Chapter 2---- Page 10

            “Mrs. Cynders is at all possible to talk to Jack about the school and the possibilities it offers?  Maybe we could go for a walk?” Mr. Saunders inquires of Jack’s mother.

                              “Of course! I would be more than happy to have him learn about M.O.T.! You two go for a walk and I will start our supper. We would love to have you join us Andrew.”

           Putting his shoes back on Jack gets ready to have something bad happen. Whether this man is going to try and capture him or try to kill him he will be ready. Opening the door Jack heads down to the sidewalk. Mr. Saunders follows closely. “Jack, I think you would love going to M.O.T., you are a very special person.”

         “Thank you, I am just wondering why the Academy has chosen me? I mean I am not that amazing of a student. Is there something that I did that made you want to have me there? I really don’t understand.” Jack tries baiting the man into revealing what he knows about him.

 “ Come now Jack, we both know what you did that made us want to have you at the Academy.” Mr. Saunders gives him a sly smile as he levitates several inches off of the ground. Jack’s jaw practically hits the floor in shock. “Jack, you and I are a special kind of person. We have the ability to manipulate a certain element at our will among other things. We know that your hand burst into flames today, We know that you can run faster that humanly possible, We have know you are exhibiting a increase in strength, We know you experienced a time slow. All these things separate you from what you would call normal people.”

                         “You aren’t normal Jack, in fact you are anything but. You and I are Mages, a sect of warriors lost to time. We bend nature to our wills. The M.O.T. Academy is not a normal school. We train you to use these gifts to battle mankinds enemies. There is a whole other side of this world that people don’t usually see. There are creatures beyond imagining, technology hundreds of years more advanced than what the world has now, places that don’t exist to the mortal eye.”

          “Jack, your life just got a whole lot different.” Mr. Saunders pauses, giving Jack a second to take in what he just said. Jack is amazed by everything Mr. Saunders said but, he is still wary of the stranger who stands/ floats before him.

                                                                          Page 10 

Chapter 2 --- Page 9

Cold sweat runs down his back as he enters the room to see a man in a black suit.  “Oh no, oh no, oh no, this is it I am going to be a lab rat for the rest of my life. How did they find me so fast?” Jack walks over to the couch and sits down next to his mom. He tries to get a read on the strange man but there are no clear signs as to what he is doing there.

       “Jack meet Mr. Saunders, he is a representative of the Minds of Tomorrow School. He says that they want to offer you a scholarship. I didn’t know that you applied for a scholarship honey. I can’t believe the luck! He has been showing me the school’s website and talking about the facilities. It seems absolutely amazing.” Jack’s mother gushed.

          “Hi, Jack very nice to meet you. As your mother said my name is Mr. Andrew Saunders and I am a representative of M.O.T. Academy. I am here to offer you a full scholarship which includes board and food costs. This is no small honor we only accept around 20 students each year for this program. You passed all of the acceptance tests with flying colors and we would love to have you at the school.”

    “Wow, I’m not really sure what to say to that Mr. Saunders. I didn’t think that I would be accepted to such a prestigious school.” Jack manages to say convincingly. “I didn’t apply to any scholarship program. This guy is here to take me away! I have to act cool though I can’t let him know that I am onto him.”

             “Well, Jack, Mrs. Cynders, I know that it is short notice but we will need an answer about if you will be attending the school or not. We have some of the best rates of graduates that go onto meaningful careers in the world. Our students become the leaders of the future. Our staff is hand picked from the best of the best teachers, chefs, and caregivers that you can imagine. We have a full gym that includes an indoor pool, class rooms with the utmost in technology for an enhanced learning experience, and fully equipped dorms with a miniature town of sorts for the students to relax in during off days.”

      “The Academy is located on a privately owned island near the Bahamas so the weather is amazing year round. I really could just go on and on but to tell the truth this Academy is a once in a lifetime chance at some of the greatest opportunities in the world. We really do produce the best of the best and I would love to see Jack be included among them.”

Chapter 2--- Page 8

        “Aaaand, that’s the game! We win 7-5. Sucks to be you guys.” Tom gloats over his victory. The game and everything else seemed to go back to normal after Jack’s episode of zoned out travel. The teams both had several moments of looking like they were going to win but, ultimately Tom’s team came out on top. This was in no small amount due to the fact that Jack purposely played poorly. He wasn’t willing to risk another blackout like that and get figured out.

                 “I think I’m calling it for today. I have to head home to go, UGH, back to school shopping. My mom is making me get ready for Sweetney’s class. I can’t believe I have her this year. I will see you guys later!” Jack calls as he makes his way off the field.

                               “Whew, I can finally relax I just need to get through shopping with mom and I am home free.” Jack walks down the street towards his home, careful not to get too lost in thought. Rounding the corner to his street he sees a red sedan parked in front of his house. Jack’s heart drops to his feet and his breath catches. No one on his street drives one of those. Could it be someone here for him? Did they find out about his weird outbursts.

           “Oh god, oh god, what if they are here for me?! What am I going to do? I can’t go to a prison or a scientific lab to be dissected.” Jack whispers to himself as he sets foot in the driveway. He took a look in the car nothing giving away a government presence. Yet, he still felt uneasy. Creaking the door open he enters the house.

       “Mom, I’m back!” Announcing his presence Jack kicks off his shoes. “Hey, sweetie. I’m in the family room. We have a guest.” Jack’s stomach somersaults. He was right someone was here, but who?

Chapter 2--- Page 7

He stops running, holding the ball in place under his foot Jack takes in his surroundings. Seemingly an eternity earlier he was 20 or so feet from the ball, now he stands just a few feet from the goal. “How did I get here? I wasn’t here when I started thinking. I was running for the ball…what happened?”

                     The other players snap free from the spell. The world returns to its original speed and clarity. Jack looks around the field, and looking back at him, on every face is a shocked look of awe. “Ja-Ja-Jack, w-w-w-what are you doing over there? How did you get over there?” Tom manages to sputter out.

   “I don’t really know. I was just there and now I am here. I don’t remember the in between. Do you guys know what happened?” Jack tries to understand what just occurred. Nothing about this day was normal, why was it happening to him. Pondering and trying not to go crazy, Jack decides to continue with the conversation with his friends.

  “I must have had a crazy rush of adrenaline or something. The last thought before I got here, was that you were all moving very slow. I can’t really think of any other explanation unless you think I suddenly turned into a superhero. Because, clearly I can now throw cars and read your mind. C’mon doofus I just got an adrenaline rush and you guys didn’t.” Knowing that Tom doesn’t take ridicule very well he teases him.

                    “I know that, jerk. I was just kind of shocked that you made it over there so fast. Let’s get back to the game now.” Tom quickly tries to avoid looking stupid by getting the game going again. Just as Jack planned. Thankfully not everything changed that day at least some parts of Jack’s life were still predictable.

                                                             Page 7

Chapter 2 ----Page 6

         “This is not okay! I am kind of happy that I apparently have super-powers, but still, this is absolutely crazy. With how this day is going, I will be needing a spandex costume and goofy catch phrase.” Although time passed slowly and everything seemed frozen, Jack trudged through the thickness of the spell. Pushing through, he moves, he moves, yet all stands almost perfectly still.

       “This is too crazy, I am only 13, I can’t be a superhuman. I would have experienced it prior to this. I would have thrown a couch, or lit a bonfire, froze time at my greatest moments. Something is happening to me and it’s not natural. I don’t think I can take this.” Jack’s mind is racing trying to understand this unnatural occurrence.

             Though he is caught up in thought, Jack is still covering ground. He has easily run to within 4 feet of Tom, but no one else has taken much more than a step. Huffing he continues toward the ball. Caught up in thought his body is on auto-pilot. “I can’t think of anything like this every happening in my life. I have never exhibited anything close to this level of speed, strength, or perception; even with my most powerful surge of adrenaline I have nothing to compare to this.”

  He steals the ball from Tom and heads to the opposing goal, time seems to slip from the grasp of whatever held it still. The players on the field start to move, as if in slow motion. The breeze starts to blow, tickling at Jack’s skin snapping him from his thoughts.

Chapter 1----Page 5

                    Flying down the field Jack is there right as the ball makes landfall. “I shouldn’t be moving this fast… Is that weird surge of energy I felt earlier not done with me yet? First a fiery hand now super speed?! That’s awesome!!! But I can’t move too quickly, otherwise they will think that something is up. Alright let’s get this game won, then I can figure out what kind of freak I am.”  Dribbling down the field Jack heads toward the opposing goal.

    Wumph! The ball strikes the net with force, too much force. Jack gulps looking around the field to see how everyone reacts to his supercharged kick. Scanning the faces all Jack sees is disappointment in Tom’s team and happiness on his. “All right it’s now 3-5! Let’s do this. Come on guys we can still win this!”

         Relieved that the kick’s power didn’t raise any questions Jack heads back to midfield. Tom takes the starting kick, rushing up he lashes out at the ball but at the last second pivots so he fires it across to James. Taking off James heads toward Jack’s team’s goal. Passing it off, he just barely evades Jessica’s sliding tackle for the ball.

    The ball flies wide landing out of bounds. Jack goes to grab the ball for the throw in. Searching for an opening he takes in the field. Jessica is too heavily covered for him to make a good pass so he throws it far down to Matt. Matt who was zoned out catches the ball full on in the face. “Ummph!” he practically flips over as he gets knocked off his feet.  James being nearby helps him to his feet giving the all clear even though there is a steadily swelling bruise on Matt’s face.

             Tom grabs the ball before anyone can realize it and starts on his way over to the opposing goal. “Oh no, you don’t. That’s my ball!” Grass flies as Jack rips down the field. Time seems to slow to a crawl and every detail becomes crystal clear for Jack. He can hear the birds and bugs that are over in the wooded area off to the side of the field as if they are right next to him. He can see individual drips of sweat pouring down Tom’s face. He can smell the grass and a hint of lavender perfume on the air.

      “What is going on? I can sense everything. I don’t understand this. Am I going crazy? Why are these things happening----

                                                      Page 5

Chapter 1----- Page 4

         “Hmmm, maybe if I stick it in some water. Okay, okay, this will work let’s just find some water.” Convincing himself that would work Jack started to look for some water hoping it would put out the inexplicable flames on his hand. Luckily there was a bottle nearby at least Brett and his goons where good for something.  Quickly unscrewing the cap jack douses his hand in the water. “SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH!” the water turned to steam upon contact with his hand.

                   “Oh my god, this is getting ridiculous. I need my hand back already. Let’s just work on fiery appendages later today.” As if reading his mind his hand stopped churning out fire. “Well that’s odd apparently complaining about it turns it off. I should have tried that earlier. I’ll figure out what happened to me later right now I need to get to the game. Hopefully they haven’t started without me.” Shrugging his shoulders Jack starts to jog further into the park heading toward the soccer field.

         Several minute later he arrives.  “I am here, the game can start!” Jack yells as he walks over. “Sorry about being late I ran into Brett and some of his friends. I simply had to stop and chat with them.” Sarcasm drips from his voice.

         “Well as long as you’re fine we’ll forgive you. Just know ,your team is losing 5-2, I’m crushing it out here.” Tom brags as he stands with one foot on the ball. “Let’s do this.” Flicking the ball up he headbutts it to James who takes of down the field, dribbling as the rest of the players dash after him.

      Quickly he flicks it back to Tom who lines up for a kick only to be shut down by Jack. Swooping in he steals the ball for his team. “Jessica, get ready for it!” Jack shouts to the defender as he launches it toward her. The pass is good. Jessica takes the ball half way up to midfield before firing it into the air toward the opposing goal like a rocket. Jack takes off racing toward the ball. Flying down the field he kicks up the dirt.

                                                           Page 4

Chapter 1----Page 3

Turning to see what scared Brett so much Jack sees something that causes him to drop Brett and cry out. “Ahhhhhh!” His hand is on fire not like it hurts from hitting the other boys but literal fire. Orange flames cascade off of his fingers, yet all he feels is the curious surge of energy from before no pain just the energy and shock.  

    “My fist it’s; it’s on fire! Oh my god my hand is on fire!!! Why didn’t I feel it? How did that even happen? I still can’t feel it am I dreaming? No, no this is real it’s definitely real.  How is this happening I am not in pain but my hand is definitely on fire….. why isn’t it warm? It’s just there, this is really weird.” Jack marvels at his hand analyzing it, turning it back and forth, and waving it in the air seeing if the flames will go out.

        “It’s definitely not normal, I mean I have a fire hand that’s weird but the fire isn’t even faltering when I shake my hand to put out the flame.” Jack slowly calmed down and started to wonder about what was happening to himself. “I need this to stop already I have to go play the game and I can’t have these idiots coming to, only to see my hand on fire. Then the news would spread like, well fire. Scientists would have a field day with me.”

                         “Okay I need to just breathe and figure out a plan on how to put this out. Waving it around won’t work, but maybe if I bury it.” Jack then scooped up some of the dirt with his non-burning hand. “Tssssssht!!!” The flame spat at being stuck into the ground. Covering it with the lose dirt he sighed thinking it was over. Smoke arose from the ground where his hand was. He pulled his hand free to see it was still ablaze.

                                                                          Page 3

Chapter 1--- Page 2

Looking around the corner Jack saw the local bully Brett and his gang pushing around a small kid in a hidden clearing at the entrance of the park. Brett picked on everyone and anyone because he hit puberty early and got way too big for a 13 year old. His dad was the local sheriff and his mom the principle of the school it was easy to get away with things when you had people willing to turn a blind eye. “Hey what are you doing!? Brett knock it off. Stop it right now!” Jack yells as he runs over to the group to help the kid out. “You need to stop being a jerk, Brett this kid is half your size. What the heck is wrong with you guys?”

 “Nothing wrong with me, but there is going to be something wrong with your face, Jackweed ,if you don’t get lost. This is our nerd go get your own.” Brett punctuated his sentence by pushing the kid to the group.

       “Hate to be cliché but, you guys need to pick on someone your own size and looks like that is going to be me. Now, let the kid go and let’s get this over with.” Jack calmly ushers the kid out of the group. “Get a move on little guy I will take care of this have a good day." The kid takes off without looking back.

          "Alright then I gotta get to the field so let’s get this over with who’s first? How about you shades? No, okay then you can go first yeah you with the snaggle tooth. Come one let’s do this.” Jack wasn’t one to shy from a good old fashion fist fight in fact he was the guy who went looking for them. This made the bullies more than a little nervous.

     “Come on Don sock it to him. He’s asking for it. Take him out.” Even though Brett clearly wasn’t up first or even very excited to fight Jack he goaded his flunky to take on Jack. “You get him or I’ll get you. Swing already you big baby!”

                Gulping Don throws a clumsy left hook which Jack easily side steps. Jack grabs Don’s arm and flips him to the ground a swift kick to his sternum keeping him from getting up.  The boy wearing sunglasses decides it’s his turn and kicks at Jack while his back is turned from throwing Don.  The blow connects with Jack’s hip knocking him over. Brett and shades jump holding him down while Brett throws punch after punch into his face.

     “Well that’s not how I pictured that going. I how am I going to get out of this one with the two of on me the odds of getting up aren’t too good. Brett’s too heavy to throw off.” Jack resigned himself to the facial reassignment that was coming his way when an unknown source of energy surged through his veins. Bursting up he throws Brett and his friend off literally the kid in the sunglasses probably flew 8 feet away. He doesn’t get back up.

                “Okay Brett let’s review. First you pick on a little kid, and now you gang up on me. Hmmmm that doesn’t seem very fair now; does it? This time we’ll just end it with a good black eye come here.” Jack picks Brett up by his shirt collar. Cocking back his fist he looks at Brett enjoying the look of fear in his eyes but then Brett let’s out a silent scream of terror and starts ripping at his shirt to get away. Jacks grip is iron solid and Brett seeing he is going nowhere passes out on the spot. 


                                                           Page 2

Chapter 1---Page 1

Chapter 1

    Jack woke up that day like any other day. He hopped out of bed at the shrill beep from his alarm clock and walked down the hall to the bathroom. After his shower and getting dressed he looks in the mirror his shaggy sandy blonde hair hanging down in front of his electric blue eyes. Jack stood at around 5'10" at 13 years old. Fixing his hair he gets dressed and heads down the stairs and sat down at the table. The wonderful smells of breakfast filled the air. Bacon, pancakes, and eggs made their way to his plate to be demolished. His mom always knew how to start the day. “Thanks mom! I am heading out to play some soccer with the guys I’ll be back later.” Jack said as he slipped into his favorite worn out pair of sneakers.

       

“Okay sweetie, please remember to be back in time to go shopping for back to school this afternoon. We only have one more week til you go back.” His mother called sweetly.

                

          “Ugh, mom why’d you have to bring that up. Now I will be thinking about having to sit in Miss Sweenty’s class all year. She’s way too old to still be teaching at the school she basically is a dinosaur and she has the attitude to match.”

   “Now that’s not very nice Jack. Go and have fun. I’ll see you in a little while.” His mother dismissed him.

       

 Out the door Jack ran, heading to Jameston Park to play with his friends. “The teams will be different this time” thinks Jack “Me and Tom on the same team is just too unfair but it sure is fun.  I hope James and Todd are on my team those two make a great pair, or maybe Jessica even though she’s a girl she is probably one of the best defenders out there. Wait what’s that----"

                                                                                Page 1

First post

So this is my new blog. My name is Daniel Stephenson and I am an amateur author. I intend to use this blog as a mix between a journal/short story storage area and the place where I will slowly post by book as I write it so that I can receive critiques and get feedback. I am working on the first book in my series called Pheonix Flare: The Spark of His Power. I am just finishing up the first chapter and should post it later on in the week. ( btw Pheonix is spelled that way on purpose)