Hello, and in case you're confused, there will be a new chapter posted today as well. However, I rewrote the first chapter of the story turning it from one page into three and adding some very critical things to it. Therefore, before reading the first chapter of Episode 3, I want you to read the updated version of this chapter, because Episode 3 Chapter 1 builds in major ways off of this updated version.
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Episode 1: The Return (No more than 3x)
Chapter #1: The Mysterious Stranger (+1,032 words)
A figure, tall, muscular, dark, stood silent in the shadows staring out at the land around him in an odd, distracted fashion. This was a regular pastime for him these days, being lost in thought. It had been that way for many a year now, as if he were searching for something that he had lost. However, he also knew that he belonged at Kadic. As he stared out into the distance, he crossed his hands in contemplation, a frown of deep through creasing his brow.
The rain that fell on his shoulders meant nothing to him. It was just one of the external distractions to be put away. The thunder and lightning simply added to the mood that he had been feeling for a long time now. It intensified the experience, and thus tonight was a night of deep reflection.
The wind pushed his red jumpsuit hard against his body, his hair blowing back on his forehead. The headband around his head was soaked, as was the band-aid that he never removed from his cheek. It had been there the day that he got hired at the school, and it had never left his cheek once.
"How long has it been?" he asked himself. Twenty-five years. Twenty-five long, peaceful, happy years. At first he'd had his doubts, but he'd come to the point where he could no longer regret what he had done. He'd given up his days of seeing the world for a steady and peaceful lifestyle. He'd given up a life of reckless adventure and danger, to settle down and teach at a high school. Looking back over his years as a teacher, he had no regrets. Peace was an acceptable way to live your life. There was nothing wrong with an ordinary life.
Now, though, he felt restless, discontent. He knew it was connected to the group that he had met some seven years ago now. It was strange. He'd taught a lot of students, and was used to the coming and going. It was simply a part of his life. However, he'd never been able to get those kids out of his head. One of his most painful moments was the day they left Kadic Academy. It was as if, when they did, they each took a small part of him with them. They were now a firm and permanent part of him.
That was strange, illogical. It didn't make sense. For the first three years that they were together, they hadn't gotten along well at all. They were plotting against him, hiding something. He'd attempted many times to find out what it was, but each attempt had ended in near-disaster. Eventually, he'd stopped trying, and eventually he'd come to be friends with one, but only one. That wasn't special, though. He'd never really become too good of friends with him, and he'd made plenty of those kinds of friends throughout his time at Kadic.
What was it about those six kids that makes them a permanent part of you? Jim asked himself with a frown. It's been two years…Six, the word had come into his mindbefore he could stop it. In his mind he replayed that horrible moment over and over again. So young…so full of life…nobody should ever die at that age. It just wasn't fair. There was so much that they'd never be able to experience.
Another flash of lighting drove Jim's mind back to the latest tragedy that he had experienced. It had been almost a year since it occured, but the entire day still played itself out in his head perfectly. It was the day he gained an odd friend and lost a person who was very close to his heart...
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"You call that running!" Jim cried, shaking his fist encouragingly. In front of him ran Kadic Academy's 7th grade students, at such a slow pace that it was hard for Jim to believe. This is ridiculous, he thought. "Don't any of you know how to move fast!" he cried out in frustration. "This is supposed to be a sprint!"
"Uh…sir," a young voice said, interrupting Jim's thoughts and causing him to turn around.
Staring up at him was a young girl who couldn't have been much older than ten. She had large blue eyes and beautiful raven black hair. Her face was completely smooth and her smile showed perfectly white teeth. She wore a white t-shirt with the word "Liberty" written under a picture of the beautiful statue of liberty. Her pants were an pair of pink jeans. Around her neck she wore a medallion with a bizarre symbol on it. Two circles, one in side of the other. On the outside of the second three rectangles branched out. Somehow, Jim got the impression he'd seen it before somewhere. The crowning beauty of this little girl though, was the gemstone hairpin that held up her hair.
Jim blinked in surprise for a second, taking it all in, before asking, "Uh…What are you doing here?"
"Was I not supposed to show up because I was late?" the girl asked, confused.
"Not to show up?" Jim asked in confusion. "No way. You're Willow Arkansas? The American exchange student?"
"Yes, sir," Willow said bowing. "That's me."
Jim frowned and scratched his chin. "Well, then, by all means, go ahead." I need to check with Susanna on this… He thought to himself with a frown. Then he turned and headed towards the science lab. As he did, he glanced behind and saw Willow running, and as he entered the building, he could see her in front of the entire class.
As he opened the door to the science lab, a scream of pain suddenly split through the night. Instantly all eyes turned in the direction of the science lab, and the kids ran as fast as they could towards the sound. Somehow, once again, Willow managed to outdistance them quickly. Jim, the moment he'd heard sound, recognized it as that of his closest companion Susanna Hertz, and frantically rushed into the building.
As he glanced around he observed that the entire building was empty. With a frown, he raced into Susanna's class and found her lying on the ground, grasping her heart. Her eyes were wide and filled with pain and anguish. Her grey hair lay over a part of her body, and there was a frightening beauty to the scene. One thing was horrifyingly clear, though, Susanna was dead.
Jim's eyes filled with tears, and he dropped down next to the dead woman. Reaching out his hand, he brushed the hair out of her face. He carefully leaned forward and kissed her. Then he broke, burying his face in her hair, he wept. That's where he was when Willow arrived.
Jim, broken, despairing, miserable stayed with her body for the next several days. Due to the fact that she had no family, he'd taken the responsibilities entirely upon himself. In the end, her body had been buried at the church where the two of them had first met. During all of this, Willow never once left his side. She was his anchor in the storm, and the experiences they shared during that time bound them with a deeper bond than Jim had ever before imagined possible. Jim had made it his business to visit Susanna's grave every day, and Willow almost always went with him. Sadly, a couple of weeks later, she returned to America, leaving Jim feeling utterly and completely alone.
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A loud crash of thunder threw Jim back to the present, and his eyes widened in surprise. In the distance, covered in shadows and darkness, he thought he saw a figure. No way, Jim thought to himself with a frown. Who would be out in this whether, Jim? Get ahold of yourself! Then, he saw the figure again. Not much more could be seen than that the person was clutching his coat hard against his body, and a hood covered his face. He looked, strangely, like some kind of person from a spy or action movie. What could a person like that want at Kadic Academy? Jim thought with a frown. There was no doubt that the person was coming in his direction.
"I don't believe this," Jim muttered to himself, watching as the man grew closer. Kadic Academy was an average boarding school that children from sixth to twelfth grade attended. Sure it was known to produce geniuses, but why would that bring a person like this? Kadic was old, but there was absolutely nothing interesting about it. Why anybody such as this approaching man would have any interest in it was completely beyond Jim's imagination.
As the man approached him, Jim became more and more nervous. He wanted to run but found his feet frozen to the floor. He began to shake, fear flowing through him. The man came to a stop next to Jim, who observed that he was above the average height, though it was hard to tell the way the man was hunched over, and slightly strong.
"I wish to talk to Principal Delmas," the man said, looking Jim in the face. Jim could clearly see the man's blue eyes, and a small patch of blond hair peeking out beneath the top of the hood. The shadows obscured the rest of his features. "Where is he?"
"I…I…In his office," Jim replied, a little shaken, but pointing the man in the right direction. "Down that way…Why?..." But the man was already off, making his way through the wind and rain towards the principal's office. "Bizarre," Jim muttered to himself, turning back towards the distance. To his credit, he waited a full fifteen seconds before rushing off after the mysterious man. In some way, he felt, that man was very familiar.
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Alright, hold with me for a couple hours or so, and don't worry. I will have the next chapter out today. As promised, I will try to get the next one out A.S.A.P as well. So, what do you think of Willow? Is she good or evil? Is it just an odd coincidence that Mrs. Hertz died right after she showed up? And what is with that medallion? Share with me some of your guesses.