James and holds it up.
“How about a trade? My mystery meat for whatever your grandmother made for you?”
James removes a six inch homemade hoagie from his sack and smiles. “Not on your life, bud. My stomach isn’t that strong. Besides, after all these years of your mom’s infamous cooking, you should be used to it by now.”
Taking a bite, Dave replies, “I suppose so. No use in subjecting another living thing to this stuff.”
Hearing a sigh from his friend, Dave looks over to see James looking at a small piece of paper.
“What’s the matter?”
“I thought I had gotten off easy this morning. You know how my grandfather always mentions jobs he thinks I would like?” When Dave nods, he continues. “Well, instead of pressuring me about it this morning, he slips one in with my lunch.” He gazes at the ad as he bites off a good-sized portion of his sandwich.
After another bite had been taken and swallowed, he says, “This one is at least interesting, if a little odd.”
“What do you mean?”
James offers him the ad. “Here, read it.”
Wiping his hands on his pants, Dave takes the ad:
Magic! Real Magic! Ever wanted to learn?
We require someone with intelligence and a disciplined mind. Those well versed in fantasy novels and role playing games a plus. May need to travel. Only those of good character need apply. No appointment necessary. For preliminary interview, drop by at:
1616 Commercial Ave
Room 2334
Haveston, CA
“That is different, I’ll give you that,” affirms Dave as he hands the ad back.
Putting the ad in his wallet, James asks, “What do you think?”
Pausing for a moment to think while he finishes a mouthful of food, Dave replies, “Well, it is right down your alley. You have read more books than I could even hope to get through, and we play D amp;D every once in a while. Maybe you should look into it. You’ve always said you would like to travel and see the castles of England, maybe this will be your chance. It sounds like some traveling magician or something like that.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe I’ll go down tomorrow and see what it’s about. If nothing else, it should please my grandfather and maybe get him off my back, at least for a day or two.” Taking another bite of his hoagie, James ponders the ad, thinking it might be worth looking into.
Pointing off to the right Dave says, “There’s Alyssa. You should go invite her to the dance next week. I know you have a thing for her.”
James takes a brief glance her way and sighs. “I haven’t quite worked up the nerve yet. I’ve tried twice, but my mouth gets all dry and I can’t find the words. I’m afraid I’ll look like an idiot.”
“You need to get out of that room of yours more. Stop spending so much time in there alone with your books and start living a little more in reality. She’s nice and I believe still available.”
“I know. Maybe I’ll ask her on Monday.”
“If you ask her at all.” Dave’s attempts to bring him out of his room have met with very little success, but he keeps trying.
Once they have finished eating, the boys leave the lunch room and make their way over to the chess room where they spend the rest of their lunch break role playing. James is usually the one running the game since he enjoys making the campaigns more than Dave does. Back in his bedroom he has a whole collection of campaigns that have never been played. He likes designing them almost more than playing them.
Dave on the other hand prefers to be the character, or characters such as what he is doing today. He’s playing a thief and a mage who are currently trying to find the third ring of Xanak, the god of fire.
James sets up his godwall and removes the dice and papers from his backpack. He always keeps meticulous notes during his campaigns. Dave gets his papers, dice, and the player’s rulebook ready as well. Once everything is ready, they begin.
“Your mage and thief had infiltrated the Red Rogue’s Lair,” he begins giving a brief recap of where they left off the day before. “You had just found a flight of stairs and were beginning to descend.”
“On to fame and fortune!” Dave exclaims with a grin. “My thief is checking for traps as they go down the steps.”
James nods. “No traps were found. Upon reaching the bottom step, you discover a long hallway stretching far into the darkness ahead. A sound can be heard coming from out of the dark, and it seems to be coming toward you…”
The rest of the day goes along pretty much as usual; classes, including the dreaded PE class that he is on the verge of flunking. He simply is not much into sports or anything else that requires one to sweat. His gym teacher tells him he needs to show more enthusiasm for the physical side of life, but his teacher’s arguments do nothing to sway him in that direction. It’s not that James is fat or anything, he actually appears quite fit. He just doesn’t go for that sort of stuff.
After school at the bike rack, Dave informs him that he plans on accompanying him to the interview. For moral support, as he puts it.
“You don’t have to come with me, you know.”
“I know. But you stand a better chance of following through if I do.”
James secures the chain beneath the bike seat then glances to his friend. “Are you afraid I am going to chicken out or something like that?”
“As a matter of fact, yes, yes I am!” Dave flashes him a grin.
“I plan on catching the 512 at 9:00 a.m. If you’re serious about coming, meet me at the bus stop.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Okay, see ya tomorrow!” With that, James hops on his bike and heads for home.
At dinner, he tells his grandparents about his decision to go to the interview.
“Now remember, James,” his grandfather says, “when you are at an interview you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. Never settle for conditions that you are not going to like. Be assertive.”
James nods his head. “I will. I don’t plan on making any decisions on the spot. I am simply going there to find out about the job and how much it pays. It sounds interesting.”
Showing concern on her face, his grandmother says “Be careful while you’re there. The last place anyone saw poor Seth was heading into town. Watch yourself.”
“Please don’t worry about me, I’m almost eighteen. Plus, Dave plans on coming with me. I’m sure that between the two of us, we’ll be able to handle any situation.” Knowing that it is love that prompted his grandmother’s concern, he gives her a reassuring hug.
A little after dinner, James is in his room reading when there comes a knock on his door.
“Yes?” he hollers without ever removing his eyes from the pages of the book.
“James. You should come and see this.” It was his grandfather.
“Now what?” he mumbles. Slipping his bookmark within the pages, he sets the book on his nightstand and makes his way out to the living room. There he finds his grandparents raptly watching the news.
“Another person is missing,” his grandmother says. “This time a girl”
Interest piqued, James sits next to her on the couch.
An image of a young woman who looked to be in her teens was pictured behind the reporter. The news reporter goes on to say that this is the second person who has come up missing in the past week. There are no leads, no connection between them. They come from different cities in the same area and how both just up and disappeared without a trace. The report continues with interviews of family members of the two missing people.
“This is getting serious.” his grandfather says. “You need to be extra careful tomorrow when you’re downtown.”
“I will,” James assures him. He watches the report on the missing teens until the reporters begin repeating themselves. Then he returns to his room where he resumes his position upon his bed and picks up his book.
He found it difficult to concentrate on the story. After realizing he read the same paragraph three times he
