Chronicles From Eternity: Damien's Arrival

Chapter 4

That first year with the children had long passed. We had all grown up together. We witnessed our fathers build a business empire together. Isabella, Reuben and I were best friends. Little did I know, the summer after I turned seventeen would bring on both new and devastating change.

"Damien, I have something to tell you," father approached me while I was perched at my pillar watching for the Morgan's car to roll up the dusty mountain road. "I need you to listen to me because it is important to your future, rather; our future." I broke my gaze to give him full attention. Something was off.

"Irfan and I are having a meeting when the Morgan's arrive." I nodded. "I want you to be in attendance." He turned to walk back inside.

"Father, was that all?" He turned back to me with a raised brow. I hesitated to speak further. "It just seemed like there was more you wanted to say," I said.

He raised his chest to inhale deep and forcefully let it out as he began. "You're right Damien. The meeting was only part of the reason I wanted to speak with you this morning." I was confused; my father was not one to be at a loss for words. I did not feel like it meant good things.

"You're going away to business school." My eyes widened in terror. "It's a prestigious University, out of state." I began hearing a ringing in my ears as he continued. "You will be enrolled for five years."

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard to calm myself before speaking. I barely managed to muster up a respectful reply. "When will I leave, sir?" was all I could say.

I had no way to control what was coming next. "Your train is scheduled to leave early Friday morning." I remember nothing but heat filling my face. I could understand two months, a month but I was only just finding out that I would be leaving at the end of the week.

Never before had I been so angry with my father. Never in my life had I dared to speak against him. That morning changed everything for me. "No!"

My father's expression went blank for only a moment before one of fury replaced it. "No?" he questioned. The thought of angering my father would have normally made me nervous with fear for his wrath; this time was different.

I began to throw a tantrum like a toddler, "I will not leave on Friday!" I got louder as I spoke, "It's less than two days from away, the Morgan's are coming today, and you've given me no time to prepare!" I meant what I was saying, but it did not matter.

"Enough!" Father's shouting voice was enough to silence me. "You are going away to school, and you are leaving in two days." I started to contest but was cut off quickly, "nothing more, Damien; I will not hear another word." He turned and walked away.

My heart was breaking and there was nothing to soothe it. I had to leave the only home I had ever known and I would not even get to have a final summer with my friends. The wonderful summers I longed for each year since I was a boy would have to wait.

My increasingly worried thoughts quickly turned into panic. "I'm seventeen now," I thought aloud. There would be no more summers like the years before. In five years, I would be a man. In that moment, however, I was still very much a child.

My head began to spin and I gasped for air. I could not think to do anything but run. So I ran...right back into the house and straight up the stairs to my own room. I fell face first into my bed and clutched my pillow tight against my face.