• "thunder" chapter three

    The three of us sat down at the table to enjoy dinner after saying grace Mom was a christian, despite all the things that happen in this town.. When people ask her about what she thinks about the necromancers in this place, she says "God says love thy neighbor, not question they'e way of life. That was the good thing about mom. When she looks at god's teachings, she sees the things that most people don't She sees the "darkside" fo the bible.
    She and Matt got along very well, too. Necromancy always confused her, but Matt explained everything. Matt's necromancy also helped us around the house The spectres he summons can reach some pretty high spots. It makes me wish I could fly, or float or whatever.
    We finished dinner uneventfully. Matt asked to take some leftovers for his dad, who also loved my mom's cooking. He also took one of the books that Jessie gave me. "I'll bring this back to school tommorrow, okay?" He said.
    "Okay," I answered, "and don't stay up all night reading. You fall asleep in calss, and miss Tenor gets mad at me."
    "Why does she get mad at you?" He asked as he wealked off.
    "I don't know, she just does."
    "Well, This one won't be too hard to finish. I'm sure I'll have it done before tonights out." He said as he left,
    I Closed the door, and went back to my room.
    "Adrian," My mom called quietly for me. I walked into the kitchen. She was washing the dishes but turned arounjd to face me.
    "What do you need?" I asked her.
    "Well, you know Matt's father, right?" She asked me.she seemde a bit nervous, which wasn't normal for my mom.
    "Yeah, what about him?" I replied. She started fidgeting as she sat down.
    She stilled after a while, took in a deep breath, and flinched a little as she told me, "We're seeing each other."
    "That's it?" I both thought and said, "Mom, that's not nearly as bad as you think it is. Matt and I have been friends since pre-school. It'll probably be even better if you guys are together. Honestly, I hope you guys stay together."
    She looked at me with a confused eye, "You mean you're okay with it? I thought you might have had a problem with it because of your dad."
    "Mom, he left just as I was born, That means for sixteen years, I've had to learn to protect you and myself from all of the bad people in this town. I've had to learn proper defense against shadow necromancers, Spectres, black demons, and worst of all, rapists, robbers,and serial killers. One, It's gonna be good to have some help with that, and two, you need someone nice in your life. And I know Matt's father about as well as I do Matt. There's nothing wrong with you dating Matt's dad. I think It's a good thing, actually.
    "Why?" She asked.
    "Because, he's got this huge library, just loaded with books on the arcane language, necromancers, druids, elementals, and stuff like that. I can bug him to let me use a few of the books. At least, I'll have an easier time, anyway." I would especially need them now. "By the way, you know everybody in this town. Do you know any elementals?" I asked. She had to know at least one.
    She looked down in shame, "Your father was one. He was an ice elemental. But, there's only one that I know. She's a sound elemental. Her name is Melanie Tenor."
    I looked blank, unfathomably blank, "Melanie Tenor?" I asked.
    "Yeah, she got her degree to teach music,"
    "Uh, mom." I said, Still very blank, "I know who she is. She's my homeroom teacher." I let the blank go, and sighed.
    Mom must've known that somethimg was bothering me about it, "Is something wrong with her? Or it, for that matter."
    "Well, she's a really nice teacher and all, but..."
    Before I had time to finish, mom chimed in again, "She likes you for more than a student?" She guessed.
    Unfortunately, she guessed right, "It's just weird. I mean, she's only 24, but she's my teacher. I don't care about the age gap, but there's a line between teacher and student."
    Mom sighed, and whispered in my ear, "A lot of lines are much thinner than they seem, Adrian."
    I looked at her inquisitively, "Are you saying it'b okay for me to date my 24-year old Music teacher?" things are starting to get weirder.
    "I'm not really saying that, Adrian. I'm just saying that we all lose ourselves sometimes. Melanie is a pretty good-looking woman. Actually, there were a few times I wanted to date her. It seems like elementals are gifted with a nice body." She began walking upstairs, and told me one last tip, "When we get caught up in the moment, we'll regret it more if we don't enjoy it. Goodnight, sweetey, love you."
    "Love you too, mom. I'm sleeping on the couch tonight."
    "Why?" she asked.
    I sprawled out, "I don't wanna walk up all those stairs."
    She giggled and went to her room. I was contemlating what she said for at least an hour. It made sense. When we get caught up in the moment, we cross the line. And when we cross the line, we get punished. So if we don't enjoy the moment that we get caught up in, nothing good really would come out of it. As I contemplated, I saw, On my hand, the phone number that Maria gave me. I wonder if she'd be awake at this hour. I grabbed the phone from it's dock, next to the alarm clock mom put down here for when I slept on the couch on a school night. I Dialed the number slowly and held the phone up to my ear.
    There was only one dial tone before someone picked up, "Adrian?"
    "Maria?" I Asked. I was astonished to find that it was her.
    "Yeah, I was hoping you'd have called me sooner."
    "Yeah, sorry about that. I've been working on some important things."
    "Like what, if I may ask?" I could tell from there that she was curious.
    "Just some things. It's gonna be hard to understand the stuff that goes on around here."
    "Can you show me some time?" She asked, bearing some curiosity that I could never have pulled off.
    I started fidgeting mor than mom did a few minutes ago, "Well, I guess me and Matt can show you a few things."
    "Oh, I met a guy named Matt at this bookstore yesterday. He kept trying to hit on me, so I completely told him off when I got tired of it." She really wasn't talking about my friend Matt, was she?
    I could'nt help but ask, "Was he wearing a dark blue cape? A sword sheathed at his lower back?" The cape was Matt's apprentice cape, and the sword was his necromancer's weapon, Steel Drive. It was a unique sword that could cut any spectral creature, but would phase through material creatures. My only question was why he named it Steel Drive. I would've picked something different.
    "Yeah, do you know him?" She asked.
    "I've known Matt since pre-school. He always hits on girls, but deep down, a lot of girls will tell you, he's actually a nice guy.If you want, you can come over next Saturday. We could show you around the place."
    "That'd be nice. Hey What's the arcane language? Do you know?" I was immediately glad to have made those plans just now.
    "Me and Matt can tell you about it next Saturday." I hoped she would'nt be dissappointed that I wanted Matt to tag along.
    "Okay, but I was hoping that, well..." She began studdering, "If we could spend some time alone."
    Part of me wanted her to say just that, but another part was afraid. But why should be afraid? Just then, I remembered what mom told me 'When we get caught up in the moment, we'll regret it more if we don't enjoy it' It looked like now was a good time to utilize that advice, "Well, how about this. I'll show you around town, some of my favorite spots, good shops, and stuff like that. Then, Matt will come along with me some other time and we can teach you what we can of the arcane language. I can't teach you alone because I don't know enough to teach." I proposed the thought nervously.
    She sounded much more hopeful, "That sounds good. Hey, can I tell you about this dream I had without making you think I'm weird?" She studdered som more.
    "Of course, you can. I'm not the kind of person to judge."
    She sounded slightly calmer, but still studdered a bit, "Well, you were in it. Everybody in town was gathered in a circle around some girl, and some kind of monster in a black hooded cape. He had some huge scythe and almost killed the girl, Then you came in, and I saw who the girl was." she sounded very scared at this point. "It was me. But you came in, with some metal boots and gloves. Sparks and all kinds of electricity were flying as you fought it off of me. Then I woke up."
    I tried to note it down as she talked. This definately sounded like something for me and Matt to look into. When she finished, I put the pad down and told her. "Well, it could mean something. I noted it down. I'm going to look into it later, but right now, we need to get some sleep.
    "Okay, can you call me tommorrow?" She asked hopefully.
    "Sure, but I have a feeling that we'll see each other again tommorrow."
    That seemed to get her hopes up sky high, "Okay, see you tommorrow, i guess!" she giggled a little and hung up. I sat the phon on it's dock, turned my alarm on, and curled up in the couch as I slowly drifted away from conciousness.