Clocksworth Academy

by Penny BroJacquie

  She turned around and saw him. He was attractive, his late 20s and was standing a few steps away.

  “It was Lord Byron who said it. ‘Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.’ Do you know who said that?” asked the stranger again, taking a step toward her.

  “Albert Einstein. That was an easy one,” she replied.

  His short hair had a warm reddish blond hue that added a natural light blush to his pale skin. His thin lips formed a broad smile above his square jaw. He had broad shoulders and a slim waist, very active and athletic without a doubt.

  “Damn, I forgot to comb my hair. Again.” She ran her fingers through her unruly red hair.

  “Excuse me, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Eric.”

  He took her hand, then bowed and kissed the top of it gallantly, sending a sensation of electric shock through her palm.

  “Um... I’m Floriana.” She was still trying to overcome the shock of the unexpected knightly kiss.

  “Lesson number one,” Eric said. “Never let anyone remove this ring from your finger.” He opened his hand and her ring appeared lying on his palm. “This ring is the most valuable thing one could ever possess. Don’t let anyone take it from you. Even if they are as charming as I am.”

  “Excuse me, who are you?” she asked confused yet embarrassed for her failure.

  “I’m Eric Skarsgard. Your runes and hieroglyphics professor.”

  A deep, calm voice came from the right.

  “Welcome aboard. Tea or coffee?”

  Floriana turned and saw the other man sitting on a couch behind a folding table.

  “I’m Egon,” he said, “and I’m the bomb disposal expert.”

  A plate of leftovers and a pile of newspapers were resting in front of him. A small vase with black roses decorated the table.

  Eric had now joined Egon and the brunette woman was standing beside them holding a tray.

  “You must be hungry. Come and sit with us,” the woman invited Floriana, heading to the table.

  “Who are you people?” Floriana asked politely.

  The tall woman left the tray on the table and offered her a plate of cold sandwiches.

  “Be seated, Floriana, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know.”

  She couldn’t say no to some food, especially since she couldn’t figure out exactly how long it had been since she had breakfast.

  “How do I know it is not poisoned?” she asked playfully while scrutinizing a piece of sandwich.

  “We are anything but murderers. At least, we don’t kill innocent people, especially those who are useful to us,” Eric retorted.

  “Let us introduce ourselves. I am Maite Albert. I am your Professor of Spanish History and Arts. You already know Eric and Egon.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Floriana stretched out her hand to Maite while chewing a mouthful of sandwich.

  “Floriana,” Eric said calmly, “humanity is facing one of its greatest threats in history. A sinister plan to ensure mankind’s destruction has already been set in place. We are the good guys who want to prevent danger. And if our information is correct, you are the person who possesses what we need to stop this plan. So, what do you have to say now?”

  “I think I want to pee.”

  “EVERYTHING ALRIGHT in there?” Maite asked in a rasping voice.

  An Amazon with a model’s looks and a German pedagogue’s behavior, Floriana thought before opening the door. This visit to the restroom didn’t only offer the necessary physical relief, but also served to give her a few minutes of security and isolation, which was enough time to process everything she had just heard. Her instincts told her she was safe; her new friends wouldn’t hurt her, at least not for now. They would have harmed her by now if they had wanted to as they had the chance to do it. On the contrary, they had treated her politely. Of course, she wouldn’t have been able to escape from that train, unless she was a bird.

  She was told that she held a secret that could save the world. She only wanted to know why Dora had sent her with these people. And who her parents really were.

  With these thoughts in mind, she followed Maite back to their cabin.

  “We’ll be soon there. We should start packing,” Eric recommended. “I’m sure you have many queries. I’ll try to answer as many as I can, but all your questions will be answered when we arrive at our destination.”

  “Which is ... where exactly?

  “Somewhere in the North. That’s all you need to know for now.”

  “Okay.” Floriana didn’t want to spend the rest of the trip arguing.

  “May at least ask what kind of danger it is we’re facing?” she scorned.

  Eric took a gulp of whiskey. “To make a long story short, some bad men tried to create some sort of super-human. They failed, but their formula fell into the hands of some good people. With the greater good in mind, they tried to use that formula to eliminate serious diseases and subsequently extend human life. Something went wrong and the formula fell into the wrong hands once more. We have evidence that it has already been used to cause several peculiar attacks worldwide.”

  “Look at her.” Maite mocked Floriana’s baffled face.

  “I don’t understand, is that formula salutary or destructive?” she asked, ignoring the sarcasm.

  “In the wrong hands, it could be devastating. Nevertheless, when those good guys gained possession of it, they unsuccessfully tried to transmute it into a life-saving remedy. The group who holds it now ... they are a global threat,” Eric explained.

  “I still don’t get it... What do I have to do with it?”

  “Your parents were the good guys in the story.”

  SUDDENLY, THE NIGHT became day. Red, yellow and green flashes flooded the night sky, blasts deafening her.

  “Are we under attack?” Florina cried, breathless, grabbing the back of her chair. Her heart was about to shatter in terror. She closed her eyes to protect against the colorful flashes that washed the train. The explosions were getting closer and closer. Covering her ears with her palms, she knelt beside the chair with her eyes shut tightly.

  “Seriously? Are we expecting her to save the world?” Maite taunted.

  She opened her eyes only to see them burst out laughing, obviously amused by the spectacle.

  “Cinderella, stand up. It’s not the time to turn into a pumpkin.” It was Egon’s turn to mock her.

  With a big smile on his face, Eric kneeled at her level and announced in a stilted, gravely manner, “Welcome to Weengarts.”

  Her cry of surprise was lost in the rippling sounds of explosions. The train was now moving slower, although the scenery outside hadn’t changed.

  “And who’s bombarding Weengarts?” She looked at him warily.

  “No one’s bombarding Weengarts,” Eric appeased her, offering his hand. A black ring adorned his middle finger. “Haven’t you ever heard of the Weengarts International Fireworks Festival?”

  “I’ve never heard of Weengarts at all.”

  With his help, she stood up. She straightened her shirt and tucked an unruly curl of hair behind her ear.

  A green line tore through the black sky before it was broken into colorful strips of light, which dived down until they disappeared. Another rocket of light, this time red, surged toward the sky. The explosion created a colorful chrysanthemum, which disappeared shortly afterward in the dark night sky, one more light eruption and one more riot of color adorning the sky.

  “Isn’t it beautiful? This is my favorite time of year. Wherever I am, I always come back to Weengarts for this.” She did not expect such a romantic declaration from Maite, who had now approached her.

  “Tonight, it’s the grand finale, which, as always, is taking place at the Grand Hourglass Square.” Eric’s voice was barely audible through the whistles and explosions, which got increasingly louder as the train approached the platform.

  Six green lights whizzed before them, ascending above the Grand Hourglas
s station and bursting into bright, green waterfalls. They could hear the chant of the crowd that had flooded the Grand Hourglass Square.

  “Grab your backpacks!” Maite commanded the men, holding her own brown leather backpack.

  Sounds of excitement and rhythmic chants were coming from the inner city as they got off the train.

  Maite led Floriana by her hand toward the station exit. Walking rapidly, the two women left the Grand Hourglass station behind. They followed a slightly uphill road until they reached a small park that seemed to spring up through the cobblestone road. There, among the people who had gathered to admire the fireworks, Maite nodded for her to stop. Floriana looked around nervously. The firework spectacle illuminated the beautiful Victorian town that lied before them.

  A few minutes later, Eric and Egon emerged from the enthusiastic crowd, and together they made their way towards the inner city.

  “Enjoy the tour,” Egon whispered into her ear. Eric and Maite were following behind them, throwing exploratory glances toward the crowd that surrounded them.

  “I am here among people I don’t know whether to trust or not, and without having any knowledge of where I am going and what I am going to be prompted to do,” Floriana muttered.

  “You are among people who used to know your parents personally and shared a common purpose with them. How bad can it be?” A carefree smile lit his face.

  “So, tourists we are,” he continued. “The hill that we were on is called Birga. Wouldn’t I make an excellent tour guide?” He looked at her, grinning from ear to ear. “The park we just passed held the Monument of the Unknown Time traveler. There, on the right, is the Black Compass Abbey.” Egon pointed to a black building with two steeples on the front and a purple dome emerging from the background. “We are hardcore tourists.” He winked at her.

  She eyed him as he walked beside her. He seemed to be amused with their tentative adventure. He didn’t have Maite’s solemnity or Eric’s sophisticated charm; he was friendly and talkative. “A safe pair of hands,” she thought. For the first time, she noticed his facial features. His silvery grey eyes stood out on his chiseled face. Handsome and well built, in his thirties. These guys look like they work for a modeling agency.

  The small group climbed some weathered marble stairs that looked as if they’d been built centuries ago, and they found themselves in a strangely deserted neighborhood north of the church. Tall, Baroque buildings with thick, sand-colored walls surrounded a cobbled alley. Two wooden doors decorated with the Cross of the Knights caught her eye. She felt like she traveled back in time to the Templars era. After crossing a narrow alley, they came to a bustling square. The fireworks competition was over, but the party in the streets was still ongoing. A group applauding a flaming, galloping steed made of fireworks passed by them. Floriana glanced at Eric and Maite, who were still behind them. They seemed to be in the middle of a serious conversation. Egon was walking by her side, relaxed and joyful, the definition of a happy tourist.

  “We’re now at the Kihsral square. It has an octagonal shape, and it’s the junction of eight streets—”

  “How long have you been in Weengarts, Egon?” she interrupted his commentary. “You seem to have a great knowledge of the city.”

  “I moved here when I was your age.”

  “And where did you spend your childhood?”

  “In Sweden. When I was five years old, I was sent to live in Scotland. That’s where I first met Eric.” He smiled.

  “You lived in Scotland? Me too! I lived in Orkney Islands. Where did you live?”

  “We lived in Orkney Islands too.”

  “Oh, what a coincidence!”

  He put his arm around her waist and leaned toward her until his mouth nearly touched her ear. “Don’t believe in coincidences, pumpkin,” he whispered.

  A flurry of activity caught their attention. Egon released Floriana from his arms and turned toward the fuss. He instinctively raised his right hand to protect himself as a shadowy figure moved against him. He found himself struggling with a disheveled creature, half-naked, in a state of psychosis.

  Chaos replaced the jubilant atmosphere. Screams burst out all around them. People started to run frantically, violently pushing those in their way. A flaming Catherine wheel collapsed under the pressure of the crowd, and its burning pieces fell on a small group of children. With their clothes on fire, two of them ran, one fell to the ground trying to extinguish the fire, and the fourth, a girl, started screaming hysterically.

  Maite grabbed Floriana by the hand, and together they started running away from the bedlam. Egon was wrestling with what seemed to be a frenzied man. The creature looked human, but he was absurdly strong. With his teeth, he gripped Egon’s sweater collar and tore it into pieces. Watching the drooling and grinding teeth searching for his neck, Egon put his hands under the chin of his opponent, struggling to avoid the bite. The slobbery jaws were just a few inches from his throat. In a desperate attempt, the blond man grabbed the creature’s jawbone with one hand and the upper jaw with the other to keep them apart. He felt the man’s stinking breath in his nostrils. His arms were burning from overexertion. Suddenly, the creature collapsed and fell on the ground in front of Egon’s feet.

  “What took you so long?” he cried, exhausted.

  Eric was standing before him holding a bloodied cricket bat.

  “You two were too close to each other. I was afraid I would hit your head, too. Are you okay?”

  “Well, I think so, except for the fact that I am covered in saliva. Man, I owe you. I’ll never tease you again for that silly sport you play.”

  Eric hugged him with his left arm. “You're lucky I had the cricket bat with me on the trip; otherwise, I don’t know how I would have stopped this thing. If I had pulled out a knife or gun, I would have attracted the attention of the police. And that's the last thing we want.”

  Lying on the ground, the creature began to move its limbs. It let out a moan when a boy ran over it, stepping on its stomach. The little boy was so fearful he didn’t even turn to see what he had trodden on.

  The sound of agonizing voices and scared shouting came from the other side of the square.

  “There must be more of those things. And this one here is still alive. We have to get going now,” Eric commanded, lifting his bag off the ground.

  “Where are the girls?” Egon asked, wiping his hands on what was left of his sweater.

  “Maite has taken Floriana with her. They’re heading to the Academy, where we should have been by now.”

  MAITE AND FLORIANA ran to escape from the human maelstrom in Kihsral square. The bloody attacks forced the crowd to run, the disruption piquing the curiosity of those who were celebrating in the surrounding streets. Many of them rushed to the square to see what was happening while, at the same time, a wave of people tried to make their way out.

  Everything had happened so quickly. One minute, Floriana was talking with Egon, and the next, Maite was pulling her by the hand and they were running, surrounded by noise and tremors.

  The brunette woman led her to a wide street with stately, Victorian buildings on both sides. Elaborate metal spirals and ogees decorated the small, narrow cornices.

  “What just happened?” Floriana asked, hardly breathing.

  “That was the reason you're here,” Maite replied in a steady, controlled voice.

  “I don’t understand. Nothing makes sense. Nothing of what has happened to me in the last few hours makes any sense. Where are the others? Why they aren’t following us?” Floriana protested, panting.

  “All your queries will be answered shortly,” Maite said before pulling her firmly into a narrow alley. Two Victorian lampposts emerging from opposing walls filled the impasse with a soft, yellow light. Teal wooden doors and windows, along with potted green plants, created a cozy neighborhood atmosphere. Maite beckoned her to stop running. With a calm gait, they proceeded to the alley’s end and stopped in front of a large cypress door, half-covered
by centenarian ivy. Maite pushed the button of a bronze Victorian doorbell.

  Heavy steps from inside approached the door and the young man opened it halfway, looming behind the half-open door. His intense look was paired with an agitated voice. “Why were you so late?”

  THEY CROSSED A HALLWAY with a white and black marble floor that led to an inner courtyard full of rose bushes bearing black blooms. Large, vaulted doors made of wood and glass lined each side of the rectangular courtyard. A few iron tables and chairs filled the space.

  The young man who had greeted them opened one of the arched doors and showed them the way to a large room in the west side of the building. She couldn’t see his face clearly, but her gut was telling her he wasn’t a dangerous guy. He was young, several years younger than Egon and Eric, with dark blond hair. He was obviously worried, and his vocabulary seemed to be limited to words like “come” and “here”.

  They came into a dimly lit chamber decorated with two large, leather sofas, equally large wooden desks, a few coffee tables, and a large library. Two people, a man and a woman, were sitting on one of the sofas, eyes fixed on the screen which resembled a plasma TV but its surface wasn’t solid; it was like a thick liquid.

  “Thank God, you’re safe!” The woman popped upright and rushed to embrace Maite. Her tight beige trousers indicated a well-defined silhouette, but the few faint wrinkles on her face revealed that she was older than she looked.

  “Where are the rest of you?” the man asked. He seemed to be in his 50s, and Floriana assumed he was the leader.

  “They lagged behind.” Maite’s voice betrayed her concern. “I hope they’ll be here soon. We had to leave; things had become too dangerous out there. I guess you know what happened.”

  “It's all on live broadcasting.” The woman pointed at the liquid TV screen which now had images on it. A female journalist was reporting from the square with the latest developments.

  “The celebration turned into a thriller in Kihsral Square when strangers attacked the crowd gathered to watch the Festival of Fireworks. According to preliminary information, the perpetrators were probably two men who, for unknown reasons, went on a rampage and started attacking indiscriminately with extreme violence. Fifteen people, seriously injured, have been transported to the nearest hospital, and two of them are in a critical condition. It’s still unknown whether the perpetrators have escaped or are among the injured. We’re waiting for the official announcement from the police. National security will join the investigation. The possibility of a terrorist attack has not been excluded.”