《What is Home?》


 Chapter 1: Where is Home?

    Chapter 1


    Jake was running home as fast as his eight year old legs could take him, after all today was a special day. Off he sped from his classroom saying goodbye to his friends and dodging the teacher that tried to talk to him about homework he did not do. For the first time since his mom let him walk home alone he regretted nagging his mom about it because if she was still picking him up Jake would be home already.


    ¡°No,no, stay in!¡± Jake panicked as comic books began flying out of his Marvel themed backpack because he forgot to zip it up while reading the latest issue in class.


    Instantly a desperate struggle in his mind began over to weather to pick up the comics or keep pressing all. Sweat rolled down his face and eyes darted from one side to the other. Every second that passed made his body tense more, his mind pleaded for an answer.


    What would the avengers do?


    Just asking himself that question gave the answer causing relief to finally roll over him. Dropping to his knees Jake began with impressive speed for any age picking up the nearly dozen comics the laid on the sidewalk. He vowed to keep bringing them to school even after multiple ¡°talks¡± from his teach and mom.


    Now firmly stacked together and zipped away Jake resumed is mad dash from the front of school to the three blocks home. This was the day he had been waiting for months to finally happen. Being the middle of march but unusually warm the next challenge when he crossed the street was to avoid the evil creatures he encountered every day: High Schoolers.


    ¡°Watch it small fry¡± said a large boy with a classic 70¡¯s rock band shirt on.


    ¡°Loser, only kids wear stuff like that¡± came from a boy who was taller with long hair and a bennie before flicking Jake''s head as he ran by.


    Usually Jake would responded with with he considered a rather good comeback but today there was no extra time so he keep moving. Three blocks became two then one, finally he was in front of his home. The sight he had been hoping to see was right in front of him. Jake¡¯s father''s car was sitting in the driveway, the last time he had seen him was last October.


    Making one last sprint to the front of the door then fumbled with the keychain that was strapped to his pants. Jakes hands shaked so much causing him to drop them a number of times before getting a firm grasp. He Shoved the key in hard enough to reveal he had just wasted even more time, the good was unlocked the entire time.


    ¡°Your father is up stairs, I am sure he would love to see you¡±


    Jakes mother told him with a smile before returning to working on dinner.


    Guessing that his mom did not work an answer Jake went up the stairs and saw his parents bedroom was already opened with voices coming out from it.


    ¡°I don''t believe you¡± The voice of his father questioned in a teasing manner


    ¡°Dad I promise, I am not dating anybody¡± Nichole, his sister, complained


    Jake stepped in front of the opened door and saw his father looking directly at him still in his work uniform.


    ¡°Heard you coming from a mile away¡± His father Kevin grinned


    No longer able to contain himself Jake threw his entire body into his father''s arms finally realizing how much those feelings of longing were building up within.


    ¡°Dramatic much?¡± Nichole said while folding her arms and giving him a dirty look.


    ¡°That''s enough Nichole¡± Jake''s father Scolded causing Nichole to stormed off down stairs.


    For a moment the two of them just held each other in silence which Jake was thankful for because he did not want his dad to know how close he was to crying. Just as fast as it started the hugged ended leaving Jake happier than he had been in a long time.


    ¡°How was work dad? You were gone a really long time this time¡± Jake questioned eager for any information from his tight lipped father.


    ¡°You know it''s all super secret and I can''t talk about it with anyone right? His father went over again to him.


    ¡°But I REALLY want to know¡± Jake how begged with his impression of puppy dog eyes.


    Kevin took a deep breath and breathed out, he knew it was useless at this point when his son got this way. Jake would have to gome some piece of real information while being as useless as possible to know.


    ¡°Lets just say things are going really well¡± Kevin said confidently


    Hearing that made Jake go into a victory pose before sticking out his hand to shake his father''s.


    ¡°Good job¡± Jake tried to sound like a stern boss man.


    ¡°Well thanks Jake that means a lot¡± Kevin rugged Jake''s head, purposely messing it up in the progress.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Hey quit it¡± Jake tried to squirm away but his father wrapped his other arm around his chest.


    ¡°Trying to get away are we? Well looks like it''s time for the claw!¡± his father removed his hand that was on Jake''s head, made a claw shape with the hand, then started to tickle him.


    The battle was over before it even started, Jake fell to his knees almost instantly and burst out laughing. At first he tried to fight back and speak but both were impossible and shortly after just accepted his fate. After what seemed like an eternity it was finally over, the both of them just sitting next to the bed catching their breath.


    Rested the two of them went down stairs and rejoined the rest of the family and caught up over what had happened since he was gone. Of course given the nature of his work Kevin did the least amount of the talking of the four but still was nice just to see them all in person. They talked for hours until it was night and dinner was being put on the table by Jake''s parents.


    ¡°I heard on the news there is suppose to be some big thing happening in the sky, can we see it without a telescope?¡± James mother asked half thinking about it.


    ¡°Normally yes, when those stars align it would be much brighter than the average star. Problem is the sky we have out there tonight would make any star hard to see¡±


    Kevin pointed with his knife to the window next to the dinner table.


    Nichole leaned slightly out of her chair to get a better view outside.


    ¡°It''s cloudy¡± Nichole noticed while trying to hide her slight disappointment


    The family resumed their dinner and lively conservation until a ringing could be heard coming from Kevin¡¯s phone that was inside his suit pocket. At first he ignored it and the call was missed since having dinner was more important. Problem was he was being called over and over making it more awkward each time until Jake smother said something.


    ¡°Okay mr. popular take the call. If you''re being called this much then it must be important¡± Jake''s mother Kelly said giving him a free pass.


    ¡°... I love you so much¡± were the only words Kevin could think of saying.


    ¡°Of course you do now go that the call¡± Kelly said returning to her dinner and tapping on Jake''s plate so he would stop playing with his food.


    Quickly getting up Kevin finally answered the call and went back upstairs, the three of them continued to go on with what they were talking about. Everything was going well until Everyone at the dinner table heard Kevin yelling but not of what.


    ¡°Just let him be¡± His mother attempted to calm the two of them.


    With the loud slam of a door Jake''s father came rushing downstairs with a white metal case Jake had seen with his father''s things but thought nothing of. Seemly worried beyond any normal measure Kevin jammed his phone in between his ear and shoulder so that he had a free had to throw off everything on his side of the table.


    ¡°Kevin is going on!¡± Jakes mother was alarmed at what she was seeing him act like.


    Without even acting like he heard her voice Kevin placed the metal case on the dinner table while still speaking into the phone.


    ¡°What are you¡­ no that''s impossible there is no way. Tell me what I need to press¡­ I don''t care if it''s your best guess just tell me what you think it says¡±


    Inside the case was a black square and pressed in the center of it was a pure white diamond that had unknown symbols floating on its surface. The glow coming from the diamond kept increasing forcing Jake to shield his eyes away.


    ¡°Dad whats going on?¡± Jake asked freaking out as the image on his father was disappearing in the light except for the diamond which stayed completely visible.


    Still came no answer from his father as he rapidly began tapping away on the diamond with what seemed like to Jake no success.


    ¡°Then what¡­ can you hear me? Dam¡± Kevin threw away his phone into the light that now surrounded them.


    More than just his sight Jake was starting to not be able to hear anything. Everything become less until even the chair under him was gone but he could still feel it. Jake did not know what to do as everything around him become light and sounds disappeared but the white diamond was still creating sound. The symbols continued to dance across it until one at a time they locked into place. There were six symbols in a circle then a larger symbol in the center of the other six appeared. When that happened all of the symbol floated off the diamond and into the whiteness. When even they disappeared Jake began feeling lighter and lighter until he floated. It lasted only seconds then all the whiteness and sound returned and he was shot back down onto the ground with incredible force.


    ¡°Mom...Dad¡± we''re the only words Jake could force out from the overwhelming pressure.


    Jakes head was stuck in the position of looking at his father who was in a similar position while clutching the case with the object inside. That was when Jake realized it was not just them but the entire house that was traveling to wherever they were going.


    Cracking could be felt under Jake''s body as the house started to break from under him. Out of the corner his eye Jake saw the ring of symbols floating outside while slowly spinning.


    Wait that''s not outside thats outer space!


    Not knowing how he did not die from a heart attack already Jake noticed something else that was happening outside the window: The circle was getting smaller. As it retracted anything that was outside it in an instant seemed to fall away. When the circle got to the window then passed it the wall was gone leaving nothing between Jake and space.


    The circle become so small everything fell away besides for the four of them that for some reason did not fall away with the floor they had been previously laying on. In the final seconds of the journey Jake watched as his mother, father, and sister vanished away leaving him alone as a planet came into view.


    Slow down, slow down!


    As Jake approached the surface he finally began to get light headed and his final moments of the high speed journey before blacking out had another change occurred. Another set of ring symbols appear then bent around him becoming a sort of bubble.


    Coldness was the first sensation that came back to Jake as he began to wake up. He opened his eyes and found himself on a broken wet stone floor inside an empty chamber. Moving was hard, the pain that hit him was intense no matter what body part he tried to move. The titles that lined the wall were as broken as the floor below him. They had the same symbols from the white diamond and seemed to be glowing from heat.


    Was that from me coming here?


    Before Jake could look around more three creatures appeared for the hallway in front of them. They were close to five feet tall and green, the two in front had some sort of leather and steel armor while the one in back had robes matching the tiles.


    The one in the robes started to speak a strange language to the other two then suddenly they began to drag him into the darkness that they came from.


    ¡°What are you, let me go!¡±


    The hodded one turned around as to face Jake directly.


    ¡°Our prayers have been answered, you are a gift sent to us from the stars that we will not waste¡±


    Jake screamed, somehow it speaking the same language he did scared him more but his strength was not enough. This marked the first day Jake would be held there and it would not be the last.

 Chapter 2: Day In The Life

    Chapter 2


    The all too familiar shock went through Jake''s body, his body strapped down but still shaking uncontrollably. It shined like a star as strange colored lighting pierced his body entering from the usual spots that now scars were made long ago.


    ¡°Happy birthday Regaloak, you are ten yes?¡± Stule said with his twisted smile of broken yellow teeth while looking down on Jake.


    Regaloak was the name given to Jake shorty after coming here, supposedly it was the name of another person who came from the stars. As for his birthday it was not his but the one Stule had given him the day Jake arrived,


    One last shock and the strongest yet went through his body, the usual gold mist started to come from the cracks that emanated from his scars.


    ¡°Two years we have been doing this and while you are not the only one receiving my enlightenment you are the one I consider my greatest success¡±


    Stule slighty stroked Jake''s scars as Brog and Izz, the other two goblins he had met when he first arrived, unlocked the steel clamps holding his arms and legs down. The gem attached to a machine that was above his heart slowly raised letting the two guards as usual dragged Jake away by the arms.


    None of them said anything as the sounds of scream echoed throughout the hall from chambers such as the one Jake was just in. Even now Jake had no idea how large this underground facility was but he guessed there were dozens of chambers like the one he was just in. Suddenly one of the voices crying out suddenly stopped causing Jake''s heart to slightly fall but only slightly. This was not the first time he had heard a voice fade away.


    ¡°Weak¡± Chuckled Brog


    ¡°Maybe scientist got it wrong again¡± Countered Izz


    They gave each other dirty looks for what the other said giving Jake a form of happiness from one of the few sources there was. They stopped in front of Jake''s cell instantly triggering Brog and Izz game of the earth equivalent of rock-paper-scissors. Izz lost meaning that tonight the goblin in charge of watching Jake would be him.


    [Improved Perception] He used as soon as he entered


    Bracing his body as best he could Jake was thrown into his cell allowing his face to hit the ground. In the early days he would have talked back or tried to protect himself but it just made things worse.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Jake looked around at his room to see if there was anything out of place or extra, this had been has habit since s small creature had been placed inside. Broken rocks, wet floors and the purple moss were all where they were suppose to be. It had taken some time for Jake to be able to see in the mostly darkened cell but time was something he had much of.


    ¡°Today was bad but not that bad¡±


    Looking at that same moss that was growing he wondered why they wanted it to grow there. The moss was deadly enough to kill a person and seemed to be in every cell that housed a person. It was if it was a constant test to weed out those who just wanted to give up and more than a few had taken the offer.


    When Jake had first arrived he was desperate to find a way out. Screaming and fighting the creatures he had only seen in books. For months this went on and it was not until he reached rock bottom things changed. Jake was starving,his clothes had become fragments, and his body beaten to the point where he would have a hard time recognizing himself before he accepted there was no escape from this world.


    ¡°Let me go! I did not mean to go that deep into the forest¡±


    Quickly getting up from the ground while making sure to hold together the rips on his chest Jake looked outside his barred door window. In the hallway were the goblins that patrolled the outside of the complex carrying a group of small children.


    ¡°Back away from the door Regaloak¡±


    A strike on his door was all Jake needed to know so he stepped back and just heard as bodies were taken out and the new children were put in. These goblins jobs were also to get new subjects when the population inside¡­ dropped. From next door the sound of somebody being thrown inside before the lock went down. Jake rubbed his sore chest while he waited for the next part to start.


    Then it came, first from the cell next to his then all the new ones: the crying. Jake did not fault them for it, he did the very same thing for along time. It was the part that came next that was still hard for him to hear. Not wanting to hear it so close again this time Jake went to the wall next that he shared with the new cellmate and pulled off the stone he had freed from the wall months ago. The good thing about how little they cared for there conditions is that they never went in besides to grab a person that did not want to leave. It had taken months of work and gaining the [Digging] skill in the process but he was able to get to the other side. It had come at a cost, Jake''s fingers had been pretty badly cut up and the idea came from a movie his father had them watch together.


    ¡°Stop it, don''t cry or else they will get you¡±


    Jake parted the hair in front of his eyes he had not bothered to cut since coming here to get a better look. On the ground in a ball was a boy similar in age to himself with blonde hair. Hearing Jakes voice caused the boy to got onto his knees and look up at the new opening in the wall.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Someone who knows better than you now quiet or else things will get even worse for you¡±


    Hearing Jakes word made the boy cover his mouth without thinking, seeing that Jake put back the rock so none of the goblins that were about to walk by saw. One by one they finally came, the goblins in charge of discipline. They looked into each new cell that had noises coming from them and entered once again. This time they did not leave until the noises stopped.


    ¡°This ends day 730¡±