Star runners, p.8
Star Runners, page 8
“Welcome to Tizona,” the man called from the porch.
Austin used his hand as a visor in the afternoon sunlight. “Thank you.”
“You must be Austin Stone,” he said, strolling toward the car with his hands in his pockets. “I am Security Chief Javin Sharkey. I’m in charge of the safety and order here at the school.”
Austin shook his hand, felt the vice-like grip. “Nice to meet you, sir.” He turned to Mom, who stepped out of the car. “This is my mom.”
Sharkey nodded. “Ma’am. Welcome to Tizona. Would you both please follow me?”
The man was built like a catcher, on the shorter side with broad, muscular shoulders and forearms thick as slabs of meat. As they stepped onto the porch, Sharkey gestured to two other staff members dressed in the same simple, blue suits. They disappeared behind white doors labeled “Employees Only.”
“This is our main gate office,” Sharkey said, holding the door open. “All traffic entering the Tizona School must pass through this building. We have security checks and metal detectors.”
The marble floor alternated with black and white squares. It shined enough to reflect light. The crown molding twisted and turned in organic shapes. In the center of the room stood a sculpture of a man raising a sword toward the horizon. Water surrounded the sculpture and trickled down the sides.
“It’s like the Parthenon,” Austin whispered.
“We think it’s better.”
He grinned. “Yes, sir.”
“Now, Ms. Stone,” Sharkey pushed open a large white door to the left of the room, “this is where you will wait for your son if you ever come to visit. As you know, no one but faculty, staff, and students are allowed on the campus.”
“Yes, Mr. Nubern explained that to me.”
The room had no windows. Bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling. Several dark leather couches and chairs surrounded polished tables. A thick brown rug covered the floor. The tall grandfather clock chimed from the corner, announcing the time was four in the afternoon.
“No windows?” Austin asked.
Sharkey shook his head. “Negative. This room was once utilized as a study hall and still can be, but rarely is. Notice the books and the study areas? Yes, well, parents waiting for their students are often dismayed by the amount of time it takes to summon their children. Instructional time here at Tizona is very time-consuming and intense. We try not to interrupt whenever possible.”
“I see,” Mom said. She slid her fingers across the back of the closest leather chair. “Well, I guess this is it.”
Sharkey lowered his head. “Yes, ma’am. Your son is our last arrival for the semester. Usually there are many other parents saying their farewells, but Recruit Stone here had the honor of being our final selection for the semester. I am at your service to help you bring your personals to the main dormitory when you are ready.”
The security chief left the room, leaving only the sound of the ticking clock.
Austin shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I have to go, Mom.”
She nodded. “I’m going to miss you.”
They embraced.
“Will you email me when you can? Let me know when I can come visit or take you out to Savannah?”
“I will.”
Mom sniffled. “Let’s get your stuff. I don’t want it to be weird for you since you are the last one here.”
Austin thought of the times they’d had to move when he was in elementary school. Dad was transferred every few years, and they always moved at Christmas time. He started school in a new place in January, all of the other students staring at him as they wondered about the latest arrival.
“You know I’m used to being the new kid,” he said with a smile.
She laughed for the first time since the car had turned off the highway onto the road leading to the school. She touched his cheek. “Take care of yourself.”
* * *
The dampness of his mother’s tears remained on his neck as the golf cart powered away from the main gate. Sharkey had said nothing as he’d loaded the silver golf cart with Austin’s two bags. Instead, Sharkey’s attention focused on the earpiece, muttering sentences filled with numbers and strange code words into the radio.
Austin leaned back in the seat, ignoring the hot, thick air. The golf cart traveled down the two-path road splitting through vibrant green grass surrounding the main gate. At the edge of the circle, dense vegetation blocked his view. The path wound through a tree canopy.
Minutes passed as the golf cart bounced over the rough path. Austin braced himself by grabbing the bottom of his seat to prevent falling out. He gazed through the trees. After more time passed and he continued to be jostled around the front of the golf cart, Austin snorted.
“How large is this campus?”
Sharkey’s eyes remained fixed on the path. “Several hundred acres. We are almost at the main campus.”
The path veered to the right, and the incline increased. As the cart reached the top of the incline, a wooden bridge wide enough for one cart stretched over murky swamp water. Stumps of trees peppered the water like stepping-stones. A thick green scum covered large portions of the water’s glass-like surface. The trees blocked out the sunlight, and darkness fell over the bridge.
“I didn’t know the campus was in a swamp?”
“It’s not, exactly. You’ll see.”
The bridge rattled as the cart bounced across the uneven surface. It reminded Austin of a train passing over a bridge. Rat tat ta tat ta tat tat. He stared at water so black he wondered if something stared back. Alligators attacked people all the time in the swamps this close to Florida. He remembered reading about kids using a rope swing into the water somewhere in South Georgia and one boy surfaced with one of his hands missing, taken by an alligator.
“Any wildlife in this swamp?”
Sharkey grinned. “Thinking of taking a swim?”
“Yeah,” Austin said.
With one last groan of the wooden planks, the cart bounced into a small puddle at the base of the bridge. Austin leaned forward to brace himself, grabbing the dashboard. Sharkey said nothing. He stepped on the gas as it went up another incline. The trees opened to another grass field. Bright sunlight beamed through the opening like it had been set free, rays of golden light shooting in all directions.
“Not much farther,” Sharkey said.
“Sounds great,” Austin replied through his teeth.
The cart burst into the sunlight. Austin shielded his eyes with his hand. Closely cut green grass stretched for a hundred yards toward the tree line. The dirt path transitioned to white, crushed gravel crackling and popping under the cart’s wheels.
As they passed a four-foot marble statue of a sword, Sharkey cleared his throat. “You are now officially on the main campus.”
Austin nodded. His eyes adjusted to the light. A four-story stone building, decorated with intricate carvings along the trim, towered like a beacon over the rest of the campus. A stone figure with a sword pointed toward the sky stood at the crest of a steeple in the center of the building.
“That tall building you see there is the primary building on campus known as the Terminus Building,” Sharkey said, the tone of his voice transforming into a tour guide. “All pathways on the campus lead to this building. Most of your instruction will take place there, as will other campus events or group study hall. These smaller buildings have various uses as well, some for instruction, others for lab, and a few are for tools to keep the grounds clean.”
The architecture looked like stone structures built in medieval Europe. The Terminus Building was a castle without the moat. The smaller buildings surrounding Terminus were also built from the same gray stone. They passed a flat building with a rock carving of a sword adjacent to the front door.
“Behind the main building around this path, you’ll find the main dormitory,” Sharkey said as the path came to a fork. He brought the cart to the left. “We are heading there now so you can get situated.”
The Terminus Building loomed over the courtyard. The paths encircled the vast patch of uninterrupted grass. At the top of a stone staircase, a guard stood by the door of the main building. Austin gazed at the statue at the top of Terminus, the silhouette clear against the cloudless blue sky. He looked at the windows, the bright sunlight reflecting the green of the grass and the brilliant blue of the sky.
The path led around the side of Terminus toward two smaller buildings.
“You said these are used for classrooms as well?” he asked.
“Yes, for the most part. Some are for gardening and maintenance tools, but most buildings are reserved for different classes.” Sharkey gestured forward. “The main campus consists of a circle that spans about three hundred acres. Behind the dormitory, there are fields for the physical aspect of your education.”
Austin frowned. “Fields for the physical aspect” did not sound encouraging. He knew from Nubern’s first meeting the physical requirements of enrollment with the Tizona School, but he thought they meant like a P.E. class in high school. The dormitory came into view as the cart rounded the massive Terminus Building. The dormitory was a simple two-story building with a slanted roof and stucco siding. Steel staircases led to the second floor.
The cart rolled to a stop.
“It’s quiet.”
“It’s study hall right now, as I said.” Sharkey stepped out of the cart and walked around to the back. He unhooked the strap holding Austin’s baggage. “Welcome to the dorm.”
He produced a tablet from his belt and keyed a couple screens. “You are in Room 209. Second floor at the end of the building on this side. Chow’s at six. You are expected to wear your uniform during normal school hours. You will find two uniforms in your room as well as workout attire. All other information can be found in your welcome packet. Good luck.”
Austin grabbed his two bags. Before Austin said another word, Sharkey jumped back into the cart and drove away. The back tires spit gravel on his feet.
“Thanks,” he muttered.
The sound of the cart faded as it drove out of sight. A soft wind touched his face as he took a deep breath of humid air. He glanced to his right at the side of the Terminus Building. On the top floor, a face peered out of a window.
Austin held his hand up to block the sun. For a moment, he thought a blonde girl stared out the window at him. When he squinted, he saw only the sky’s reflection.
He shrugged, adjusted his grip on the bags, and stepped toward the dormitory.
* * *
Two small beds fit into the room. Posters decorated the wall closest to the window. One poster showed baseball fields around the country and another an altered photograph of a tidal wave hitting the Golden Gate Bridge. An alarm clock blinked on the side table. A hot breeze blew in from the window as Austin set his bags on the bed.
His side of the room was vacant. His study area had been recently cleaned, the smell of bleach filling the air. A yellowish light flickered to life above his desk. Bulletin boards flanked his desk. In between the two study desks, his roommate had already taken his half of the closet. Austin glanced at the clothing hanging neatly inside. A dark blue suit hung on the far side of the closet. He pulled it out and examined it. The coverall was the dark Tizona blue with a white stripe down the left pant leg and a silver sword on the breast pocket.
He placed what few clothes he brought into the closet.
After finishing, Austin opened his school bag with pencils, pens, notebooks, and all the other ingredients required for school.
“Austin,” a familiar voice called from the hallway.
He turned. Jonathan Nubern stood in the doorway. He was dressed much differently than their first encounter when he’d worn a business suit. He wore the same one-piece blue coverall Austin had in his closet and a hat covered his salt and pepper hair. He looked like a member of the SWAT team. A lanyard hung from his neck with three identification badges attached. A clipboard rested in his left hand, and a tablet blinked at his belt.
“Mr. Nubern, I didn’t know you would be here today.”
“Yes? Well, here I am,” he said in the nonsense-free tone he had used during their first meeting. “You are the last recruit for this class. Given that the rest of the students have been here three days, and they have already had the benefit of orientation, you get the private tour. Be downstairs in your uniform in five minutes. We have a lot to do if we plan to make chow by six. Move it!”
Nubern left.
Austin stood in silence for a moment, unsure of how to react to Nubern’s greeting. He tossed his school bag on the desk and closed the door as he changed into the Tizona blue suit. The coverall fit perfectly. He checked the various pockets: two on each arm, four on the torso, two on each leg. He grabbed two pencils and put them in his breast pocket. He tucked the information packet under his arm and hurried down the hall. Nubern stood with his back to him, studying the tablet in his hand.
“Let’s have a look around. As we go on this little tour, ask any questions. Don’t be shy.”
“Yes, sir.”
Nubern nodded and walked toward the Terminus Building. “A lot of what I’m going to tell you can be found in your information packet, but I’m going to hit the highlights you must not forget. First of all, I’m your official mentor. All students are assigned mentors for their education at Tizona. Since all of the other mentors have already been assigned, I have been assigned to you. My purpose is to help you get acclimated to college and the Tizona lifestyle, understood?”
“Understood,” Austin said, hurrying to keep up with Nubern.
Nubern spun around and faced the dormitory. “Behind your dorm, you will find the athletic fields. You should utilize them to keep up with the physical requirements. You are required to be at chow by six in the morning, so the athletic fields are popular at four or five. Be careful, though, as you are not admitted to chow after six-fifteen. Classes start at seven and continue for most of the day. You have your schedule in your packet?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good, I would study that tonight and be sure you aren’t late on your first day. Your instructors are already going to be annoyed you have showed up on day four of classes.” He spun back around toward the Terminus Building. “Let’s check out Terminus, shall we?”
The gravel crunched under their feet.
“When you say you are my mentor, are you talking about classes?”
“I’m not a tutor, nor should you expect me to be. I am merely your guide. Many aspects of the school will seem strange at first. I would recommend following the rules to the letter during your first few weeks until it becomes second nature. Soon, you will not even be thinking about the rules.”
They stepped up a stone staircase and Nubern propped open the door.
Inside, the shining marble floor reflected the light. It looked similar to the main gate building where he had left Mom. A sense of sadness fell over him as he considered Mom driving back by herself. He should email her.
“There are fifty-eight students in your class, including yourself,” Nubern continued in a softer voice. Even after lowering his voice, it echoed in the silent hallways. “Terminus has twenty different classrooms. The third floor is for special instruction and labs. There are other rooms you will be introduced to as you advance in your studies.”
“Is there a computer lab?”
“Computers are available in two labs on the third floor and in the common area, where I am taking you right now. All labs are equipped so students may compete in LAN tournaments whenever time permits.”
Austin blinked. They encouraged local area network tournaments?
He glanced in the classrooms as they passed. In each room, a dozen students wearing the same Tizona blue uniform listened to a teacher’s lecture. One teacher used an interactive digital board to show a microscopic view of cells splitting. The second teacher was administering a test. Already?
“Keep up, Recruit,” Nubern snapped from the end of the hall.
Austin increased his stride. “Sorry, sir.”
Nubern led him into an open area where dozens of personal study areas were lined up in neat rows. Each desk had a computer, a light, and a cup of pencils. Built-in bookshelves lined the walls. The ceiling stretched thirty feet above the floor. Massive windows filled the room with the afternoon light.
“This is great,” Austin said.
“The Terminus Common Area. If you have a break between classes, this is an adequate place to spend that break.” Nubern gestured to the walls. “The books on the walls may not leave this room, but they will help you with your study. The computers are also available for your use. Your login information is available in your packet. Any questions?”
He shrugged. “I don’t think so.”
“Good.” He looked at his watch. “Chow’s in fifteen minutes. That time is yours.” He pointed out the front door. “Chow hall is just outside to the left of the Grand Lawn.”
“That’s the circle of grass in front of Terminus?”
“Yes.” He offered his hand. “It’s a pleasure to have you here, Recruit.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Nubern turned and marched down the hall, his footsteps echoing in the common area. Austin stared at the ceiling and then strolled along the bookshelves, studying the different titles and authors. He sat in front of one of the computers and logged in using the information in his packet.
A browser opened, and a red screen flashed with a white font, warning all Internet activity is recorded on campus. He clicked “I understand” and logged into his personal email. He wrote his Mom a quick email to check in and let her know everything was going fine. Then, he keyed in Kadyn’s address.
Hey Kadyn,
How’s it going? You enjoying Savannah?
I’m getting situated here at my new school. I’m not too far from you. Only a couple hours. Not sure when we get a break here, but I’ll let you know. It’s a weird place, seems very serious and full of rules, but at least I made it to college. That’s all I ever wanted. I don’t think they have a baseball team. HA!
