Royal Trespassing

Chapter 5

Mr. Crimson quickly shuffled around the room, dragging out a large decorative metal box. He pulled off a key from a necklace hidden under his shirt. He opened the box and removed its treasure, something wrapped in cloth, about the size of a grapefruit. He leaned on his desk, closer to us than before, unravelling the mysterious item and speaking.

"The reason I exceed in years is due to this."

He revealed a lustrous red stone. The light in the room beautifully bounced off the rock, making it seem ablaze.

"I believe it is a new element, undiscovered by modern scientists. I received it from my father when I was young. He instructed me to keep it safe and hidden in the Crimson Castle while he continued to rule our homeland. I am not immortal. I can still starve to death although I do not need as much food as I did before the stone. I can still die from having my heart cut out but a average stab to the heart will not terminate my existence. I don't not require the same hours of sleep other humans do. I have never contracted sickness as long as I have had the stone in my possession. Any cut, burn, or wound I received heals at a speedy rate."

He took a pause, as if the think. He starred at the rock as he spoke.

"I believe this element somehow feeds the body's cells so they do not die. Because they do not die they no longer need to be replicated and replaced which is how the process of aging occurs. One will stop aging within a short time of continuously being near the stone. The longer one is near the stone, the longer it takes to began aging again once the stone is away from their presence. Do you understand?"

"I understand but it's hard to believe," I replied.

"Why is that? Is it because you've never witnessed something as unfamiliar as this before?" he said, looking at me straight in the eyes.

"Well yes, but there's more to it. If this really can make a person live forever, why are you sharing it with two teenagers you've just met?"

"You two seem trust worthy. You're not like normal teenagers that I've read about online. "

I looked over at his laptop. How does he have Internet in here?

"Besides," he said, " no one will Take you seriously. I'm not sure Miss Lewis even believes me and she is experiencing this firsthand. Too many people are dead-set on what they believe is true. It's a sorrowful realization but you cannot blame them for believing what is easier, most people's lives are difficult enough."

Way to down the mood Mr. Crimson. He pulled out a pocket watch and checked the time.

"I have much more to tell you and I even have a proposition for you both, however it's getting late. You girls should go to sleep. There's a bed on the 2nd floor. Goodnight."

I guess that was his way of telling us to get lost. He put the stone back in the box and he sat back down at his chair, working on the laptop. I grabbed Mia's arm once again and led us to the second floor, grabbing our backpacks we left in the main hall. My stomach grumbled on the way there. We had forgotten to eat dinner. Oh well, I don't feel like eating anyway, I just want to sleep. I took out my flashlight to find the King's room. I finally found it, or at least a bed that looked suitable, after tripping too frequently for my taste. Mia and I jumped in, leaving our packs on the floor.

"Mia you may want the let your parents and Henry know you're okay."

"Sure thing," she said, pulling out her phone.

I did the same, texting my parents and siblings, reminding them to brush their teeth and feed the cat. I sat in the plush bed trying to get warm, waiting to fall asleep. Mia was already out cold. I really hope today wasn't a dream.