Mana

SUMMER HAD OFFICIALLY ENDED. The beating sun would be traded for cloudy showers soon, but not at least for a few weeks. Leaves would no longer become brilliant emeralds, glistening under solar rays, and no more children playing in the streets. Eurich didn’t mind the latter so much, but the rest of it, he’d miss.

He counted down the seconds until the sun peered over the horizon, then squinted as the light beamed through the blinds. He covered his face and sighed, moving from the window to the edge of his unkempt bed. This was the first sunrise of a new school year, the final school year—senior year. He silenced the alarm the moment it rang by knocking it to the ground with a pillow, after sighing once more he went to pick it up.

“Eurich, you up yet? Don’t want to be late on your first day of school!” His foster mother yelled from downstairs.

“I’m up!” He countered, slithering to the dresser next to his computer desk. A silver photo frame tumbled down as he manhandled the drawer open. He smiled upon viewing the picture inside.

It really has been twelve years today.

“Eurich!” His mother yelled again. “I don’t hear you moving up there!”

“I’m exiting my room as we speak.” He closed the drawer and shuffled down the hallway, yawning the entire way to the bathroom.

He was rejuvenated as the sultry waters hazed from the showerhead onto his thick, curly locks. Eurich huffed as he stood under the rinse. He anguished over the thought of another year but knew he’d enjoy it.

After turning off the steamy shower, he reached for a towel and quickly made his way back to the room. He pulled back the blinds, stumbling over a pile of clothes he swore he'd put away several nights ago.

The shirt he picked up was thick with grass stains and had the aroma of lingering summer rain. He went back to jostle his malfunctioning drawer and pulled out a blue t-shirt, along with a dark pair of jeans, and a sweater. He slid right into them. After taking a comb to his still dampened hair, he put on a pair of sneakers and flung his backpack over his shoulder. He placed the lanyard with his school I.D. around his neck, taking a final glance at the photo set atop the dresser before departing.

Eurich’s nostrils were invaded by a scent he’d grown accustomed to since living with the Wheelers. The first morning of every school year, the aromatic blend of rabbit meat, russet potatoes, roasted tomatoes, and spices filled the air. The savory sweetness dancing around was the yellow apple glazed pastry, baking around the core ingredients. The dish was called grost, a delicacy from Serra and Albert’s childhood.

There, in the den, was Albert engaging in his usual morning ritual. His thick frames were always in a newspaper, though the mahogany rocking chair he sat in was a recent addition.

“Eurich!” Albert had just set the paper down, smiling gingerly. “You’re up finally. Serra wanted me to go up there with a broomstick.”

“Ha!” Eurich cackled, scratching his head. “Very glad you decided against it….”

“So, Mr. Senior, how do you feel?” Albert asked.

“Like I’m about to start school again.”

“Great news.” Albert fiddled with his thick-lensed glasses before burying his nose into the paper once more.

“Albert, honey. Your coffee is almost ready,” Serra’s calm voice emerged from behind the kitchen counter.

“Thank you, Serra.”

“So, Eurich,” he continued with a grin. “Still planning on naming that prank after yourself this year?”

“Funny,” Eurich grimaced. “It was just a silly dare! I am more refined in my old age.”

Albert chuckled, then rocked backward in his chair. “Well, then,” he said. “I’m glad you decided against it, too.”

“Yeah. I’ll be eighteen soon. No longer accepting dares.”

“Oh, right. You’re becoming a man. You have better things to do now.”

“I just wanna see Raine and Jason again. I feel good about today,” said Eurich.

“Raine, huh?” Albert raised a grey eyebrow, lining his wrinkled forehead.

“I said Jason, too....” He twiddled his fingers, then sat down across from his foster father.

“If you say so. Just keep out of trouble.”

“You know me,” Eurich said, sliding his bag to the floor.

“Well, I second that,” Serra said as she tiptoed out of the kitchen with a silver platter.

Eurich stood immediately. “Mom, let me—”

“No, no,” she scuttled around Eurich and set the dish on the center of the table. “I can most certainly still handle breakfast.” She smiled gingerly and Eurich sat.

“I forget who I’m talking to,” said Eurich. She was a rocksteady old woman. Always has been. “I always look forward to grost!”

Despite the pronunciation, it was one of the tastiest meals on Earth. The meat was succulent and tender, generously absorbing the tomato and savory spices. The flaky crust was silk, avalanching glazed pasty onto the rabbit with every slice into it.

“No more running down the hallways pretending to be a comic hero.” She walked back into the kitchen then quickly returned with coffee in a mug with the phrase World’s First Warrior for Albert.

Eurich shook his head and shrugged, “could you please let me live that stuff down? I promise I’m over taking dares.”

“I’m just saying I don’t want any phone calls,” she said.

“No phone calls,” he assured, leaning back on the chair’s hind legs. “Oh man!” He exclaimed upon viewing the time on his cell phone. “I have to go!”

“Not before you finish breakfast,” Serra urged.

“No time.” Those words were regrettable. There should always be time for grost. He could save it for later, but that would run the risk of impending sogginess; however, tardiness on the first day of school was not an option. Eurich swiftly threw the backpack over his shoulder.

“There’s time, sit.” Albert permitted, before wiping excess coffee residue from his scraggly whiskers.

“Fine,” said Eurich. It took only a few seconds to scarf down the remaining bits of rabbit meat and fresh pastry. After dropping off the plate to the kitchen sink, Eurich glided to the front door. “Done!”

“Not forgetting anything?” asked Serra.

Eurich patted the pouch of the hoodie before frantically searching the pockets of his jeans. “Damn, where is it?”

“I have it,” Serra said, meeting Eurich at the front door. “It slipped out while I was washing your clothes last night.”

“I really do try to keep a good eye on it....”

“I know. I wanted to wait and give this to you, but I realize . . . it can’t wait. You misplace your stone too often. Serra smiled as she draped a necklace with the dangling gem around his neck. “Now you’ll never lose it again!”

“Thanks, Mom,” He kissed her on the cheek before holding it in his palm. The aged and jagged gem, a brilliant onyx, having the dimensions of pristine quartz now rested inside a silver, dragon-clawed frame. A smoky amethyst glow remained trapped in its midst.

“This stone has a legacy,” Serra said.

“I know...” sighed Eurich, rolling his eyes. “I promise I’ll keep a better eye on it.”

“You said that last time,” added Albert.

“Double teamed.” Eurich huffed, jostling the knob behind him. “I swear on my promise, okay?”

“Have a good day, son,” said Albert, then took another sip from his morning mug.

“Thanks, dad. I love you, mom.”

“We love you too,” Serra said. “Now shoo before we have to take you to school.”

“Roger that.” He opened the door and pivoted back around quickly. “Happy Twelve!” He smiled when Serra’s face radiated with glee. She hadn’t smiled that wide since he wished her Happy Eleven.

“Thank you, son,” said Albert with a hefty grin. Now, go see Jason—I mean Raine.” He chuckled.

Eurich stretched as the brisk morning air entered his nostrils. Fallen leaves from the branches above crunched under his sneakers as he flew to the bus stop. He quickly rounded a corner and was knocked to the ground by a stiff blockade. Eurich covered his elbow to lessen the stinging pain of colliding with the ragged gravel. His sleeve ripped and blood trickled down his fingers.

It felt like I hit a wall . . .

It was just a man he ran into, a frail man with a peculiar black cloak. He extended his veiny hands out to Eurich.

Eurich remained on the ground for a moment. Sure, he should have been watching where he was going, but why did the man feel like a boulder? Many things could have explained it. He dusted himself off and accepted the brittle hand.

“My apologies, young man,” he said with a crackling, deep voice. “Wasn’t looking where I was headed.”

“No, I was moving too fast and didn’t pay attention.” It seemed appropriate to take the blame. He tried to steal a glance, but the man’s face was shrouded by a surreal blackness cast by the hood.

“Thank you,” said Eurich.

Rather than releasing Eurich’s hand, he held on tightly with a steadily increasing grip.

“Let go!” Eurich boomed, hand crushing under the pressure of the man’s clutch. With a swift jerk, he broke the man’s poise. His eyebrows furrowed as he held his bruised wrist and created some space. “I’m sorry I ran into you. Have a good day.” He edged around the man, hand hovering over his scraped elbow.

“Allow me to touch it,” said the man.

He knew he shouldn’t have, but the cloaked man’s odd choice of words made Eurich stop. “Never come around here again. I’ll call the cops.”

Hunched over, the man slowly encroached upon Eurich. His waxy and jagged fingers reached for Eurich’s chest.

“Listen!” Eurich shouted.

“Hush, boy,” the man lunged quickly and grabbed Eurich’s arm, glancing over the scrape on his elbow. “Hmm....”

“Hey—”

“Fate has sealed this day.” After releasing Eurich’s arm, the hooded man knocked him to the ground with a force he didn’t appear to be capable of.

Eurich winced but shook it off. He rose to his feet quickly and prepared to defend himself. The man was gone in a flash. Perplexed, he adjusted himself and continued down the road.

“What the hell was that about . . .?” Eurich removed the hoodie and wiped away drying blood. At least the undershirt was still clean. Unfortunate for the sweater. It wasn’t very stylish, but it was comfortable. He balled it up and carried it under his arm.

“Hey, Eurich!” A soft declaration came from not too far away.

Eurich turned, befuddled. It seemed like seconds ago, he was nowhere near the bus stop.

“Earth to Eurich.”

“Oh, Patricia!” Eurich smiled and shook his head.

“Everything alright?” She asked, brushing her thick, highlighted brunette hair behind her ears.

“Uh, yeah . . . kinda,” he replied, tucking the balled-up hoodie further into his armpit.

“Kinda?” she echoed.

“Just some weirdo I ran into,” Eurich said, blood starting to boil as he recalled the incident.

“Who isn’t weird these days?”

“Yeah . . .” He wanted to say more but he realized how crazy it would sound.

“And I’m just not supposed to ask you about the blood running down your arm,” Patricia said with a grimace.

“What?” Eurich lifted his elbow. “I ran into that guy and got knocked down pretty hard. It’s nothing really. So, where’s your backpack?”

“Won’t be attending today . . . Or the next few weeks.”

“What do you mean? Why?” he asked with genuine intrigue.

“I’m sick,” she replied. She didn’t look or sound sick in the slightest. Then again, Eurich was no doctor.

“I don’t think sick people still look that good.” He reached out and stroked her forehead with the back of his hand. No feverish heat came from her skin. She was normal.

“I’m not contagious, but mom says what I have is rare. I told her I feel perfectly fine, but she doesn’t want to chance anything. Hopefully, I’m not out too long. I kind of miss that dumb school.”

“What brings you out here, then?”

She smiled widely with bright hazel eyes. “I just had to see you off on the first day!”

Eurich blushed and smiled. “Well, thanks. But a text would’ve been cool, too. You probably shouldn’t be out here if you’re sick.”

“Someone failed to mention they have a phone now,” she teased.

“Right . . .” In his mind, he cursed his forgetfulness. “I’ll be sure to get that to you.”

The ragged hum of the sluggish bus engine filled the air as the it rounded the corner.

“Gonna be okay to get home?” asked Eurich.

“I’m fine!” she reiterated. “Don’t start turning into my mom on me. Have a great first day! Have Raine text me your number.”

“Roger.”

Eurich huffed as he plopped down on a seat near the back of the bus.

What a way to start the morning….