The Druid
By: Dark Shadow
(© 2006 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Prologue

I don't know why I'm on my way to public school. I was perfectly content being home schooled. Why they would send me to public school baffled me. I couldn't let anyone know who or what I was. It felt like a predestined failure. I didn't like this place, and I didn't like these people. How does someone make friends when you have to hide who you are?

The flowers told me rain was coming, and the trees' whispers confirmed it. The leaves were turning because it was going to be a strong storm. These signs came to me so naturally I seldom gave it a second thought.

We raced down the road as I watched the stripes of the highway blaze past in a blur. We were almost there. How the hell did they expect me to fit in here? I knew I was special, more like 'Special Ed,' they might think. I had read enough to know I wouldn't fit it. I was not good in sports and didn't have a single athletic bone in my body. Botany and Biology had been my key forms of education. Yeah, this is going to suck.

I leaned against the door, hoping it might open unexpectedly and throw me against the pavement, to my death. I wasn't that lucky. We pulled into the parking spaces in front of the massive school.

Mixed emotions flooded my mind as I crawled reluctantly from the car. What was I to do? Just stop? I didn't want to be here. I made my way through the masses of people to the principal's office. I could feel their thoughts. They were all so very confused. Half truths and skewed reality were going to have to be my way if I wanted to blend in with these, people. It felt so strange to have to suddenly hide parts of me that had been encouraged over the last few years.

"You are special, Ty," Mark told me.

"Don't use your special abilities. You must blend in here! We've taught you all we know," Kent reminded me.

"Great, no pressure there," I thought as I stood amongst the throng of people pushing past me. I hated it. So many thoughts and feelings brushed against me that I felt smothered.

These people hurt too much for words. How in the hell would I ever blend in here? I tucked myself into the hooded sweatshirt that covered me, and sat on the plastic chair in the administrative office, waiting for my class schedule. I half-heartedly hoped they would forget me.

"Charles on, Ty, come into my office please." Mr. Kard announced.

I slumped into one of the two chairs that sat before his desk. "Yes, Sir," I whispered.

"I hear you have been home schooled, Ty," he said, almost indignantly. I could feel his disdain against my skin.

The school principal was a pudgy man with a crooked nose, grey hair, and a pedophile for a son. I could read his thoughts as if they were my own. He had also been skimming the school's books and I instantly despised him. He was a self important ass, as were most people, and I could feel his insecurity quickly replaced by a sick self-imposed authority. He was a bad man.

"Yes, sir," I answered.

"You turn seventeen this year, according to your file," Mr. Kard said.

I nodded my reply.

"Well, then, I'll assume you are ready for your Junior year," he said as he squinted his eyes in my direction.

It didn't help my worry, knowing this man hated me on sight. He thought that my family and our ways were strange. And I knew why. I could see it in his mind. He had had a tryst with my uncle Trent during his child hood. It flashed across his mind and I could feel his tension, among other things.

"You're already late for class," he said with a knowing grin. He didn't really care. He only hoped for my discomfort.

I nodded and made my way through the concrete halls to gym class. I stood in the doorway outside of the gym . Mr. Durgo finally noticed me, though I had hoped he wouldn't.

They had been playing dodge ball. I knew the game. I had read about it. I think there had even been a movie about it some time back, but I couldn't remember the name. I could feel the vehemence they shared. I couldn't explain it more than that. They hated and wanted to hurt each other. I knew that at least some of these people had to consider each other friends, so that puzzled me even more.

The red bloated balls all came flying toward me. I didn't want to hurt anyone. I caught each and dropped them. The ones I couldn't manage to catch, I dodged. This wasn't my way. I could feel Mr. Durgo's agitation at me for not being in uniform. I wanted to rush to the closeted space that I saw in his mind where they changed clothes. I could also see the sick pleasure he got from it.

What kind of man took this kind of pleasure from our embarrassment? I wasn't going to fit in here. I could feel his sadness from having divorced earlier this year. He had lost a daughter, too, and was sad and angry.

Welcome to Gym class. I was so angry with Kent and Mark for leaving me here. It didn't matter. I was here and I didn't have any choice.

"It's okay, you know," I whispered to him.

Durgo just stood, staring at me. His anger was building and I hadn't done a thing. I had only offered him the slightest bit of comfort. He was in so much pain.

The class ended at the tone of the bell. The speakers announced the end of our class and we had to rush to be ready for the next. There would be no time for showering today.

"I'm sorry." I told him, and I meant it. I guess I shouldn't have said it. I didn't know we weren't supposed to feel here. This was such a strange world for me.

I spent several classes buzzing about in my mind. English class had been the best. We had begun reading "Hamlet." A tortured soul to say the least, but no less tortured than these fools. I had read it ages ago and thought it was fabulous.

One body drew my attention more than most. His name was Brian. He was blond haired, average build, short, and cute. His world was a nightmare of pain, and he kept to himself. He didn't talk much with the rest of the guys, which made me like him even more. His green eyes flashed in my direction and I quickly hid myself behind my book. I had to keep quiet.

I looked into his memory. He had a full heart waiting to love. Unfortunately it had been toughened up by too much misery. These people had too much baggage. I knew from their thoughts that High School was not a place of fun and free love. Worlds hinged on perception. This place sucked! Even worse, homosexuality burned across their minds like a bull's eye. They perceived it as some detestable thing and, at the very least, prized information to torment you with. Here, they all thought it was wrong! How was I supposed to work with that!? I wanted desperately to go back to my world at home. Surely there was more they could teach me there.

By the end of the day I had reduced three of my teachers to tears. I hadn't meant to, but I couldn't control my sympathy. I am an empathic Druid. I feel. The 'Circle' had called it my failing. I had felt their disappointment. I knew it with their words, as much as their hearts. It wasn't my fault.

The day had finally ended and I stood outside the school, waiting. Kent pulled up in front of the school in our old black Chevy truck. I climbed in and slammed the door. I had hoped the sound would push away these people's pain. I could still feel it pressing against my skin.

"Get me out of here, Uncle Kent," I begged. The tears were welling in my eyes. I didn't want to feel for these people. There was so much despair and I hated this place. They had to have known what it would do to me.

"Why?" I asked as the tears rolled down my cheeks.

My heart ached and I didn't know what hurt me more, the fact that they knew, or that they didn't seem to care.

"This is the year of fire, Ty," Kent answered. He glanced at me like I should know what it meant. I did know, but I didn't want to accept it.