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    Forerunner of Fire and Divinity PhoenixPrime's Avatar
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    Fields of Eden, Chapter 2: His name is Wesley

    Chapter 2

    Driving on the highways of the Midwest was something of a reflective experience. There were no turns, nor a large amount of traffic. No hills or anything. Nothing but miles and miles of farmland and level road, keeping the horizon in view at all times. There was nothing really to do other than count the yellow lines in the middle of the road. Ever since the impromptu meeting with Rachel, I occasionally daydreamed and would mistakenly move my car into another lane, immediately frustrating all drivers in the area.

    Very often I would fill my head with things I wanted to know about her. Where was she from? Why was she in an old gas station that no one really came to? Why was she in a dark room, and had she been the one who had whispered my name?

    Even as I formed the words in my head, I had veered onto the shoulder once more on the highway. Rachel was already starting to be a nuisance, and I had barely met her. She was going to be the death of my car.

    The car itself was my pride and joy. It made sense, since I spent more time in it than a bed. That was the lifestyle I had become accustomed to with my mother. The sleek black ’67 Impala was the only thing I inherited from my father.
    When I had received it from my mother when I turned fifteen, it was in no condition to drive. For the past two years or so I had worked hard to put the old machine into pristine condition. Until then it had just been an old piece of junk sitting in a storage area in the lower side of New York. Now, the car worked better than most high performance cars on the market. It was the main source of pride in my life.

    I was trying to keep myself distracted. The fact that I hadn’t remembered the day was getting to me as much as Rachel had when I met her. The road lifestyle wasn’t one I especially liked, and I had only been living it until now because of my mother. She was the closest person to me, though even she didn’t understand me sometimes. She thought that I didn’t want to talk about my father because it hurt too much. In reality, I didn’t speak about him because of how little I knew, or how much confusion about him coursed through me at the mention of his name. It was just something that was triggered whenever I thought of him. Today was no different…

    Finally, after an hour more of driving, the fields of wheat alongside the road had begun thinning out. The silhouette of a few small buildings had appeared in the distance. This was explained by the old wooden road-sign that read: “Welcome to Eden.” From what I knew of the town, it had two main roadways. The essential Main Street and the intersecting Edenview Avenue made a large crossway in the center of the town. Where these roads intersected at the center of town were all the shops and stores. Most, if not all, of the homes in town were located on back-roads that branched out of these roads.

    The home Mom and I were going to be living in was owned by a man named Wesley Fulp. According to my mother, he was my dad’s best friend, a brother figure even. One call from my mother and he was ready to give us a place in his home to stay in as long as I agreed to work in his garage. Since he lives in the middle of nowhere, there wouldn’t be much of a possibility that there was much business in fixing cars, so I said that I would help him out if he needed. He seemed thrilled to have Chad Killian’s son around, and I was just grateful to have a place to finally have my own normal life. A life that was away from the road and the endless search my mother had for my father.

    “Mom, we’re at the house. You might want to get our stuff ready.” I called to my mother as the silhouette of the old house appeared in the distance. “Luke, you know we don’t have any things back here! Very funny,” my mother replied in a sarcastic tone. We never needed much while we traveled. The essential items consisted of clothing, and mp3 players, and pictures of the people we had met along our journey. That was all we brought to the middle of nowhere. I was certain I was prepared enough.

    Wesley’s driveway was an old dusty road; overgrown grass grew on the side of the rough path in swirls of tangled mess. The yard itself was a rugged maze of rusted old cars and other scattered and twisted random objects. Clearly Wesley liked his cars old, rusted, and likely to never run again. He wasn’t much of a mechanic it seemed. The silhouette of a man on the porch of the manor-like structure of a house looked sinister in the cast of the lights inside. Dusk had hit the town fast, which was odd for a town on the middle of flat land.

    “Finally! I was starting to think something had happened to you two,” Wesley called out in a rough hoarse voice. It was the kind of voice you only hear from old men who’ve smoked their whole lives. The voice had a quite unusual tone considering that it was coming from a man who looked in his mid-forties. Even his appearance was misleading, as he was actually just thirty or so. Perhaps life in Eden had more stresses than I thought.

    Still, it was too late to turn back now…

    I retrieved my old blue duffel bag and black backpack, each was filled with clothing and pictures. As I was pulling the items out of the car, I had a slight sense of nostalgia as I lifted my head from it. This was the last trip that I would ever make with my mother and I. For split-second, I almost wished we would just climb back in the car and drive off once more. Yet, I knew this was the right choice, for everyone.

    My mother and I walked along the walkway to the house slowly. The path there was dry, beaten down, and dusty. I coughed as the dust
    completely surrounded my mother and me. It was difficult to draw a breath while the dust kept finding its way into my lungs.

    Chuckles erupted from Wesley as the sounds of our coughing reached him. “Eden is a dry and dusty place you know. You’ll get used to it.”

    His laughing irritated me. It wasn’t quite my fault that I inhaled half a desert into my lungs. I finally reached the porch, and I saw Wesley up close. He was a man who looked as if he had been through several wars. He had several small scars all along his arms, and one large one that slightly curved its way up the right side of his face. It led from just in front of his ear to the bottom of his chin. Though, many years had given the scar time to at least be barely noticeable. His clothes were simple. He wore a small striped shirt that fit loosely at the waist but fit snuggly around his arms. Wesley was more than a veteran of a war. It seemed that he had fought one all by himself in his day. First impressions weren’t very informative about him. Wesley opened the door.

    As I was about to enter the home, he turned to me. “Look Lucas, we all have to help around here. And I know that I’m not the most presentable person, but it must be better than living in a car on the roads of America.” All I could do was just nod. He was right after all. It wouldn’t matter how much work I would have to do, it was better to have a life than to skirt around one.

    Wesley turned back to the doorway, and stepped inside. I followed after him. Immediately, I was amazed at the place. The inside of the house was actually quite interesting. There were dozens of books everywhere, all stacked high in several piles on the floor. Wesley was a man who liked to read, from the looks of how much paper and books covered his floor space. As we walked in, he nodded towards the books and said, “I generally keep my books down here in the living room, so I can always get a hold of whatever volume I feel like reading. Lucas and I will move them back to my study upstairs after school tomorrow.” He smiled in my direction.

    I had forgotten that, besides the fact that I had just arrived here, that I would be going to school tomorrow. Thoughts started streaming back to my head, as if someone had just unlocked them from my distraction. I thought of the mysterious Rachel once more, and whether or not I would see her. Thoughts on my classes came to me as well. What were the required classes here? Would I be able to skip some of the easier ones to take what I wanted? How long was school here?

    Mom saw my face, which apparently was not an encouraging one, and said, “Honey, it’s going to be fine. You’ve been to school before, even if it was years ago. Besides, you read so much probably already know the material better than the teachers. I’m confident in you.”

    This did little to set me at ease, but she was right. I read often while on the road, and I knew at least a starting point in each of the subjects I was certain to have. And, I didn’t even know if the classes I would have were all that bad. I might even enjoy them. I rested my mind again, as far as academics were concerned. The thoughts of Rachel still occasionally flittered through my mind. I didn’t have much control over them either.

    “C’mon, I’ll show you to where you will be sleeping Karen. Lucas, you’ll be sleeping on this level. You room is beyond the living room. I figured you would enjoy your own solitude. Your room is the quietest and even the largest. Quite a change from that cramped car you’ve been in,” Wesley spoke with a hint of amusement once more. He was pretty confident in his assumptions about me it seemed. Though, he was correct once again.

    I strode to my room, slinging my backpack over my shoulder as I moved. It was perfect. If I had ever dreamed of a room that would suit me, it was of the one in which I stood at that moment. It had everything. It was an expansive room, yet one that was not extravagant in any way. The walls were a painted in a simple green and white pattern, and the bed sheets were a lighter green that matched. There was a writing desk that was set just underneath the windowsill. The window itself was rather large, and it overlooked the plains beyond. The sunset was clearly visible in the distance. Orange and pink and purple lights expanded through the room as the sun made a display of wonder in the sky. I had never seen a sunset so colorful.

    On the writing desk there lay a new laptop, which was connected to the wall by two sets of wires. One of the wires was a power strip and the other a connection to the internet. I hadn’t ever had a chance to go on the internet or even write on a computer much while I lived on the road. Wesley had once again been right to assume I would want one. Of course, I also needed to learn how to type as fast and as elegantly as other people, otherwise the laptop would not be used much at all. There was a dresser made of a cherry colored wood. It had a compliment of three large drawers and two smaller ones nearer the top. On top of the dresser lay an old leather jacket. Obviously, Wesley hadn’t cleaned out the room. I grabbed the jacket, and it felt rough in my hands. It had probably been through as much as Wesley had. That would explain the roughness. As I lifted it up, a small envelope fell out of the inner folds of the inside lining.

    I lifted it from the floor, and turned it over. The front read: Dear Lucas. I was shocked. The letter had been addressed to me? Who had written it? I unsealed the envelope and took out a folded piece of paper.

    Dear Lucas,
    I’m sure that you noticed the jacket laying on your dresser, since that’s probably the reason you’re reading this letter in the first place. This flak jacket belonged to your father. He wore it everywhere with him, and it saw him through a lot of tough times. Maybe one day you’ll be able to hear about all those times. For today though, you have enough on your mind. I just thought you would like something other than that car to have from him. I hope you enjoy it as much as he did.
    Sincerely,
    Wesley


    Hmm, so I had finally gotten something from my dad that I didn’t need to fix up first. I had a lot of mixed feelings about the jacket itself. Why did my dad wear it all that time? Even more pressing, why had he given it to Wesley? That thought alone was enough to frustrate me. I slipped the jacket on nonetheless. Wesley was probably expecting me to wear it anyway. Surprisingly, it fit me perfectly. My mother hadn’t been lying when she said I was starting to appear more and more like him.

    Overall, I thought my room was absolutely what I wanted. It had great lighting, it wasn’t too cold or too hot, and it had the right amount of space I needed. I was really starting to like staying here.

    I moved back into the living room area, and started to look through the stacks of books. Everything there ranged from old Poe poem collections to Hemingway to Ludlum. Wesley didn’t even own a television. That was something I would have to change. The walls in the living room were very different in this room. There were assortments of symbols from several different languages written all over the room. The ceiling itself was covered in archaic drawings and foreign symbols. It was almost artful, though they had a slight grunge look to them.

    Turning once around the room, I saw that there were hundreds of the symbols all over. As I turned in the direction of the stairs, Wesley was standing there, eyeing me. It was the same look that Rachel had given me at the station. It made me uneasy once more.

    I spoke to him, though he didn’t avert his gaze. “I liked the room… And the jacket, “I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what I should say. “It was a nice gift.”

    “Yeah, don’t mention it. It should be yours anyway. He would have liked for you to have it. You wear it just like Chad did. He never wanted to button that thing up. “

    I didn’t answer him. I just looked at the inside of the jacket. Where I hadn’t noticed them before, there were symbols written on the inside similar to the ones etched on the living room walls. There was one that I recognized. It was the symbol that my father had used for his shop. Perhaps that was where he got the idea.

    Was it where he had gotten it from? The question had barely formed in my mind when my mother stepped downstairs. Her long, bright blonde hair was put up. She had changed in her room, going from jeans to a simple dress. Wesley barely noticed her, and it seemed as if he had been reading my mind about the jacket. He winked once in my direction and faced my mother.

    “Well Karen, you look stunning as ever! Dinner is already prepared. I’ll show you to the dining room. Lucas, are you hungry?” Wesley’s demeanor had changed completely. He was more energetic, and much less serious than he had been just a moment ago. He knew something that I didn’t.
    My mother spotted the jacket I was wearing, and I smiled meekly. Her eyes grew wide, and she beamed. “Lucas! Is that your father’s!?” I nodded. She swerved to Wesley. “Where did you get that!? I thought he had lost that before he went missing! Ah, I’m so glad you gave it to Lucas. It looks so good on him, just like Chad.” I had never before seen her as happy as she was now.

    Wesley replied, “Well, I’m pretty hungry, so shall we go to dinner?” He made a motion with his hands towards the dining room. I wondered if I would get another chance to ask him about the symbol. It wouldn’t be now, at any rate.

    Wesley had managed to prepare a very fine steak for each of us. Though, it seemed the steak had been in his refrigerator for a bit too long. I didn’t mention this fact though, as he was the owner of the home. I was actually pretty excited. The anxiety about school the next day had left me, and it was replaced with genuine curiosity.

    I was very interested to see how many kids my age would be there. Of all the thoughts that coursed through my head, Rachel was the only one that stayed for more than a second. I did not even know if I would see her. What puzzled me most was why I was so curious about her. Normally, I would not even think about a girl I met in a small town. She was an anomaly of that rule. Her piercing green eyes kept looking at me from the cloud of thoughts that swirled through my head. No matter how hard I tried, her eyes would not leave as much as they had when I had met her.
    Dinner was over pretty quickly. I was fatigued after driving all day. My eyes were having trouble staying open. Wanting nothing more than sleep, I said goodnight to Wesley and my mother. Sluggishly, I moved toward my bed. The bed sheets felt wonderful to my skin. I had very rarely had the opportunity to sleep in my own bed.

    A slight familiar voice whispered in the room. “Lucas…”

    The sound had come from the window, though how she had cast her voice inside, I would never guess. I quickly got up from the bed and saw her there.
    Rachel was standing in front of my car outside, her green eyes still clearly looking into mine. She was wearing a small white skirt and a white jacket to match. A black, tight shirt covered her midsection. How she had known I would be staying in this room was a mystery to me.

    “What are you doing here?” I questioned her, someone still nervous that she was still looking into my eyes with such intensity.

    “I came here to tell you that you should meet me outside the school’s front entrance tomorrow. I will be waiting for you there.” She spoke in the same monotone as before. Her voice sounded as enticing as music.

    “Uh, sure. I just hope I can find it before you leave.”

    “I will not leave. See you there.”

    She turned towards the car, and walked off down the dusty road, she was gone as quickly as she appeared. I was left staring stupidly after her.

    How did she have this effect on me!? I had only met her today!!! It was irritating.

    I was still tired, and I had something to look forward to for tomorrow. As I lay my head once more upon the pillow, I closed my eyes. I fell asleep with the imprint of Rachel’s green eyes staring at me through the darkness.


    ......................... ......................... ......................... ......................... ......................... ......................... ......................... ...


    I suppose you guys didn't like Compass as much as this. That's fine, Compass is Realistic Fiction, and this one is Fantasy. Obviously FC: Ruins of Reach is a Science Fiction piece. I'll update these in a good little rotation. Leave me feedback here, and do try and give Compass a read, you might like it. Let me know what you think in each chapter's respective topics.




    "You must begin by gaining power over yourself; then another; then a group, an order, a world, a species, a group of species; finally, the galaxy itself."

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  2. #2
    The Beast Within
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    Re: Fields of Eden, Chapter 2: His name is Wesley

    Great follow up to chapter one, your pacing it well and making me drawn more into your tale.


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  3. #3
    The Voice of Reason
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    Re: Fields of Eden, Chapter 2: His name is Wesley

    awesome story again redleader keep it coming

  4. #4
    Senior Citizen Nocte's Avatar
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    Re: Fields of Eden, Chapter 2: His name is Wesley

    Redleader do you watch Supernatural? Because one of the main characters Dean gets his dad's 67 Impala as well haha


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  5. #5
    Forerunner of Fire and Divinity PhoenixPrime's Avatar
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    Re: Fields of Eden, Chapter 2: His name is Wesley

    Yeah, I watch Supernatural, though I wrote this before that show even aired. You can imagine my delight when I saw that they drove the same car! I picked the car because of the trunk space, and large back seat.




    "You must begin by gaining power over yourself; then another; then a group, an order, a world, a species, a group of species; finally, the galaxy itself."

    Monday: 4:30-6:30
    Tuesday: 8:00-6:00
    Wednesday: 4:30-6:30
    Thursday: 8:00-11:30 & 3:00-6:30
    Friday: 9:30-6:30

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