TerraFlame (The New Journey Book 1)

by Alexis González

  “Wow, that’s great bro” Linex complimented.

  “Right to beat you badly hahaha… just kidding, so what did you do yesterday when I left?” Joe continued.

  “Well, I was trying to attack Aiden, but it resulted pretty bad he defeated me like 5 times” Linex said.

  “And that’s how he chooses you as his student?”

  “What do you mean?”

  "You can’t be defeated by your opponent no matter what, you think this is a game but it's not, you should take this more seriously, never giving up on you and that’s what makes you stronger”.

  Linex paused thinking about what Joe had just said.

  “Your right, alright then I’ll give my best and win every challenge!” Linex declared and smiled.

  "That’s it, bro” they shared a brief high-five and stopped at the bus-stop. The bus arrived shortly, and they got in.

  One of the bullies was staring at him; Linex caught his gaze and made faces at him making the boy cringe back in terror, turning away quickly.

  “Hey noobie, look at the bus driver” Joe pointed, and they could make out the bus driver arguing with an old lady, Linex and Joe were confused about it and the old lady hit the bus driver in with her walking stick. Linex and Joe laughed hard and the bus driver scowled at them and told them to get down the bus.

  “No way I’m going down, you don’t give us orders even if you got hit by a lady” Joe said adamantly.

  “Tell him more bro” Linex added, encouraging his friend.

  After the bus driver had kicked them off the bus, Joe and Linex proceeded to walk to school.

  “I shouldn’t have raised your ego” Linex muttered in bitter regret.

  “Shut up Noob” Joe snapped.

  They didn't notice Linex's mom clad in a black jacket over dark brown leotards, she also had a pair of glasses on; she was trailing the boys with her car.

  “They’re on the move” she whispered to Gabriella, her next door neighbour.

  “Ok then, what is their next move?” Gabriella asked curiously.

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to figure it out” Jennica replied.

  She started the car and moved ahead but a police car had created a barricade which blocked the main road.

  “Hey! What are you doing!?” Jennica asked angrily.

  “Lady I’m doing my job and we had to blocked because there was a car accident just ahead” the police officer asserted pointing down the road.

  “I can’t believe this” Jennica groaned.

  “Don’t be like that find another route hurry before they get away!” Gabriella advised.

  "Right! I’m going to route 401, it might be far but probably get to them in no time” Jennica reasoned and started the car again, taking the next route.

  Linex and Joe went on walking to school and they soon found two streets quite close to school.

  “So what street Joe…?” Linex asked.

  “I’ll go left bro” Joe noted.

  “Ok bro” They moved on, just as Jennica drove to the next street, swerving the car to the right.

  “Have you found them?” Gabriella asked in utmost desperation.

  “Not yet, they must have noticed I’ve been spying them!” Jennica said.

  “Quickly abort the area!” Gabriella exclaimed spewing water from her mouth.

  Jennica put the car in reverse and crashed into a random car from the back.

  “Dang it…" Jennica hissed, "I just crashed the damned car"

  "Oh, great" Gabriella threw her hands up in exasperation.

  Jennica took out her phone and dialed the emergency center.

  “Hello, thanks for calling…” the operator started to say, but Jennica interrupted her.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah I need help here in route 401 I’ve crashed my car from the back, can you take it and bring it home” she blurted out hastily.

  “Mrs...” the operator said.

  “Bring a truck!” she snapped.

  “Ok then, they will be there soon” the operator replied.

  “Thank you and have a good day" Jennica said ending the call.

  She got out of the car and literally went sneaking after Linex and Joe, hidden behind a wall; she could see the duo talking to an old man.

  “Wait, who in the heck is that old man?” she wondered.

  “Hey Sensei Aiden, how’s it going!” Linex sounded rather excited; they hadn't expected to see the old man there.

  “Hey, fireman” Joe added sarcastically.

  “I was heading to the city to buy some fruits, it’s nice to see you guys" Sensei Aiden replied equally delighted.

  From her vantage point, Jennica had started to worry. It was already way past 8:50am.

  “Why are they not getting to school? They missed one class already” she whispered angrily.

  The sound of the crane alerted her. She whirled around to see that her car was being picked up by the truck.

  "What the heck are you doing?" She shouted hurrying towards her car.

  "We just received a call from a woman, asking that this car be towed" the crane operator replied.

  "oh… That was me!" She replied.

  "Oh, why weren't you here then?" The crane operator asked.

  "Just go with it…" she grunted.

  Linex and Joe trudged into class rather late for Professor Wales's lecture. They had been too excited to see Sensei Aiden and had completely forgotten that time had passed considerably.

  “Hello Linex and Joe! So, you didn’t go to class this morning I see” The professor said with a hint of sarcasm in this voice.

  “Don’t blame me, blame Joe and the bus driver for arguing” Linex mumbled.

  “LINEX…!” Joe cried angrily.

  A fighting almost ensued but the Professor stopped them.

  “We are really sorry professor, tomorrow we’ll be in time" Linex apologized in all sincerity.

  “I can come whatever time I want” Joe muttered silently.

  “What was that Joe?” Professor Wales asked.

  “I will come in time… for sure” he quickly said.

  “Ok then get to the next classes” the professor instructed and went on his way.

  “Alright” the boys chorused and were on their way to class.

  “Hahaha you got scared when he almost caught you saying that” Like teased winking at Joe.

  “At least he didn’t, I could get in trouble and I would need to call dad to clear their mind” Joe replied.

  “Ok? let’s continue” Linex said and the boys headed to class.

  ***

  After a lot of argument, Jennica had finally convinced the crane operator that she indeed owned the car.

  And it was taken to the auto-mechanic shortly.

  CHAPTER 7

  HIGH SCHOOL BATTLE

  While Jennica was taking her car to the auto mechanics, Linex and Joe were a little late to the second class.

  “Good morning Linex and Joe, why are you late to class?” Mrs. Paulin asked sternly.

  “Sorry we had a little trouble with the bus and…” Linex started.

  Cutting him short, Mrs. Pauline said. “Shhh, just sit and forget about the excuses”

  The boys mumbled their thanks and sat down much to the amusement of the whole class.

  Linex was a little pissed but controlled himself, while Joe just kept a straight face ignoring them.

  Linex caught a glimpse of Lysie passing by the door with her friends, he blushed a little, but Joe didn't miss his reaction.

  “Wejee, so we have a lover-boy” Joe teased smiling at his friend.

  “What? No of course not, I just saw her that’s all, nothing in mind for her…” Linex protested.

  “You sure…?” Joe asked.

  “A hundred percent certain” Linex replied, he had been disgruntled by Joe's side comment; but there was no way he was
admitting his crush on Lysie to Joe.

  “Ok students, now we're talking about equations” Mrs. Pauline started scribbling briefly on the white board.

  “Ohh no” Everyone let out a sigh of agony. They all hated equations.

  “Man, I hate equations” Joe grumbled.

  “You basically hate everything in math” Linex commented smirking.

  “What did you say…!” Joe frowned.

  “Nothing that I surely love it…!” Linex whispered sharply not wanting to get into Joe's bad side.

  “Lucky you then”

  “Yeah”

  Mrs. Pauline proceeded to solve some problems on the white board, while some other students took notes down. Suddenly, Joe’s left hand started to vibrate.

  “This is bad, dad probably didn’t get to fix it in time while he was in a hurry for some research” Joe muttered looking down at the hand with a worried expression on his face.

  Linex glanced at the hand and gasped. “Oh no, what can I do?”

  Joe only shrugged. He had no clue.

  “Mrs. Pauline can I go to the bathroom?” Linex asked standing up abruptly.

  “Sure, why not, but make it quick” Mrs. Pauline said granting him permission.

  “Alright” Linex nodded and headed out of the classroom with Joe gaping at him in surprise.

  Linex then proceeded to use his powers to make the emergency alarm turn on,

  “This can be useful” he thought to himself as the alarm blasted, whining loudly.

  The alarm rang just at the very moment that Joe’s hand started to deteriorate. Everybody left the class quickly; Joe went last and headed to the bathroom.

  “So this was your idea” Joe asked unimpressed.

  “Yeah I know, but I just saved your butt” Linex replied.

  “Shut up" they both laughed, and Joe proceeded to fix his hand.

  After the hand was fixed, they got out of the bathroom only to find the professors rounding up students that had tried to get out of school.

  Director Smith approached them with a frown on his face. “You two are in serious trouble” he said gravely.

  "Mom is going to kill me!” Linex groaned.

  Joe shrugged. “At least, mine won't"

  ***

  At the auto-mechanic's workshop, Jennica's car was still being fixed. She glared at the mechanic sending shivers down his spine. She occasionally waved a baseball bat and threatened to use it, if he didn't work on it fast.

  "Yeah, keep working hard. I need to get back to finding my son" she grunted.

  The ringing of her phone startled her, and she proceeded to pick it up. Her heart skipped a beat; it was from the school.

  “Hello Jennica, speaking”

  “There was a minor fire incident, and your son was involved" Director Smith said calmly.

  “Oh, No…!” Jennica half-screamed into the phone, making all the mechanics cringe back.

  “There wasn't any fire around the school” A professor informed the director.

  “Oh really…? Well then you can go to your next class in five minutes, Linex and Joe” the director affirmed cutting the call and apologizing to Jennica.

  “Ok” Linex said.

  They headed back to class and Joe made fun of Linex. “You should have seen the look of your face, you were terrified”.

  “Well, thanks to me I saved your metal-trash hand” Linex sneered.

  “Oh, now you’re going too far” Joe warned, his voice had quickened, and his expression had changed.

  “What you are going to do?” Linex smirked.

  “Kill that confidence of yours” Joe replied angrily.

  “I want to see you try" Linex growled.

  Joe began to recharge energy from his robotic arms while Linex unleashed his aura and they both landed a punch at the same time making the school walls tremble.

  Everybody got down from their chairs thinking that it was some kind of earthquake.

  “I thought you were going to bring out more power in this attack” Joe taunted.

  “I can’t, I’ll destroy you and the school if I do it” Linex replied.

  “Yeah right, prove it” They landed another punch that generated more power making the school shake even more.

  “What is happening…!” Director Smith groaned shivering with fear.

  “Picking up a fight here is no good why not go outside” Linex suggested.

  “That would be wonderful” Joe agreed, and they started running, simultaneously battling as they went.

  They had destroyed lots of school lockers and most of the hallway, and finally they got outside and started to fight.

  The clashes made the school shake making a possibility of destroying it for good.

  “Stop…!” Linex said.

  “What’s the matter? Can’t fight me?" Joe asked with a grin on his lips.

  “The school can probably fall by just our fight; we should go somewhere else” Linex replied.

  “Nah, let’s go to class no more fighting okay or we will be in big trouble” Joe disagreed.

  “Alright then”

  They went back inside the school and saw all teachers looking at the halls, they were nervous but pretended nothing was up

  . “Linex and Joe come over here” Director Smith called to them.

  “Yeah…?” They approached the director.

  “What happened here!” the director asked bewildered.

  “Don’t ask me I didn’t see anything” Joe replied abruptly.

  “Um… probably was because of the earthquake??” Linex suggested hoping the director hadn't seen them.

  “That can’t be it… but oh well, at least it’s over we will clean this mess, you two should go outside with the rest of the students” the director instructed.

  “Okay" they agreed shuffling outside with the other students.

  They got to the group of students outside of the school with the teachers. “This won’t finish today I’m leaving” Joe grumbled.

  “You can’t it's just 12:18p.m.” Linex noted checking his wristwatch.

  “So? They won’t be able to finish this until 3:00p.m, yet I’m leaving I get bored quick” Joe said.

  “Ok I’m going too” Linex agreed and they headed out of the school gate, sneaking past their teachers.

  They had not really walked quite a distance before they ran into Linex's mom. She had a stern look on her face.

  “Mom…! I can explain!” Linex cried.

  “You’re in really big trouble young man” his mother replied still frowning.

  “Mom, there wasn't class today, you shouldn’t be mad about the director of course, he called you. But there was an earthquake in the school, and they cancelled the classes for today” Like explained.

  “Exactly we didn’t do anything bad so” Joe added.

  “Oh well then, but I’m still going to check if you two are right, if you’re going to stay late around then I’m probably be in the auto mechanics, hope I see you home when I get there” Jennica said kissing her son on the cheek.

  “Auto- shop…? Oh well ok then, love you mom” he replied.

  They left and went around the city and they found a basketball court.

  “Hey Linex, want to play basketball?” Joe asked.

  “You know I would” Linex replied.

  They played for a while, with Linex scoring more baskets and dribbling Joe easily.

  As they played on; he could make out Lysie walking down the road.

  “Hey! Lysie” Linex called.

  “Oh hey, sup Linex” Lysie called back, to was looking depressed and down casted.

  “Um… are you alright” Linex asked moving closer to her.

  “I’m alright it just I had problems with dad and… I don’t want to talk about it” Lysie replied.

  “I respect your opinion there is no need to tell me, but do you
want to come over the court?” he furthered looking at her eagerly.

  Lysie looked at Linex surprised and smiled a little. “Ok let's go”

  “Let’s play a little” Linex suggested and threw the ball at her. Joe was looking up at the basket down the court.

  “Alright” Lysie agreed.

  Linex smiled at her, it was his turn to play basketball, so he chose Joe while Lysie picked some random players and they had a great time and Lysie was looking at them and she was glad to clear her mind and she had a good moment playing.

  “So are you ok now?” Linex asked.

  “Yeah I feel better now thanks to you” Lysie nodded smiling.

  “Your welcome Lysie, man I’m exhausted" Linex groaned stretching his body.

  “Of course you played five games in a row without taking a break”

  “Honestly I’m careless most of the times”

  “I can see that clearly”.

  “Hehe yeah… well what happened between you and your dad?” Linex finally asked again.

  “Dad didn’t take me to my volleyball game and I wanted to play for my mom, because she told me to do it for her and I promised her to win that game and dad didn’t approve it and I started to argue with dad, I felt bad because it was a promise and I didn’t do it and mom is really sick in the hospital, but I hope she gets better soon” Lysie concluded with a note of sadness in her voice.

  “That’s harsh… I hope your mom can get better soon, maybe your dad didn’t wanted to take you to the game because he probably knows that it was a bad moment to play, maybe your mother could understand… you should understand that your mom’s health is important than a game” Like admonished.

  Lysie was surprised by Linex words and hugged him. “Thank you for those words Linex, I appreciate it”

  “No problem Lysie” he blushed.

  It was almost dark when they headed home, Joe trudging along just behind them, while Lysie and Linex talked as they made their way through the dark street.

  CHAPTER 8

  A NEW INNER BUDDY

  Linex blinked slowly. The sunlight almost blinded him, but he managed to shield his face with his right hand. He wondered if his mom had pulled the blinds apart the night before.