Escaping Ordinary

by Scott Reintgen

  The magical blackboard behind her swirled with movement.

  “We’ve monitored the initial response from beta readers,” Underglass announced. “Those are the earliest readers, kind of like test subjects. Not that we were worried. It’s just standard protocol for characters with series potential. And so far? It’s been great. The beta readers really like you. Full marks for adventure. Some high scores in humor. A really promising result in the ‘everyman’ category. A lot of readers find you very relatable.”

  Indira could feel herself blushing. Why had she been so nervous?

  “That’s such a relief,” she said.

  Underglass held up a finger. “But there is always room for improvement.”

  “Improvement?” Indira echoed.

  “For both of you,” Underglass clarified. Another swipe brought up a new blackboard with detailed information about David. “Ultimately, there’s a very thin line between a series that never lifts off and one that nestles into the hearts of readers forever. David, you’re a likeable character, but you didn’t exactly fly off the page in the first novel. The majority of reviews don’t mention you. And those that do claim you’re a little flat.”

  “Flat?” David repeated. “Like…a pancake?”

  “Pancakes are supposed to be flat,” Underglass replied. “Characters are not. Most of your lines were there for comic relief. Some great moments, of course, but a character should be more than one thing. You want to be real enough that you cast a shadow.”

  David stared at her for a second. “But I like pancakes.”

  Underglass pointed. “See what I mean? Straight to the joke. You have to be more than one-liners. Indira and the rest of the cast need you to come into your own as the series progresses. Every character playing their part, so to speak. That’s why you’ve been enrolled in our side-character boot camp.”

  Indira watched David’s playful grin vanish. Boot camp brought a very specific idea to mind. Indira could see a whistle between the lips of an army captain. She half imagined David in a uniform attempting to do push-ups. She wasn’t sure if she should feel bad for him, or laugh.

  “…it’s not the end of the world,” Underglass was saying. “Aragorn is running this one, and he’s not nearly as strict as some of the other captains. It will be hard work, but we signed you up because we think it’s exactly the kind of thing that will sharpen your skill set.”

  David’s eyes widened. “You mean the dude from The Lord of the Rings will be there?”

  Underglass bristled. “That dude was a king. Show some respect. You’ll be reporting at six o’clock tomorrow morning. Don’t be late.” The brainstorm turned to Indira. “And that will also allow Indira to pursue the training we’ve assigned for her.”

  She blinked back to life. “Wait. What? You said the readers liked me. I thought I was going to get a vacation or something! I’ve been working day and night!”

  “Room for improvement,” Underglass repeated. “General consensus showed one glaring weakness in your first story. We’ve designed a training assignment that will help solve it.”

  Indira’s cheeks went red again. This time her blushing had more to do with anger than embarrassment. “Weakness?” she repeated. “I don’t have any weaknesses.”

  “That’s actually the problem,” Underglass answered. “The Author made you a little too flawless in the first book. Several readers noted that you didn’t exactly need the other characters, especially during the climax of the novel. We have to fix that. You need to have a little more vulnerability. Not to mention it’d be nice if you relied on your teammates more. Not everything should be solved with the smash of a hammer. Our tutorial will focus on the art of complementary teamwork. It’s called the Hero’s Journey.”

  Indira started to protest again, but Brainstorm Underglass held down a button. There was a little robotic beep. “Melody. Could you bring in that paperwork? Thanks.”

  A few seconds later a familiar-looking assistant came bustling into the room. Indira nodded politely to the woman, still holding back the frustrated words that were piling up in her mind. Melody hummed to herself as she handed David and then Indira their own individual folders.

  “These detail your assignments,” Underglass explained. “Indira, your packet includes a rendezvous point, as well as a profile of all your teammates for the mission. I highly suspect some of the names listed there will have you feeling a little more positive about your mission.”

  Indira lifted a curious eyebrow before opening the folder. There was a slightly blurred picture of a boy in a dark blue jersey. The initials JW glinted at the top of the page. Indira scanned down, reading some of the notes, but couldn’t make sense of any of it. She turned the folder back toward Underglass. “I’ve never seen this kid before.”

  Melody gasped. “Oh no! That’s the wrong file!” The assistant scuttled across the room, exchanging folders with Indira, scolding herself as Brainstorm Underglass watched with hooded eyes. “I was sorting through some of our recent Author research. Apologies!”

  Indira opened the new folder, and this time she did recognize the face staring up at her.

  “Allen Squalls?”

  Underglass nodded. “You might recall that Allen went missing last year, before you arrived at Protagonist Preparatory. He was your Author’s first potential protagonist. Brainstorm Ketty targeted him the same way she targeted you. Only her methods of bullying actually worked on Allen. She drove the boy out of Fable entirely. He ended up down in Plot Hole, a nervous wreck. We found him and explained what happened. This mission is important for his recovery. He’s excited to get a second chance.”

  Indira’s initial annoyance faded a little. She’d first seen Allen’s face on the missing posters last year. It was hard to stay mad about a mission that would help someone who’d been tricked out of his chance at being in a story.

  When she turned the page, Indira’s heart jumped a little.

  A familiar boy looked out from behind a curtain of fire-red hair. His irises smoldered, and the picture showed a flame summoned in one outstretched palm. It was Phoenix.

  Indira felt like she hadn’t seen him in a really long time, but she knew less than a year had passed. She’d met Phoenix before ever setting foot in Fable. Even then she’d thought him mysterious. The two of them had become best friends. Their bond was only made deeper by the fact that she’d saved him from Brainstorm Ketty last semester. Her stomach fluttered at the thought of joining up with him again.

  “Our selection of Phoenix was no accident,” Underglass noted. “At the risk of embarrassing you, Phoenix is a potential romantic interest in your next story.”

  Indira actually choked. The noise that came out of her mouth could most accurately be described as a squawk. Her eyes darted over to David, who burst out laughing. Indira sputtered.

  “I don’t—he doesn’t—there isn’t…”

  Underglass grinned. “Exactly the point. You’re not sure how you feel about him, or how he feels about you. Your Author is apparently wrestling with that same problem. Our records show that Phoenix is one of two characters in consideration for the role.”

  Indira slumped into the nearest chair. “Two?”

  Underglass nodded. “After considering your history with Phoenix—all the connection you’ve already developed to this point—we decided to include him in the Hero’s Journey tutorial. We thought it might give him a slight edge over the other potential romantic interest. Normally we try to avoid bias in these situations, but let’s just say I have a soft spot for you and what you did to save the school. So unless I was mistaken about your feelings…”

  “No!” Indira blurted. “Yes. I mean no. What?”

  Underglass practically beamed. “Very good. I do not intend to pressure you at all, but if Phoenix doesn’t fit this role, it’s likely he’ll remain unfinished.”

>   It took Indira a moment to realize she was trying to sink down even lower, but the chair was holding firm and wouldn’t allow her to actually hit the floor. She couldn’t have heard that right. “Did you say unfinished?”

  “I’m afraid so,” Underglass replied. “The Author has been brainstorming possibilities for each of them. And once they start dreaming up scenes for a character, it’s difficult for us to link them with a new Author. Sometimes a character can survive being set aside by their Author and make it into another book in the future, but the most common outcome is that a discarded character remains discarded. If he isn’t the romantic interest, he’ll likely remain unfinished.”

  Indira choked again. “No pressure? How is that no pressure?”

  “It’s no more pressure than normal, dear. This is simply how the world of stories works. It is my belief that you and Phoenix are a natural fit. I think that’s how you feel as well. This Hero’s Journey is simply an opportunity for the two of you to put that to the test.”

  Indira’s cheeks reddened. “Do we have to…kiss?”

  Underglass laughed outright now. “I doubt that would be the worst fate imaginable, but no, you do not have to kiss. You simply have to have fun being the dynamic duo you’ve always been.”

  David cleared his throat. “Maybe we should move on?”

  Indira could not turn the page any faster. She hoped to find Maxi waiting there, but the next face wasn’t one that she recognized. The girl had short hair that spiked slightly in the front. Indira thought she looked tiny, but wondered if it was because of all the random gear she was wearing. Three different necklaces, a thick pair of glasses, and earrings shaped like rockets.

  Indira read the name aloud. “Gadget.”

  “A promising student,” Underglass said. “Unfortunately, Gadget has been with us at Protagonist Preparatory for four years now. She’s wonderfully talented, but she has a tendency to focus too much on the tech available to her, and not enough on the story itself. We’re giving her one more chance. A Hero’s Journey tutorial at your side might just be the answer.”

  Indira frowned. “Great. So her fate rests on my shoulders too?”

  Underglass raised an eyebrow. “Am I to understand that you no longer have an interest in bringing the best out in others? Do you not wish to be a hero? That is not the Indira Story I remember.”

  Indira wanted to be annoyed by that. She was being handed what felt like a very needy team. One character was recovering from the same torment she’d been put through last semester. Another was a good friend who might end up as an unfinished character. And the last one was getting one final shot at making it into a story. Definitely not the vacation she’d been imagining.

  A reminder echoed in the back of her mind, however. Hadn’t other people spent time making sure she became the best version of herself? Didn’t she owe it to each of these characters to do the same? Underglass was right. Indira wanted to be a hero.

  Even in the small things.

  “So…,” Indira said. “We just travel somewhere?”

  Underglass looked pleased that she had come around. “You are heading to Plot. It’s north of the city. We’ve designed a Hero’s Journey for you there. It’s a quest tutorial. Can I assume that you’re not too angry with me for signing you up? Do you see the purpose for yourself and the others?”

  Indira nodded stubbornly. She didn’t hate the idea of more adventures with Phoenix. Besides, she knew how important practice could be. Last year, practice had been the one thing that had saved her from giving up completely. “I guess it won’t be so bad.”

  Underglass smiled. “I knew you’d be up for the task. You report tomorrow morning. The address is in your brief. Keep an open mind, all right? And have some fun.”

  With a satisfied nod, Underglass pressed another button on her desk. An electric current shot through the air and left Indira’s hair standing on end. It was followed by an explosion.

  All three of them ducked in terror. Indira’s hand went instinctively for her hammer. Her eyes found a spot in the room where a general haze of smoke was rising.

  Exactly where Melody had been standing.

  David shouted, “You fried Melody!”

  Underglass rolled her eyes. “I didn’t fry Melody. It’s all this technology. I keep forgetting which buttons do what. It’s madness. Melody will be fine. I just teleported her. Again.”

  Indira couldn’t help laughing. “You’re sure she’s okay?”

  “I’m quite certain. She always gets teleported back.”

  Indira stood. “That’s a relief. We’d better get moving. Wouldn’t want you to teleport us. Thanks again for everything, Brainstorm Underglass.”

  She nodded over to David—who still looked a little stunned by Melody’s disappearance—and the two of them started toward the door. She was turning the handle when Underglass spoke.

  “Oh, Indira. I really meant what I said. It is great to see you again.”

  Indira smiled. “You too. It’s really good to be home.”

  They walked back through the hallways. Indira wanted to be annoyed by the idea that she had a weakness to work on. She wanted to feel overwhelmed by all the responsibilities she was taking on with the other characters, too. Instead, a thunderous beat was drumming to life inside her chest. Her fingers settled on the grip of her hammer.

  She was ready for more adventure.

  She couldn’t help grinning.

  This was going to be fun.

  Indira and David were both given temporary boarding assignments in one of the local townships, but after a quick tour, Indira led him out of Fable proper.

  “I’ve got a better idea.”

  Their primary focus over the last six months had been finishing the Story House. Whenever she’d had spare time, though, Indira had been very intentional about keeping up with old friends and family. Mrs. Pennington had all but demanded weekly calls. Indira’s adopted family had been chosen for their own story, but Indira knew the launch had been delayed several times now. She hoped that meant the two of them would be right where she’d left them.

  The Skirts hadn’t changed. Fable’s outermost neighborhood featured rows of identical townhouses, all pressed tightly together. Indira turned down her familiar street and was a little sad to see the place she’d called home unlit. “Oh man. Guess they’re not here.”

  David shrugged as Indira ducked down the narrow passage between the Penningtons and their neighbor. She reached down and lifted the gutter spout. Lying right in the middle of the flattened grass was a silver key. Indira snatched it up and headed for the front door.

  “We’ll just wait inside and surprise them,” she said with a grin. “Come on.”

  Everything in the Skirts was old, so it took a little wiggling to get the key in, and a pretty hard slam of her shoulder to actually wedge the door free of the latch. Indira was fumbling for the light switch when an extra sense tickled down her spine. Instinct told her that something—or someone—was inside.

  She reached for her hammer, eyes searching the shifting shadows, before flipping the switch to on. A thunderous shout answered.

  “SURPRISE!”

  The echoing noise came at her from every direction. Indira nearly struck the closest person with her hammer. Detective Malaprop stumbled back in fright as the rest of her friends and family came laughing forward. It was a surprise party. A room full of people she loved!

  Indira glanced over and found David grinning.

  “Were you in on this?”

  Mrs. Pennington was the first one forward. She wrapped Indira in a huge hug before spinning her toward the others. It was not hard to see that her adopted mother had orchestrated all of this. Gavin Grant stood to her left. He had the same military-style haircut, but now he looked at least a few inches taller. Indira wondered if that change had come directl
y from working with his Author.

  Maxi was leaning against the wall beside him, sporting a pair of thick sunglasses even though the room had been pitch-black just a few seconds before. Indira recognized them as the unique sunglasses that only the Editors—even those in training—wore. Those dark-framed glasses couldn’t hide Maxi’s squeal of excitement.

  Detective Malaprop wasn’t the only unexpected attendee. Some of her teachers were there too. Her escape-class professor, Alice, waved from the crowd. Professor Darcy stood near the food, leaning unromantically over a bowl of chips.

  It took Indira a long second to realize she’d taken three steps inside and stopped moving. David gave her an encouraging shove. There was a flash of fiery light near the back of the room, and as Indira made her way forward, little Patch marched out of the kitchen with an absurdly large cake balancing precariously in his arms. Phoenix followed, snuffing out the flame he had just used to light the candles. Her heart leaped a little. She squinted at the lettering on the cake:

  CONGRATS ON YOUR FIRST STORY!

  “I made this all by myself!” Patch declared.

  Indira smiled because the letters were all different sizes, some slightly crooked. Her adopted brother smiled proudly as he set the cake down on the table between them. Maxi started a chant from the back of the room. “Speech! Speech! Speech!”

  The others took up the cry (although she could distinctly hear Detective Malaprop chanting the word screech instead of speech). Indira tried to blush her way out of it, but when the chanting continued, she held up a hand for silence. She pointed to the encouraging words on the cake.

  “I’d never have made it without your help,” she said. “It’s so good to see you all again. Now eat some cake and stop embarrassing me.”