Chapter Three: More School Stuff
Directly after Mrs. Evil left the shool, and before Austin's pranks became widely known, a new kid moved to town. He was taller than the rest of the second grade class, and just plain bigger than the rest. He was also meaner than anyone Austin had encountered in his entire life, including Mrs. Evil. His name was Morton Elliot.
At first, Morton appeared the model child, as he always answered 'yes ma'am' and 'no ma'am'. In front of adults he was always nice to the other students, and even went out of his way to help them out. However, as soon as there was no supervision, Morton changed drastically. He pushed kids down, punched them, threatened them, anything he could do. And then, when someone was brave enough to tell on him, he played the innocent and said he wasn't watching where he was going and ran into them. And then apologized very sweetly.
Morton Elliot soon became the most hated student in the second grade, even as he was the prize pupil of Mr. McElroy, the new teacher.
Austin stayed out of Morton's way, as he didn't want to be on the recieving end of one of those punches. They looked like they hurt! Besides, he had more important things to worry about. Like the bit of laxative he had placed in Mr. McElroy's coffee. It wasn't enough to any really bad damage, just make the teacher a bit uncomfortable.
However, one day as he was walking to class he happened to see Morton terrorizing a little girl. She didn't look to be older than five, and something inside Austin snapped. It was one thing to beat up on fellow second-graders, quite another to beat up on someone younger. And a girl to boot! That just wasn't cricket.
Austin walked up to Morton, planted his hands on his hips and gave the other boy a glare. When that didn't get any response, he cleared his throat and said, "Leave her alone."
Morton, in the process of lifting the girl up and heaving her to the side, dropped her and looked at Austin. His squinty eyes narrowed as he looked him up and down, and Austin had to fight not to squirm. "What. Did. You. Say?"
Austin, knowing he was probably about to die, decided he could antagonize the boy further. As he thought back later, he realized he could have run away then, since the little girl had managed to get away. But at the time, he simply wasn't thinking clearly so he answered, as slowly and deliberately as the question was asked, "I. Said. Leave. Her. Alone."
Morton's face turned an interesting shade of purple, and he began huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf in the Three Little Pigs story. Austin knew then that he had gone too far. His only regret though, was that he hadn't got to see his father once more before he died.
"Take off your glasses," Morton growled.
No longer foolishly brave, Austin obeyed, and Morton punched him in the eye and then walked off. Austin watched him and heaved a heavy sigh of relief, even as he felt his eye swell. He had no idea that he would be very grateful to Morton Elliot later.
Later that night, Austin wearily dragged himself downstairs when Helga called for him. So far, he had managed to keep out of her sight--she would go ballistic when she saw his eye--but now he had to face the music. He bit his lip, wondering if perhaps Mr. McElroy had sent a note home. That would be worth double the trouble--for fighting as well as pulling a potentially dangerous prank. With a heavy sigh he walked into the room, intending on getting every bit of sympathy his nanny had to offer.
"Good lord boy, what happened to you?"
Austin's head jerked up as his father spoke, his heart pounding. Why did he have to come home now? Why not last week, or in the next couple?
"Well?" Dad prompted.
"I...I got into a fight...y'see...Morton Elliot...he's this kid in class...he's a bully...and he was beating up on this girl...and I..."
"Gave him the ol' "one, two"?" Dad asked eagerly.
Austin sighed and bowed his head again, not wanting to look his father in the eye. And he just couldn't lie to him. Somehow he knew he'd know. "No...I just let him hit me...after he let the girl go."
There was silence for several long moments, until Austin finally had the courage to look back up. His father had a far off look to his eye, and Austin knew he'd disappointed the man. So much that he couldn't even pay attention to his own son. "Dad I.."
"All right Austin," Dad said, a grin forming on his face, "I'm going to teach you how to fight. I mean what's the point in standing up for other people if you can't back it up with strenght?"
"Nigel!" Helga gasped, having just come in from setting the dinner table while father and son talked, "That is teaching him...Austin! What's happened to your poor eye?"
"It's nothing Helga, go on and do whatever it is you do," Dad said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
Helga harrumphed and marched upstairs, muttering curses in her people's language and throwing glares at both Austin and his father. When she had gone, Dad turned back to Austin with a grin and placed his arm around his shoulders.
For two months solid, Austin learned all about his father's fighting style, and once he got a bit taller he would be able to master it completely. Still, when his training period was finished--at least according to his father--he was quite able to keep Morton Elliot at bay. He became sort of a hero to the rest of the school, though, to those like Morton, he quickly became an enemy.
***
As Austin grew older, he was not only known as a scrappy fighter and a prankster, he was also a charming lovable young man. By the time he was fourteen, he had women of all ages hanging on his every move. Men and boys alike admired both his skill at combat as well as his skill at seduction--many even envied him to the point of outright hatred.
It was something that quite concerned Helga, but his father seemed to take it all in stride. The way he had always done. The only time Nigel Powers had taken any interest in him at all was that time in second grade, and though Austin was grateful to him for that, he couldn't help but feel resentment all the same. Why did his father not like him? Was he doing something wrong? He had long ago stopped listening to his dreams. They were just that--dreams.
Austin stared at himself in the mirror, at the thick glasses that compensated for his nearsightedness, at the unruly shock of brown hair. At the camera hanging around his neck. A slight smile quirked at the edge of his lips. He had taken up photography, not only because he excelled at making beautiful pictures--but because beautiful women loved having their pictures taken. Not that he'd ever tell Helga that, she would never understand. Then again...his mouth turned downwards...neither would his father. In fact, he couldn't understand it himself, why he needed to be with these models and actresses...it was like he was looking for someone but that was a preposterous idea. After all, he was still young. It wasn't like he absolutely had to get married. And yet...
His revery was interrupted by Helga's voice calling him downstairs to supper. With yet another glance in the mirror--that was another odd thing, he adored looking at himself--he bounded down the stairs two at a time and practically leapt into his chair, giving the nanny his most charming grin. Really, she was still quite lovely for her age.
"Austin, how many times have I told you not to run in the house hmm?" Helga began. It was a nightly ritual.
"Oh about five hundred seventy two thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine," Austin answered with a grin, "by my last count. Oh wait, that would make it, five hundred seventy three thousand then wouldn't it?"
Helga tried to keep a stern face, but again she couldn't and a smile graced her lips. "Austin, really now. You're eighteen years old. You should know better." Quickly changing the subject, she turned to school. "How're things at school? Have you decided what you want to do for a living?"
"Why yes, I want to be a photographer. That oughta get Dad's attention. I mean whatever it is he does, it isn't being a pansy little artist is it?" Austin grinned again.
Helga's mouth turned downwards but she didn't comment, since the phone chose that moment to ring. It was for Austin. A girl. Of course since he was eating he couldn't very well talk. Besides, he would see her at school and that would be better than talking on the telephone. However, once Helga hung up, the phone rang again. Same story. This happened about five or six different times--with different girls, until finally Helga got upset and yelled at the last girl.
"NO MORE PHONE CALLS! Oh...oh I'm terribly sorry Nigel...I..yes...do you want to...he is your...no...I suppose he does have...hold on a minute." Helga looked up at Austin, who got up from the table and began walking towards his room.
He had long suspected his father and Helga of having more than a working relationship, but every time he called to talk to her it broke his heart. Pretty soon he wouldn't have enough duct tape to put it back together. He paused on the stairs, as he had when was four years old, to listen to the conversation. Who cared if it was eavesdropping and not very nice? It was HIS father. She knew he wanted to speak with him when he called...and she never tried hard enough to get his father to do so.
"Yes...I'm worried...listen for a moment...Nigel..he has so many girls hanging on to him...Yes, I know you think it's wonderful...It isn't natural...no Nigel...have you seen your boy lately? Of course you haven't, you....He wears thick glasses, has horrible teeth and...well he's just completely unintersting to look at, and yet he's got this...aura about him...this appeal I guess is the word. It isn't right....No...good night Nigel."
Austin hurried to his room before she found out he'd been listening and glared at his mirror. So that's what she really thought of him! He was some sort of monster because girls liked him. So maybe he wasn't the best looking person in the world? He had a great personality. Gazing into the mirror, he frowned as he stared at himself. His teeth were terrible, and the glasses did make him look like a dork....maybe she was right. Maybe...
His frown deepened as he looked closer into the glass. Was it just his imagination, or was there a giant maze in his room. He blinked and turned around. Nothing. When he faced the mirror again, the maze was still there. And then he heard it....like a song of some sort...calling to him...begging him to come home....gradually he moved closer and closer to the mirror, some unknown something beckoning him...pulling him...he was almost touching the mirror now...it looked like liquid....
Something crashed outside and jerked his head towards the window. He could see a light on in the neigbors' house and assumed they were fighting again. When he turned back towards the mirror, the maze had disappeared. He gently touched his finger to the surface--solid as it had always been. With a sigh, he took his camera off and bounced onto his bed, laying back. Maybe he needed to find something besides mythology books to read. They were giving him some odd ideas.
Directly after Mrs. Evil left the shool, and before Austin's pranks became widely known, a new kid moved to town. He was taller than the rest of the second grade class, and just plain bigger than the rest. He was also meaner than anyone Austin had encountered in his entire life, including Mrs. Evil. His name was Morton Elliot.
At first, Morton appeared the model child, as he always answered 'yes ma'am' and 'no ma'am'. In front of adults he was always nice to the other students, and even went out of his way to help them out. However, as soon as there was no supervision, Morton changed drastically. He pushed kids down, punched them, threatened them, anything he could do. And then, when someone was brave enough to tell on him, he played the innocent and said he wasn't watching where he was going and ran into them. And then apologized very sweetly.
Morton Elliot soon became the most hated student in the second grade, even as he was the prize pupil of Mr. McElroy, the new teacher.
Austin stayed out of Morton's way, as he didn't want to be on the recieving end of one of those punches. They looked like they hurt! Besides, he had more important things to worry about. Like the bit of laxative he had placed in Mr. McElroy's coffee. It wasn't enough to any really bad damage, just make the teacher a bit uncomfortable.
However, one day as he was walking to class he happened to see Morton terrorizing a little girl. She didn't look to be older than five, and something inside Austin snapped. It was one thing to beat up on fellow second-graders, quite another to beat up on someone younger. And a girl to boot! That just wasn't cricket.
Austin walked up to Morton, planted his hands on his hips and gave the other boy a glare. When that didn't get any response, he cleared his throat and said, "Leave her alone."
Morton, in the process of lifting the girl up and heaving her to the side, dropped her and looked at Austin. His squinty eyes narrowed as he looked him up and down, and Austin had to fight not to squirm. "What. Did. You. Say?"
Austin, knowing he was probably about to die, decided he could antagonize the boy further. As he thought back later, he realized he could have run away then, since the little girl had managed to get away. But at the time, he simply wasn't thinking clearly so he answered, as slowly and deliberately as the question was asked, "I. Said. Leave. Her. Alone."
Morton's face turned an interesting shade of purple, and he began huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf in the Three Little Pigs story. Austin knew then that he had gone too far. His only regret though, was that he hadn't got to see his father once more before he died.
"Take off your glasses," Morton growled.
No longer foolishly brave, Austin obeyed, and Morton punched him in the eye and then walked off. Austin watched him and heaved a heavy sigh of relief, even as he felt his eye swell. He had no idea that he would be very grateful to Morton Elliot later.
Later that night, Austin wearily dragged himself downstairs when Helga called for him. So far, he had managed to keep out of her sight--she would go ballistic when she saw his eye--but now he had to face the music. He bit his lip, wondering if perhaps Mr. McElroy had sent a note home. That would be worth double the trouble--for fighting as well as pulling a potentially dangerous prank. With a heavy sigh he walked into the room, intending on getting every bit of sympathy his nanny had to offer.
"Good lord boy, what happened to you?"
Austin's head jerked up as his father spoke, his heart pounding. Why did he have to come home now? Why not last week, or in the next couple?
"Well?" Dad prompted.
"I...I got into a fight...y'see...Morton Elliot...he's this kid in class...he's a bully...and he was beating up on this girl...and I..."
"Gave him the ol' "one, two"?" Dad asked eagerly.
Austin sighed and bowed his head again, not wanting to look his father in the eye. And he just couldn't lie to him. Somehow he knew he'd know. "No...I just let him hit me...after he let the girl go."
There was silence for several long moments, until Austin finally had the courage to look back up. His father had a far off look to his eye, and Austin knew he'd disappointed the man. So much that he couldn't even pay attention to his own son. "Dad I.."
"All right Austin," Dad said, a grin forming on his face, "I'm going to teach you how to fight. I mean what's the point in standing up for other people if you can't back it up with strenght?"
"Nigel!" Helga gasped, having just come in from setting the dinner table while father and son talked, "That is teaching him...Austin! What's happened to your poor eye?"
"It's nothing Helga, go on and do whatever it is you do," Dad said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
Helga harrumphed and marched upstairs, muttering curses in her people's language and throwing glares at both Austin and his father. When she had gone, Dad turned back to Austin with a grin and placed his arm around his shoulders.
For two months solid, Austin learned all about his father's fighting style, and once he got a bit taller he would be able to master it completely. Still, when his training period was finished--at least according to his father--he was quite able to keep Morton Elliot at bay. He became sort of a hero to the rest of the school, though, to those like Morton, he quickly became an enemy.
***
As Austin grew older, he was not only known as a scrappy fighter and a prankster, he was also a charming lovable young man. By the time he was fourteen, he had women of all ages hanging on his every move. Men and boys alike admired both his skill at combat as well as his skill at seduction--many even envied him to the point of outright hatred.
It was something that quite concerned Helga, but his father seemed to take it all in stride. The way he had always done. The only time Nigel Powers had taken any interest in him at all was that time in second grade, and though Austin was grateful to him for that, he couldn't help but feel resentment all the same. Why did his father not like him? Was he doing something wrong? He had long ago stopped listening to his dreams. They were just that--dreams.
Austin stared at himself in the mirror, at the thick glasses that compensated for his nearsightedness, at the unruly shock of brown hair. At the camera hanging around his neck. A slight smile quirked at the edge of his lips. He had taken up photography, not only because he excelled at making beautiful pictures--but because beautiful women loved having their pictures taken. Not that he'd ever tell Helga that, she would never understand. Then again...his mouth turned downwards...neither would his father. In fact, he couldn't understand it himself, why he needed to be with these models and actresses...it was like he was looking for someone but that was a preposterous idea. After all, he was still young. It wasn't like he absolutely had to get married. And yet...
His revery was interrupted by Helga's voice calling him downstairs to supper. With yet another glance in the mirror--that was another odd thing, he adored looking at himself--he bounded down the stairs two at a time and practically leapt into his chair, giving the nanny his most charming grin. Really, she was still quite lovely for her age.
"Austin, how many times have I told you not to run in the house hmm?" Helga began. It was a nightly ritual.
"Oh about five hundred seventy two thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine," Austin answered with a grin, "by my last count. Oh wait, that would make it, five hundred seventy three thousand then wouldn't it?"
Helga tried to keep a stern face, but again she couldn't and a smile graced her lips. "Austin, really now. You're eighteen years old. You should know better." Quickly changing the subject, she turned to school. "How're things at school? Have you decided what you want to do for a living?"
"Why yes, I want to be a photographer. That oughta get Dad's attention. I mean whatever it is he does, it isn't being a pansy little artist is it?" Austin grinned again.
Helga's mouth turned downwards but she didn't comment, since the phone chose that moment to ring. It was for Austin. A girl. Of course since he was eating he couldn't very well talk. Besides, he would see her at school and that would be better than talking on the telephone. However, once Helga hung up, the phone rang again. Same story. This happened about five or six different times--with different girls, until finally Helga got upset and yelled at the last girl.
"NO MORE PHONE CALLS! Oh...oh I'm terribly sorry Nigel...I..yes...do you want to...he is your...no...I suppose he does have...hold on a minute." Helga looked up at Austin, who got up from the table and began walking towards his room.
He had long suspected his father and Helga of having more than a working relationship, but every time he called to talk to her it broke his heart. Pretty soon he wouldn't have enough duct tape to put it back together. He paused on the stairs, as he had when was four years old, to listen to the conversation. Who cared if it was eavesdropping and not very nice? It was HIS father. She knew he wanted to speak with him when he called...and she never tried hard enough to get his father to do so.
"Yes...I'm worried...listen for a moment...Nigel..he has so many girls hanging on to him...Yes, I know you think it's wonderful...It isn't natural...no Nigel...have you seen your boy lately? Of course you haven't, you....He wears thick glasses, has horrible teeth and...well he's just completely unintersting to look at, and yet he's got this...aura about him...this appeal I guess is the word. It isn't right....No...good night Nigel."
Austin hurried to his room before she found out he'd been listening and glared at his mirror. So that's what she really thought of him! He was some sort of monster because girls liked him. So maybe he wasn't the best looking person in the world? He had a great personality. Gazing into the mirror, he frowned as he stared at himself. His teeth were terrible, and the glasses did make him look like a dork....maybe she was right. Maybe...
His frown deepened as he looked closer into the glass. Was it just his imagination, or was there a giant maze in his room. He blinked and turned around. Nothing. When he faced the mirror again, the maze was still there. And then he heard it....like a song of some sort...calling to him...begging him to come home....gradually he moved closer and closer to the mirror, some unknown something beckoning him...pulling him...he was almost touching the mirror now...it looked like liquid....
Something crashed outside and jerked his head towards the window. He could see a light on in the neigbors' house and assumed they were fighting again. When he turned back towards the mirror, the maze had disappeared. He gently touched his finger to the surface--solid as it had always been. With a sigh, he took his camera off and bounced onto his bed, laying back. Maybe he needed to find something besides mythology books to read. They were giving him some odd ideas.