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Zeno and Planet Everida
Chapter I
Sunlight streamed through the window that strained Zeno’s eyes as he awoke that morning. His alarm blaring, he reached over to the clock and pushed the off button. Another day to go to school. It was the third week of the first trimester, usually he liked it, but this year his mom had gotten married to another man after his dad had passed away. He didn’t know him very well and didn’t care about him either.
“Dad, if you’re listening. Please let me enjoy school today.”
Zeno whispered.
He slowly pulled off the blankets and stepped onto the cold dark wood floor of his bedroom. He walked half awake to opened his closet door. He pulled out one of his favorite t-shirts and a pair of dark Levi’s. Then a pair of dark gray socks and some underclothing. He changed from his pajamas to his casual outfit and then slid on his boots. Grabbing his leather jacket and his backpack, he walked out of his door and into the bathroom. He brushed his onyx black hair and washed his face. He smiled in the mirror and stared into his violet eyes.
His father said that the color of his eyes was a gift from the heavens. He never thought so. Everyone at school thought it was supernatural. They called him names and bullied him. Partially because most of them were true. He walked out of the bathroom, closing the door and walked down the stairs into the cheerful looking living room and then to the open kitchen.
“Good morning Zeno. How is my little boy?” His mother asked.
Her tender chocolate eyes and brunette hair contemplated her smile.
“I’m doing fine. What’s for breakfast?”
“I haven’t made breakfast yet. You look upset, what’s bothering you?”
“It's nothing."
Her expression saddened and wrapped her arms around her son with gentle affection.
“Your father would be so proud of you to see how much smarter you’ve become. Keep smiling, he would want that.”
Zeno nodded and set his backpack on the floor by the table, his metal golden pen poking out from the side pocket of the backpack. Noticing it, he picked it up and gripped it tightly in his hand. His father had given him this pen for his birthday years ago. He has kept it with him since. He slid it into his pocket. He walked over to the metallic silver fridge and opened the right hand side door. He pulled out a jug of milk and a small carton of orange juice. He placed them on the table and then moved to the pantry.
He grabbed the cereal, and sugar and sat down at the table.
After breakfast, he picked up his backpack once more and heaved it over his shoulder. His step-father walked into the kitchen. His dark cherry red hair swept over to the left side of his head, and his amber eyes locked with his. Zeno averted his gaze and walked out the door without a second thought. He closed the door behind him and pulled his bike out from the shed on the side of the house and headed off down the road.
He arrived at school ten minutes earlier than expected and headed for the entrance. Zeno pulled out his phone from his pocket and texted Arlen Gray, his best friend. Moments later a chestnut brown haired boy with caramel eyes, ran into the half empty parking lot.
“Hey! Why are you here so early?”
Zeno shrugged. He didn’t want to admit to Arlen that he didn’t like his step-father.
“Ok, then what do you want to do?”
“That’s up to you.” Zeno replied.
“You always say that Zeno. You amuse me sometimes.”
Arlen laughed, shaking his head, and wrapped an arm around his friends shoulders. They walked into the school together and sat on the stairs until the bell rang. They walked down the crowded hallway. Zeno gripped the pen once more inside his pocket as they walked through the door of their first period, hoping it would help clear his mind. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He opened his eyes and was shocked to see his surroundings.
•~~~~~•
Zeno was awestruck at the horrorsome sight as he analyzed where he was. Arlen was gone and there was nothing but mountains, trees and plants around him. The pen which he held suddenly changed size, ripping the pocket of his pants. The pen had transformed into a dagger in a leather scabbard. The hilt was adorned with blue topaz, sapphire, and jade.
The blade was the length of his forearm from the wrist to the elbow, and the hilt was the length of his hand. A shrill screech echoed through the trees of the forest he was in. It came from a distance to his left. He turned his head and saw a gruesome creature. It was black with several glowing purple eyes, mist leaking from the corners. Its form was disfigured and broken in places where it should have support. It floated in the air and was swiftly headed for him. It wound through the twisting trees, its teeth bared. The only instinct running through his mind, was to run.
He needed to find a way to get this creature off of his tail. As he looked back, more than one of those creatures was following him. Each a different size and shape but in the same gruesome manner. He panicked as he looked straight ahead. The creatures were closing in on him. Some of them suddenly blocked his way in front of him. He stopped and tried to run the other way. They were there too. He was surrounded by these disgusting creatures. He had no idea what to do. He unheathed the daggar and held it out in defense to protect himself in case they attacked. One jumped above him. Zeno held the daggar above him, looking down on the ground. He heard a shrill screenshot that nearly destroyed his ears.
He momentarily looked up and saw a man with raven black hair slice through one of the creatures. He hit the ground and covered his neck to let the man take care of them for him. The screeches died off and a strong hand with an iron grip pulled Zeno up off the ground and to his feet. The man had taken hold of him and began to drag him in a direction. Zeno pulled against the man's grip and attempted to escape on instinct. He failed and was forced onto his knees.
Zeno, still holding onto the dagger, held it up in defense. The man held a steady glare that sent chills down his back. The man snatched the dagger, sheathed it and knocked the hilt against the back of Zeno’s head. Black dots pricked his vision as a result. Zeno fell onto his side. Not able to stay awake, he let his eyes close, letting the darkness envelope him.
Sunlight streamed through the window that strained Zeno’s eyes as he awoke that morning. His alarm blaring, he reached over to the clock and pushed the off button. Another day to go to school. It was the third week of the first trimester, usually he liked it, but this year his mom had gotten married to another man after his dad had passed away. He didn’t know him very well and didn’t care about him either.
“Dad, if you’re listening. Please let me enjoy school today.”
Zeno whispered.
He slowly pulled off the blankets and stepped onto the cold dark wood floor of his bedroom. He walked half awake to opened his closet door. He pulled out one of his favorite t-shirts and a pair of dark Levi’s. Then a pair of dark gray socks and some underclothing. He changed from his pajamas to his casual outfit and then slid on his boots. Grabbing his leather jacket and his backpack, he walked out of his door and into the bathroom. He brushed his onyx black hair and washed his face. He smiled in the mirror and stared into his violet eyes.
His father said that the color of his eyes was a gift from the heavens. He never thought so. Everyone at school thought it was supernatural. They called him names and bullied him. Partially because most of them were true. He walked out of the bathroom, closing the door and walked down the stairs into the cheerful looking living room and then to the open kitchen.
“Good morning Zeno. How is my little boy?” His mother asked.
Her tender chocolate eyes and brunette hair contemplated her smile.
“I’m doing fine. What’s for breakfast?”
“I haven’t made breakfast yet. You look upset, what’s bothering you?”
“It's nothing."
Her expression saddened and wrapped her arms around her son with gentle affection.
“Your father would be so proud of you to see how much smarter you’ve become. Keep smiling, he would want that.”
Zeno nodded and set his backpack on the floor by the table, his metal golden pen poking out from the side pocket of the backpack. Noticing it, he picked it up and gripped it tightly in his hand. His father had given him this pen for his birthday years ago. He has kept it with him since. He slid it into his pocket. He walked over to the metallic silver fridge and opened the right hand side door. He pulled out a jug of milk and a small carton of orange juice. He placed them on the table and then moved to the pantry.
He grabbed the cereal, and sugar and sat down at the table.
After breakfast, he picked up his backpack once more and heaved it over his shoulder. His step-father walked into the kitchen. His dark cherry red hair swept over to the left side of his head, and his amber eyes locked with his. Zeno averted his gaze and walked out the door without a second thought. He closed the door behind him and pulled his bike out from the shed on the side of the house and headed off down the road.
He arrived at school ten minutes earlier than expected and headed for the entrance. Zeno pulled out his phone from his pocket and texted Arlen Gray, his best friend. Moments later a chestnut brown haired boy with caramel eyes, ran into the half empty parking lot.
“Hey! Why are you here so early?”
Zeno shrugged. He didn’t want to admit to Arlen that he didn’t like his step-father.
“Ok, then what do you want to do?”
“That’s up to you.” Zeno replied.
“You always say that Zeno. You amuse me sometimes.”
Arlen laughed, shaking his head, and wrapped an arm around his friends shoulders. They walked into the school together and sat on the stairs until the bell rang. They walked down the crowded hallway. Zeno gripped the pen once more inside his pocket as they walked through the door of their first period, hoping it would help clear his mind. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He opened his eyes and was shocked to see his surroundings.
•~~~~~•
Zeno was awestruck at the horrorsome sight as he analyzed where he was. Arlen was gone and there was nothing but mountains, trees and plants around him. The pen which he held suddenly changed size, ripping the pocket of his pants. The pen had transformed into a dagger in a leather scabbard. The hilt was adorned with blue topaz, sapphire, and jade.
The blade was the length of his forearm from the wrist to the elbow, and the hilt was the length of his hand. A shrill screech echoed through the trees of the forest he was in. It came from a distance to his left. He turned his head and saw a gruesome creature. It was black with several glowing purple eyes, mist leaking from the corners. Its form was disfigured and broken in places where it should have support. It floated in the air and was swiftly headed for him. It wound through the twisting trees, its teeth bared. The only instinct running through his mind, was to run.
He needed to find a way to get this creature off of his tail. As he looked back, more than one of those creatures was following him. Each a different size and shape but in the same gruesome manner. He panicked as he looked straight ahead. The creatures were closing in on him. Some of them suddenly blocked his way in front of him. He stopped and tried to run the other way. They were there too. He was surrounded by these disgusting creatures. He had no idea what to do. He unheathed the daggar and held it out in defense to protect himself in case they attacked. One jumped above him. Zeno held the daggar above him, looking down on the ground. He heard a shrill screenshot that nearly destroyed his ears.
He momentarily looked up and saw a man with raven black hair slice through one of the creatures. He hit the ground and covered his neck to let the man take care of them for him. The screeches died off and a strong hand with an iron grip pulled Zeno up off the ground and to his feet. The man had taken hold of him and began to drag him in a direction. Zeno pulled against the man's grip and attempted to escape on instinct. He failed and was forced onto his knees.
Zeno, still holding onto the dagger, held it up in defense. The man held a steady glare that sent chills down his back. The man snatched the dagger, sheathed it and knocked the hilt against the back of Zeno’s head. Black dots pricked his vision as a result. Zeno fell onto his side. Not able to stay awake, he let his eyes close, letting the darkness envelope him.
