Xander: An Incandescent Short Story (The Incandescent Series) Read online

  Contents

  Copyright copy

  title page

  Dedication

  Basketball or Geology or...

  Time to fly

  Palladium

  Leader

  Team Alpha

  Ray of Light preview

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  works

  Copyright © 2017 Danielle Burrows

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher—exception: for use of brief quotations in book review.

  For my VIPs; thank you for your support.

  This story is told prior to the events in Ray of Light.

  Xander: An Incandescent Short Story is written by an Australian author and uses Australian spelling.

  BASKETBALL OR GEOLOGY OR…

  My fingers weave through the grass as I wait; it’s as soft as carpet. I pluck a strand and split it in half, flicking the broken parts into the wind. I repeat this process a few times over.

  He’s late. Which means I will probably miss basketball training, which means I probably won’t get selected for the game this weekend. My parents and teachers would all tell me the same thing though, education is more important than sport at the moment.

  Trees branch out across the lawn, sunlight turns the edges of every green leaf golden. It’s the tail end of a Summer heat-wave, hot enough to find shade, yet not too hot to complain about waiting.

  I unlock my phone to see if I have somehow missed a call or text. It opens on the last message I sent: Hey Ross, are we still on for today? I’m on the lawn out the front. No reply. I drop my phone on the grass beside me and lean back on my elbows.

  This University is kinda cool, I guess. Some of the buildings look like churches, some are more modern—a perfect blend of the old and the new, of steadfast ways and adventurous possibilities. Students only a little older than me buzz by with purpose, or pretending to have purpose anyway. I bet they are no wiser than me with what they want to do with their life. Coach says with a little practice and determination I could have a basketball career. The Science faculty say I could easily get a Geology degree, if I applied myself a little harder. That’s why I’m here, waiting for Ross, to get a tighter grip on it.

  One good thing is that Ross isn’t just my tutor, he’s my best friend. We used to play video games and practice pick-up lines together. He doesn’t look like a typical nerd, he has glasses and talks gibberish, but he’s strong and girls like him. In High School, our friendship changed—he got smarter and I got, well, more popular. Our circles separated but we remained close enough. Then, he began excelling at all things academic—I don’t just mean being top of the class, I mean being top of the school, even from seventh grade. He was put into an accelerated learning school and started university last year, he’s already in his third year. Don’t ask me how that works, he’s the brainiac not me. Again, that’s why I’m here, for him to help me get a head start before High School ends and all I have to show for it will be average grades and an MVP trophy. That’s the smart thing to do right? All I really want to do is hang with my friends, go dirt bike riding, and get drunk at Sean’s house. I guess that’s why I don’t care if I miss out on Basketball, or if Ross actually shows this time or not. Maybe I’m destined to be average?

  A girl with a pink skirt and white top runs down the walkway with books covering her chest. Half of me hopes she’ll drop them just so I can see her bend down to pick them up again, the other half wonders what her name is, what her major is, what she’s running for. She glances my way and I can’t help but smile at her. She slows down a little for me to see a small lift of her lips.

  I’m interrupted by my phone ringing. I expect it to be Ross, but it’s not, it’s Laney.

  ‘Hi,’ I answer.

  ‘Hey there you. You left school in a rush. What are you doing?’ Her voice is high-pitched like a child’s. It’s not always like this, just when she wants something from me.

  ‘I’m waiting for my friend from college.’ I don’t even know why I added that last part.

  ‘Ross?’

  ‘That’s the one.’ I’m such a douche. Of course she knows Ross, we all went to primary school together.

  ‘Are you going to Sean’s pool party on Friday?’ Laney asks. She sounds all sweet and innocent, but the question makes me wince.

  ‘Of course,’ I reply.

  ‘Me too,’ Laney croons.

  ‘Mmm…’ I remember the running girl and glance to the walkway just in time to see her turn the corner. I watch her pink skirt flit between rows of trees until I can’t see it anymore.

  ‘I’ll see you there then?’

  I don’t think it’s a question, but I answer anyway, ‘You will.’ I realise I sound like an uninterested jerk and add, ‘It will be a good night.’

  ‘Yes, it will, especially considering we will both be there.’ There’s a lilt in her voice that makes me think she means something else, something more. There’s the catch.

  ‘Are you insinuating something Laney McDonald?’ I make sure to keep my tone light.

  ‘Maybe.’ She giggles.

  It’s not that I don’t like Laney, she’s a nice girl and a great kisser, it’s just that I don’t want things to be serious. I mean, we’ve slept together a few times but she’s starting to make it into something more meaningful. Something I’m not ready for.

  There’s Ross! He is walking beside a tall, dark man; they use large hand gestures as they talk loudly.

  ‘Listen, I’ve got to go, see you Friday, Lane.’ I hang up the phone before she has a chance to reply. I stand up to greet Ross, except he’s walked straight past me.

  ‘Ross?’ I call.

  He doesn’t hear me. I jog to catch up with them. Not wanting to interrupt their in-depth conversation, I hover behind them.

  ‘It’s so lucky one appeared at the agricultural field.’ The tall man says. I’m assuming he’s a professor.

  ‘And it moves involuntarily when you touch it? I’m sorry, I know you’ve said this but I’m struggling to understand what you mean.’

  ‘Yes. Son, it’s too hard to explain, you’ll have to see. I really hope you’ll join me with the research. It’s going to change the whole world.’

  Two things hit me as I follow them like a creep down the path. One, Ross has forgotten all about our tutor session; and two, the fact they are in such a bother about whatever it is they talk about intrigues the hell out of me. This is the most excitement I’ve had in weeks.

  I follow them into the molecular science wing, and up the stairs to the second floor. The professor hurries Ross down the hall, he opens a door, and just as I’m about to make Ross aware of my presence, the door is shut in my face. I should have expected that to happen. Now what? I suppose if I ask Ross what the fuss was all about he might tell me later. Or… I could always knock on the door, stumble upon something ‘world-changing’, and they can’t help but tell me about it right here and now?

  I look at my watch, and decide to try and get to basketball training. From one obligation to another.

  I make my way down the stairs and step out into the warm air. Most people have left for the day. A few sit on the grass at the far end of the lawn but aside from them I am the only one here. Instead of walking down the path, I turn to my left and wander deeper inside the campus. Next year, this will be the place I’ll be at the most … well, that’s if Ross actually remembers to tutor me. I turn left again and the mix of sandstone
and red brick buildings crowd in on me. A Geology degree, hey? I shake my head at myself, I don’t know if that’s even what I want anymore.

  My feet drag with my legs feeling heavy underneath me. I see a stray stone and kick it along the path. It scuttles along the concrete path and hides itself into the garden-bed along the edge of the science wing.

  A flicker to my right catches my eye—at first, I’m expecting it to be a tree branch shaking in the wind, but then I see a man. He’s tall and dark and his glasses have slid down his nose; he’s wearing a grin and holding a large silver ball. It’s the professor Ross was with. How did he get out here so quick? There must be another entrance nearby. The Professor gently holds the silver ball as if he is handling a two-hour-old newborn baby. He closes his eyes. The ball shimmers brightly for a second and then he and the ball are … gone. I blink a few times. Am I going crazy? My head moves so fast a twinge makes its way from my shoulder to my skull.

  ‘Argh,’ I mumble, rubbing my neck.

  Did I just see what I saw? Has the heat gotten to me?

  I roll my head to loosen my seized muscles, side to side, forward and up:

  There’s Ross. He is looking out a window on the second floor, eyes and mouth wide. And beside him, with a proud smile firmly planted on his face, is the professor.

  I glance back at the spot where the professor disappeared, grass still squashed where he stood. Is this what world-changing looks like?

  My feet move before I have a chance to think. I tear along the path, legs light like air. I breeze into the building and before I know it I’m standing outside their door.

  Without hesitation, I knock.

  The door slowly opens and Professor Nichols peers around the door, ‘Can I help you?’

  ‘I, uh ...’ Any glimmer of eloquence I may somehow possess is lost.

  ‘Xander?’ Ross opens the door wider, ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘Hey,’ I say, ‘I just saw you both walking… I saw… we were meant to have a study session and I saw…’ I stop talking for a moment to gather myself. Behind the half-opened door, Ross and the professor stand with furrowed brows, annoyed by the interruption. Behind them, a silver ball the size of a basketball sits on the desk. I clear my throat.

  ‘What on earth is that thing? You were outside, then you were inside.’

  ‘You saw me use it?’

  I nod.

  The professor steps out of his office, he looks up and down the hall before dragging me inside.

  ‘Oh god, I’m so sorry Professor Nichols, I was meant to meet him and from the excitement of your offer I completely forgot.’ Ross says. ‘He’s a friend!’

  ‘And you trust him?’ Nichols voice is deep and gruff as he stares me down.

  ‘With my life!’ Ross replies.

  Professor Nichols is silent for a while, he looks different when he’s not smiling, like he’s thinking of a million scenarios for dealing with me.

  Dammit. I’ve watched movies, I know how this goes. I’ve seen something I shouldn’t have, next I’ll be thrown in the boot of a car and taken to a secluded location…

  ‘I study Geology if that helps?’ I blurt.

  Ross’ brows fall to his eyes and his mouth forms a “w”. I shrug.

  Nichols smacks his lips together; his eyes move side to side as he stares at the silver ball.

  ‘Mmm…’ He moves his eyes from the ball to me. He scans my person, from my head to my feet, before wagging his finger at me.

  ‘You know what? You look strong, we could use someone like you.’

  I release the breath I didn’t realise I was holding in.

  Ross claps his hands together, ‘Awesome! Now what?’

  ‘We’ll get you applications, I mean, with my endorsement it’s a shoo-in—plus you both know about the orbs so they’ll want you to sign disclaimers.’ Nichols crouches beside his desk and lifts up a bowling ball bag onto the desk.

  Orbs?

  ‘Umm,’ I try to sound as calm as possible. ‘Orbs?’

  Nichols unzips the bowling bag and gestures for us to look inside. Ross almost falls into the bag as he leans over the desk and peers in. I’m more hesitant; I shuffle and give a slight lean. From what I can see, when Ross’ head isn’t in the way, there are two balls, I mean orbs, similar to the silver one. One is grey and one is blue.

  Nichols places the silver orb into the bag with them and zips it back up.

  ‘Orbs,’ I state. Numb.

  ‘Orbs!’ Ross repeats me, but his excitement is evident.

  Nichols smiles. ‘So, the silver one I just used is called a portal orb, the other two are static and egg. The static orb sends electricity sparks to any nearby heat signature. It’s imperative to remember this orb cannot be touched with bare hands. The egg orb, well that is special…’

  I zone out. Ross’ eager eyes lap up every word Nichols speaks, while my brain feels like it’s melting. Portal? Electricity? What is this? If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I would have thought I had walked in on some weird sci-fi play these two hardcore nerds had created.

  I’m startled by the loud bang of Ross’ fist on the desk.

  ‘Oh my Goooood!’ He exclaims, looking like he might burst a blood vessel. ‘Amazing! YES. Hell yes!’

  I glare at Ross, trying to catch some kind of hint that he is just rehearsing for his theatrical debut, or that this is some wild and elaborate prank he’s pulling on me. But he’s not the pranking type, and I’ve not seen him this happy before.

  ‘How about you, Xander, was that your name? Are you keen?’ Nichols asks me.

  Basketball or Geology or Orbs?

  TIME TO FLY

  Our lounge room is full of embarrassing family photos. The whole right wall is a cabinet, with cupboards and shelves and a space for the TV. The liquor section is in the top left corner, half a bottle of vodka hides behind Dad’s favourite scotch. I wince, I must remember to replace that before my parents notice it.

  ‘What’s up, bro?’ Kate throws her backpack on the ground and slumps on the sofa next to me.

  Her eyes are so huge and blue, they sparkle with innocence. She’s eleven years old, so I can’t just out-right tell her that I’m considering moving to a secret non-government laboratory to help scientists find more orbs. That would be a little irresponsible, right? Nichols also said something about not disclosing what I found out today too, and I can’t quite get the image of him shoving me into the boot of a car out of my head.

  ‘I’ve been given an exciting job opportunity. I’m not sure what to do though, it would mean moving to Victoria.’

  Her forehead crinkles. ‘That’s a long way away.’

  ‘I know, hence the struggle with deciding what to do.’

  She gives a thoughtful glance to a family picture next to the TV. ‘Is it just because you’ll miss us?’

  ‘Mostly. My friends too.’

  ‘And what does having this exciting job mean for you? I’ve heard you and Mum and Dad argue about your future. I’ve heard you say you don’t have any real passion for your options; that you’re putting off making a choice because you don’t want to get stuck in something that bores you. Does this job meet your, umm… what’s the word, “requirements”?’

  I laugh. ‘You’re very observant...’ I stop to think. ‘Well, it wouldn’t be boring--that’s for sure.’

  ‘Then you should do it! Definitely.’

  ‘God, I love you.’ I ruffle her thick dark hair.

  ‘I’m the smartest person I know.’ She grins, before picking up her backpack and heading out of the lounge room.

  ‘Not the most humble though,’ I call out to her as she walks into the kitchen. I know exactly what she’s doing in there. ‘Leave some for me!’ I add.

  ‘You’ll have to be quick,’ she yells back, her mouth already full of choc-chip cookies.

  I leap off the sofa and in three steps find her sitting on the kitchen bench with her hand in the jar. She smiles with her eyes, her cheeks puffed o
ut like a squirrel storing acorns.

  I go to take the jar off her but she has such a good grip. I pry her fingers loose, gently so as not to hurt her, but firmly so I can get the damn jar. I manage to retrieve a small cookie before she takes the jar back again. She reaches for a cookie that looks like it has double the amount of choc-chips, so I snatch for it just before she takes a bite. The cookie snaps in two, and my half crumbles from the break. Crumbs and choc-chips scatter across her lap and onto the bench.

  ‘Oh, you did not just destroy my cookie!’ She says with glee as she squashes her half on the top of my head.

  ‘Guys, really?’ Mum’s voice echoes behind us. She stands by the fridge with her high-heels in her hands.

  ‘He started it.’ Bits of cookie spit out Kate’s mouth as she speaks.

  I stifle a laugh.

  Kate giggles as part of the squashed cookie falls off my head and into the jar. She looks inside the jar in disgust. ‘You can have them now.’

  ‘Seriously guys, Xander why can’t you act your age?’ Mum grabs the broom from beside the fridge and hands it to me.

  ‘Shhory,’ Kate says, jumping off the bench with her mouth still full of cookie.

  ‘Just having fun.’ I say.

  ‘Speaking of fun. Tell Mum about your adventure!’ Kate smiles.

  ‘Uh, now is probably not the best time.’ I give a pained smile back.

  ‘Well you have to tell me now. I’m curious, honey, what is it?’ Mum pulls up a stool.

  I brush the crumbs from the bench into my hand and throw them in the bin.

  ‘Xander, tell me.’ Mum insists. She dabs her fingers on the missed crumbs and puts them in her mouth.

  ‘I’d rather wait for Dad.’ I say.

  ‘Wait for me? What’s going on? Are you expelled?’ Dad arrives home in perfect timing. Great.

  I swallow hard and offer them a seat at the dining table.

  ~~~

  I told them it’s a job as an assistant at a science lab. I told them that Ross will be there; that I could defer the end of high school for a year; that Ross could tutor me while we work.