Alex Armstrong: Awakening Read Free Page A

nosed upward and reversed course like a boomerang, right back into the boy’s waiting hands.
    “What the…” Alex said. He unbuckled and twisted around in his seat and watched through the back window as the student heaved another pass. But before he could see any special effects, the road sloped away and the student was gone. Alex twisted back in his seat—slowly but not carefully—and his elbow hit the Driver 2 Memory Button. There was a single beep and the steering wheel telescoped and the seat slid forward. Way forward. Alex tried to push the other button but he was trapped, the steering wheel squeezing his elbows against his chest so that his hands rested lamely in the air. He looked like some elderly T-Rex leaning over a tree limb, squinting at its prey. And of course this is when he saw his second student.
    She was tall and athletic and her straight blonde hair was shiny in the sunlight. She looked up at the sound of his car and smiled. Alex grinned and tried to wave but only succeeded in looking ridiculous. She laughed.
    “Damnit! Move the seat back! Memory 1! Memory 1!” The seat moved back, but the damage was done; the pretty blonde was long gone.
    The Mercedes approached a small natural pond and made a right. Alex glanced at the map. They were going east, toward the edge of campus. Wherever they were heading must have been near. He looked up and saw the gym to his left. No one was inside. To his right was another field, this one complete with wooden benches and tables scattered about under the cover of white oaks. He noticed a man lying in a patch of sunlight. He was reading a book. But there was something peculiar about him. Alex had to stare for a moment before he noticed. It was the man’s arms. They were at his sides, his hands near his kneecaps. The paperback hovered a few inches from his face. Alex leaned forward and saw a page turn in midair.
    The car parked in the tiny lot at the bottom of the hill. “We have reached your destination.”
    “Good, cause I’ve got some questions.”
    ****
    Alex stretched his arms and cracked his back and bent over and tried to touch his toes. He closed the door and noted that his was the car on the right. Four more Mercedes—the exact same model—were parked to his left.
    He walked up the pathway and the automatic doors ushered him into the Student Center. He took a step inside and stood still as he got his bearings. It was one large room divided into a student lounge and a café. Cherry-wood bookshelves were to his left and a stone fireplace was to his right. An aroma of coffee and fresh-cut lumber hung in the air. About the only thing missing from this Student Center were other students.
    Alex glanced around the room again and this time saw the handwritten sign informing him that new student registration would be on the lower level. He walked downstairs into the much cooler basement.
    He opened the door and entered a room buzzing with activity. There were about two dozen students, and for one brief but awkward moment, every one of them stopped whatever it was they were doing and turned to look at Alex. And all he could muster was a weak little smile. The door closed behind him and they went back to their conversations.
    “Quite an entrance.”
    “Huh?” Alex turned to the student now standing at his side. He had curly brown hair and was very short.
    “You just stood there. I know, I know, you were caught off guard. But wouldn’t it be cool to have a do-over? You know, so you could do something awesome, like maybe do a backflip. Or have some theme music ready and walk in and just start breakdancing. Think of how cool that would be. You’d be a legend before the year even started. You’re looking at me like I’m crazy. I’m rambling, aren’t I? Sorry, I think about these things. I can also be a bit of a smart-ass, so I’ll go ahead and apologize for that now in case we become friends. I’m Patrick, by the way.”
    Alex shook his hand, laughing.