Chapter FIve

         After a while of sitting high up in the air I felt compelled to go down and check out my new surroundings. It must have been about two o’clock in the afternoon, but I couldn’t be sure. As I descended I saw that if I carried on down in a straight line I would land in the middle of a busy town centre. I looked around and saw an empty field just off the corner. I headed towards it and made my landing.
         I walked down the busy high-street and although several people were looking at me and muttering, I was quite happy and felt secure. I wondered why those people were looking at me in that way, when I got further down the street I found out why. ‘Breaking News: Police would like to speak to a boy of the age thirteen who has been named as James Poole. He is wanted in the connection with the disappearance of Andrew May. Poole should not by any means be approached and he is considered highly dangerous.’ The wording was accompanied by an awful, but accurate picture of me. It wasn’t long before a crowd gathered round. What was more interesting, a man dressed in an all black suit stood just out of the crowd, half covered by the shadow. As I made my way over to the spot where he stood he simply vanished. I became panicked, and wasn’t thinking rationally, should I show these people what I can really do? I’m no villain! It was time to make a run for it, or kind of. I broke off at a fast pace and rushed past several women shielding their children squealing in fright. If only they knew. Some of them had perhaps put two and two together and recognized him as the flying boy from the photo. If they hadn’t, they were about to. I leapt up from the ground and was soon dashing through the air. Several people were screaming at me to come back down, others were impressed. I looked around, suddenly annoyed at being no more than a lion in a circus act, there stood a swat team, each with mean looking weapons and not one of them seemed afraid to shoot. One man, I assumed to be their leader ordered me to stand down at once and nobody need get hurt. Nobody need get hurt anyway, I thought to myself.

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After several bullets missed me I decided to do some magic, regardless of the shouts of,
         “He’s just a kid.”
Or the fact that doing magic like that seriously drains me, I realized I had no other opportunity, I couldn’t give myself up, one I hadn’t done anything, and God knows how they would treat me.
It had been ten minutes since I had arrived in my room. I quickly got changed and then lied down on my bed so I could try and get some rest. Of course I really should have thought that the police would be watching my house. Nonetheless it was ten minutes before I heard someone talking outside. I moved over to the now strangely curtain-less window and peered outside. There stood a police officer, an old man who looked extremely bored.
         “No sign of him yet Roger.”
There was a pause before the man started speaking again.
         “You lost him? How could you! What do you mean he just vanished? It’s not like he’s some sort of magician, he’s a bloody school boy!”
The officer was obviously angry.
         “You wait till the boss hears about this, he’ll have your head!”
The officer turned round in his rage and threw the radio into mums rose bush. He swore under his breath. I laughed, stupidly, and I paid the consequences. I had given up my position. The officer looked up and his face lit with excitement.
         “He’s in his room! GO, GO, GO!”
It all happened too fast, even if I had time to I couldn’t have done magic; I was too tired. If only I hadn’t been so stupid as to come here, instead of to the castle, at least I would be safe there! I had been so stupid, and I can’t say it came as a shock to me when I felt a sharp prick in my arm and instantly felt numb, I was awake long enough to hear,
“Well, well, well James. You just earned me a promotion!”
Before I could retort angrily, I was asleep.

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         When I awoke I had no idea how long I had been unconscious, and even if there was a clock on the wall it would have been no help, my vision was completely blurred. I shut my eyes to avoid a splitting headache. It was apparent that the drug that the police had used to immobilize me was still flowing in my blood stream. My back felt cold and stiff, I tried to sit up, if I could have uttered a sound I would imagine it would have sounded like a big dogs yelp after stupidly singeing its nose on a lit candle. I opened my eyes again, and although I could still not see very well, it was obvious that the drug was wearing off, and fast. I just hoped that when I regained full use of my body that I would have enough energy to break the stupid metal binding me to the table and make my escape. I tried to call out, I knew it wouldn’t work, but it was worth a try. Unsurprisingly my jaw didn’t move. I would have to find some other way of communicating.
         After a while I simply gave up. I would have to be patient and wait for my chance. It came a lot sooner than I expected, but it wasn’t going to be easy. An elderly man leant over me and looked into my eyes. He smiled and said,
         “You’re awake then. Interesting.”
He nodded towards another man in the room who began furiously scribbling notes onto a clipboard. The two men were dressed in what seemed to be lab coats and their whole body was covered. It was apparent that these men thought I was dangerous. I wouldn’t normally be, but these guys had really, really ticked me off.
         A bit more of my vision returned and I was able to clearly distinguish flasks and test tubes. I was in a lab. The man leant over me and said,
         “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”
I wanted to swear at him very loudly, but when I opened my mouth my tongue just sat still, like a dead piece of meat…
         I tried to move my arms and legs. They were still not responding. I was stuck here for the time being. The older man without the clipboard came walking over with a huge needle. He squirted some out carelessly onto the floor, seeming to test if the needle was clotted. The man held my arm and injected me. For the first time in quite a while I felt relief. It was as if I had just climbed out of an old suit of armor and could now move.
         “Thank you.”
I whispered.
         “Who the hell are you?”
         “We, are scientists James. We were ordered to do some tests on you. I must say you have already proved to be quite interesting.”
Ignoring the last remark I replied angrily,
         “Why? By who?”
         “Well, isn’t it obvious? The government of course. I mean, you can’t blame us! You can fly for heaven’s sake!”
         “Can I really? I would never have guessed!”
I added with just a hint of sarcasm.
         “Anyway, when can I get the hell out of here?”
For the first time I saw the men look at each other and laugh, coldly.
         “James, you’re so naïve. You really think we’re going to let you walk out of this place?”
         “You think you’re going to stop me do you?”
         “No, James. I don’t. He does.’
He pointed towards the door and for the first time I saw another spectator. Another obstacle in way of my escape. The man was huge. His arms and legs bulky as trunks. It seemed this man was going to be strong, but was he going to be strong enough? And he most certainly wasn’t going to be fast enough.
         “Big deal.”
It was time to go. I ripped off the straps with ease, the scientists jumped back and looked worried.
         “Stop him!”
They screamed. The giant man stepped forward and completely blocked my exit. There was no way of getting round him, I would have to go through him. I jumped up into the air and hovered for a while. I entered into his mind. It was incredible. He was so thick all that he was thinking was, ‘get him.’ I laughed. Taunting him I jumped forwards and he took a swing with his gigantic fists. If I didn’t need to escape I could have carried on doing that for a long time, I might even have registered it as a sport, ‘Meathead baiting.’ There was however, no time to lose. Finally bored with the pathetic man I lashed out with my foot and felt sorry when I saw him fall to the ground in a crumpled heap.
         “Now you’re for it!”
Called the scientist from behind me. An alarm started ringing all around me. All the lights dimmed and red lights were flashing on every wall.
         “Stand where you are!”
Screw them. I was getting out of here.
         I raced down a long corridor. It was so incredibly long, too long. I could hear footsteps behind me, they were fast, but I was faster. I gathered pace and had to skid to a halt at the top of a flight of stairs. To my right three men in black uniform jumped out and narrowly missed me. If it hadn’t have been for my quick reactions I would have been caught with perhaps no possible means of escape. Of course I could use magic, but something told me I needed to have a look around in here…
         I sent the men tumbling down the winding staircase with a landing every twelve or so steps. The other men were gaining on me, I could hear them shouting. I raced down the steps and climbed over the heap of three men. I kicked one in the head as I ran past. I was angry, he deserved it. I kept on running. How far were we up? These stairs were going on forever. I stopped for a moment, and looked down. Several men with guns were now waiting at the bottom. Damn. I was trapped. The landing I was on had a huge window, I could slide it open, and if I did it quickly enough, they would think I had vanished. The truth was, even if I wanted to magically disappear, I couldn’t. I had now been running for too long and I was getting tired. My legs were OK, but I could feel it in my arms. I quickly opened the window, and looked up. There was a ledge, I grabbed hold of it and kicked the window shut. I hoped it didn’t make too much noise. I shimmied across moving my body. I didn’t want to look down, but curiosity got the better of me, and of course, curiosity killed the cat.
         I was high up. Too high up. Now I was scared. My arms were beginning to feel the pressure and I was stuck up here. The closest window was perhaps forty metres to the right. I could perhaps reach it, just. I knew that if I jumped I could probably fly to the window. However I was tired, and it was just too big a risk. If I fell, well, I would die. It didn’t matter about the prophecy, the war would just go on forever as either me or Andrew would have to stop the war by killing the other. I could just jump now, and save myself a hard life, but I couldn’t. Everyone was depending on me. That thought gave me the strength to move on. I couldn’t afford to take a break, my arms were killing me. I moved over as quickly as I could and breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the window. It wouldn’t slide, it was stuck! Of all the rotten luck! I would have to break it. I put my fist through and swung my body through shattering glass everywhere. I didn’t know if it was the camera on the opposite wall that spotted me, or someone else. But someone had, and a loudspeaker phone sent a message through the whole building.
         “Floor one hundred and fifty seven, corridor seventy nine. Escaped prisoner, detain and capture him at all costs.”
         I broke off at a run. There was a door just at the end of the corridor, if I could reach it I would possibly be safe, for a few seconds. It was my best option. I ran towards the door with all my might. I was nearly there. Almost there. Bang. I ran straight into what seemed to be a solid wall. In fact, it was almost a solid wall. The man who I had kicked earlier, the numbskull, and boy was he angry. He came raging towards me, only this time, he was better off, he had a knife. He came pelting towards me slashing his knife everywhere. He wouldn’t just injure me, if he wasn’t careful, he would kill me. Then someone would probably kill him.
         What an idea. I let him come just close enough and as he took a swipe I held out my left and least valuable arm. He got just enough on me for a small cut. I jumped backwards and wiped the cut on my neck. I lied down and lied still for several seconds. I heard weeping. The man was crying! The plan had worked, he thought he had killed me. Someone was coming, the heavy footsteps of solid rubber boots. Whoever it was swore loudly.
         “Steven what have you done? You’ve killed him! Sid will be angry! Get up Steve! He’s coming!”
Another man came running round the corner and he too swore very loudly.
         “Steven, was this you?”
Steven was still crying, he grunted and nodded, and I almost felt sorry for him.
         “Say your prayers Steven, you’ve gone too far this time!”
The man I assumed to be Sid shot Steven in the chest. I felt sorrow and anger well up inside of me. I had done that, he was dead because of me. I stood up and lashed out at the first man with a sharp kick. He was out cold instantly. Sid looked scared and amazed.
         “You little…”
But before he had time to finish I drop kicked him. He fell to the floor, still conscious. I kicked him again, and again and again. I turned away, but Sid stood up again. He was strong, too strong to be human. But it didn’t matter now. I bobbed down and spun round with my feet out knocking him off balance and just as quickly stood up and smashed my foot down on his skull. His head hit the floor and I heard a loud cracking noise. He still stood up. He couldn’t hold himself up even for a few seconds though, and fell crashing to the floor. I turned and ran.
         “I’ll kill you. One day. You’ll see!”
And Sid became unconscious. I had no time to stop and think about what had happened. I just had to get out of here. I did stop for one thing though. I stopped over Steven and noticed that he was still breathing. I whispered sorry and he smiled at me.
         “Go, save yourself, you good man, saved my life.”
I felt an incredible sense of pride at his words.
         “I will come back for you. I promise.”
Maybe I would come to regret saying that, but at the time, I didn’t care. I stepped over Steven and pushed through the double doors. What I saw next was amazing, and disgusting.
         Several large cages, filled with creatures that I had never seen before were lined around the room. One was a man, with a deformed head sprung out of his shoulder. Another was a man squatted like a frog in a gigantic sealed pond. One was a man with a fly’s head for his own and with fly like wings; he was buzzing around in the top of his cage. It was amazing. I was absolutely disgusted, I would have done anything to save someone from this mess.
         “Help me.”
Came a small voice from a cage in the far corner. I raced towards it and when I got there I saw a small boy, around my age but nonetheless small. He was sitting with his back against the bars of his cage.
         “Can you move?”
I asked him and he stood up and smiled at me.
         “Come on then, I need to find a way of getting out of here, and you need to get out of this cage.”
         “Well that’s easy.”
He produced a key from his pocket and unlocked the cage.
“And as for getting out of here, it’s simple. Those nerds in the lab have made some sort of, thing. It takes you wherever you want to go, like a teleporter. The only thing is I have been here ever since I was born. They took me away from my mother, they told her I was dead, I heard one of the guards talking about it. Anyway, I know the teleporter works, I’ve used it loads of time to get into the storeroom. Come on, follow me, I can get us there, I’ll have to hold on to you. And, I know secret passageways that will keep you away from all the guards, I assume it is you that they’re after?”
”Urm, yeah.”
It felt weird being in the company of a child again. It felt almost comforting, if it weren’t for the fact that this boy was absolutely trying to impress me, I would have almost said we would be friends.
“Okay, come on then, we haven’t got all day. I’m Sam by the way.”
“James.”
I followed the boy towards the door and I was about to run through it before Sam stopped me and indicated that we weren’t going through the door. He slid an empty cage aside and behind it there was a hole, just large enough for a boy my size. Perfect.
         “You’d better go first, then I can cover it up again.”
I did as Sam instructed and saw that the tunnel just kept on in a straight line for as far as I could see. It was dark. A flash of light behind me made me jump. I looked over my shoulder and saw that Sam had a torch. He was pretty handy. He smiled at me and pointed forwards indicating that we should get a move on. I quickened up the pace and in time I was at a sharp bend. I followed the tunnel all the way through and when I emerged I found that the room with the ‘teleporter’ in was being guarded, although only by one guard, and the idiot was standing right in front of the vent cover that hid the entrance to the tunnel. I slowly and carefully slid it aside careful not to make a sound, and when it was clear I grabbed the man’s foot and pulled it towards me. He fell forward and landed on his head. He was obviously out cold. I crawled out of the tunnel and Sam followed.
         The teleporter was self explanatory. Sam held onto my right and uninjured arm and we stepped onto the teleporter together. Instead of imagining home, I imagined my room in the castle, and when I opened my eyes merely three seconds later, there we were, just as it had been when I left.
         “You did it!”
Screamed Sam. He was obviously ecstatic that we had managed to escape. I was relieved more than anything.
         I thought it wise to go and inform Arumag of me and my guest’s arrival.
         “Really, there is no need James, I have been standing in this room since before you entered. I am glad to see that you have returned in one piece, although I think it unwise that you bring a visitor.”
         “I’m sorry; it’s just that I couldn’t leave him there. You should have seen what they were doing to people there, I couldn’t condemn him to that fate.”
         “I see the hero in you is coming out already. Onto more urgent matters, you need some rest James, I daresay you have experienced enough today. Escaping from Daemon and his followers, aswell as a full SWAT team and mini army at a laboratory. Yes, I think you deserve to rest now.”
         “Yes, thank you master. Which reminds me, Daemon bows down to Andrew as his master.”
         “Are you suggesting that I should do the same?”
Arumag was laughing.
         “No, master, that is not what I meant.”
         “I know James, that piece of information neither worries me or surprises me, and you would do well not to dwell on it or any other thing you have seen or done tonight, you should try to rest now, while I find our guest a room.”
And with that they left me alone in my room. I collapsed onto the bed and within two minutes I was fast asleep, something that I felt I had not done for almost an eternity.