by Gene Curtis
Chapter 21
Graduation
It isn’t over until it’s over.
Nick found their names on the bulletin board. “Check it out! We’re tied for sixth place. Sorry Mark, you’re number ninety-nine.”
“I know. Mr. Thorpe wouldn’t let me take a makeup test for the one I missed while I was in the labyrinth and I didn’t do that well in combat class.”
The bulletin board outside of the council chambers showed the standings of all students, tribes and teams. For individuals, the numbers were divided into academic and extracurricular, and then totaled. Tribe standings were in a different section. Emerald Tribe was head and shoulders above the others.
“Yeah, look at this. There are one, two, three… four, five freshmen in the top ten for the whole school.”
Mark continued, “You guys got perfect fourteen-hundreds in all of your classes. That’s great!” One thousand points out of a possible fourteen hundred points were needed to pass each class.
Chenoa said, “Why wouldn’t Mr. Thorpe let you take the test that you missed while you were in the labyrinth?”
“He said it wouldn’t be fair to the other students. He doesn’t give makeup tests.” Mark had perfect scores in everything except combat and algebra.
The final procession of students, the first one-hundred carrying a flag indicating their class rank, would be riding past the reviewing stands tomorrow, and would be led by the top student.
“LeOmi Jones is going to lead tomorrow. She’s forty-eight points ahead of Slone Voif. I wish I could see his face when he finds out that she beat him.”
“Turn around and have a look, then.” It was Slone’s voice that they heard.
They turned to face Slone and his cohorts.
“Looks like LeOmi beat you, again. How’s your nose?” Chenoa’s out-and-out loathing for Slone was obvious.
“She’s got guts and style. That’s something that you’ll never have.”
Chenoa started for Slone. Nick and Jamal held her back.
Mark said, “He’s baiting you. That’s what he does best.”
“I know. I just want to beat the snot out of him, just once.”
“There’s nothing stopping you. I’m right here.”
Mark said, “Another day, Slone.” He leaned to Chenoa. “I know how you feel. Let’s get out of here.”
Tim walked up behind the group. “That is quite an accomplishment for a freshman, LeOmi that is.”
Chenoa said, “Yeah, she wasn’t about to let Slone get it.”
Slone eyeballed her, not saying a word. He just walked off, henchmen in tow.
“You guys did pretty good, too. Not many freshmen have ever made it into the top one hundred, much less the top ten.”
Mark said, “Thanks. You did pretty good, yourself. How’d you like teaching?”
“I loved it! It was great! I wish it was not temporary, though.”
Jamal said, “It puts you in pretty good standing, having experience and all.”
“I guess it does… Where are you guys off to?”
Mark said, “We need to go get our flags.”
“I have some stuff to do, too. I have to clean my stuff out of Mr. Diefenderfer’s office. Guess I will see you tomorrow, when I bring your families in.”
“I thought Shana was going to do that.”
“No… afraid not. Her position was temporary, too.”
The final day at school arrived and 7 a.m. found the friends in their favorite booth in The Oasis. They were waiting for the arrival of their families.
Jamal said, “It all seems like a blur. How can a year at school go by so fast?”
Nick said, “We did a lot of stuff.”
Mark said, “I didn’t have a clue when I got here. Now, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Chenoa said, “Maybe we can get together this summer and do something.”
Nick said, “It’s not likely. We live too far apart and we can’t remanifest, yet.”
A voice interrupted them. It was Mark’s mom, Shirley. “Congratulations, hon! You made it. Tim tells me that you are in the top one hundred for the whole school. That’s wonderful.”
“Thanks, Mom. Hi, Dad. Hi, James. Hi, Tim. Y’all had breakfast, yet?”
Steve said, “Not yet, son.”
“We can sit over there.” Mark stood and pointed to an Emerald table. He turned back to his friends. “See you later.”
“Hon, I got you a yellow rose to wear. Here, let me pin it on you.”
“Why a yellow rose?”
“Yellow roses mean joy and happiness.”
“I have to wear my blazon in the ceremony. I can’t wear it with the blazon on.”
“You can wear it now. We’re so proud of you.”
Tim said, “I have to leave now. I need to pick up some more families.”
“Thanks, Tim. See you at the ceremony.”
Families kept arriving. The Oasis filled up quickly. Breakfast was short, but sweet. By eight-thirty, families were heading to the bleachers and students were heading to the reviewing stands.
Nine a.m. brought the opening announcements. Mrs. Shadowitz stood, center stage, in the reviewing stands. Tribes were seated around the stands. She faced the crowd in the bleachers.
“Guests, teachers and staff, students, I offer this simple prayer.” She paused. “God, grant us peace as we humbly serve you.”
She paused again. “I have some news. Mr. Diefenderfer has decided to step down from teaching in order to lead the team in the fulltime study of the recently recovered artifacts. He has named, as his permanent replacement… Timothy Augustus Fairbanks.”
There was a moment of stunned silence.
Mark leaned toward Nick. “I don’t believe it. That’s his lifelong dream.”
“If anyone deserves it, it’s him.”
Emerald tribe jumped to their feet and started a standing ovation.
“Shana O’Riley will take his place as counselor.”
Emerald Tribe, still standing, applauded.
“And, I must say, it’s about time. Gerod Hudson and Shana O’Riley have asked me to announce their engagement. They haven’t set the date yet, but they plan to have a traditional Magi wedding. For those of you who don’t know, that will be one humdinger of a party. They plan to invite all of you back here for that event. Now… for the awards.”
Nick whispered to Mark. “You ready for this.”
Mark whispered back, “Not really. There’re a lot of people here.”
Mrs. Shadowitz’s amplified voice said, “First and foremost, Emerald Tribe’s LeOmi Jones.”
LeOmi stood and started making her way to the stand.
“Perfect scores in all classes, top points in flags matches, top overall points, David’s Crown for Courage, twice… overall school champion and a freshman to boot. It has been many, many years since a freshman has achieved this honor. That makes her the winner of an all-expenses-paid, two week vacation, anywhere in the world, for her and her family.”
LeOmi stood at attention while she received the trophies and awards.
“Next is Ruby Tribe’s Slone Voif, beaten out of first place by a mere forty-eight points. Top points in all classes, third in points for flags matches, first in points for extracurricular activities and, our second freshman in the top ten. That makes him the winner of a one week, all-expenses-paid vacation, anywhere in the world, for him and his family.”
Slone received his awards, grinning and waving at the crowd.
Jamal, Nick and Chenoa were called to the stand as a group. They received awards for academic excellence, teammanship, and a new award for being pre-chosen.
Much later, Mark received four awards for courage, as well as awards for teammanship, leadership, freshman sword single combat champion, and a new award for being pre-chosen by The General.
The morning ceremony ende
d at eleven. Mark, Chenoa, Nick and Jamal ran to find Tim. He was waiting for them at The Oasis.
“It is going to get awfully crowded in here. Better grab a table for your families, quick.”
Mark said, “That’s okay. We ate a big breakfast. We just wanted to say congratulations.”
“Thanks. I never expected that. You could have knocked me over with a feather.”
Mark unpinned his rose. “Here; I want you to have this. My mom gave it to me this morning to say congratulations. I can’t wear it under the blazon. You wear it.”
“Okay, I will. But you get it back right after the afternoon ceremony.”
Mark reached up and patted Tim on the arm. “That’s okay. I want you to have it. I’m proud of you.”
Jamal said, “You deserve to make teacher. I’m proud of you, too.”
Nick and Chenoa said, “Me, too.”
The friends split up to find their families.
Tim made his way to the stage. This would be the first time that he sat at the teacher’s table as a real, fulltime teacher.
Tim sat down. Ms. Vanmie said, “Nice rose. Congratulations.”
“Thanks. Mark gave me the rose.”
Ms. Vanmie had just taken a drink of her beverage. She spewed when Tim said that. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No ma’am. His mother gave it to him to say congratulations. He could not wear it under his blazon so, he gave it to me.”
“That’s too funny. He just tagged you.”
“What do you mean? Nobody is stalking me. My picture is still…” Tim caught himself.
Ms. Vanmie was rolling. “That’s okay. I know you look at the album every morning. It’s not against the rules. He didn’t need your picture. He gave it back to me. That’s not against the rules either.”
“But he must have had more than a hundred chances to tag me.”
“He didn’t want to tag you. He wanted to give you a breather, let you relax. I picked up his thoughts when he asked for an assignment.”
“That is funny. How many points does he get?”
“I don’t remember, offhand. I have to look it up. It’s well over two thousand and that prevents you from tagging him. You can give me his picture back, now.”
“That puts him in the lead. We have to tell Mrs. Shadowitz. We have to get him a new flag.”
Three o’clock rolled around. All of the students were mounted, lined up according to rank and waiting to pass in review. Tim, carrying a flag, ran up to Mark.
“Mark, give me your flag. You take this one.”
Mark looked at the number one flag. “What’s going on?”
“You move to the front of the line. Listen to the announcements.”
Mrs. Shadowitz began. “Well… we have some late breaking news. Ladies and gentlemen, it seems that we have some extracurricular points to add for one of our students. Students, faculty, staff… brace yourself for this… Mark Young has tagged Tim Fairbanks. He has earned two thousand, three hundred and twenty-one points…”
Laughter flowed from the faculty and staff.
“That puts him more than a thousand points ahead of any other student this year. By unanimous vote of the Council of Elders, he is the school champion. All accolades have already been presented. They will not be recalled. However, he will be acknowledged as school champion and awarded a three week, all-expenses-paid vacation, for him and his family, anywhere in the world.”
Applause sounded from the stands.
“Please stand… I present to you, the Four Thousand, One Hundred and Fifty First Year, Seventh Mountain, Student Body.”
Mark led the parade of students. They approached the stands and Mrs. Shadowitz called, “Salute!”
All teachers, faculty and staff, lined in front of the stands drew their swords and held them high. The parade passed in review. Thunderous applause roared from the crowd.
The end of school festivities began immediately after the ceremonial events. The crowd occupied The Oasis and the school grounds. Everyone was eating and waiting for the final fireworks show.
Mrs. Shadowitz found Mark and his family on the school grounds. Chenoa’s, Nick’s and Jamal’s families were with her.
“Oh, good. I’m glad you are all here. Would you all follow me, please?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
They followed her to the front entrance to the mountain. That was where the art auction was going on. There was a huge new statue on the ground in front of the entrance. It was four horses with four figures standing in front of them. The horse in front was rearing and the other three knelt. It was a giant copy of the four statues that Mark had commissioned as Christmas presents for his friends and family.
Mrs. Shadowitz led the group through the crowd right up to the front of the statue. Emblazoned in emeralds, the simple inscription read:
For Friends
Destiny Chose Friends, Four.
Legend Sprang From Emerald’s Core.
“I told you that we would let you know when we could shed some light on what your destiny is.”
“Yes, ma’am. My destiny was to use the staff to unlock the labyrinth.”
“That is part of it, we believe. There is more to the staff than we have discovered and we still have no idea why you four were pre-chosen.”
“There’s more to the staff. What is it?”
“We are sure that you will discover that, in time. Since we know that all of your destiny has not yet been fulfilled, we will have a guard watching you this summer. That goes for all four of you.”
Mrs. Shadowitz looked directly at Mark and he could tell that she was bracing herself mentally for what she was about to say. “The head of each of the other schools has asked if you would come and try the staff on their labyrinths.”
If you wouldn’t mind, a review would be most appreciated. It only takes a few seconds.
If you’d like to be placed on the notification list for when the next book in the series is available, email me at [email protected]. I promise not to spam you or give your information to anyone else.
