Cherub Days– Endings/Beginnings/Middles

Blake lay in his bed thinking of his life. He was searching for his beginning; he had been brought to Cherub at the age of 8 after his whole family had been caught in a fire, he had survived by being thrown into the river from the roof. Was that his beginning; when his family died? Or was it when he moved in with his uncle or when his uncle was shot?

Maybe it was when he was brought to Glasgow Snuggle Orphanage? Might have been when he was spotted by a mysterious organisation using kids as spies? Those events were so fundamental in shaping Blake's life but there can only be one beginning and Blake needed to find his.

That was the thing about him, once he sunk his teeth into something he rarely let go, this wasn't one of those rare occasions where Blake let go. The only three things Blake would let go for is if there was a fit girl nearby, if it would land him in trouble with Miss. Dunker or if it lead to his friends getting in trouble; but other than them, Blake held on tight

Maybe he didn't have a beginning, maybe all those past events were just events, and maybe; just maybe there are no beginnings, middles or ends. But Blake had a hard time believing all those maybe's and even after finding a million and one good possible beginnings he still wasn't satisfied and after another hour of trying to reason with himself he started to think on another thing which complicated his beginnings; if he already had a beginning, was the present the middle? Or was it the end of something.

All of these middles, beginnings and ends were starting to make Blake's head hurt, so he decided to only focus on one thing, he had spent enough time on beginnings so this time he focused all his attention and concentration on his middle. Had he gone through his middle? Or was it still to come? Or do you need an end to have a middle?

Can you tell the middle of a book without the end? Can you tell the beginning without a middle or end? Without the middle the beginning is separated into two, one piece remains the beginning and another piece becomes the middle; maybe the end is separated instead.

But even after figuring out each piece is vital for the beginning to become the beginning, the middle to become the middle and the end to become the end, Blake was no closer to finding his beginning, middle or end.

And as Blake lay oh his bed, hoping for the answer to magically come to him; he figured out the solution to finding what he seeks, and what Blake seeks is his story, his beginning, middle and end; and if you read a story but by the end you find yourself asking questions about it, go back and reread it; this is what Blake found himself doing, going back into his past to find his life's structure, his beginning, middle and end.

Blake's past – 6 years and 68 days

"Your name is Blake O Malloy, you were Born 1994, 28thof October. You lived in Tipperary Ireland until your whole family died in a family reunion, the hotel you were in caught fire from candles; you went to stay with your Mother's brother in Glasgow at the age of three. You lived with him until you were five. You spent the last two years in Glasgow Snuggle Orphanage; you were recently bunked with a Dave Moss...." The chairman read from a file he had picked up from his expensive looking desk.

"Actually Dave Howard" Blake corrected the chairman, he was seriously getting creeped out by how much this place had on him. They knew everything about him and were probably watching his next reaction pretty closely.

"So why would you do this? I mean like, why figure everything about me unless you gained something? What do you want?" Blake asked and the Chairman just smiled and sat down in between his desk.

He looked at his files of Blake then at Blake, as if finding the words for something. The chairman the then leant forward and said something that changed Blake's life for the better and worse. "How would you like to be a spy, Blake?" The chairman asked and leaned back and waited for Blake's response, a response he wasn't expecting. "Awesome, when do I start?" Blake grinned, taking satisfaction out of watching the chairman's drop into uncertainty.

"Are you not even a little surprised at being asked to be a spy? We've had a hundred unexpected responses but yours takes the bucket" The chairman asked and Blake was happy to have some kind of power.

Blake had been a little surprised by the question but he was good at hiding his emotions; it also made crazy sense and even if Blake was mature for his age, he was still only seven and loved playing make believe James Bond when nobody was around, so the thought he didn't have to play make believe James Bond to be James Bond excited him more than anything in the world.

"Why else would I wake up here without remembering how I got here, our how everyone is so secretive: it maybe a bull story but if there's a chance this bull story might get me out of that orphanage, I'm eager to start; I also love spies." Blake explained with a smile and the chairman stared at Blake for a few moments then laughed.

"The mind of a seven year old, or the mind of any child, it never fails to leave me in awe." The chairman stopped laughing and studied Blake again, after what felt like an eternity to Blake, the chairman spoke.

"Well then, if you agree, we can set you up with a room within 3- 4 hours and I'll get someone to collect your stuff, how's that?" The chairman asked and Blake grinned, he was psyched but still needed so much more answers.

"What's this place called, how does it work and when do I blow up some Russians and get the fit blonde?" Blake asked nearly all at once and the chairman just looked at him confused then burst out with an "Ahhhh" which made Blake jump with a fright.

"Sorry, I always forget things; sometimes I wonder why they chose me for the job." The Chairman gestured Blake back to his seat and started looking through his files until he pulled out a pamphlet and handed it to Blake.

Blake read the title aloud. "So you're becoming a ChERUB" Blake read then saw a picture of a little baby angel shrugging his shoulders as if confused while also holding a bow. Blake looked up at the chairman with a face, which meant 'Dude, I'm seven not a curious baby angel with a bow' but he resumed reading and after a while he put it down.

"So, if I'm correct, I'll be a red shirt and will bunk with a partner and won't be able to do missions until I passed a basic training when I'm ten, but in the mean while, I'll be training for it; is that it?" Blake asked and the chairman nodded with a smile. Blake handed the pamphlet back and after reading about all the luxuries, he was dying to join.

"Also I'm to inform every Cherub that four children have died in missions and take that into account when thinking of joining" The chairman explained and Blake was a little surprised but it wasn't that bad, six children were kidnapped in Snuggle orphanage and never seen again. "It's not that bad, I don't think it'll affect me joining this place; do you?" Blake asked and the chairman shook his head.

"It's about the average death count for every school but it's still too many" he said with a sad face and Blake decided to hurry things up. "So can I get a room now or do I have to wait? I'm desperate to join" Blake asked eagerly and the chairman laughed. "Let me see who you can bunk with, there are not many rooms left, but wait......... got one. His last room partner just passed basic training, I'm sure he'll be happy to have a roomy the same age as him this time." The chairman said then went behind the desk and pulled out a red shirt and army trousers.

"Here's your uniform, you'll get spare's tomorrow; that is to wear around campus while we sort out the room for you and get your stuff from the orphanage.

It should only take four hours so while you wait, you might as well sign these documents, Miss Dunker will be your handler and is supposed to do this, but since we have time we can do it now." Blake signed most spots until he saw a spot asking for his new name. Blake had remembered reading about it in the pamphlet.

"Do I need to choose the name now?" Blake asked and the chairman nodded but didn't say a word. "What name, what name" Blake whispered to himself but then remembered a kid who went missing from the orphanage 1 year ago; the kid always looked after Blake from bullies, John Stevens was his name. Blake brought the pen to the place where it asked for his new name. He lightly wrote 'Blake Stevens'.