Tree of Life

Book I Chapter 08

TREE OF LIFE BOOK I

CHAPTER 08

Julian marched until he was out of breath. He slowed down and then stopped. He peered over his shoulder. No, he couldn’t see them anymore. He had turned the corner. He eased over to a bench nearby and sat down. He rubbed his chest. He couldn’t see beneath his coat, but he was sure that Brian had landed a good one and a bruise will be there some time later this evening.

“Isn’t it strange how good friends must always argue sometimes?”

Julian turned the other way. A man had stepped up while he wasn’t looking.

“How are you, young man?” He indicated the bench. “May I?”

Julian glanced at the bench. Then at the man. He nodded. The man moved to sit down.

An old man. The stranger who had joined Julian was old and had a face that was a piece of work in ancient leather, darkened and worn. He wore a hat and a beard that flowed down to this chest like a wizened wizard. He moved slowly and with purpose, but had a cane for support. He grunted a little when he sat down beside the boy. Julian shifted over to make room.

“Thank you! My, my…” The man reached up and brushed off the snow from his shoulders.

Julian furrowed his brows. The man seemed familiar somehow. “I’m sorry, sir, but do I know you?”

“No, no!” The man chuckled. “Of course not! I just happened to be passing by, going about on my evening walk, you know?” He snorted. “And I happened to see the lot of you, over there…” He pointed back the way Julian had come. “…shouting about something, but then, I really couldn’t make it out.” He leaned in closer. “What were you fighting about anyway?”

Julian knitted his brows. “Nothing. Nothing to talk about.”

“Ah, of course! Probably nothing important…”

Julian stood up. “Well…it was nice meeting you…”

“Oh, but wait!” He touched Julian on the sleeve and made him sit down again. “It’s just that…well…” He extended his hand. “I am professor Will…” He cleared his throat. “…William, by the way, and very nice to meet you.” They shook hands.

“But…” Julian indicated the way home.

“Oh, but to tell you the truth, I am fairly new in town. I wonder if I could impose and ask of your assistance?” He smiled.

Julian paused. He swallowed and then nodded.

“Well, you see? I am actually only a visitor here. I’ve come with the recent exhibit in the museum.” The man took his cane and cleaned off some of the snow that had collected on his shoes.

“The museum?”

“Yes! But you see, there has been quite a tragedy down there, as we’ve lost something. Something terribly precious to us…”

“Oh?” Julian frowned. “What did you lose?”

The professor turned to him and smiled. “Now, you wouldn’t believe that I was actually at liberty to tell you? That’s highly classified information, my young friend!” He tossed his head back and laughed.

“Well…” Julian adjusted his glasses.

The professor settled down. “Suffice it to say…” He cleared his throat. “…that the object in question is very powerful but also very dangerous and should be returned immediately…”

“Dangerous?”

“Yes.” The professor nodded, frowning. “Although I’m sure this means nothing to you, but if you were to know what I’m talking about, which you don’t, you’d know that in using this artefact, there is always some drainage of energy from the user. That is how it is dangerous. Though, in the right hands, wielded by an experienced user, such as yours truly…” He tipped his hat. “…the process might be reversed. And energy, all energy in the universe is laid out before you for the taking, that it might be gathered instead of expended…” Closing his fist, he lifted his head to the night sky and for a moment, Julian could swear the old man’s eyes glowed.

Julian raised one eyebrow. “Um…it’s professor…”

The old man turned back to him. “William.”

“…William, then. And you work with the museum?”

“Yes.”

“Like an archaeology professor? With the exhibits?”

“That’s what I said, wasn’t it?” He frowned.

Julian coughed. “I’m sorry, professor, but do you happen to have any ID with you?”

The professor’s eyes shot wide. “Why, young man! How impertinent!” He huffed and sat up straight. “I’ll have you know, I am a top authority when it comes to all things archaeological, only a handful of men in the world who can say they have been to all the important digs in Europe in nearly fifty years…the nerve!” The man actually looked hurt.

Julian scratched his head. “Well, I’m sorry but…”

The professor was instantly better. “Oh, that’s all right!” He beamed. He drew in closer. “Now, I know for a fact that you and your classmates were in the museum and in the general area on the day and at the time that the object was lost…”

“Really?”

He drew in closer still. “…did you see anything?”

The professor had pointed his right eye at Julian, like he was out to hypnotize him. And it almost seemed to work, except the professor smelled funny, stale, like an old crypt.

Julian shook his head and jerked away. “Uh…no!” He shifted further away down the bench. “And why are you asking me, anyway? If you’ve lost something, shouldn’t you be talking to the police? Or museum security?”

The professor rolled his eyes. “Of course!” He scoffed. “Of course, I’ve done that already! But they were of no help. That’s why I decided to strike out on my own, hoping to recover it through irregular channels. Now…” He slid over again. “…tell me. You must have seen something…” The professor smiled and his eyes squinted until they vanished.

Julian’s eyes widened. He moved back. “Oh, no! Really, professor! I mean it! I am so sorry but I don’t think I can help you…” Julian bounced to his feet, spun around and ran off toward home. He checked over his shoulder several times, just to make sure the old man didn’t get up to follow him.

He didn’t need to worry. The professor remained sitting on the bench until he was long gone. The old man clasped the top of his cane in both hands and placed it squarely in front of himself. He reached up and began to stroke his beard. He frowned. “Well, so much for the easy way…”