The Last of the Sages (Sage Trilogy, Book 1) Read Free Page A

long to catch up to them.
    Jennings may have been a football star, and an athlete with little to no fat on him, but his partner in crime was Korey, a faithful customer o f Stuff and Gorg e . No doubt he was keeping them at a comfortable pace.
    James tried sneaking up on them but he was sure Jennings caught him out the corner of his eye as they turned onto the next street. The following conversation confirmed it.
    “Was that James just now?” Jennings asked rhetorically.
    “Let me see…was it a light-skinned, short-haired teenager with the same loose black shirt, dark blue jeans and ‘vintage’ leather jacket?”
    “Yeah, that’s him.”
    “Then yes, we saw him. I think he was attempting to scare us.”
    “Even his tricks are lazy.”
    “Guess you guys just love to gossip, huh?” James remarked, knowing his cover was blown. Jennings smirked with his signature pretty-boy smile. The smile that made simple-minded villagers forgive all his dirty dealings.
    “The only reason we said those things was because we knew you were there,” Jennings replied, moving out of the path of a moving pile of hay. The village was catching its second wind, finishing up the last chores and transactions of the day. James rarely noticed, but today for some reason, he couldn’t help taking in the smell of manure, straw, and sweat permeating the air. It was disgusting, but it was home…
    “Still no reason to talk about my clothes or my character,” James’s voice cracked as he matched the stride of his friends.
    “Alright. Alright. I’m sorry. You can be so sensitive…but while we are on the subject, why do you wear the same clothes every day? Especially that jacket. Is it a family heirloom or something?”
    “It was my father’s. My mother gave it to him a few days before she left. When she disappeared, he gave the jacket to me. He felt like she had been planning her departure for a while, the way she gave it to him.”
    “What’s it say on the back again?”
    “Farewell.”
    “Oh, that’s dark,” Jennings said, his voice trailing off.
    “So, James,” Korey interjected. “What are you doing up so early?”
    “A couple of friends of mine wouldn’t shut up outside my window.”
    “Aww,” Jennings laughed. “I know how getting less than twelve hours messes up your whole schedule. Need some coffee?”
    “Nah, lunch with you two should wake me up, especially if Korey’s eating. It’s like watching ants rip an injured fly apart – disgusting, but it’s sure hard to look away.”
    “Hey,” Korey laughed. “You don’t eat like a civilized human being yourself.”
    “The fact is, both of you disgust me,” Jennings said firmly. “But having you around is the only way I get to show my face at the restaurant. The way you two load up your plates, no one bothers glancing at mine. I can eat to my heart’s content and still maintain my reputation.”
    “James, you got money right?” Korey asked abruptly.
    “Of course,” he declared proudly. “I horde my money like we’re about to have a famine.”
    “Just asking. I was just wondering if your father cut your allowance again .” Korey chuckled as he tripped over his own foot. The conversation didn’t miss a beat. They were used to his clumsiness, especially around the raised cobblestones that littered the ground. Jennings was usually quick to make a smart remark but since they had been friends for so long, no one thought much of it. Jennings was often aware of his comments, but only after they had already been said, and so each day he would silently pray that his friends wouldn’t find him too arrogant.
    The villagers saw only the superstar jock, and he loved playing the part for all the attention he received, but he knew just as well that he needed real friends too. The kind he could talk to uncensored and raw about life, women, and where he needed help in his short-comings. Friends that would love him no matter what, even if the general public would someday