Dolbin School for the Extraordinary-Chapter 4-You Are Not Alone
writing·@mctiller·
0.000 HBDDolbin School for the Extraordinary-Chapter 4-You Are Not Alone
<html> <p>I am continuing my experiment of posting a book of mine chapter by chapter. You can <a href="https://steemit.com/writing/@mctiller/dolbin-school-for-the-extraordinary-chapter-3-welcome-to-dolbin">read the previous chapter here.</a></p> <p>You can download the book here on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dolbin-School-Extraordinary-Book-ebook/dp/B00FZVCPRU#navbar">Amazon</a>. Or you can join my <a href="http://eepurl.com/1EWcT">Insider's List</a> and the book, plus other extras.</p> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/ae96794187.jpg" width="697" height="1080"/></p> <h2>Chapter 4: You’re Not Alone</h2> <p><br></p> <p> Jake stepped forward. His jaw dropped as he looked around and took in the huge silver building and the surroundings. A few airplanes and helicopters buzzed around the school. A boy climbing the side of the building without any ropes or equipment held his attention until a girl started running at the wall and then jumped to the top of the building.</p> <p> That was well over a hundred feet, thought Jake. </p> <p> “Did you see that?” Jake said, pointing at the girl. </p> <p> “The girl?” his dad said, putting his hand on Jake’s back. “Yes. We need to hurry up, son. We’re going to meet your new principal.”</p> <p> The suitmen led the way. The inside of the silver building was even more impressive than the exterior. Jake tilted his head backwards to take it all in. From the ceiling hung a tremendous tapestry. It was three stories high. Across the top of the tapestry was written “Dolbin School for the Extraordinary.” In the middle, a boy and a girl were gazing off into the sky, looking noble. At the bottom of the tapestry, in bold letters was the school motto: “To Serve, Protect and Educate.”</p> <p> Jake was hurried along. The suitmen escorted the group into an office area. They walked through the door and past a couple of people seated behind a desk, without saying a word. </p> <p> They stood at two sliding doors. One of the suitmen took a card and slid it through a card reader. An electronic female voice said, “Welcome. Please place hand on the reader.” He took his left hand and placed it on the screen. A red line scanned his hand. “Thank you,” the voice replied, and the doors slid open. </p> <p> Jake followed the adults into the room. The room had several framed diplomas on the wall. Jake noticed photographs on the wall that were filled with famous people. Pictures of George Lucas, Tom Hanks, Michael Jordan, the president of the United States were all standing next to the same man. Who is this man, Jake wondered.</p> <p> “I also have a basketball signed by Jordan. Would you like to see it?” asked a voice coming from behind Jake. </p> <p> The group turned around. The man in the picture was standing behind Jake. The man extended his hand to Jake. “My name is Mr. Glover.” </p> <p> Jake stood there like a statue.</p> <p> “Jake, Mr. Glover is the principal here. Be polite and shake his hand,” said Jake’s mother. </p> <p> Jake did as he was told.</p> <p> “Most new students here are quiet when they enter the building for the first time,” explained Mr. Glover. “I bet you have a ton of questions, don’t you Jake? Let’s go sit down and talk about why you are here.”</p> <p> Jake sat down in a big chair. His mom and dad sat down on a nearby couch. The two suitmen left the room.</p> <p> Mr. Glover sat down behind his desk. He reached into his desk and pulled out a remote control and pointed it at the ceiling. “Let’s take a look,” he said. </p> <p> A video began playing on the wall behind Mr. Glover. Jake immediately recognized the cafeteria at Kane Elementary School. It was surveillance footage from his old school. Jake’s stomach sank as the familiar drama unfolded. There he was walking toward Brad. Jake’s face turned deep red as the fight was replayed. </p> <p> He didn’t want to relive it.</p> <p> Jake reached down and grabbed Brad by the belt and lifted him over his head. </p> <p> The picture froze.</p> <p> “We’ll stop there,” Mr. Glover said, turning in his chair to face Jake. “We know how it ends. “Obviously, you are stronger than normal people. Right now it seems to only happen when you are either very focused or emotional. Your body releases more energy under extreme stress. Thus, you threw this poor student through a very large window.”</p> <p> “He wasn’t a poor student,” Jake said under his breath.</p> <p> “Nevertheless, that is why you are here,” continued Mr. Glover. “You see there are other students in the same situation you are in. They are Extras in need of a place to be themselves and to learn how to use their skills.”</p> <p> “Since when was I an Extra?”</p> <p> “Since the day you were born,” his mom replied. </p> <p> “Sometimes the powers associated with being an Extra don’t kick in until later, around the age of ten, which is of course how old you are,” Mr. Glover explained. </p> <p> “Well, why didn’t someone just tell me I was going to be an Extra?” asked Jake, raising his voice.</p> <p> “Then what would have happened if you didn’t turn out to be an Extra?” said Jake’s dad. </p> <p> His mom continued. “Not all parents who are Extras have children who are also Extras,” she said. “Imagine how devastated you would have been?”</p> <p> “The fact is that we don’t even know what Extra skills and talents you have,” Mr. Glover added. “One of the first items of business here at school is to learn about you. We need to learn what your abilities are and then teach you how to use those skills in a useful manner.”</p> <p> “How does the testing proceed, Mr. Glover?” Jake’s dad asked. “Is it different than from when we attended school here?”</p> <p> “No, not too different, Mr. Cooper,” Mr. Glover answered before turning to face Jake. “As we know, you are quite clearly strong. The first thing we’ll do is find out just how strong you really are. Our physical education teacher, Mr. Banner, will be tasked with finding that out.”</p> <p> “You can’t just take my blood and read the genetic code?” inquired Jake. </p> <p> Mr. Glover smiled and paused. “I wish it was that simple. If it was, we would have known years ago that you were going to express your skills. No, the fact is that there are more Extras out there than we know of. It’s just that they may not have used their skills or have been in the right place to use them. Maybe someday we can come up with that blood test. Who knows? Maybe you will invent that. Until then, this is the best way we know how to determine your skills.”</p> <p> Jake’s mom interrupted. “Mr. Glover, before we begin all these tests, shouldn’t we show him around the school and where he will be staying.”</p> <p> Jake’s stomach sank. It never occurred to him that he wouldn’t be going home. His mom saw the fear on his face and tried to reassure him. </p> <p> “Honey, there is no other school for this,” she said. “You can’t go back to your old school. Your father and I have to begin the process of moving, as there will be many questions about you around the neighborhood.”</p> <p> Jake began to cry.</p> <p> “I’m losing all my friends?” he sobbed.</p> <p> Mr. Glover put his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “Jake you’re not alone here,” he said. “You’re not the only one to have gone through this. It is standard protocol in our community that when skills are discovered in such a public way, people are required to move.”</p> <p> His mother hugged him tightly. </p> <p> “Honey, trust me,” she whispered. “You are going to love this place. We will visit regularly. I know this is a lot to take in, but it is time for you to see where you will be staying, and to visit your new school.”</p> <p> She wrapped her arm around Jake’s back and walked him out of Mr. Glover’s office. Jake’s dad followed behind them.</p> <p> As they left the room, a woman at the desk outside looked up from her computer screen. She gave Jake a kind smile when she saw the familiar look of disappointment in his face. “Sweetie, my name is Mrs. Kasdan. Welcome to Dolbin School,” she said.</p> <p> </p> <p><br></p> </html>