Sunday passed rather uneventfully. I went shopping with Lou and our friend from a different high school, Madeline. They asked me once or twice about Adram but I avoided giving too many of the ‘paranormal’ details and instead kept it vague to make it more believable. I couldn’t tell if my friends thought I was crazy for spending time with an occultist or intrigued and excited. Lou was definitely more of a thrill seeker while Madeline probably less so, at least for horror, she did enjoy parties.

But that was yesterday. Today is Monday and I’m in a literature class. This was an elective of mine, different from English, this class focused on pure literary learning for the sake of experiencing new reads. Basically a glorified book club. It was somewhat boring this year so far.

We go through a book a week, sometimes two. Everyone here were avid readers from birth. In my case, I was raised expecting to know all the famous literature and I’ve had plenty of time to read during my travels on plane rides and car drives and boat trips across the world.

My teacher, Mr. Walken, was about to reveal this week’s book.

“Now this one’s a bit different, class. I wanted us to explore a rarer side of literature that is not often handed to young adults like yourselves.”

He pulled out the book. “Man and His Symbols, by Carl Gustav Jung.”

He opened up a box and started to hand out copies. That was one benefit of this class, any book we read we got to keep. Mr. Walken always invested in the nicest available copies currently in print.

“A Jung book!” One student complained. “How are we supposed to read this in a week?”

There were other voices murmuring agreement.

“Relax, relax. We are only reading two sections. The rest you can read on your own if you want. Mr. Jung specifically wrote this book for the common layman before his death. So it is easier to read.” Mr. Walken explained.

Jung was an interesting choice and someone I’d never read before. A philosopher and psychologist who focused his work on dreams and the unconscious. I couldn’t help but feel like there was something significant about reading this that pertains to Adram and his world.

“We so often discuss types of characters and types of storylines when we read books. We are fascinated by what is unwritten and unclarified by the author of a book, as much as what is written. What were the motivations of a particular protagonist? Why did he do what he did? What about his life led to this decision. Beyond how the author explained it. We are taken into these worlds, these works of fiction, history or biography and are immersed as if we are a character in those stories. Maybe we are the main character, perhaps we are friends or sometimes we merely exist in the world, separate from the story, just living in those places and times.”

Mr. Walken propped up the book. “This book reveals something about us and our unconscious. The archetypes and collective unconscious. The daemon and anima. I had to pull an arm and a leg to get this book approved. They believed it was too advanced and too controversial to read. I argued that to leave our students unchallenged in their own thoughts and beliefs is a disservice. In the real world you will be exposed to all kinds of beliefs, and you’ll be free to explore or ignore them. Jung is controversial in the field of psychology. I want you to read this with an open mind and come back here Wednesday to talk about the first part, I’ll not put any ideas in your brains so approach this with a clean slate.”

Mr. Walken asked if anyone had any questions.

A couple hands raised up. “Isn't he just like Freud?” a girl asked.

“A common misconception. Freud and Jung worked together for a short time but disagreed. Freud believed dreams to come from sexual fantasies and developmental issues stemming from those. Jung maintained that there were other factors of unconscious synchronicities at work. Ask your psychology teacher next week. I purposefully didn’t tell her we are reading Jung so you can surprise her with questions.”

Mr. Walken enjoyed messing with the other teachers. He liked to find books that either opposed or added to the lessons other teachers were currently doing to encourage discussions or start debates. I think it was his way of entertainment but I could tell he genuinely wanted to give his students unique perspectives and a voice to their own ideas.

He was probably my favorite teacher. I had him last year for the same class.

“Oh, one more thing before we get a head start reading. There was a clerical error apparently, so we’ll be getting a student who was supposed to be in this class. If you guys see him please hand him this copy and tell him the section to read. His name is Adram.”

Mr. Walken must have caught on to the looks everyone was giving.

“Am I missing something?” he asked, amused.

A guy explained. “He’s notorious for starting arguments in class.”

“Yeah and he’s always reading weird books. Weirder than the ones you read!” the student teased.

Mr. Walken took the joke with a laugh.

“He’s into demons and stuff. I heard he did the Ouija board over the summer.” another student gossiped.

I couldn’t stop myself from grinning. I was going to have class with him, this should be interesting!

“Well he sounds like quite the young man. Who would like to give him this copy?”

I raised my hand. “Thank you, Jienne.” Mr. Walken handed me the extra book.

Just the slight change in routine broke the monotony and now everyone was talking, trading stories about Adram or other weird ghost encounters. I did my best to eavesdrop on them.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

A student engaged Mr. Walken in conversation about ghosts so the entire class was derailed and he let it happen. So long as we were being intellectually honest about a subject, he didn’t mind us talking instead of reading. He was explaining that Carl Jung was interested in the paranormal and often talked about things like seances and ghosts and prophecy dreams.

I overheard one student say how in history class last year they were talking about world war 2 and Adram argued with the teacher about how it was fought over relics.

This caught Mr. Walken’s attention. “Relics? Like the Indiana Jones movie?”

I probably would have found it humorous too if I hadn’t seen the demon or traveled the void.

Mr. Walken got everyone to calm down and we started our book. He put on some soft classical music and we spent the rest of the time reading.

When that class was over I looked for Adram. It seems our paths didn’t cross and instead Lou found me.

“How is it going, Jienne?” Lou linked her arm around my elbow.

“Turns out Adram will be transferring to one of my classes.” I replied.

“Your book club class?”

“Yeah. How are you, anything new since yesterday?” I asked.

“Madeline just got asked out by the boy she likes. She texted me an hour ago.”

“Who, Wyatt?

“Yeah.” Lou laughed. Wyatt was a known player but Madeline was obsessed with him. I guess I’m not one to judge since I’m friends with an occultist.

“You never know, maybe she can change him.” I suggested optimistically.

Lou always had some twinkle in her eye and a slight, imperceptible mischievous lip twitch before she would point out something mean or offensive. “Yeah, change him from a two-timer to a three-timer.” I laughed at Lou’s joke.

“She’s been wanting a new boyfriend for a while.” I said.

“That’s true, not everyone can be a coquette like you. Some of us need actual relationships.” Lou said dramatically.

“I am not!” I defended. I definitely was.

A coquette was a flirt. Someone who would talk to people with no intention of things going anywhere. “You’re a serial flirt. Adram is the first boy since high school you’ve been interested in, and I’m more convinced you’re looking for the thrill of ghosts. How many poor boys have you led around just to reject them in the end?”

Lou really did see everything. I loved her for her honesty. Even the brutal honesty.

“They all get boring,” I admitted to Lou.

“Adram’s not boring?” Lou asked.

“No.” Not yet, maybe not ever.

“What about you?” I switched the attention to her. “Any boys catch your fancy?” I said all posh and old-ladylike.

“Hmm. There’s Andy from the pool, Jackson from the jewelry store, Gabriel the senior, Benjamin the football player and Timothy from art class.”

“You got your work set out for you.” Lou’s problem was she could never decide on any one person. She would inevitably find a flaw with them that was a deal breaker and move on to someone else after dating for a week.

“I’m gathering data on each prospect.” It's become a sort of game to her at this point.

Lou was far too romantic to ever fall in love with someone in high school. I think she understood this on some level and merely did this to pass the time. She’d pretend to fall in love over and over again, just like in her movies.

I didn’t mention this to her because she enjoyed the fantasy and I wasn’t trying to get back at her for calling me a coquette or bum her out.

I played along. It was pretty fun. “Pool boy is out of the equation. Summer’s over. There’s no point.”

“Damn you’re right. Such a waste Andy, better luck next year!”

Me and Lou both saw it at the same time. Vera was leaning into Adram and telling him something. She was Skyler’s friend from last week whom he read the tarot cards to.

I shrugged. “Vera’s probably just thanking him on behalf of Skyler.”

“Playing cool I see?” Lou teased. “Is the elusive Jienne finally feeling the sharp pangs of jealousy?”

“I am not!” I argued.

“Playing cool or jealous?” Lou’s humor never relented. Maybe I should have said those things about her romanticism!

“Well, I’ve got to give him this book. He has a knack for disappearing.”

I approached where Vera and Adram were talking. Vera looked at me and then left before I could even say hi.

“That was weird.” I pointed out.

“What was?” Adram was oblivious as always.

“Nothing. I heard you’re transferring to literature class. I’m in it and the teacher asked me to give you this book to start reading.”

“Ah, thank you. I chose it as my elective but they put me in French. I don’t know how.”

“Why’d you take until the third week of school to request a transfer?” I asked.

“The class started out easy but now we’re expected to do a lot of work. Reading at the very least I can skim through or find the synopsis online.”

I shook my head, grinning. “It’s good to see you, Adram.”

“So Carl Jung. I’m surprised.” He was looking over the book.

“Have you read him before?”

“I own most of his collection of works. Well my dad does but he gave them to me.”

“Is it a good read?”

“It’s definitely worth it. Most of this stuff will go over people’s heads. Jung studied the occult, quite thoroughly. He probably had the most cultivated library of rare books in the world at the time.”

“Is that all it takes? Whoever has the most books?”

“Books are magical because words are powerful. It’s why we call it spelling. Ideas, imagination, you need words to formulate these things.”

“Well you should reread the first part by Wednesday. Mr. Walken will challenge what you know. The class was talking about you today. I think you’re expected to bring some controversy.”

Adram chuckled. “Well, I’m leaving school early today.” he announced.

“Tuesday what are you doing?” I asked.

“Tomorrow? I’ve got to go shopping for some supplies.”

“A new experiment?”

“Something like that.” he said.

“Care if I join?”

“Well I’m meeting with Vera because her dad is a chemist. He’s going to help me find what I need.”

“Oh.” I probably failed to hide my disappointment.

“You can swing by after if you want to see the experiment in action.” Adram offered.

My eyes lit up. “Deal! What will it be?”

“You’ll have to wait and see, Jienne.”

The intensity in his eyes at saying my name and the mystery of his world created in me that thrill that I long for.

“Should I bring anything?”

“Your courage.” Adram said devilishly.

I met his eyes, accepting the challenge and equally revealing my excitement at whatever demonic thing he had planned.