JAKE
BNR848
Disclaimer: The publicly recognized, and much beloved characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plots are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
CHAPTER 2
Two years prior
He was ten when he had discovered his sister's kidnapping. While researching a book report on the Lindberg baby, he had uncovered news articles on Alexis Castle's kidnapping and subsequent rescue in Paris. Intrigued and concerned he had rushed to his parents for information. That evening his parents had sat all three of them down and told them about the incident.
Lily, thirteen at the time had been appalled and insulted by her parent's secrecy. They had always been taught honesty above everything else, and this news had felt like a huge betrayal. Jake and Reece had worried. For months they bobby trapped their rooms, developing a slight case of paranoia. His parents had taken great pains to assure them they were safe, and that Alexis had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. They had stuck to the story, Alexis had been secondary to the kidnappers. Her friend had been the target, and Alexis had simply been in the way. When the kidnappers discovered who she was, they ransomed her too. Lily, a carbon copy of Kate, had taken it as a challenge and dared anyone to kidnap her. Jake had assured Lily any kidnapper was sure to return her immediately. The comment, elicited a punch from his sister, a laugh from his father and a stern reprimand from his mother.
The story had always fascinated Jake. Something about the manner in which his father relayed some details always left him wondering. Whenever he asked about it his father would change the conversation. Jake Castle knew there was more to the tale. Alexis' awesomeness increased volumes and concerns were soon forgotten. But Jake Castle remained intrigue.
Lily, Reece and Jake had lucked out when it came to the gene pool. Kate and Castle had made smart babies. In the foot-steps of their oldest sister, none of the Castle kids struggled in school, but Alexis and Lily were focused and driven. Reece and Jake's only challenge was their zeal for practical jokes and general shenanigan's. This drove their mother crazy and made their father proud. But once at Columbia both boys had found their calling.
His freshman year at Columbia he'd enrolled in a creative writing course and his fate was sealed. Throughout that semester his love for storytelling flourished. His professor's marveled at the ease in which he could captivate the class, he was truly his father's son. The writing needed work. He set out to fine-tune those skillsets, and for the first time ever attacked his classes with fervor and determination.
It was during his junior year that his writing had taken flight. A particular assignment had captivated him. Professor Marsha Atwater had challenged Jake in many ways. After taking her class freshman year, he had jumped at the opportunity to register for any of her advanced writing courses. It was the second of her classes that planted the seed.
Professor Marsha Atwater, PhD was a sixty-three-year-old institution. All of five feet tall and perhaps ninety pounds, her petit appearance masked the true dynamo of her personality. A talented poet and writer in her own right, her true calling had been teaching. She enjoyed mentoring and guiding young talent, and took great pride in her student's success. Jake Castle had developed a fondness for Professor Atwater, and Marsha Atwater was taken by the handsome and talented Mr. Castle, something she would never admit.
The assignment had been simple. Professor Atwater believed the complexities of life were often better expressed in simple terms. The assignment, in six words or less, make us want to read your story by completing the popular phrase, "Paris, City of Light."
"Paris, City of Light, where the darkness of life hides." With those simple words, Jake Castle had developed the inspiration for his book, and received an A in the process. But the journey to the story would prove to be a challenging adventure. Throughout his undergraduate studies he would return to the concept, and his desire to tell the story. Getting all the details would involve talking to Alexis, and Paris was something that always brought a somber mood to his otherwise happy sister.
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