The Never Read Book

A man is sitting in a cemetery in front of an old stone that read "Lorcan O. Raklin 1926 - 1968." The rest was too faded to see, but the man knew what it said. He thought back to how it all began, in the fall of 1951 with a boy named Alfred Leary.

Alfred's mother sent him to St. Patricks Boarding School for Boys in Ireland. It was his second week of school. His history professor nicknamed "The Professor" was a real strict one. It seemed as if he wanted to make Alfred's life as hard as possible. Alfred had returned to his room and sat down on his bed. He looked around and noticed a small envelope under the door as if it had been pushed under. He picked up the letter and saw no postmark but writing that was somewhat familiar to him. Slipping the letter into his coat pocket, he left his room. He had decided to go see his friend Old Bolly who was the groundskeeper at St. Patricks.

Alfred walked down the familiar path to Bolly's house. It was really more of a shack, only having one room and one door. As Alfred approached the house, Old Bolly appeared, "Alfred!! I was wondering if you were going to visit me today." "Hello Bolly," Alfred replied. "I, uh, need you to read something for me," said Alfred. "Read? Read! Why son you can read better than me! Why would you need me to read for ya?" exclaimed Old Bolly. Alfred sighed and pulled the letter out of his pocket and handed it to Bolly. "I just can't read it by myself. Please Bolly." "Alright, Alright let's see 'ere." Bolly straightened his glasses and gently opened the envelope. He pulled out two letters. He opened the first one and began to read. "Alfred, your father was a great friend of mine. I assume by now you have obvio- ovious." "Obviously" said Alfred. "Ah Yes anyway." "Obviously opened the envelope and found two letters. Alfred the second letter is from your father." Alfred's breath hitched. "My father died in the war." Alfred told Bolly, "Are ya sure you want to read tis?" Bolly replied, "Y-y-yes." Bolly sighed but continued reading "I am to help you through this process. Until next time. — Odin" Bolly finished. "Odin? Who is Odin?" said Bolly. "I, uh, I don't know," Alfred stammered. Bolly noticed the time "Blimey, Alfred its nearly lights out you better get back to your room before they notice your missing. Come back here tomorrow after school and we will read it together, yeah?" said old Bolly. Alfred jumped up, took the letter and nodded in agreement at Bolly, Before running back to his room. Alfred was halfway back to his room until he ran into somebody. "You should be in your room. It's 2 minutes to lights out," said the Professor. Alfred felt so small as he replied, "Yes professor, but, I-I haven't eaten yet. I was going to grab a snack. I missed dinner." "Hmm, that sounds like your mistake, get to your room. Next time you'll be sure not to miss dinner," the Professor scolded with a slight grin on his face. Alfred only nodded and walked as fast as he could back to his room. As he laid on his bed his stomach growled. He sighed and closed his eyes.

The next day went about normally for Alfred. He had just left his last class of the day. Alfred walked up to Bolly's house when he noticed Bolly and "The Professor" talking. Alfred hid and waited for the professor to leave. He wondered why the professor would be talking to Bolly.

Finally the professor left and Alfred walked up the house and walked in. "Bolly?" Said Alfred. "I'm here Alfred." Bolly appeared out of what looked like a corner but was the kitchen. "What did the professor want?" Asked Alfred. Bolly laughed and replied "I fixed his desk. One of the pegs broke. The headmaster asked me too. Ha, Must of told the professor to thank me!"Bolly chuckled before he continued "You know good well that the professor would never thank me on his own accord." "Your right. I have the letter." Said Alfred. "Alright shall I read again?" Asked Bolly. "I-Yes." Said Alfred. Alfred handed the letter to Bolly. "A'ight 'ere'" Bolly opens the letter and begins. "Dear, Alfred, my son. By the time you get this letter I will be long gone. When your mother gave birth to year it made my life. You were the reason I enlisted. I wanted to make sure you would be able to have a life. I love you son, But listen carefully to this next part. While I am on my death bed I have written a diary for you full of lessons and stories of how to be a good man and how I died. I know I promised you I would come back and I intended to. I need you to know that I died protecting you son. Please don't feel guilty. I have given the diary to a good friend I met in the war. I only ever knew him as Odin. It was easier not to know full names. He is the one who has given you this letter. It will be up to him as to when to give you the diary. If you have received this letter you will get the diary soon. Make me proud son. - Dad" Bolly finished. He looked at Alfred to see him slightly crying. Alfred couldn't believe there was more from his Dad. He was so young when his father died. He doesn't remember much about him. "You uh you okay son?" Asked Bolly. "I don't know." Said Alfred. He truly didn't know. Alfred had so many emotions running through him. After Bolly gave Alfred some tea Alfred left and when to the canteen to get dinner. After he had eaten he was walking through the corridors and he couldn't help but cry a little. What he didn't know at the time was that someone was watching him. A tall man hidden behind a corner was watching Alfred and felt the guilt that had been haunting him for years start to creep up on him again. Alfred finally reached his room. He went to bed. While he was sleeping another letter was slipped under his door.

The next morning when Alfred woke up he got ready for class and as he got to the door he noticed the letter. Alfred nervously picked it up and slipped it in his coat pocket. It was his last class of the day and the whole day he could the letter burning a hole in his coat. Alfred was thinking about what the letter said until "SLAM!" Alfred jumped. He looked up and saw that the professor had slammed a book on his desk. "Mr. Leary. Would like to explain what you were day dreaming about?" Asked the professor with an unamused look on his face. "N-no professor." The professor shook his annoyingly "Write a 5 page essay about what we learned today in class. Due tomorrow." Said the professor. Alfred wanted to yell out at him but he didn't. He only nodded. As soon as the class was over Alfred hurried out and ran towards Bolly's house. At Bolly's house Alfred was getting ready to read the next letter. Bolly sighed and began "Alfred, your father's diary will be given to you soon. Very soon. See you tomorrow - Odin." Bolly finished. "Tomorrow aye?" Said Bolly. Alfred thanked Bolly and headed back to his room for bed. The next day Alfred went about normally it was about 3 when something unusual happened. A student called out to him "Hey you Alfred Leary?" "Yes.." "Yous needed in the history room" said the student. Before he ran off. Alfred wondered who would need to see him in the history room as he arrived; he was shocked to see who it was waiting for him. "Hello Alfred" "Hello Odin?" Odin laughed "Yes'' Alfred watches as Odin reached into his coat pocket and brought out a small brown leather book. "This is your father's diary," Said Odin. Alfred takes the diary but sees it needs a key "What about.." "Here" Odin takes a necklace off his neck with a key dangling on it. "This will open it" Alfred took the key and thanked Odin. He didn't know what else to say and as he walked away the memory ended. The old man smiled as he finished his memory. He stood up and looked at the grave one last time. He took a chain he had around his neck with a key on it as he laid it on the grave he said with one final look "Thank you... Professor."