steps
across the ravine.
Xavier cursed and threw his
hands up in frustration when Reginald didn’t fall. Laurent smiled
and applauded as Reginald walked on air, soaked his feet in the
waterfall, turned around, and returned to Saxines. When he opened
his eyes and smiled, Saxines reached into his pocket, removed a
gold chain, and placed it around Reginald’s neck. A sparkling
diamond, shaped like a lion’s head, dangled from the chain. When
Reginald felt the gem brush against his chest, he felt strong and
confident. He bowed before Saxines.
“ You’ve proven your bravery
and courage. You’ve demonstrated leadership skills by deciding to
go first. I’m honored that you’ll be my future king,” Saxines
said.
“ Thank you, sire. It’s an
honor to earn your respect,” Reginald said.
“ Now it’s your turn,
Laurent Stine. Don’t be afraid,” Saxines said.
Laurent stepped to the edge
of the cliff and glanced down into the chasm. His throat went dry
and he bit his tongue. Blood blossomed in his mouth. He placed his
left foot forward and paused due to anxiety. He closed his eyes,
counted to ten, and dragged his right foot off the edge of the
cliff. A tingling sensation rushed through his body when he didn’t
feel solid ground beneath his feet. He opened his eyes and realized
he was standing in the sky. He smiled and walked toward the
waterfall. Then he cleaned his feet, felt the waterfall’s cold
spray on his face, and walked back to the others.
Saxines reached into his
pocket and removed another golden chain. A glowing sapphire, shaped
like a lightning bolt, dangled from the end of it. Saxines placed
it around Laurent’s neck. When the sapphire brushed against his
chest, Laurent smiled as energy flowed through his body. It felt
like warm, soothing electricity. It siphoned his fears.
“ You’ve proven your ability
to complete a task without following instructions. I told you not
to look down, and you disobeyed me. But you didn’t fall and
completed the task. I must acknowledge your determination. But you
still have much to learn,” Saxines said.
“ Yes, I realize I made a
mistake. It will never happen again,” Laurent said.
“ Now it’s your turn, Xavier
Thames. Try to complete the task without looking down! I have faith
that you’ll do better than Laurent!” Saxines said.
Xavier frowned and a ladder
of wrinkles creased his forehead. He clenched his fists and his
knuckles turned white. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed
that Reginald and Laurent were giggling and whispering to each
other. Xavier knew they liked to talk about him behind his back.
He’d caught them gossiping about him in the cafeteria and in the
playground on many occasions. A vein pulsed in his neck and his jaw
twitched as he stepped toward the cliff and focused his attention
on the waterfall. Blood rushed to his face and his heartbeat pulsed
in his wrists. He closed his eyes and guided both of his feet off
the cliff toward the waterfall. He screamed when he plunged over of
the side of the cliff. His arms flailed and his feet kicked as he
plunged toward the deep water below.
“ I knew he couldn’t do it!
He’s such a loser!” Reginald said. He laughed out loud.
“ That’s what happens to
arrogant, stuck-up snobs!” Laurent yelled. He cackled
wildly.
“ Stop it, boys! Stop it
right now or I’ll punish you severely! It looks like he’s injured
and doesn’t know how to swim!” Saxines said. He peered over the
edge of the cliff.
Xavier felt water pour into
his mouth, flood his trachea, and invade his lungs. He struggled to
stay above water. Before his head plunged beneath the surface, he
heard Reginald and Laurent laughing. They harassed him while he
struggled for survival…
***
“ So that’s why he hates you
so much. To be honest, I don’t blame him. But it’s still not a
valid reason to become a maniac,” Angelique said.
“ Yeah, I’d be angry, too.
It’s not nice to make fun of someone. But
across the ravine.
Xavier cursed and threw his
hands up in frustration when Reginald didn’t fall. Laurent smiled
and applauded as Reginald walked on air, soaked his feet in the
waterfall, turned around, and returned to Saxines. When he opened
his eyes and smiled, Saxines reached into his pocket, removed a
gold chain, and placed it around Reginald’s neck. A sparkling
diamond, shaped like a lion’s head, dangled from the chain. When
Reginald felt the gem brush against his chest, he felt strong and
confident. He bowed before Saxines.
“ You’ve proven your bravery
and courage. You’ve demonstrated leadership skills by deciding to
go first. I’m honored that you’ll be my future king,” Saxines
said.
“ Thank you, sire. It’s an
honor to earn your respect,” Reginald said.
“ Now it’s your turn,
Laurent Stine. Don’t be afraid,” Saxines said.
Laurent stepped to the edge
of the cliff and glanced down into the chasm. His throat went dry
and he bit his tongue. Blood blossomed in his mouth. He placed his
left foot forward and paused due to anxiety. He closed his eyes,
counted to ten, and dragged his right foot off the edge of the
cliff. A tingling sensation rushed through his body when he didn’t
feel solid ground beneath his feet. He opened his eyes and realized
he was standing in the sky. He smiled and walked toward the
waterfall. Then he cleaned his feet, felt the waterfall’s cold
spray on his face, and walked back to the others.
Saxines reached into his
pocket and removed another golden chain. A glowing sapphire, shaped
like a lightning bolt, dangled from the end of it. Saxines placed
it around Laurent’s neck. When the sapphire brushed against his
chest, Laurent smiled as energy flowed through his body. It felt
like warm, soothing electricity. It siphoned his fears.
“ You’ve proven your ability
to complete a task without following instructions. I told you not
to look down, and you disobeyed me. But you didn’t fall and
completed the task. I must acknowledge your determination. But you
still have much to learn,” Saxines said.
“ Yes, I realize I made a
mistake. It will never happen again,” Laurent said.
“ Now it’s your turn, Xavier
Thames. Try to complete the task without looking down! I have faith
that you’ll do better than Laurent!” Saxines said.
Xavier frowned and a ladder
of wrinkles creased his forehead. He clenched his fists and his
knuckles turned white. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed
that Reginald and Laurent were giggling and whispering to each
other. Xavier knew they liked to talk about him behind his back.
He’d caught them gossiping about him in the cafeteria and in the
playground on many occasions. A vein pulsed in his neck and his jaw
twitched as he stepped toward the cliff and focused his attention
on the waterfall. Blood rushed to his face and his heartbeat pulsed
in his wrists. He closed his eyes and guided both of his feet off
the cliff toward the waterfall. He screamed when he plunged over of
the side of the cliff. His arms flailed and his feet kicked as he
plunged toward the deep water below.
“ I knew he couldn’t do it!
He’s such a loser!” Reginald said. He laughed out loud.
“ That’s what happens to
arrogant, stuck-up snobs!” Laurent yelled. He cackled
wildly.
“ Stop it, boys! Stop it
right now or I’ll punish you severely! It looks like he’s injured
and doesn’t know how to swim!” Saxines said. He peered over the
edge of the cliff.
Xavier felt water pour into
his mouth, flood his trachea, and invade his lungs. He struggled to
stay above water. Before his head plunged beneath the surface, he
heard Reginald and Laurent laughing. They harassed him while he
struggled for survival…
***
“ So that’s why he hates you
so much. To be honest, I don’t blame him. But it’s still not a
valid reason to become a maniac,” Angelique said.
“ Yeah, I’d be angry, too.
It’s not nice to make fun of someone. But
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