The Alchemyst's Apprentice

Chapter Two

          Jam was confused. He didn’t know how to respond to the hooded man. What did he mean that his life would never be the same again? Jam was just looking at the hooded man.

The hooded man laughed.

          “I remember back then, when someone would say to me the same thing, million questions would be streaming in my head and I would ask them out loud.” The hooded man said. “But you’re different.”

          “Uhmm…W-What did you mean w-when you said ‘my life would never be the same again’?” Jam stuttered.

          The hooded man chuckled. “I don’t know.” Jam didn’t expect that answer from the hooded man.

          “You don’t know? W-Why?! What’s going on?!” Jam said, really confused now.

          The hooded man laughed and sat beside Jam. “Now, you’re just like me.” Jam just looked at him. “Honestly, I really don’t know what I am doing here.” The hooded man said. “I said that your world will never be the same again, because you met me. And when people meet with me, it’s going to be bad.”

          The hooded man turned around and looked at the whole park. He laughed. “This is another thread line.”

          “What’s that?” Jam asked the hooded man.

          “Are you familiar with the term, parallel world?” The hooded man asked.

          “Yes. I read it in a book.” Jam said.

          “That is another term for a thread line. I’m in a different line. This is not my world.”

          “I’m going to be honest with you.” Jam said. “I’m really confused now. Can you first explain me, what’s the meaning of what you’ve said that you’re in a different world?”

          “You see, for every action, there are thousands of effects to happen. So, for every effect there is a parallel world.” Jam still doesn’t get it. The hooded man laughed. “Let me ask you a question: Why did you come here?”

          “A letter was sent to me, telling me to come here.” Jam said.

          “So, you came here. But, there’s another world that you didn’t. That’s another parallel world. I’ve realized that this is not my line.” The hooded man paused and looked at the park again. “There are two types of line, one that has a good future, and one that has not. We call the good one an ‘auspicious line’.” The hooded man looked at Jam. “And this is not one of them.”

          Jam raised his eyebrow. “You mean my world will not have a good future?”

          “I did not say that. This line is in the middle of being an auspicious line or not.”

          “So, you mean that it can have good future, but it can have bad one too?”

          “Correct. You’re catching up fast.”

          “But wait, what will happen if my world is not one of the auspicious lines?”

          “You don’t want to know.”

          Jam sighed. “Okay, give me a few minutes to take in all of this.”

          The hooded man laughed. “I’m impressed. When I first learned about all of this, I really didn’t believe it until I saw it. But you, you’re different.”

          “Well, I accept things easily. When I’m in a bad situation, I always think of a way how to turn it around rather than refusing it.”

          “You know, Jam? I’m beginning to like you. You’re something else, you’re different.”

          “Is that a good thing?”

          “Only you can answer that.” The hooded man stood up. “Well, I need to go now. I need to find some answers, why I’m here. Maybe I can find people I know here. This is San Francisco—my hometown. Come back again tomorrow, maybe you have a special role on what is happening here.” The hooded man walks away from Jam.

          “Wait!” Jam shouted. The hooded man stopped but did not turn back at Jam. “What’s your name?” The hooded man walks away again. “You need to find that out for yourself.” “Wait!” Jam shouted again. “And you? You don’t want to know my name?” The hooded man turned to Jam. “Your name is John Michael Henderson. People usually calls you Jam.” The hooded man walks away again, completely out of sight now.