Olly Briggs
Olly awoke that morning with the uneasiness that had dogged him for the past several days. As he sat up in bed, memories of his recurring dreams spun through his mind.
Ah. So that was why he felt so poorly rested. Though he knew the specifics would fade as the day progressed, something about the images were deeply unsettling. He always woke with the feeling that he was being pursued and that someone was desperately seeking him for something. And the location…. Where was he seeing himself again? The backdrop seemed familiar though it was typically the first thing to fade from his mind’s eye and he could never recall it properly.
He wanted to speak with someone about it but every avenue he explored was embarrassing in its own way. Who could he talk to about it and preserve his dignity? His uncle perhaps but the thought felt shameful. He was nearly an adult; the days of running to his uncle to soothe his fears over a nightmare were long over. Olly wouldn’t want to bother him with a trivial concern. Besides, his uncle seemed worried enough these days - why bother adding to that stress?
The Grandmaster had said her door was always open but that idea was even more laughable. The idea of wasting her time was distasteful and not one Olly wanted to entertain. She had made it repeatedly clear that she expected great things from him and he didn't want to risk that respect by telling her about something so trivial as his dreams.
His friends? They were an option but they were already helping him with his schoolwork and he didn’t want to increase his burden on them. He appreciated them beyond words.
Unfortunately that left Olly with very limited options.
He swung himself out of bed and was determined to put the ideas of his dreams firmly away if only for a few hours. It was the day of the field trip and, while he couldn’t bring himself to feel the same level of excitement that his friends’ and classmates’ seemed to hold, he needed to focus if he wanted to receive the extra credit. Both Abigail and Franklin had offered him leniency with his coursework but he didn’t want to fall behind. He had found his way into the Academy and he was determined to exit it of his own merit.
Olly had just finished brushing his teeth when his phone rang. He cocked his head in curiosity as he answered.
“Hello?”
“Hey kid,” his uncle responded.
Olly frowned. Uncle Eli only called in the evenings after classes. “Hey, what’s going on?” he asked lightly.
“Not much. Sorry I’ve been busy lately but I figured I’d try and catch you before you head out.”
It was only then that Olly realized that it had been awhile since they’d spoken. He felt slightly guilty for not calling his uncle directly and instead waiting for his call. But wait… before he headed out? His guilt was forgotten as quickly as his dreams and was replaced with confusion.
“Oh, how did you know about that?” he asked curiously.
“I heard about it from an associate first actually and then I poked around a bit further,” Eli explained simply.
“And you knew I’d be there?” Olly wasn’t annoyed per se but he was a bit suspicious.
“I had a hunch. How are you feeling about going out again after what happened?” There was concern in his voice which alleviated any misgivings that may have been forming.
“Ah. Not really, no. They’ve done a lot to ensure our safety and security. Most people seem pretty excited overall. I don’t think they want the Shadow Fellowship, or whoever they were, to feel like they’ve won.”
Eli seemed to consider this for a moment. “I’m glad to hear it. Just stay safe out there, will you?”
Olly nodded and closed his eyes. “I will,” he promised.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“What do you think you’re looking for?” his uncle asked.
“I’m not sure yet. I’m still learning about how weather even works. It’s boring to learn about but I have to admit that the concept is crazy. Coming here was the first time I learned that weather was controlled by magic. I always thought it just… was. I can’t believe I went through school my whole life and they never mentioned it once! I guess I never thought to ask but still I’m surprised it didn't come up,” Olly exclaimed as a small smile formed on his face. He couldn’t admit it to his friends after being so disparaging but maybe there was a small part of the weather that was objectively cool.
The other line fell silent and the smile slowly slipped away.
“You still there?”
“Wait, you didn’t learn about weather in school? It never once came up?” Eli clarified, seemingly caught off guard.
Olly was equally caught off guard. “No? Why would we? It’s not like it helped anybody down in the sixteenth to know about how the weather worked. Just like it didn’t help anybody to know or care about tunnels or the Guilds. They were just there and it didn’t affect us one way or the other. None of it was ever more than part of the scenery before I started down this path.”
This answer didn't seem to do much for Eli. “So what did you learn in school before the Academy?”
Olly wasn’t mad though he could feel himself growing frustrated. “Math, reading, and writing mostly. Those were the basics and all anybody would ever need. I thought you knew this.”
“I guess I just didn’t realize how bad it was,” Eli also sounded frustrated, “What about subjects like history?”
Olly paused. “I hadn’t encountered either until I got here. I’ve only just started mythology and world history but history sounds like a myth and mythology seems to refer to real people. I can't imagine either having any use in the sixteenth.”
With Eli asking about topics of study that were more specialized Olly began wonder why he knew about them and why he was seemingly so concerned. If Eli was aware of these subjects maybe he could help Olly work through his other problems. He felt the urge to explain what was happening to him at the Academy with his magic and to tell him about Abigail's change in his personal curriculum. If Eli could help him understand his magic and what it could mean for him that would feel much less embarrassing than asking for his help about understanding his weird dreams.
“Mythology is different from history,” Eli insisted, “Was no one ever curious about where they came from? Or why?”
Olly frowned. The urge to ask for help quickly evaporated. He realized his assessment was wrong and that he wouldn’t get the answers he was looking for from Eli.
“I suppose. I’m just telling you how it’s being taught to me,” he willed himself to sound nonchalant.
“It’s… Forget it, sorry. I didn’t realize how few subjects your old school taught.” Eli sounded a touch distressed.
This puzzled Olly. “So did you set me on the Academy track on a whim? If you ever had an inkling that I could come here then why didn’t you ever look into my schooling?” Olly kept his voice low and steady but was deliberate in his questioning. This conversation had surpassed surprising and become downright strange.
When Eli didn’t immediately respond Olly pressed on. “I don’t know where you went to school or what you learned there to make those assumptions but do you know how difficult it’s been for me to keep up with my studies here? I’m barely keeping my head above water. I knew nothing when I came here. People here have been studying their whole lives. They’ve trained for this. Tutoring helped me pass the test but it didn’t prepare me for the Academy.”
He didn’t realize how hard his heart was beating until after the words spilled forth from his mouth. He didn't feel angry but suddenly realized how much he blamed his uncle where the Academy was concerned. He had stifled it and tried to cope by studying his way through it but all it did was put him in a position where he was allowed to coast through school at the cost of all eyes being on him. None of his fellow students who had parents that knew anything about the Academy had to deal with what Olly was going through. None of them had to become lab rats. If his uncle's background knowledge or influence could have prevented any of Olly's recent experiences in any way then Olly held him accountable. Olly was beginning to realize just how deep his resentment ran.
“I… I am sorry,” Eli recovered quickly, “You’re absolutely right. I should have been more informed. Is there anything I can help with?”
Olly knew the apology and offer were sincere but they rang hollow. He sighed. “No. It’s fine, I’ve got it under control. Look, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you later.”
“Sure thing. If you ever want to talk I’m here.”
They hung up and Olly let his hand slide limply from the receiver. As usual, he knew that Eli knew more than he was letting on. It was a tactic he used to get information; he was good at it. But what was troubling to Olly was that he was fully aware that his uncle was using it on him.