Into the Shadows of Arcadia

Becoming apart 1

15 years later

A garage door reveals a boy in a blue jacket, and his trashcan is knocked over.

"Augg raccoons"

"We are going to be late Jimbo."

"Sorry, I was making lunches. One for me, one for Mom, and one for you."

"Umm, meatloaf, sun-roasted tomatoes, and basil, and is that mayo I smell"

"Yep"

"Getting risky there, Chef Jim."

"Oh come on live a little."

"I can't eat this. I am on a diet"

"Tobs, you have been on a diet for the past 14 years."

"Yeah, so?"

"Your 15"

"Long-term goals my bodies still changing."

They start to ride to school. They hear a bell chime in the distance. 

"Oh it's eight o'clock!" 

"Oh, we are going to be late on a count of meatloaf."

"Take the Canals it will save us five minutes."

"Not the canals."

Toby called as he followed Jim the path was bumpy and rocky. Jim was going full speed while his friend struggled behind him. 

"Oh come on live a little."

"It's living I am worried about."

"Oh come on where is that sense of adventure."

Jim speeds up and jumps through the air and lands at the bottom of the canal. He stops to wait for Toby.

"Come on Tobes!"

"Jim Lake!"

A voice calls out. He starts and looks around. There is a pile of rocks in the middle of the canal. Jim looks at it a bit longer and he gets an uneasy feeling. Like somehow he knew that wasn't just some pile of rocks.

Toby came down clumsily. Crashing and landing straight on his face. 

"Ha, how awesome are we? Awesome"

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Jim Lake"

"That this pile of rocks knows my name."

"It's a pile of Caspar it can't talk there has to be a walkie-talkie in here somewhere."

There is a faint glow and Jim takes out an amulet from the rubble.

"Who is doing this come out where we can see you."

"Hello?"

The bell rings startling the two boys. 

"A shoot last bell!"

"We are going to be so late our grandchildren are going to have detention."

"If we hurry, we can still make it."

They start to ride off. In the canal, six yellow eyes glow from the darkness of the sewer canal

"It chose a human?"

While the boys were at school their teacher, Mr. Strickler was discussing the Peloponnesian war. Jim was staring across the room at this girl that he thought was really pretty.