The Chosen Few

Prologue

5 years ago...

It was a late summer night and everyone began to shuffle outside around the fire that Mostafa had built. The boys each grabbed sweaters on their way out because although it was the middle of July the nights seemed to be cooler this summer. Their beach chair sat formed in a circle around the fire.

"I wonder what story he's gonna tell us tonight" Rory said as he plopped down.

The pack sat eagerly waiting for Aaron and Alijah's stepdad to come out and join them. This was something they did every Saturday, the seasons did not matter. Whether it be Summer, Winter, Spring, or Fall they would faithfully end up here at the twins house and when it was their turn to host the sleepover for the week the boys would all be equally excited.

No matter where they were the time they spent together was always enjoyable but it was something about being here at the twins house that gave the boys something to look forward too. It wasn't the fact that they had the biggest house or even that they had a pool with a diving board. It wasn't even the game room in the basement. It was the excitement of hearing Mostafa's stories.

"Y'all ready for the story of the night ?" Mostafas's deep husky voice boomed into the night. He slid the back door to the house shut and made his way towards the fire.

"Well what's the story of the night?" Giovanni asked, impatiently. He hadn't always told them stories because the boys were still very young, they had just turned 10 or 11 earlier this year. It had begun two summers ago. Aaron and Alijah's mom worked late shifts in the hospital and the night of their weekly sleepover was no different. That night Mostafa had told them a story about how Hitler wasn't really dead. The stories weren't always fiction or myths or legends. They were actual stories that happened as well. But this particular night, he would take them down a different path.

"Where I'm from we speak Arabic." he began, standing in front of the fire.

"Say something in Arabic then" Gio interrupted. He took this time to tussle the little boys hair and said, "hadi" His accent very evident.

"You just made that shit up" Rory yelled out loud.

Mostafa pointed at him and said, "Hey watch your mouth and no I didn't make it up. It means quiet" He laughed slightly. "As I was saying" he continued, "Where I'm from we speak Arabic. It's a Semitic language" The boys nodded their head, agreeing as if they really knew what a Semitic language was.

He sat down in his seat, "My ancestors believed that life was an endless journey. That journey began with the creation of the universe. It is said that before the creation of the universe there was nothing but endless water that was dark and silent. We called this water Nun. From the water rose a hill and on that hill was Atum, the king of the gods..