by R. E. Rowe
Her side swept bangs float when she moves. “Actually, it will be you and Bree, along with Richard, Franz, and Mack. You five are the last of your kind. The council won’t allow more to reincarnate.”
“But why are enforcers needed now that General is gone?”
“The council of souls believes Dennis and some followers are still alive. You will need to stop them if they come out of hiding.” She touches me again. “Please decide, Reiz. What will I tell the council?”
My thoughts shift. Mom. How would she feel without me? The idea of leaving her alone weighs heavily on me. But the idea of losing Aimee again is just as sad.
I wrap myself around Aimee. “I’ll miss ‘us’.”
“I will miss us too,” she says. “But our life experience in Franklinville will last forever in the cloud.”
I wrap myself tighter around her. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Reiz.”
I kiss her once more, soft, deep, long.
I can do more than add color to the gray world. I stand and straighten my shoulders. I know Aimee is right.
“Yes, you can, Reizo,” Aimee says without moving her lips. “The world needs the gifts you have to give it.”
“Okay. I’ll do it.”
chapter thirty-seven
The entire classroom is in disarray and smells like a gym locker room. People are everywhere; some talking in small groups, some writing on the board, and others listening to music from a speaker near a cell phone. It’s a new school year at Theodore High in Franklinville, Arkansas.
“Admit it, loser!” Bouncer shouts. “You’re weak!”
I smirk, knowing Bouncer is just messing with me. Trying unsuccessfully to push me.
Mr. Moser bursts through the classroom doors. “Seats, people. Take a seat.” He begins writing on the chalkboard. “Welcome to a new school year and the wonderful world of geometry.”
“Remember to watch yourself,” Honesti says.
“Why? He can just mess around inside their heads,” Bouncer says.
“True,” Honesti says, “but he’s not supposed to do that unless he has good reason. Remember what the council said?”
“Good reason? Any reason would be good enough for these lame ass punks,” Bouncer says.
“You are pushing my patience, mister,” Honesti says.
Home sweet home. In a strange, sort of dysfunctional way, it feels awesome listening to murmurs bounce off the walls and grow into laughs. The same Raymond from last year kicks the leg of my desk chair from behind. Obviously no major music label has discovered his talent yet.
I smile and concentrate. Slap your forehead and yell, “I’m an idiot!”
I hear Raymond groan when he slaps his face. “I’m an idiot!” he yells, causing the class to turn and stare at him.
Some guy responds, “We know.”
The entire class laughs.
“Well done, brother man. I think the council would approve of that, for sure,” Bouncer says, snickering. “You could kick his punk ass. Always knew you could.”
“Will you please stop it,” Honesti says.
Moser continues writing on the chalkboard. “Faces forward. Let’s all try to help Raymond out...”
A ball of paper hits Moser in the back of his head. He doesn’t turn around. Instead, he just keeps writing equations. “Looks like someone in the class wants everyone to do two chapters this week.” Moser jerks around to face us. “Shall I make it three?”
Whispers of disappointment circulate the room.
“It was the crazy kid!” Raymond shouts. “He threw it.”
Everyone in the room knows that’s a lie. Most people saw Raymond toss the paper.
Nervous laughs erupt around the classroom like heated-up microwave popcorn. Mr. Moser’s shoulders stiffen. He turns and paces across the front of the classroom, glancing around every few steps.
“Work your magic inside his head,” Bouncer says. “Make him slap his face.”
“Remember the council. Contain yourself,” Honesti says.
There’ll be no crazy Reizo show today, or any day, for that matter.
I focus on Raymond. Stand up. I’m a liar. It was me. I did it.
Raymond stands and says, “I’m a liar. It was me. I did it.”
“Nice one,” Honesti says.
“Thank you, Raymond, for the thoughtful confession,” says Moser. He raises his voice. “Now please sit down. We can talk about this after school for the next two weeks.”
I flip open my sketchbook, take out a pencil, and gaze at my latest tag design. I’m done with tunnels, oncoming trains, and giant sidewalk sinkholes. Now I’m into bigger stuff. Puffy clouds with sunrays lighting up a busy city. Flying cars. Massive lakes. Roses. White lilies. Curious dragonflies. Golden light.
Suddenly, a knock rattles the classroom door.
“Come in,” Moser yells.
The door opens slowly.
In walks Bree in a tight lace covered dress wearing bright red lipstick. She walks into Moser’s classroom with the grace of an exotic model on a fashion runway and gently shakes out her long, black hair.
All the eyes in the classroom stare at Bree in silence as she hands Moser a piece of paper. Awkward. But it doesn't seem to bother Bree one bit.
Moser studies the paper as if he's grading it while she stands tall in front of the classroom with enough confidence to teach the class.
“Check her out!” whispers Raymond.
A girl sitting next to Raymond hits him in the shoulder.
I smile. Yeah, she does have that effect on people.
“Welcome to our Geometry class, Bree,” Moser says. “I’ve heard great things about you from our school principal. Please take a seat. Let me see...” Moser surveys the room.
Next to me, please. Next to me.
“There’s a seat right there. It’s next to Reizo Rush. Raise your hand, Mr. Rush.”
I raise my hand and grin.
“Thank you,” says Bree. She smiles at me. She obviously heard the thoughts I sent Moser.
“She’s smiling at you, dude,” says a skinny guy next to me.
Everyone watches Bree as she gracefully walks down the row of desks with her gold bracelet fixed to her forearm and the jewels sparkling.
“Please class, welcome Bree Pellegrini,” Moser says. “She’s an international exchange student from Malta.”
Twenty-five students swivel their heads and stare. A boy whistles and instantly gets hushed by the girl next to him.
When Bree reaches the seat next to me, she leans over slowly and gives me a soft kiss on the right cheek, one on the left, and then sits down at the desk.
I sit back, fold my arms, and peer at Moser, serious but non-threatening.
Moser clears his throat and is about to say something, but then repeats the thought I insert into his mind: “Thank you, Mr. Rush, for giving our new foreign exchange student such a nice greeting. You are smooth with the ladies.”
Moser shakes his head as if he has water in his ears, then turns back to the chalkboard.
Whispers.
Pointing fingers.
Silent stares.
Waiting.
Watching.
Preparing cell phones to record.
Last year, I had planned my exit. This year I'm planning to make Aimee proud. If Dennis is still alive, I will find him.
###
About the Author
When R.E. Rowe isn't dreaming, you’ll find him trying to discover why, figuring out how, uncovering ancient mysteries, searching for a grand unified theory of everything, exploring the universe, writing a crazy fun middle grade or young adult novel, reading a novel, helping a business innovate, inventing something seriously cool, or learning something super interesting. He enjoys participating in science camps and talking to groups about creative topics such as the process of inventing, building worlds for science fiction and fantasy stories, and importance of dreaming big.
Connect with R.E. Rowe
&
nbsp; Email at: [email protected]
Author’s website: www.rickrowe.com
Follow the author on Twitter: @rickerowe
For comments related to specific books, please use the following hashtags:
For Voices: #reizoaimee
For Whispers: #reizocarmina
For Hack: #carminawisps
Other books by R.E. Rowe
The Reincarnation Series
Voices Copyright 2015 by R.E. Rowe, Book 1
Whispers Copyright 2015 by R.E. Rowe, Book 2
The Adventures of Jayden Banks and the Jameson Twins
Game On Copyright 2015 by R.E. Rowe, Book 1
Acknowledgements
Thank you to all my amazing writer friends for offering suggestions, support and critiques. Thanks to the professional editors and writing teachers I've worked with who continue to teach me the art of transforming neurons carrying story ideas into digital manuscripts. I'm thankful for the amazing authors who spend time teaching writers and sharing the lessons they've learned over their writing careers. Thank you to my author friend Jenny MacKay (www.jennymackay.com) for being an amazing teacher, my Nevada SCBWI Mentorship Program mentor, and taking the time to work with me.
A special thanks to U.K author Vanessa Curtis (http://www.curtisliterary.co.uk) for sharing her knowledge and expertise. And thanks to Randi Taber for her creative suggestions during the proofreading phase of book 1 and 2.
Thank you to Jo'Ann Ruhl (http://www.joannruhl.com) for her encouragement and wisdom. Jo'Ann helped me stay focused on follow through and encouraged me to share Reizo's, Aimee's and Carmina's stories with the world. And many thanks to my friend Ernest Morrow (http://www.ernestmorrow.com) for sharing his wisdom and offering encouragement during the world and mythology building process of these novels—the process forced the characters to stay present, ask big questions and search for their own truth.
Table of Contents
Rules
chapter one
chapter two
chapter three
chapter four
chapter five
chapter six
chapter seven
chapter eight
chapter nine
chapter ten
chapter eleven
chapter twelve
chapter thirteen
chapter fourteen
chapter fifteen
chapter sixteen
chapter seventeen
chapter eighteen
chapter nineteen
chapter twenty
chapter twenty-one
chapter twenty-two
chapter twenty-three
chapter twenty-four
chapter twenty-five
chapter twenty-six
chapter twenty-seven
chapter twenty-eight
chapter twenty-nine
chapter thirty
chapter thirty-one
chapter thirty-two
chapter thirty-three
chapter thirty-four
chapter thirty-five
chapter thirty-six
chapter thirty-seven
About the Author