

"Now, I know you already told me what happened during the test. But I need you to repeat the last thing you saw," said the Director.

I told him about the blue beings being consumed by the red flame. About the destruction of their weapons and the formation of the double-edged axes.

"Is that all?"

I wanted to tell him about the voice...

Don't.

"Yeah"

The Director looked to the side. His brow crossed, and his eyes searched for something in the black wood of his desk.

"Well, as I said before, the test was to see which weapon you would be able to summon and master. According to what you're telling me, you're not only able to summon all five of the weapons, but you're also able to master a sixth weapon that I've never heard of nor witnessed"

I never liked standing out. At school, I made sure that I wore clothes that didn't announce my presence.

I spoke at a volume that didn't attract the attention of any passersby. In lectures, I always sat at the back of the room, never daring to ask questions even when I was lost.

But at that moment, I wasn't just a sore thumb, I was the whole hand. I had a newfound respect for celebrities whose I*******m pages were brimming with candid glimpses of their day-to-day lives.

"However, we want to see if that's the case, " said the Director

He bent down and opened one of the drawers, the bottom one judging by his angle. He emerged with a thin black rectangular box.

"That's why I called you here today."