Welcome to the Macleod Academy boy. The stranger said in a loud voice. I stared forward and realized that this was not a dream and what awaits ahead the adventure begins.
We drove a little distance on a narrow paved road. There stood before us was a huge old-looking building like something out of one of those old English movies I used to see my dad watch.
It was white and grey; the building had what seemed to be leveled and at the top of the building itself to had a turret black and all the windows had stained green class.
As we got closer to our chosen destination, I could see the yard, and in front, I saw a couple of youths in the front casually just hanging around and talking.
Oren drove into the back of the building, most likely because there was an entrance to what seemed to be a parking lot, and my guess was right.
I noticed there were numerous vehicles, easily by the hundreds. But it wasn't long before he found an empty spot and parked there.
"Hey kid, come this way, follow me."
He said, both hands in his pocket as he signal me to tag along while saying.
"Let's go meet the head of the Asylum, I'm sure you will get along, hehe."
Oren said while laughing out loud.
A couple of minutes pass by, and we walked towards the gothic-style mansion. That was easily the largest infrastructure I have ever seen in my life, especially for one being this old in design.
He led me to a door in the back. Not too far from where we had parked earlier.
Normally I'm not easily surprised, but today has been full of nothing but constant surprise and despair, and as we step inside.
I could easily, and wholeheartedly, swear that this place was the most beautiful mansion I have ever seen.
It looked like I traveled back into the past. Because the initial design of the place was reminiscent of that of ancient times, mostly the 9th-century or 8th-century early medieval era.
I could see beautiful paintings of old meadows, people dress in old-school attire, along with cities of old in every piece of art. This place was so large I wouldn't be surprised a small village could fit inside of it.
The floors of the mansion were made from cobblestones, along with a couple of lumber works in the mix of the designs. Even old vases could be seen on old rigid shelves, and even the windows were ancient in design, as it reminds me of the stein glasses one normally sees in a cathedral.
But as I walk and admire my surroundings, Oren looks at me as he stops at a certain door. It was a normal door, polish oak, dark wood.
Oren then began to knock on the door, and soon after, we heard the voice of a man.
"Come in."
With that said, we walked into a room that had 4 people sitting around a glass-looking table.
Oren didn't say anything and did nothing but a humble bow as he look towards the four individuals that were all looking at me, as if I was some unique & extraordinary specimen, among rare specimens.
Oren didn't say anything, but he did look at me as he gestured for me to approach the four.
I sighed with a slight nervousness in my heart, as this was uncharted territory for me in every sense of the word, but I followed suit regardless.
And as I approached closer, one of the people that was sitting stood up and said in a high tone voice; speaking in perfect English. As he said.
"Greeting young Armstrong. My name is Andre, I am the headmaster of this prestigious academy for the gifted. But let's cut to the chase. I know you have a lot of questions in mind and you are surely wondering why you are here and where is here to even begin with, right?"
The tall, white skin elderly man said with a serious look on his face. He was easily 6"9 or 6"10 in height. He wore nothing but a white suit that was bottom up to his collar, and around his neck was a bright red work tie. Meanwhile, he wore white trousers that were ironed neatly, showing a beautiful traveler's crease on both legs. Giving him a sense of professionalism and maturity, he had one or two wrinkles on his face, but his body was muscular. As if it was trained for years, meanwhile he had a black leather belt and white leather shoes that were neatly polished. But what stood out the most about him was the dominating and oppressing pressure he passively released constantly.
It is impossible to not pay attention to him. And that was exactly what I was doing.
"First thing first, let me tell you about The Macleod Academy."
"… Ma-Ma-Macleod Academy?"
"No need to be shy. I won't eat you, and yes, Macleod Academy. It is a school but not a regular run-of-the-mill school, of course, but a school for gifted and unique people like yourself."
I didn't talk out of respect for my elders, but I found the topic interesting as well.
"I know you realize by now that you are gifted and very special in more ways than one, right?"
"Y-Y-Ywah!"
I said, still not believing a word but answering in fear, to be honest.
"Hahaha… like I said, you don't have to be shy, but honestly speaking, we have been aware of your power manifesting itself for a while now, or more like from the time you killed the bear on your school trip."
"HOWWW?!"
I asked, a little worried that I was being stalked from that earlier on in my life.
"Don't panic, let me explain. You see, we have a teacher here who has the gift to sense new people with powers. That was how we were able to reach and track you through the years."
"And Before I go any further, let me introduce the other three people here to you. Kindly take a seat."
The Headmaster gestured, to which I follow, and took a seat beside a rather grumpy-looking man.
And the Headmaster began his introduction.
"On the board of directors, we have Michelle Palmson, who has the power to sense other gifted students, and she also teaches level-one students."
"Next on the list is Lilian Creed."
Who was an older woman? In fact, she looks like she's the oldest besides the headmaster.
"She teaches level 2 and also does counseling."
"And now finally we have Mr. Ashton Mckoy. He teaches level 3, the highest level, which is the students with very high skills and power sets."
But the level of nonsense was a little too much, and I answered as such, my thought escaping for a moment.
"Hey are you guys for real, or is this all a joke, no please say it's all just a sick joke?"
I said in a loud but nervous voice.
To which Andre smiled, as he replied as such.
"No, Mr. Rodney, this is as real as real can get. This school is specifically for people like you who were born and built differently. You specifically were born with powers that let you access the parts of the brain we do not use or regular people don't use on a daily basis."
"In your case, as with the other students here, you can do things with your mind. Some move stuff, some have telekinesis and psychokinesis."
Andre said casually, to which I replied.
"So what you are saying is, I am a freak?"
To which Andre and the others all laugh, and said.
"Arent we all?"
"But honestly speaking, you're not. We don't use the (F) word around here, but to define you and everyone here, we like to say we are special."
"But we also don't know the extent of your powers yet. We only know you're an Esper, maybe an esoteric hybrid. Who knows? But in order to find out, we will have to test you and do some simulation exercises. All we know is adrenaline and emotions seem to trigger your power, so we want to see if there's a way for you to harness and control it yourself."
It was at that moment; I speak up.
"But I want to go home. I have a life, and I have dreams that I want to fulfill. I did not want or ask to have these gifts' powers, whatever you want to call them."
"I also I have my mom to look after, so please let me go home."
Then the teacher whose name is Ashton spoke. He had a light voice that made the room feel calm and the atmosphere felt serene.
"I sense great sadness in you; boy, but you do realize we are only trying to help you. If you go back, you are putting everyone in danger plus your mom as well, because your powers are uncontrollable I have seen it, your power deletes the mind and its entirety, causing brain damage, and other types of mental damage, we are not holding you captive, no! we just want to help, and here we can and have the means and the resources to help you in a safe environment that no one can get hurt, plus how will you explain to the police what happened to those guys at the store so think carefully before you make a hasty decision."
"We are not the enemy here. We only want the best for you, and if it makes you feel better, we have precautions for every scenario. And also everyone here will promise you that this academy will look after your mother while you are here. And we can also psychically put in her head the thought that you are safe and you are away at college."
He said.
"Give it a try, please, for yourself and for the safety of others."
"I don't want to stay here!"
I shouted out and walk out towards the nearest exit. Oren followed.
"Hey man, slow down. Listen to me. All we want is to help you; give it a chance dude. After all, you saw it yourself, the devastating results your powers cause just because you can't control them. Those guys died tonight as a result of that."
"Serve them right."
I said with zero care for those three bastards' well-being.
"Don't think like that bro, yes they deserve it, but what if God forbid you to hurt an innocent?"
"Fuck God and his entire concept. Now tell me, why did God kill an innocent man? What makes him different from those men, and what makes him any different from me? As far as I see things, I'm no different from a murderer, but those guys deserve the end they receive?"
Oren simply replied.
"Simple, you're not a God. You can't stop or know what comes next, and what your choices will lead you to, God is a certain existence that knows all, but you are the opposite, just like me and everyone else, we are all uncertain beings or actions and existence could cause mass destruction if not properly contain. Even if we didn't mean it, we can't control what we are uncertain of. That's why we need to be certain of our own powers but to do that, we must conquer our own uncertainties first."
"Egh."
At his counter, I pause and I slowly turn around. His words hit me like a sledgehammer. I did not want to kill people that don't deserve the rightful judgment. No! I don't want to kill at all, but as I slowly think back at Ashton's words.
What were the chances of me deleting my mother's mind? They say the trigger was emotion. What if I have a nightmare, and my powers activate, and my mother became a victim of my own power? If that happen I would, no I couldn't live with myself knowing I am the cause.
But then and again, am I in the wrong for worrying? Mother is sick, but then again, maybe someone here can heal her, but even that is not certain.
I contemplated a bit before I sighed in annoyance and acceptance.
"SIGGHHHH!!!
Then I look at Oren and said with a defeated expression.
"Ok I will stay… but only for a couple of months, but my mother please make sure she stays ok."
"And also you do what you guys said you do, so she will not be worried about me."
At these words Oren smiles as he places his hands over me, hugging me with excitement, his hands raised to the air while saying enthusiastically.
"We got you, mate, no prob. Let's go back in and tell the headmaster the good news."
With that said, I went back in, and everyone was staring at me, expecting my final answer.
"Firstly, I want to apologize for my behavior. I act out like a child. I just want to make that clear to everyone here, and I'm sorry for the unnecessary commotion I caused earlier, that was so immature of me."
"With that said, I will stay."
I said the last part in a low voice.
The headmaster and Ashton that look miserable earlier smiled, and for some reason, the air lost its tension, and everyone began to calm down and feel delighted with Ashton's smile.
"Thanks."
The headmaster said as he got up and grab my shoulder firmly.
"Welcome to Macleod Academy. We will do our best to make sure your stay here with us is a pleasant one. I know you have a lot of questions we couldn't answer given the circumstances of this late enrolment, but we will definitely answer them in time."
"But for now, let Oren show you to your room and get you up to speed with everyone."
His words echo in my ears as I drift in thought, what awaits here? What have I got myself into?
The answer to that question was an answer I would never expect, for deep in the shadows lurk a mysterious figure dark and cold evil beyond compare. Darkness will soon dawn on Macleod Academy. God, if he exists, help us all!