Chapter 3 As we walked Everett explained that the place we were going to worked as both a school during the school year, and a summer camp whenever school lets out. "Basically whoever is most knowledgeable about a necessary topic, teaches about that topic." He kept talking, but I wasn't paying attention. My eyes darted around, I couldn't focus on anything. Paige walked next to me, she tapped me on the shoulder and asked, "Hey, you good?" It was a simple question, and it's common etiquette to ask if someone's okay after their little brother gets kidnapped by a monster with unknown motives, but hey what do I know. All it took was that question to send me spiraling. I started sobbing, she wrapped me in a hug and kept telling me it would be okay, but it didn't feel like it would be okay. Just about an hour ago James had gotten kidnapped and I didn't know if would ever see him again. Just over an hour ago my biggest problem was a math test that I definitely studied for. Just over an hour ago my life was normal. After a little bit I had stopped crying, I have a pretty bad sense of time but I knew it couldn't have been that long. We continued walking, Everett had stopped talking, maybe he decided this wasn't the best time to infodump, or he realized nobody was listening. "I put an axe right over there." Jackson said while pointing at a bush. Everett walked over to the bush, picked up the axe, gave Jackson a 'I'll 1* you later' look, and continued walking. By the time we got to the place Everett described, he had made Jackson carry all the weapons he stashed (Three swords, two bows, an axe, a spear, and a partridge in a pear tree). Jackson claimed that there were more, but I didn't know how that was possible. The forest we had been walking through came to an abrupt stop, instead of lots of trees, and moss lining the ground it was just grass. Up ahead there was a large arch and it looked like at one point there may have been words on it but now it was covered with random posters, stickers, and I'm pretty sure I saw the cool 'S' thing painted on there about ten times. Beyond the arch there were two large cabins, and between the cabins there was a large building, looked to be about four stories tall. There was a blonde girl leaning up against the side of the arch, and picking at a leaf. She looked to be about Everett's age. "MAY! Look over here at what Jackson did! " She looked up from her leaf. "Jackson, why, just why?" "Uhhh, because funny." He whipped his head around as if he saw something, accidentally bonking Everett upside the head with a spear. "OWW! What was that for?" "I thought I saw an albino squirrel." "May, can you show these three around," he gestured at me, Paige, and Will. " while I have a little chat with Jackson-" "I promise the spear bonk was an accident-" "I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about the stealing weapons and stashing them." "Sorry." May laughed, "Sure thing Ev, but remember, you're teaching at two." He nodded solemnly, and walked off, followed by Jackson and the clanking of weapons. May looked at us, seeming a bit puzzled, "Shouldn't ya'll be in school right now?" Paige quickly explained what happened. "That's not fun, but I might be able to help." My heart rose in my chest. I was so excited to get my brother back, that I was willing to do just about anything. We walked towards the four story building.
Chapter 3.5 James The beast snatched up James from where he was standing. He didn't know what the beast was or why it had come for him. Its talons dug into his shoulder blades shooting a sharp pain through his back. James tried to readjust his position, but he dropped his backpack. He looked down, wondering where exactly he was. He saw a train, but that didn't tell him much, there were trains all over Virginia. James shifted position. "Could you please hold me a little bit looser?" "This loose?" The beast said coldly as it dropped him. He screamed as he fell through the air. The beast swooped in and caught him, and was now holding him even tighter than before. After what felt like ages of flying, James found the courage to ask, "Where are we?" "The place where I drop insolent brats and watch them split open like a potato sack if they don't shut up." James decided it would be a good idea to shut up. 1*- kill the missing word is kill. Scratch won't let me say I'll k_ _ _ you, but you can say kill
