Tower of the Watchful Eye

Chapter 5

I opened my eyes slowly to see the morning sun streaking across the ceiling. I sat up quickly, looked around the tiny chamber and breathed a sigh of relief. I was back in my bedroom on the Archive Floor in the Tower of the Watchful Eye. I chuckled and shook my head at my need to confirm my reality.

You call this reality? A female voice asked, annoyed.

"Who said that?" I asked the room as I looked around. The room was still empty except for the tiny dresser, desk and end table.

Weird.

What is? The female voice asked.

Who is this?

Your mom. Who do you think? The female voice asked, annoyed again.

Cathy?

'Bout time you got that, she said. Out of all the humans in the world, I'm stuck with a dink who can't rub two brain cells together.

I grabbed my head and started to rub my temple.

How is this possible?

I'm stuck in your mind, she explained slowly. I can hear you think but I can't see or hear anything else. This is very irritating, by the way. I'm stuck with your pathetic thoughts as my only means of understanding what's happening around you.

Can you just not listen?

And do what? she asked.

The door opened and Keeper Anderson gave me a weird look.

"You're still not dressed?" he asked. "Come on, boy, hurry up. There's some stuff I need to run through before the morning meeting."

"Uh, right," I said as I threw the covers aside.

Keeper Anderson shut the door as I crossed the room to the dresser. I pulled out one of the black robes of the Keeper and threw it on.

What's going on now? Cathy asked.

I have to get ready for the day.

What do you do? she asked.

I don't have time to answer.

Well help me out here a little, she said.

Look, I can't be stopping to narrate my life to you. If you want to be the one to kill me, then I can't be having conversations in my head. People are going to get suspicious.

Fine, she said.

"Holcombe!" Keeper Anderson shouted.

"On my way," I called out as I opened the door.

"What took you so long?" he asked, annoyed, as I approached him.

"My head's just all screwed up this morning," I said as I grabbed my head.

"This better not be a habit," he said. "You need to be on your toes in this position."

"You're right, it won't happen again," I replied, letting my hand drop.

"Now," he said, straightening himself out. "This is the Archives Floor and home to the Keeper. I am, technically, First Keeper and as my protégé you have the rank of Second Keeper. 'Keeper' means almost squat other than the Teachers and Mages 'respect' you and you get to go anywhere you want."

"Those sound like good benefits," I said.

"You would think," he said starting to pace. "That's the way it's supposed to be but nowadays it means nothing. There is no respect anymore. Only fear. You're going to think its respect but it's all lies."