I kept running until I could no longer. My legs felt like they were going to fall off, and my feet ached immensely. As I ran, my surroundings began to change. The open plain of grass began to shift into a forest full of trees. The sun became less clear, shining through the trees surrounding me. The ground I ran on turned and became more rough with each step. Once I was sure I could no longer feel the bullets on the ground beneath me, I stopped running and pulled the earplugs out from my ears. The feeling was almost euphoric. My ears felt sweaty from the plugs, and the cool air hitting my ears created a satisfying feeling. We had run so deep into the forest that all I could hear were the sounds of birds chirping and the breaths of me and Finlo.
After catching our breath, we decided to walk deeper into the forest for good measure. We found an area to regroup in there were two big logs on an open space; the ground looked like it was probably used for camping at some point. Finlo and I sat down on a log together. We sat in silence for a minute until it was broken when we both looked at each other. We burst out in laughter and excitement, amazed at the escape we were able to make. For the first time in a while, it felt like I had experienced true joy. The rush from the escape was hitting me all at once while laughing. I turned to Finlo, still in shock from what he did back at the school.
"Oh my god! Oh my god! How did you do that back there? I mean, that was... that was fucking incredible!" Finlo gave a smile and looked down at the floor, seemingly not as content as I was. He looked back at me. "I mean, it was alright, I guess. It was supposed to be a bullet train that would've gotten us out of there a bit faster. Running in the middle of the fight was kinda dangerous. A bullet could have hit us, and it would've been on me." I was amazed at the standard Finlo held himself to at such a young age. I mean, if I were able to do stuff like that with my eye, I'd be ecstatic. I continued to praise him. "Are you kidding? I can't even take myself home, let alone pull things out of a time period. What the fuck ! I-... sorry, I shouldn't be cussing in front of you. Just wow! I didn't even know that was possible!"
Finlo began to smile. "Thanks. Yeah, it's called the art of pulling, along with time travel. It's one of the coolest things the eye can do. Still, kinda getting the hang of it. We self-taughts have to work twice as hard to get this stuff." I looked at Finlo with confusion. "Self-taughts?" Finlo continued, "Yeah, pretty much someone who has to read the Megillah and learn the eye themselves. It takes well, almost forever... I've been reading it behind my dad's back since I was eight." I questioned Finlo a bit more. "The Megillah? That's the book you were talking about earlier?" The boy continued, "Yeah, it has basically all you need to know about the eye. My dad found it a few years back when the eye first called him. He wanted to master it regardless of whether he was a prodigy."
I looked down at the ground as I made a realization. "Are you saying that if the eye calls you, you're a prodigy?" Finlo continued, "Yeah, isn't that what you are?" I didn't know how to answer, but I tried. "Uhhhh, I guess? I don't know. I pretty much suck at this thing. It's the reason I'm stuck here." The boy's face began to grow puzzled. "Man, I thought you just didn't know that there were more of us out here. I didn't know you were actually clueless about all of this." I looked at the boy and let out a chuckle. "Well, I'm uh, sorry to disappoint you." The boy looked back at me. "Disappoint me? I envy you. I mean, you're a prodigy. There's only twelve of those in the universe, and I only happen to know six of them. When you learn how to use this thing, you'll be one of the most powerful people in the universe. Lucky for you, as a prodigy, you'll pick up on the eye quickly. I'll tell you everything I know."
I began to laugh in excitement. "Wow, thank you. I- I don't even know what to say." The boy stopped me. "You don't have to say anything. In the short time I've known you, you've stood up for me more than anyone has in my life, plus you got me out of that prison. Consider this my way of repaying you." The boy and I smiled at each other. My smile faded as I remembered what Mrs. Shelly had told me back at the school. Then I told Finlo what I must do. "After you teach me, I want you to help me carry out Sara's plan." The boy got up from the log in frustration. "Are you serious? First of all, that psycho kidnapped us. Second of all, her plan is extremely dangerous. It worked, but there's no way you'll learn fast enough to go back and kill Kneel in the past. His forces will be back by then. It's suicide!"
I stood up as well. "Then we'll take them on, together. You said it yourself, I'm a prodigy, and you can make soldiers come out of portals! If we do this together, nobody, not even Kreel, can stand in our way." Finlo continued, "Listen, I tried to save these people. Almost did it, but then they took me prisoner! I just can't understand why you'd want to help these people. I mean, after all they've done, why risk our lives for them?" I continued to explain to Finlo. "You didn't see the side of Sara I saw. She's only trying to do what's best for her people. She's just troubled. Who wouldn't be after all she's lost? Back at the school, Mrs. Shelly made me promise I'd at least carry out her plan, minus the torture, of course." Finlo looked to the floor, still unsure. My attempts to persuade him persisted. "Look, I know what you went through back there was awful, but... if we sit back and continue to let these people suffer while we can help them... we're no better than they are."
Finlo shook his head in agreement. "Alright then, we better begin teaching you right away. Sara's group is definitely gonna come after us, plus we're eventually gonna have to take on Kreel's forces, so we'll start with the art of pulling." I put the eye necklace on for the first time. It was a feeling like no other, like it was made for me. For the first time since I had it, I began to embrace the eye. I smiled at the boy. "Ready when you are."