The week passed by as a blur. As the weekend arrived, James' parents
had received multiple letters from colleges for Ender. Friday night, at the
dinner table, the doorbell rang.
"Oh I'll get it," James hopped up from the table, jogging through the hallway towards the front door. James unlocked the front door, and opened it to the U.P.S. man.
"Hi here you go"
"Thanks" Ender glanced up as James walked back into the kitchen.
"What's that?"
"Dunno, mom, it says it is for Ender." Everyone looked at Ender.
"Well go ahead and open it, Ender!" James' father said, as curious as the rest of them. Ender's eyes got wide as he received the package. Slowly tearing away at the tape, he popped the top of the small brown package open.
"It's a CD" Ender said.
"Let me see," James' father looked at the CD in the case, "That's a DVD. Let's watch it!" Everyone has stopped eating and walked into the family room to see what it was. James' father placed the DVD into the player, and clicked play.
As the movie played, they soon learned of its nature. A man in a suit talked, and sometimes a few video clips played in the back round.
"The military. They… they want you." James put it lightly. It was as if they were begging Ender to join them. The movie ended with the line "please destroy this DVD immediately", as if out of Hollywood. James' father went to the garbage can and destroyed the DVD. Ender gazed at the pieces falling into the trashcan. The doorbell suddenly rang once more, startling Ender out of his dream-like state.
Ender looked at James, and James looked back. A moment later he walked slowly to the door again. Two men in black suits were standing at the door, with military badges hanging on them. As if they were watching… Ender mentally shook himself, and walked to the door.
The two men discussing something with James immediately stopped when they saw Ender.
"Hello." They smiled. Hi Ender. May we come in? Thanks. Can I sit here? You're too kind. James' mother looked from them to Ender nervously.
"Ender, we would like to talk with you about joining our education program. Now of course we will consult your friend James' parents before we do anything, but we would like to know your decision about joining us."
"Wait a minute here," James' mother burst in, "he couldn't have possible decided yet, he just saw the video a moment ago." The men simply smiled and tried to explain that Ender definitely could have made his decision by then.
Ender knew that this meant he would have to lose James. And James' parents for that matter. Wasn't he planning that though? Wasn't the whole idea to stay here just long enough to move into something better? Ender sighed internally, but kept his poker- face on the outside.
"Of course I will go." He looked at James and smiled. James smiled back, and Ender saw the beginnings of tears in his eyes. Ender had his own too.
"You can come now, we will provide you with everything you need." Ender knew it would be soon, but this was NOW. His future was now, his challenges would begin now, so he got up, and walked out the door with two men dressed in black with sunglasses, even though it was nighttime. Ender never even finished his dinner.
***
"Oh I'll get it," James hopped up from the table, jogging through the hallway towards the front door. James unlocked the front door, and opened it to the U.P.S. man.
"Hi here you go"
"Thanks" Ender glanced up as James walked back into the kitchen.
"What's that?"
"Dunno, mom, it says it is for Ender." Everyone looked at Ender.
"Well go ahead and open it, Ender!" James' father said, as curious as the rest of them. Ender's eyes got wide as he received the package. Slowly tearing away at the tape, he popped the top of the small brown package open.
"It's a CD" Ender said.
"Let me see," James' father looked at the CD in the case, "That's a DVD. Let's watch it!" Everyone has stopped eating and walked into the family room to see what it was. James' father placed the DVD into the player, and clicked play.
As the movie played, they soon learned of its nature. A man in a suit talked, and sometimes a few video clips played in the back round.
"The military. They… they want you." James put it lightly. It was as if they were begging Ender to join them. The movie ended with the line "please destroy this DVD immediately", as if out of Hollywood. James' father went to the garbage can and destroyed the DVD. Ender gazed at the pieces falling into the trashcan. The doorbell suddenly rang once more, startling Ender out of his dream-like state.
Ender looked at James, and James looked back. A moment later he walked slowly to the door again. Two men in black suits were standing at the door, with military badges hanging on them. As if they were watching… Ender mentally shook himself, and walked to the door.
The two men discussing something with James immediately stopped when they saw Ender.
"Hello." They smiled. Hi Ender. May we come in? Thanks. Can I sit here? You're too kind. James' mother looked from them to Ender nervously.
"Ender, we would like to talk with you about joining our education program. Now of course we will consult your friend James' parents before we do anything, but we would like to know your decision about joining us."
"Wait a minute here," James' mother burst in, "he couldn't have possible decided yet, he just saw the video a moment ago." The men simply smiled and tried to explain that Ender definitely could have made his decision by then.
Ender knew that this meant he would have to lose James. And James' parents for that matter. Wasn't he planning that though? Wasn't the whole idea to stay here just long enough to move into something better? Ender sighed internally, but kept his poker- face on the outside.
"Of course I will go." He looked at James and smiled. James smiled back, and Ender saw the beginnings of tears in his eyes. Ender had his own too.
"You can come now, we will provide you with everything you need." Ender knew it would be soon, but this was NOW. His future was now, his challenges would begin now, so he got up, and walked out the door with two men dressed in black with sunglasses, even though it was nighttime. Ender never even finished his dinner.
***