When my parents call me down to surrender my phone, I wipe the weirder parts of my search history and add a search for "Bible verses for stress" for good measure. I surrendered my phone and then it was time for family study time. I hate this part of the routine because my dad makes sure it takes an hour, no matter how short the passage is. When it is all over, I want to go to bed. Lying on my pillow, I recited my "prayers" and started my white noise machine. But that is where normalcy ends.
"James…James! Where are you?" I hear my sister Ruth calling for me across the field. I start running, but I can't get to her. Finally, I stop and she disappears. I hear someone clear their throat and I turn around. Behind me, there is a man with a full beard and sky blue eyes. He was tall and muscular. He appeared to be about my father's age, maybe around 45 years old.
"James, I am here to call you to Belle Crest. You need to go to North Carolina and enroll in this school. I will guide you and teach you." The man was really bossy and honestly, I did not get warm and fuzzy looking at him.
"Who are you? Are you God? Is this what my parents always said would happen to God's – your – God's chosen?" I knelt almost immediately and panicked. I knew this was a dream, but it somehow felt real.
"I am not 'God' in the Christian sense of the word. Although I am sure he's around here somewhere, I am not him. I am Zeus, King of Olympus. You are James Candria, my chosen high priest. I will guide you to Belle Crest where you will learn and fulfill your destiny."
I looked at him in shock. There was no way I was supposed to be some random gods' high priest. What did I eat before bed that made me conjure this dream? As I am contemplating these thoughts, Zeus turns and surveys the fields around him.
"I am sure you make Demeter proud with the work you put in, but you are truly a child of lightning and sky. You doubt the reality of this call, so I will leave you a sign. When you wake, you will find a lightning bolt bracelet on your bedside table. Put it on and it will guide you to Belle Crest. Safe travels, James. Remember that not everything is what your parents told you."
With those words, I woke up. His voice haunting me and my head was spinning. I look over at my alarm clock and realize it is only 9:30 at night. I slept for 30 minutes maximum. Next to the alarm clock glowed a lightning bolt bracelet. I put it on and realized that it was all real. When I got it secured, I heard a whisper telling me to go ahead and leave now. I grabbed a backpack and threw some things into it. I had a small set of cash that I saved over the years from harvest sales and I put that in. After everything was packed, I slipped out of my window soundlessly, went to the stables, packed a bit of provisions for the horse, and saddled her. We left a little after ten and rode all night. The bracelet led the way, just as Zeus said. I arrived in the morning.
While I was riding just outside of Boone, North Carolina, a mist cleared and there was a whole school right in front of me. I was shocked to say the least. It was huge and there were people everywhere. My horse kept walking as if it knew the way and stopped in what appeared to be a courtyard where people were gathered. I hopped down and the second my feet hit the ground, a trumpet sounded and a warm sensation pulsed on my wrist. I looked down and let out a yelp. There was a lightning bolt seared onto it like a tattoo. Someone approached me at that same moment.
"Hi, I am Daphne of Hestia House. Welcome to Belle Crest. May I see the mark you have?" She seemed nice, so I held out my wrist. She looked at me wide-eyed. "We almost never get students of Zeus House anymore. What's your name?"
"I'm James. What do you mean Zeus House?"
"Welcome, James. He is in the House of Zeus!" She yelled across the courtyard. Her voice echoed a bit but then a professor and another student approached me.
"My name is Professor Noam and this is one of Zeus' other students, Malcolm. Malcolm will be your guide for orientation and will show you your new room. We are glad you are here. Malcolm, please make sure he knows where everything is and we will get his classes organized in the morning." Malcolm nods and turns to me. The professor walks away from us as Malcolm starts talking.
"Hey, welcome to Belle Crest. I know it is a bit of a shock to arrive here, but I'm glad you made it." I shrug and start looking around. Malcolm waved over another kid who took my horse. I noticed a small wave mark on his bicep.
"What's up? I'm Cahlan. I'm in Poseidon House. I'm going to take this beautiful mare to the stables for some R and R. Catch you later, James. Keep it loose, Malcolm!" With that, Cahlan took my mare to the stables. Malcolm turned to me.
"Ready for the tour? I have a lot to show you!" I nodded and off we went to tour Belle Crest School for the Unusually Gifted.