Flight by Aidan McCay (good books for 7th graders txt) 📕

Hatred.
That was the only feeling he was having right now.
Hatred.
Toby Harris never hated anybody. Never. It just wasn't in his nature. When the bully stole all of his money, he didn't hate him, he just considered him mean. When Patrick wouldn't stop gossiping to Toby, he would never think to hate him, he would just tell him to be quiet because he's being annoying. Toby never hated anyone.
Except for Jack. Jack McGerald. Toby had never had a problem with Jack, until yesterday, when everything changed.
It started out as a normal day. It was a warm day in May and a quiet breeze blew through the lonely grounds of the Albertown Middle School. Toby had arrived at the school in an abnormally upbeat mood, unaware that the smile would soon be wiped off his face.
Right as Toby was about to enter the school building, Jack called his name. "Toby!"
Toby turned around and trotted over to meet him.
He was suprised that Jack even knew his name. Of course, everybody knew what Jack's name was.
"I want to show you something," Jack slowly grinned as he said this, "come with me."
Toby followed Jack as he walked away. Jack led him through the forest that surrounded the school, and into the nearby city. After walking across and turning on several streets, Jack finally led him into one very tall building that towered above the rest. Toby recognized it as the library. Why the heck was Jack taking him here?
Once inside, Jack walked up a large spiral staircase, with Toby close behind. They walked up level after level until finally they were on the top floor. This floor had a lot less books than all of the others. Toby noticed a sign that read: FLOOR 12.
At the far side of the room was a small red wooden door. Jack walked up to the door, opened it, and guestered for Toby to go first. Toby had no choice. He walked straight through the door and found himself on a small balcony in the shape of a half-circle that was high above the ground.
A second after Toby had walked through, Jack slammed the door and locked it, leaving Toby trapped.
"You can't do this!" Toby shouted at the closed door. "I'll call the cops!"
"But how ever shall you do that? There is no phone out there and your parents haven't allowed you to even have a cell phone!" An evil cackle errupted after this was said. The funny thing was, it was a woman's voice that said it. What was going on?
A few seconds later Toby could hear the sound of sharp shoes walkng across the hard tile floor, and then silence.
"Great. Now what?" Toby said to himself. Just at that moment, Toby noticed a small black book lying in a far corner of the balcony. Toby walked over and picked it up. On the cover said a single word. Novia. Toby had never heard it before. What did it mean?
He had no time to think about that now. He shoved the book in his pocket. He had to get out of here.
The only way he could think of was to get on the roof. To do that he would have to climb on the sleek rail running around the balcony. If he slipped, he was done for. He had to risk it.
Toby lifted one foot up onto the rail, and then he heaved up his whole body up. Then he repeated this onto the roof. He had done it.
Toby looked around. The whole rooftop was flat except fo a small elevator. He could escape.
Once he was on the ground floor, he ran home. It looked like he wasn't going to school today.
Luckily, his parents had already left for work. He raced to his room and then he flinged himself at his bed. It was completly quiet, and Toby had nothing to do, so he started to read the book called Novia.
The book contained horrible things. It was almost like it was describing every bad thing that could happen in the world. Toby cringed every time he turned the page. He thought it must be a guide to stay away from all the bad things that were possible.
At some point, Toby heard a small rap on the window. He glanced up from the terribly sad story and was surprised to find a shadowy face staring at him. The figure started to form words on the frost of the window. When it finished, the face was gone. Toby walked to the window to get a better look. The face had written two simple words, but they had meant everything in the world: Follow Me.
Toby raced to get his jacket and ran outside to find the man. They got into a sleek black car and drove off. After ten minutes of driving had passed, Toby decided to try to speak.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"You will soon find out," He replied.
Finally, the car stopped. They were outside of a gigantic mansion. The man led Toby through a series of hallways and rooms until they stopped inside of a huge dark room.
"What is this place?" Toby asked, but the man was no longer there. Toby started to panic. But suddenly, lights blasted into his face, temporarily blinding him. He found himself in a completly white room that was huge. He could see a small black rectangle on the other side of the room that must have been the door. Since there was no way back, he needed to get forward.
Toby started to run. But as soon as he started, arrows started to shoot out of holes in the walls on both sides of him. There were hundreds of them.
He needed to calm down. He thought that the only way through was to go through the arrows. He went with his gut.
Toby stuck out his arms on either side of him, closed his eyes, and started walking. He prepared to be hit with the arrows. And experience pain. Bad pain. But the pain never came. He peeked open one eye to see that he was swiftly gliding over the arrows like a bird would. Whatever was happening, Toby flew through the rest of the room. Once he got past the arrows, he landed. He felt strangly tired.
Toby walked through the door to find the man in black staring at him, grinning.
"You have passed the test," he said. "You have the magic. My name is Kenshi, and I will be your trainer for your special abilities."

Publication Date: 11-30-2010

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