The House In The Forest

Chapter I

Chapter One

A small city that smelled of rain that never seemed to arrive, and for such a small place, was never silent for long. I'll never forget how much I dreaded that first day there, sitting in the train by myself, and looking out at the countryside. Tree lines that never seemed to end, and mountains in the far distance. It was a far cry from the big city I was so used to.

The train pulled into the station, the few passengers actually present getting off. When I stepped off, into the quiet little station, my grandfather was already there. Not even trying to hide his excitement at having me here. 

"Al! Welcome to Rubin!" he spoke warmly, greeting me with a grin and an even bigger hug.

"It's good to see you again grandfather, though it would be better under different circumstances," I spoke as he helped me with my bags, leading me to his truck parked outside in front of the station.

He chuckled, putting my bags in the back. "I know you're not very pleased with having to stay out here Al, especially for so long, but I promise you the town has more to offer than you think."

Of course he would say that. He loved it out here. Why else would he live out here in the middle of nowhere for over fifty long years. The small city wasn't tiny at the very least, but it didn't offer much.  Though some would argue the academy here was reason enough to live here. It was ancient, the town was basically built around it. Though back in the day it was for elites only, or so the rumors say. And I would have to attend it. For the next year, perhaps only half, it all depended on my parents.

My grandfather lived in a nice house, a two-story in one of the few actual neighborhoods in this city. Better than a farm I suppose. He had cleaned up a room upstairs for me, a simple room for a simple place I had told myself. But this town was annoyingly curious, not that one could blame them, living in the middle of nowhere like so.

"You're living with Doctor Beckett?"

"Are you an orphan? Did he adopt you or something?"

"Did some tragedy happen back home?"

"Are your parents dead?"

The group of squawking teenagers all glared at the dark haired girl. "Amber! You can't just ask something like that!"

She shrugged awkwardly, leaning back to sit on the desk behind her. "You guys asked if he was an orphan!"

"Are you guys already bothering the new kid?" a boy asked, walking in the classroom to throw his bag on the desk in front of mine.

"We were just curious," another girl said.

He rolled his eyes, before sitting down backwards in his seat. "What's your name?"

"Albert Beckett," I told him. He nodded like it fit me before offering me his hand.

"I'm Damian Copeland," he spoke with a grin, shaking my hand with a much too tight grip.

He let go to lean his arms against the back of the chair. "So you're the Doctor's grandson then? I only know because he was bragging about you to my mum the other day, figured that must be you."

"Yeah, I'm staying with him while my parents are on a work trip," I said, the other group seeming pleased to get their curiosity fulfilled.

"Oh! That explains it," a girl spoke with a nod, "I figured it was something like that."

"Yeah right, you asked him if a tragedy had happened," a boy sighed, shaking his head at her.

"You asked him if he was an orphan! Like yours was any better."