A voice rang in Ambrose's mind as he passed the bookstore. It was as if his demon was daring him to take a look at what was inside and Ambrose could never resist an easy dare. So he walked into the bookstore and saw nothing of interest to his demon until he reached the young adult section. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw them, 8 novels that should not have existed. He quickly grabbed the series and headed Kyrian's. With his powers he was able to send a 911 message to literally everyone in Nick's life that should know about this. Now the only problem was to tell Nick.
-PageBreak-
You would think Nick would be use to working at Kyrian's house by now, but how grand it was still got to him. He didn't understand how Kyrian could live here by himself. It was true that Kyrian wasn't here most of the time, he was busy with his Dark Hunter business.
Nick was just finishing up washing the cars, which he still felt unworthy doing. When Ambrose suddenly appeared at his desk.
"Ambrose?! What are you doing?! What if Rosa sees you?!" Nick couldn't help but flip out at the thought of anybody seeing his older self.
"Nick! Just listen to me and look at these," out of his coat Ambrose pulled out 5 books.
Nick scanned the cover, "The Chronicles of Nick."
His eyes widened. What?...
"Ambrose, what is this?!" Now Nick was worried. How was this possible.
"Listen Nick, after doing some digging around on the supernatural side, I found out that the writer is a demon. She somehow got into your head through your whole experience and from what I've heard she hasn't been seen since the release of the first book, so there's not much we can do about that right now. We have to read these. This is your life and your thoughts, even some of Kody, Caleb, and Adrian's point of view is in them. I think mine too, but Nick we have to figure this out because at this point I'm not sure what else we can do." Ambrose explained.
Nick couldn't believe this. His life in a book! By a demon. Why couldn't his life be simplier? None of this would have happened. Did he even want to listen to his life? His mistakes and regrets. He had to. They had to figure this out. "Ok. We have to read it."
"Good because in the living room I've already gathered some people," Ambrose replied casually.
Nick's eyes widened and his mouth opened, "Why?! Who?!"
"Oh just Caleb, Kyrian, Ash, Kody, Death and his minion, Bubba, Mark, Aunt Mennie, and your parents."
Nick glared at the mention of Adarian.
"Why is Adarian here?" He was enraged, but luckily Death's training had been helping him control his demon.
"He needs to know, Nick. We can do this," Nick always forgot Ambrose hated Adrian as much as he did.
"Ok, let's get this over with."
Nick walked out of his office and into Kyrian's living room. Everyone was sitting around looking confused as ever.
"Nicholas Ambrosius Gautier! You better tell me why I am here right now! I have a job to get to!" His mother, Cherise, yelled at Nick. She could never stop embarrassing him.
"Seriously Kid, I have places to be," Ash stated, casually looking at his nails.
"Look guys, first this is Ambrose. A tutor at school," Caleb couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something familiar about Ambrose.
"Listen here punk, I want to get out of here and away from you," Adarian pointed a finger at him though he stole glances at Cherise.
"Just listen to me, Adarian!" Nick shouted, surprising everyone.
Adarian was angry, but decided to hear the kid out. Maybe even talk to Cherise.. What was he thinking?
Ambrose handed Nick the books, "These books were made about my life and all of you are in it. There may be surprises to some of you and when we get there, I'll explain."
He couldn't help but stare at his loving mother because he didn't want her interrupting.
"Ok," Ambrose and Nick found seats. Nick on the floor and Ambrose next to Caleb.
"I'll ready first," Nick lifted the one titled Infinity.
Infinity
Free will.
Some have called it the greatest gift bestowed on humanity. It is our ability to control what happens to us-
"Wow Nick, I didn't know you were so deep," Caleb smirked.
"Hey! He can be a sensitive guy," Kody defended him.
"Not helping much, Kody," Nick mumbled, his cheeks burning red.
"Anyways!" Ambrose shouted.
"Right," Nick focused on the book.
Control what happens to us and exactly how it happens. We are the masters of our fate and no one can foist their will on us unless we allow it.
Others say free will is a crap myth.
Nick's mom raised an eyebrow at his language.
"Sorry, Ma," Nick mumbled.
We have a preordained destiny and no matter what we do or how hard we fight it, life will happen to us exactly as it's meant to happen. We are only pawns to a higher power that our meager human brains can't even begin to understand or comprehend.
"Here we thought Nick was stupid! But he is a poet in disguise," Bubba and Mark laughed.
"You listen here Bubba! My Nicky is a smart boy and I will not have you bad mouth him," Cherise glared at them.
Bubba and Mark quickly composed themselves and mumbled their apologizes. Adarian couldn't help but give a small smile as his little Cher became aggressive.
My best bud, Acheron-
"Aw, Nick. If I had known you were revealing your undying love for me, I would have gotten you something," Ash said, sarcastically.
"Hey! I don't remember thinking this!" Nick said, very embarrassed.
My best bud, Acheron, once explained it to me like this. Destiny is a freight train rolling along on a set course that only conductors know. When we get to the railroad crossing in our car, we can choose to stop and wait for the train to pass us by, or try to pull out in front of it and beat that bad boy across.
That choice is our free will.
"Wow, I am extremely gifted at teaching smart-mouthed kids the deeper meaning of life," Ash, once again, interrupted
"Guys! Come on! This is barely the prologue! Stop interrupting," Nick said.
Everyone mumbled their 'fines' and let Nick continue.
If we choose to rush ahead, the car we're in might stall on the tracks. We can then choose to try and start the car or wait for the train to plow into us. Or we can get out to run, and fight the destiny of the train slamming into us and killing us where we stand. If we choose to run, our foot could get caught in the tracks or we could slip and fall.
We could even say to ourselves, "there's no way I'm dumb enough to fight the train" and hang back to safely wait. Then the next thing we know, a truck rams us from behind, throwing us straight into the train's path.
If it is our destiny to be hit by the train, we will be hit by the train. The only thing we can change is how the train turns us into hamburger.
The corner of Adarian's mouth twitched up as he thought of the dark mind his offspring was gifted with. He wondered what his demon whispered to him when it wanted to have a little fun.
I, personally, don't believe in this crap. I say I control my destiny and my life.
No, nothing controls me.
Ever.
I am what I have become because of the interference and secrets of one creature. Had things been done differently, my life would have been a whole other enchilada.
Soft chuckles were sounded around the room.
"Thank you everyone. I am very hilarious," Nick said, cheekily.
I would not be where I am today and I would have had a life worth living instead of the nightmare my life has been.
Nick and his mother were both confused. Nick thought his life was going pretty good at the moment and he loved it. His mother thought she was giving him the best life possible. It suddenly dawned on Nick that these were Ambrose's thought.
But no, by keeping his deepest secrets, my best friend betrayed me and turned me into the darkness I have come to embrace.
Caleb couldn't help, but think of himself. What if he would betray Nick in the future? The kid had actually become to grow on him.
Ash thought maybe it was him. If any has a deep, dark secret here it was him. He liked the kid, he would never. Or would he?
Our fates and destinies were mashed together by a freak event that happened when I was a kid, and I curse the day I ever called..
Nick stopped at the name. No. That was his friend. He wouldn't, couldn't.
I curse the day I ever called Acheron Parthenopaeus my friend.
Nick looked sadly at Ash. He couldn't believe his best friend was going to turn on him. Nick felt like he couldn't trust anymore.
Caleb gave a sigh of relief, when he thought about it he couldn't betray Nick.
Ash was actually hurt. That kid was by far the most annoying, but he cared at him. In his own special Ash way.
I am Nick Gautier.
And this is my life and how things should have been...
"That's it. Who wants to read now?" Nick said.
"I will," Ash, volunteered bravely. Cherise glared at him, as he grabbed the book from Nick.