Tree of Life

Book II Chapter 15

TREE OF LIFE BOOK II

CHAPTER 15

Nicole turned to the voice. “Julian!”

A boy, a young boy, sheathed in a soft, golden glow was standing by the far edge of the forest, on the opposite end to the soldiers with his hand extended and resting on the bole of the last tree.

It was Julian, all right. Same hair, same red eyes. And yet, it wasn’t exactly like Julian from before…not just before, anyway. This Julian appeared to be only twelve or thirteen years old, like when Nicole and he had first found the Tree of Life and were in grade eight. He was shorter now than she was, having only begun his growth spurt.

Nicole stood up. She took a few steps toward him. “Julian…”

He didn’t look her way. It was like he hadn’t even seen her. He had his eyes pinned on the lab guys circled around the Tree and he shook his head at them, with a crooked smile hanging on his lips.

Julian was dressed in a loose, white tunic that came down to his hips along with shorts that reached just past his knees. He was barefoot. Around his neck hung the two halves of the necklace that had once been carried by himself and Nicole separately, but now reunited and whole once more.

He made his way toward them, hands swinging easily by his sides, and it was like he floated along the grassy slope, skating over to them until he stopped and stood in front of the lab person that he’d been closest to, right up against the trunk of the Tree.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Julian asked the man.

“Well…I’m…”

Lifting his arm, Julian held up his hand just in front of the man’s face, with his thumb locked over his curled, third finger.

“Uh…” The man went to ease his head back.

Julian reached in the rest of the way and flicked the man on the forehead.

The man’s eyes rolled once and then his eyelids fluttered shut. He slumped to the ground.

“Hey!” A few of the men nearby rushed in. They checked the man on the ground. “Is he hurt? What happened? Is he all right?”

Another stomped over and shoved Julian away. “What did you do to him?” He seized Julian by the shoulders. “What did you do?”

The men who had been looking over their colleague who had fallen checked for his pulse and breathing. They worked together and eased the man over onto his back.

“Wait a minute…” After they had rolled him over, they found that the man was not hurt.

He was smiling.

Smiling and snoring.

One of the men stood up and shouted over to Brian. “Sir! He’s asleep!”

“What?!” Brian took a few steps toward them.

The man who had seized Julian at first was still holding him by the shoulders. “What did you do?”

Julian looked at him, grinning. “That’s good, huh? Isn’t that neat?” He laughed.

The man shook his head. “How did you do that?”

Julian’s eyes brightened. “Easy! Like this.” He reached up and flicked the man on the forehead. Like before.

The man slumped to the ground. Asleep. Like before.

Julian tossed his head back and laughed.

A bunch of lab guys rushed over to the second man down.