Chapter 1: Going to school
Are they "taken care of?"
Yes!
"Did you get the artifact?"
No!
"Well don't return until you do! Understood?" barked the voice from the other end of the phone. "Okay. Beep!" The line went dead.
BANG! BANG! BOOM!
The entire car flipped onto its roof and slid into the nearby bushes with a loud THUD. It was then engulfed in flames.
BANG! BANG!
There was a knocking at the door. Kevin was jolted awake, drenched in sweat and panting. The dream felt so surreal, so life like, it felt like something he had experience himself. He couldn't catch his breath. Upon opening his eyes, he was met with his little sister, Clarissa, staring intently at him with a smile. She had come to wake him for school. She said, "Kevin, get up! Mother sent me to wake you. You can't be sleeping at this hour; you have school, and you're in your Senior Year. You've got to do better and improve yourself", she scolded. "Got it" Kevin replied and rolling out of bed to begin his journey to the shower.
After showering and getting dressed in his shabby but clean school attire, he made his way to the kitchen where his mother, Mrs. Lu, was busy preparing breakfast for Clarissa and himself. A sweet aroma filled the air; she was lightly toasting bread and frying eggs. Upon finishing his breakfast and getting ready to leave for school, his mother prayed for him and his sister. She also prepared a box of lunch for Kevin to drop off to his father; her husband Mr. Lu, at the village mines. They lived in Wang Xian Valley in the Jiangxi Province, a rural village. It was not very large, and most villagers worked the mines for income. It was not a high salary for their work, but it provided a good life for the family.
Upon leaving for school, Clarissa and Kevin talked along the way about all the things they wish to accomplish when they grew older and the places they wished to visit. They were not willing to be confined to Wang Xian Valley for their entire lives. Clarissa, although two years younger than Kevin, was one of the beauties in the village and her parents pride. Standing at 5'8", she had long, black hair cascading down her back, a graceful figure, and fierce, light grey eyes that captivated souls. At only fifteen years old, she was a top tier beauty outshone most of the country's top celebrities and supermodels. Kevin himself was no slouch either. He was 6' 2", handsome, with a chiselled jaw line, jet black hair, light brown eyes and a well-built physique.
They made their way through the village and were greeted by both young and old along the way. Upon reaching the junction, the friends of both Clarissa and Kevin were waiting. Seeing Kevin and his sister, his friends Leroy and Nathan both ran towards them, place their arms around his shoulders and playfully scolded him. "What took you so long to arrive?" they asked, as they were tired of waiting. Kevin told his friends that his mother had given him lunch to drop off at the mines for his father. He then asked if they could escort Clarissa and the girls to school. They agreed and proceeded toward the school.
As they disappeared into the distance, Kevin headed in the opposite direction towards the mines. He briskly walked along Parkway Road toward his destination; however, he soon came upon road work blocking the usual path. Deciding to take an alternate route, he turned onto Big Street. Although he wasn't very familiar with this specific road, he felt confident it would eventually lead to the mines. Strangely, Big Street felt oddly familiar to Kevin, it felt like he had been there before. "Was this a coincidence?" he asked himself as he made his way toward the mines. The sensation of déjà vu deepen until his thoughts began to rattle. Flashes of what seemed to be suppressed memories pounded in his mind like a large base drum. His consciousness felt as though it were spiralling out of control the internal pressure built. As the intensity of the visions peaked, his head began to throb, his vision blurred and he collapse into the bushes off the road.....
At school, Leroy and Nathan waited for Kevin at the bleachers after dropping Clarissa and her friends Maggie and Suzie, for class. After waiting for a half hour, they finally gave up and headed to class.
In class, Mr. Ford was already taking attendance. When Kevin's name was called, both Leroy and Nathan, lowered their heads on the desks and answered "present". The entire class steered in their direction, sensing something was off, but Mr. Ford, simply continued with the roll call, without even lifting his head to confirm. Kelly, the "class beauty" who normally sits next to Kevin, showed visible concern. Kevin was not one to miss class, especially since he knew she would be there. Even though he wasn't considered the brightest student and the teachers had low expectations for his academic future, missing class was still unlike him. He had no hopes of making it to a Tier 1 University, he missing class still bothered Kelly. Leaning over to Leroy and Nathan, she quietly questioned them about Kevin's whereabouts, as they are usually inseparable.
Recognizing Kelly's genuine concern, the two friends told her the truth. Kevin had gone to the Mines to drop lunch for his father before coming to school. Hearing this made Kelly feel significantly better; she had worried he was trying to avoid her because of a "situation" that had occurred between them a few days prior. She had grown up with them in the community since they were young. She had moved to Wang Xian Valley from the Capital to stay with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Wang. They were a wealthy family who had traded the bustling of city life for a quite retirement in the village. Her parents, Shu Wang and wife Milly Wang remained I the Capital to manage the family business, leaving them little time to care for Kelly which was why she had been sent to live with her grandparents in the first place. They were one of the wealthiest families in the village.