Chapter 3

The Academy had two entrances. The proper entrance is on the south side and the general entrance on the west. The proper entrance was for students and the faculty and a barrier guard was set up to confirm identifications when entrance testing wasn’t being held in the courtyard. The general entrance on the west side had a direct passage to the Tower without coming in contact with the school grounds. It was sort of like the tubes in aquariums that let you walk though the tanks without actually getting wet. 

I was heading towards the west entrance now. I need to reorganize a lot of things in my life now. I’m not giving up now or ever on my goal. I just need to take a detour. Neon signs glowed across the street. I never like neon but even I can appreciate the stark contrast between the scholarly air around the Academy and the cheapness surrounding the neon signs. I wonder if the Academy has plans on buying out the entire DC area. 

The Academy allows private expeditions into the Tower if you could pay for them. I definitely couldn’t. They also sponsored expeditions into the Tower where anyone could be a part of as long as you recognized the Academy would take a lion’s share of what comes back. I have heard in some special cases, you could be given the opportunity to join the Academy and bypass the entrance exams through these expeditions. That was my detour. I’d join an expedition and perform so well that I’ll be offered a spot in the Academy. Yeah, I heard that thought too. I’m not crazy, I know this is going to be a long shot but my dreams are my dreams. I’m not giving up now. 

By the time I arrived at the west Entrance, an hour had already passed since my rejection happened. There were a couple people here that I recognized from earlier. I guess they had the same idea as I did. I didn’t see Mia though. Maybe she got in. I hope she did. She didn’t seem like the kind of person to just leave after being rejected. She was too excited for that.

Everyone seemed to be chatting among themselves and not doing much of anything else.  

“I got told to try again next year but I can’t wait that long,” I heard someone say to their group.

“I was just released from jail. It’s not easy for someone with felon on their record to find legit work,” another person said.

I saw the gruff looking teacher from earlier at the front of the entrance. I guess he’s clocking double shifts today. I guess he’ll be the one I want to talk to.

“Kid, what are you doing here still?” he said as I walked up to him.  

“I haven’t given up yet,” I said truthfully.

The man let out a bellowing laugh that surprised everyone around us. “I like that. Haven’t given up yet, ha-ha, alright. But just so you know, you’ll probably get hurt doing this.”

“I don’t mind.” And I didn’t really mind. I knew that this was dangerous but how can I stop now when my goals are right in front of me.

“I don’t mind he says. You’re crazy kid. Alright, but you’ll need a group.”

Everyone around me was already formed up. Goddamn this is awkward. “Is it alright if I just do this myself?” 

“You want to go through this alone…” It seemed he was thinking over the situation. I guess most people were more wary of the dangers ahead of them. I wasn’t too afraid. I had nothing but my dreams.  He let out another laugh, a laugh louder than before. “You wan to go through this alone, you really are a crazy one. Yes, you can do this alone but the Academy usually sponsors larger groups as to have a higher success rate. They don’t really like sending people in alone to die you know? Hmm…” He was deep in thought again. Maybe this man really will be like a father to me. Maybe he isn’t the mean gruff guy but the always-laughing gruff guy. “Alright, you seem like you’d break in anyway even if I don’t let you. I’ll sponsor you. But just so you know, there isn’t any life insurance in this deal. You go in, you come out and we get 85% of what you bring out.” 

“That’s fine with me,” and that was half true. 85% was a lot. But my dreams are worth more than a monetary figure.

“What’s your name kid? I want to know it before you do this.” 

“My name Jacob”

“Alright Jacob, I am Isaac. Follow me.”

He led me past the gates into a building before the Tower. 

“Jake, can I call you Jake? I’m going to need you to sign a couple forms.”

“Yes, Jake is fine. What kind of forms?” This seemed strange.

“Just some bureaucracy that we have to get out of the way before we do anything. Just some forms stating that you understand the risks of what you’re about to do, yaddi yadda, you’re in your right mind etcetera etcetera. We just want to cover our asses and make sure you get a chance to think this through some more and are fully aware as to what you’re doing.”

“Got it.” I ended up signing a couple dozen forms stating that I waive my rights to sue the Academy or that the Academy is not responsible for any dangers that I might face. 

Stolen story; please report.

After everything was signed, I was brought through the building, down a long hallway and to a final double door. Isaac stopped us in front of it. 

“This is where we part.  Truly, I wish you the best of luck. You’ll need it where you’re heading.” 

“What do you mean? I thought no one remembered anything about the inside of the Tower?“ 

Isaac wasn’t looking at me now. He was looking towards the doorway or maybe past it.  “Yeah, sure. I just mean, since this will be the first time that you’re experiencing this and alone even, that you’re going to need something more than just well wishes. Hopefully fate is on your side through this.”

I knew there was something he wasn’t telling me but this wasn’t the right time to probe further. “Thanks, ” and then I was looking towards the doors too. The only chance to back out was now but I knew I wasn’t going to do that. It felt weird to even entertain the thought but here I was: hesitating. One breathe, in then out. Another, in, out. “Here I go, ” and I pushed my way past the doors.

…

Damn, another set of doors at the end of another hallway. I could hear Isaac from behind saying his goodbyes but it wasn’t really registering with me. I felt a little silly for being so worked up now.  This set of doors was easy to pass. Not physically easier of course. They were huge stone slabs. Mentally though, it was easier.

…

The room that I entered this time was circular. The black cobbled walls gave off a disturbing feeling of helplessness. There were a couple braziers lined up around the perimeter of the room giving off a dim lighting to the center area. The ceiling was nowhere to be seen, where it was supposed to be was only the dark. At the center of the room was a man sitting at a wood desk. He was writing in a giant book. He had a small candle to light his writing but it didn’t seem like he needed it. His eyes were glazed over white. He looked human but oddly enough, he didn’t look too human. It was almost as if he was cobbled together from a description of a human that you’d tell someone at some party during a game about describing things to aliens.

As I approached closer, he looked up from his work.

“Greetings,” the stranger said, “we’ve been expecting you.”

I stopped approaching him when he said that. “What do you mean you were expecting me? How did you know I was coming?”

“We didn’t. We just say that to everyone. It makes this whole process much more mysterious that way.” It looked like he was grinning. I think. Trying to grin at least.

“Uhm…my name is, “

“Your name is Jacob”

“Yes…how did you know that?”

“We didn’t.”

“But you just said my name”

“Did we?”

“Yes, and before I did too.”

“Strange…and why are you here today?”

“I’m here to climb the Tower…I think.” Looking around, I couldn’t find a visible way to go…up.

“Climb? That’s a strange way to describe what we do but I guess you can use it.”

“What are you saying?”

“Now, “ an orb rose from the floor stationed on a pillar in front of me, “I’m going to need you to put your hand on that.”

“Are you dodging my question?”

“Yes, now put your hand on the orb.”

I did as he said. The fear was slowly leaving me as I continued to talk to this…guy. I was only cautious now. The orb started to glow but my hands couldn’t come off. “What’s going on?” I was scared again. The man ignored my question again. The air became heavy around me. My breathing became stiffer. I felt like I was going to pass out. And then…it was over. 

“All right Jacob, “ and the pedestal retreated back into the floor. A door raised up to replace it. “If you just enter this door, we can begin the entrance process.”

“You mean I haven’t entered the Tower yet? Where am I then?”

“Hmm, “ the man looked down into his book and then back at me, “ok, there’s no harm in telling you this. You are in a tower.”

“What does that mean?” 

“Turn the handle on the door right there, if you will.” He said ignoring my questions some more.

“Who are you?” and that got his attention like nothing else. 

“That’s a real good question! Handle! Turn it!” His command echoed against the walls and up above into the dark unknown. And as immediately did his excitement come about, he sat down and went back to writing. And so I turned the handle and then…only darkness…and then nothing.