I forgot my umbrella, again. I look towards the gray sky and feel the light drizzle on my nose. I can’t help but chuckle at my forgetfulness but what else is new.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrLa7XTla7
I look to the other side of the street to see the smiles of my high school classmates. Even the rain can’t dim their mood. I’ll admire them for that. But only that.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeK9lomoywD
Nao: “There are only 2 things that could put a smile like that on my face.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgDtelPM1m
I pick up the pace to my destination before the heavy rain catches me and wets my reward for survival. It takes longer than I would like but I make it to my local bookstore in time.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡls4IhUCqMx
I push open the doors and breath deep the smell of fresh new books. The only reprieve in the town for people like me. I scan the area to see only a handful of people reading or at least pretending to.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcT3YolWHlW
Nao: “The few that are.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡih5RrpxjZb
But that’s fine, more worlds to escape to for me. I pace around the fiction section, scanning everything hidden gem and catching titles. But none of them really pop out
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Nao: “I need something strong today, come on. Anything, please.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rQMOOPAZi
I search the fiction section up and down but came up empty-handed.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr86OMneiDS
Nao: “Can today get any worse? Who am I kidding? Of course it can.”
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I begin to leave but I notice something. A book with a silver cover, and a purple gem engraved on it. It wasn’t there before in this bookcase, I checked.
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Regardless, the cover is amazingly crafted, and the gem…
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Nao: “I need to know what kind of story deserves such a treatment.”
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I take the surprisingly heavy book despite not being a particularly big book. Maybe today will be a good day after all. I rush towards the checkout and even more luck blesses me.
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Nao: “Nice, no line.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHU09Km0y6U
I go straight up to the librarian or at least the part-timer working for the librarian. She does seem like a reader at least but maybe she shouldn’t do this on the job.
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Nao: “Excuse me?”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ePLnabnS4
….
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOPm3ZvOtj
Nao: “Excuse Me!?”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIU0eWpOtZz
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAsrFHOKXZ
“Oh, sorry. Didn’t see you down there. What can I do for you.”
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Nao: “…Can I check out this book.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxzuEqYy79
“Sure.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1LnRIDrOY
I hand over the book and fidget in anticipation.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQEAe5ubuh
“Hmmm, I don’t see anywhere to scan. Is this really from here?”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDE9q6d0xI
Nao: “Yeah, I found it in the fiction section on the farthest shelf.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGa8NHzgFMR
“I see, I can’t-”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqMCkAse4W
My heart begins to sink at the thought of no book to escape to but that quickly fades. She’s….staring at me, as if frozen in time. Time resumes and her bored expression quickly turns into one of horror.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpoUTeDQaD
She screams and throws the book back at me.
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“What the hell…was that?! Did you see that!?”
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The few people turn towards us in confusion.
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Nao: “See what?”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dzYZUcWHc
“I-I….don’t know. I think I…need a break. You can keep the book, I don’t think our library can afford a book that extravagant anyway.”
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She slips further back into the library employee section leaving me holding whatever this book is.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7Me3MTTpq
Nao: “Cool.”
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I rush out of the library, placing the book in my book bag along the way. It might be raining heavier but I don’t care, something interesting is finally happening to me.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgz3Y50Td4y
I run as fast as I can back home with feverish excitement to open this book.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabKk4eEdAR
???: “Hey Napoleon!”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpWa8Qahz5
My legs instantly freeze at that name before my brain could process what just happened.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDVPiQXffy
???: “Where are you going in such a hurry. We didn’t get say to goodbye today.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPajkcp3WhK
My legs tremble from the sound of their footsteps coming closer from the other side. I force myself to turn toward my oppressors.
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???: “Wow, you’re shaking more than usual. Must be the cold wind.”
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Nao: “Yeah, it’s cold out today. I…need to go home so…”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKtOPjwMup
???: “Sure, just need to relieve some stress first. You don’t mind, right? Help a friend out.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkl7yS470HN
Nao: “Anton I-”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPr0wWyODC0
Anton: “Don’t worry, we won’t throw you around like last time. You may be Napoleon but you still weigh a solid chunk. I don’t need that kind of workout now.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEX3qdLjIa
They stand tall like skyscrapers around me, pushing gravity-like pressure on my body to comply. And I do, that is my station at school and…here.
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Anton: “Good, we need to improve my aim. My parents wouldn’t like it if I graduate without being able to hit a target perfectly.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpiMjVYIao
Anton and his 3 goons drag me to a nearby ally and set me up against the wall.
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Anton: “We got only 8 chances, we don’t want to be late.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsN5NDKqQWJ
They loaded their BB guns and fired. I closed my eyes and tensed up at every successful hit.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUN622PUeDj
Thankfully, the other 2 weren’t good shots. They missed half their shots much to their disappointment. Anton on the other hand, only missed twice and always aims for the head.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEC7vTStdQ
Tears flowed out of my eyes as I rub my swollen head.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQVftvDr96
“The hell you crying for? My old man is going to fuck me up for missing half these shots.
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“I prefer the beating, the eyes of disappointment is what gets me.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfwenU8mJp
Anton: “We just need to practice more, right Napoleon.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv75xxruGBP
I force myself to nod.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyno3iMRRX
Anton: “Good boy. Let’s go guys, pizza is on Napoleon.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CI7DTQLrW
Without even turning around Anton holds out his hand. I take out the little money I have and give it to him.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtV6PJGPcX
Not wasting any more time on the background character, Anton leaves to better things. Leaving me behind in the rain.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4L0RUdPSAA
But maybe there’s hope for me. As rain begins to pound heavier into me, my smile slips back.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oQNSQxoL5
I ran as fast as I could with my stumps legs back home. It didn’t take long for me burst through the door and slam into my older sister.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9xaas2u0t
???: “Watch where you’re going! You know no one can see you coming from down there.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIaqGqVFr9
???: “Alyson, stop making fun of Nao’s height. He can’t change that.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk78XVfTKFi
Alyson: “But he can plan around it, like not running like a manic.”
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Nao: “I’m sorry, I’ll be more careful.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdQMyPMlFx
You’re not even that much taller than me.
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Alyson: “You say that, prove it.”
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I move past Alyson with no more words spoken. She deserves none of it.
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Nao: “I’ll skip lunch mom, I have a new book to read.”
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Mom: “Really? I thought we could have a movie night.”
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Nao & Alyson: “No thanks.”
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Mom: “Awww, I miss when you two were
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Those days are gone.
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Alyson: “Time moves on and speaking of moving I have to meet up with my study group.”
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Mom: “You’ve been working hard, maybe it’s time to take a break.”
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Alyson: “Nah, I’m good Nell.”
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Nell: “Even after all this time you still won’t call me mom?”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcawXTsTGIY
Alyson: “….I’ll get there. Now, if you excuse me.”
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And she’s gone, I should be getting going too.
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Nell: “Nao, what’s that bump on your head?”
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Nao: “Huh, I slipped in the rain. Sorry.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCAEEhGKXr
Nell: “Oh, be careful. I know you love your books but don’t risk your health over it.”
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It’s worth that risk mom and telling the truth will risk the 2nd thing that can make me smile.
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Nao: “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’ll…see you later.”
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Nell: “Alright, I’ll be here watching the news.”
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I go upstairs, through my plain door, and lock the door. The excitement returns in force as I rip tear my book bag off and take the book out.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNk5RwgpnC
I flop on the bed still in school clothes ready to gorge myself on this new world. The silver engravings, purple gem, and generally ornate design of the book is striking.
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqIXfHWCVY
Nao: “A book that makes people scream….hehehehe.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxqZbtkxwB
Nothing interesting happens to me, I’m less than important to everyone but maybe this will…
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I swallow air and grip the cover. My head begins to throb but I ignore it, this is my last chance!
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I force open the book and my eyes start to burn. I see….!
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I throw the book down and stifle the scream trying to escape my throat. I’m sweating as if I ran 2 marathons and barely can breath. But….
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Nao: “No, I won’t back away from this.”
648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF452CEbGLU
I take the book back and stare into the depths of its indescribable pages. The headaches, bloody eyes and breaking body is nothing. This is what I’ve been waiting for!
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The pain escalates to unreasonable degrees but then just stops. It’s quiet, eerily quiet.
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Nao: “Wait a minute where am I.”
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All around is a black void but I can hear it. From within the void emerges a giant red eye that stares through me. I steel myself and I stare back into the maelstrom before me.
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All at once, I can see it all rushing through me that’s reflected in its eye.
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My life, no, lives beyond my own flash before my eyes. Worlds only found in my dreams and nightmares flow into my mind. But I can’t comprehend any of it. Their shadows only graze and scrape my mind. Otherwise I would go mad from the horrors whispering into my soul.
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Then all of sudden it’s over, the visions stop and a voice echoes in my mind.
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648Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIRxYwCTfv
“ArchMage system activated, 97th user registered. Hello, Nao.”
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and then Add to home screen.