Power Awakens

Jaac had almost recovered from his ordeal with the Necro. To Kaitlin and Petrek’s complete amazement, Jaac had healed to the point that there wasn’t even a scar to show where the Necro’s Surraken had hit. Jaac had noticed in the last few months that he always managed to heal extremely quickly from cuts and bruises, whilst Ainy, Tem and Mort took much longer. Jaac remembered last month when he was chasing Ainy through the brambles at Fanny’s brook. Both he and Ainy had crashed right through the brambles and both had sustained deep scratches on hands and face. Jaac’s scratches had healed completely within two days but Ainy’s had taken almost a week to heal and even now one month later, you could still see some faint scars on Ainy’s hand.

Jaac’s ability to heal seemed to be getting quicker, another mystery Jaac couldn’t understand. Last week Tem had stuck a dagger, well a small knife, straight through Jaac’s left foot while they where playing knifey, a game where you spread your legs and the opponent had to throw a knife and stick it in the ground, each time you moved your legs closer into the centre until one of you chickened out. Within two days of the wound he was healed completely, again with no scar. However Jaac still remembered the pain and decided that he was not going to play knifey or chicken with Tem ever again.

Jaac rolled over in his bed, pulled his knees up and tucked the blanket between his legs. He knew he had to get up but he was just so cosy, he felt warm, snug & safe. Just as he was falling back to sleep Jaac heard his mother shout him, from the sound not for the first time. ″Jaac come on get up, Lily are you dressed yet com on the pair of you your breakfast is ready and its going cold:” Jaac reluctantly slipped from between the warm blankets and slipped his wool dressing gown on. Running downstairs before Lily could reach out to push him down, Jaac caught a whiff of bacon and eggs. It was his favourite breakfast reserved only for special occasions, this day was to be a special occasion, hence the favourite breakfast, Naming day.

How many times had Jaac thought about this day? Thinking about it now almost put Jaac off his breakfast, almost but not quite. The bacon smelled absolutely fantastic. Saliva was already forming in his mouth in anticipation of his breakfast. True to form Kaitlin brought a mountain of food, which Jaac greedily wolfed down, he was absolutely starving and this tasted like the greatest feast he had ever had. Within moments of finishing his breakfast and getting dressed for Naming day, there was a loud knock at the door. Tem, Ainy, and Mort were at the door all resplendent in their Naming day robes. “Alright Tem, Ainy, how’s things Mort? You guys are here early”

“Early” Ainy laughed “you got to be joking, we where waiting for ages for Tem as usual. You know he always takes longer than what he says. I always double whatever he says and even then I have to wait longer than expected. Come on, let’s go or we’ll be late. The girls will be going to get their hair put up by Tara’s mum. You know she always does the girls hair. It must be on account of her having six daughters”

Jaac quickly dressed in his robes, ″See you later Mam. I’ll see you all at the square” shouted Jaac over his shoulder as he left with the boys.

The boys began their walk to the centre of Bowltown taking a route that just happened to pass Tara’s house. This was slightly out of the way but the boys didn’t have to be at the Naming day square until midday, they could linger for a minute or two at Tara’s house. As they passed the house the boys ducked down behind the stone wall at the back of Tara’s small garden. Tem peeked over the wall and caught a glimpse of the Girls having the final preparation put on their hair. “The girls are all here Jaac,” whispered Tem,

“Let’s see” replied Ainy, Both Ainy and Jaac slowly inched their heads above the wall, shortly followed by Tem “Wow” whispered Ainy, “They all look absolutely beautiful, come on Mort take a peek”

Just as Mort’s head appeared above the wall Tara’s father strolled around the corner of the house and saw the boys,

“Oij” shouted Tara’s father, “What the hell do you think your doing?”

The boys quickly ducked back down and scampered away from Tara’s house and back onto the cobbled main road to Bowltown.

“That was fun” giggled Jaac, “Which one do you fancy Mort?”

Mort, always the shyest of the group, due to him being overweight and often sounding like he was slightly slow when he talked, didn’t reply “Come on Mort, which one” prodded Jaac

“I dunno,” sighed Mort, “I didn’t get to see any of them, and Tara’s Da came around the corner before I even managed to peek in the window, it’s so unfair, and I never get to see anything”

Jaac, Tem and Ainy just laughed, Tem punched Jaac on the back and ran off down the cobbled road, Jaac quickly thumped Ainy, who passed it on to Mort, each of them taking off down the road, “I’m gonna kill you, Ainy” shouted Mort affectionately as he chased after them.