Chapter 1: Todd Avery

Todd Avery hated flying. The zeppelin ride across the Atlantic had been wave after wave of nausea and terror for him. The giant balloon had been battered this way and that by harsh winds, steered only by small wings that helped change its direction. Why didn't I take the boat? He wondered trying to hold down his stomach for the fifth time that day. When they had finally set down on the outskirts of some small English town Todd had rushed outside and had almost kissed the ground from his euphoria. Once his stomach had caught up with him he joined the throng of people who were waiting to reclaim their luggage. Todd mad his way through the crowd. Pushing past men and women speaking tongues he didn't recognize he grabbed his own bag, a small brown battered suitcase now adorned with the many stickers that the flight staff had slapped on it. Todd hauled the heavy suitcase to the side of the gravel road they had landed near. Todd didn't exactly know where they had landed; on one side he saw country side. A rolling mass of green broken only by scattered forests and the small buildings of a village. On the other a metropolis seemed to appear out of nowhere. Skyscrapers and the sound of a large city echoed down to the valley Todd was waiting at. This had to be London, he had never been to a place so large before he hadn't even been to New York City back home, but he had seen pictures of it. Large buildings that touched the sky and people and carriages as far as the eye could see. He imagined what it would be like to live in such a place, Todd quickly felt claustrophobic. Staring at the city in the distance Todd sat by his suitcase. He'd soon by in there living and learning with Dante Howell and starting his apprenticeship. Absent mindedly he pulled out the letter he had received from him not that long ago. It was in black ink, and hand written in a sort of scrolling childish type of print that took him a little while to decipher when he first got it. It went something…

Dear Todd Avery,

As I'm sure you know it is decided that you are to become my new apprentice. I expect you by the tenth of November, that's nearly a month, so don't be late. Anyway you'll be picked up from outside the city as planned, don't worry your little head I've arrange everything.

Dante S. Howell

Obviously a man of few words Todd stuffed the letter back into the pocket of his overcoat and waited for the transportation Dante had promised him. He looked around expecting to see some type of machine coming to get him. To his surprise the zeppelin and all the other passengers had left already, leaving Todd alone on the English country side. He sighed and flopped down onto the grass, and closed his eyes. Todd was awakened not that long afterwards by the sound of hooves. He bolted up to a sitting position and saw a carriage coming down the road. It had once been black but was now a dark shade of gray from age. It was pulled by large horse that could have carried a fully armored knight if they went back seven centuries. The horse stopped the ground with each step it took, not the most graceful beast Todd had ever seen. Assuming it was going to the small village down the road Todd laid back down until the carriage stopped in front of him. He got up and stared at it, this was his pickup? He was expecting something a bit more, extravagant for an inventor. The driver was a sort of ferity man; he kept looking this way and that, his stovetop hat bouncing with the rhythm of the turns. He also looked and smelt like he spent as much time in the stables as the horse did. Finally he looked down and said in a surprisingly deep craggily voice.

"You Todd Avery?" So this was his pickup, Todd tried not to look disappointed.

"Yes"

The driver tipped his hat revealing a balding scalp, Todd was thankful for his mass of red hair. "Well Mr. Avery, Allen Vincent Macias at your service." Allen offered Todd a dirty hand which he shook; the man had a strong grip. No doubt from handling the horses. Allen hoped of the driver's seat and grabbed Todd's luggage with one hand. Todd was surprised that Allen couldn't have been much taller than he was, about five feet two inches. How many centimeters was that? Todd did the calculations in his head as Allen loaded his luggage, and opened the door for Todd.

"In you go Mister Avery, can't keep the doctor waiting." He said giving a wide grin; he was missing a couple of teeth.

"Right." Todd climbed into the carriage and hefted the suitcase onto the seat next to him. Allen closed the door and whipped the carriage back into motion. Todd sat down into the velvet seats, they were surprisingly comfy. They sunk in just enough so you didn't feel the rocking of the carriage but supported you so it didn't feel like you were sinking into an abyss. Todd tried to keep himself awake in the warm carriage; he opened the window and looked out at the scenery. They had already entered the city, apparently what the horse lacked in grace it made up for with speed. Todd stared opened mouthed out of the window. There were shops, street vendors and performers on every street. People hustled this way and that, women out for a day of shopping eyed the shops, men in business suits walked in and out of official looking buildings muttering incoherent things to themselves, and children played on the sidewalks or eyed the latest toy or sweet. Buildings towered all around them, apartments, government buildings, houses. All of the buildings in the city seemed to want to touch the sky. It was all exciting and addicting, the energy, the life of it all made Todd forget his fears about the city. As they progressed through the city town Todd saw the famous landmarks that he had only seen in postcards from his Aunt Claudia. There was Big Ben, Parliament, the Tower of London, they all seemed larger to life to him. Perhaps he'll convince Mr. Howell to take him on a tour of London later on.

The carriage took a turn into what looked like a residential area. Apartment houses lined the street in every color, gray, brown, brick; Todd even swore that he saw a pink one down the end of the line. They took another turn and were now near the outskirts of the city. It was roomier here; the housed on this end each had a little garden near the front walkway. Full of roses, tulips, lilacs, and numerous flowers Todd had no idea what they were called. Near the end of this street loomed an intimidating square tower, three chimneys jutted out from the roof each giving off a healthy amount of black smoke. The tower seemed to be connected to a small three story white house about the same height of the tower. A long walkway blocked by an open wrought iron gate lead the way to the front door of the house.

"Here we are Howell manor." Allen said laughing at his own joke. Todd smiled following along as he got out of the carriage with his luggage.

"Don't worry." Allen patted Todd on the shoulder, "The Howells are nice people, they'll look after you fine enough." A small explosion issued from the tower, taking away whatever reassurance Allen had put in Todd.

"Although they could be a bit noisy." Another explosion and the horse gave out a nervous whinny. "Well I best be getting Black here back to the stables. Good luck to you lad!"

"Thank you!" Todd called back as Allen and Black rode down the street and disappeared down the corner.