Gregor and the Prophecies of Deception

Chapter 2

Gregor stared at the mirror, and watched the mirror replicate his movements exactly so. He couldn't believe it. Part of him was really confused, and frankly, a bit scared to open the note on the mirror, and a completely different part, excited, and amazed at the fact that he might have a chance of going back to the Underland.

  It wasn't like the Regalians to call him down for nothing, and all the last prophecies proved that. "Oh hi Gregor! How's your day goin'?" Like that ever happened... 

  His eyes shone brilliantly as he opened the crumpled piece of paper, not blinking once as he read it. 

The words on the page wrote : 

"To Gregor   

Gregor, if you are reading this note, please reply immediately. All of us Regalians need you, if not, the Underland will most likely all perish. Please come. For Luxa , for your friends, and for the sake of the Underland. Nerissa."

Gregor felt his face redden at the mention of Luxa, but immediately put that side-note away in a different part of his head. His mind went back to the second sentence, particularly. " If not, the Underland will most likely all perish." 

That didn't sound too good. 

The letter, as always, was very brief, and contained barely any information on the topic, but in the last couple times Gregor went to the Underland, at least they gave him a little bit of a clue, like telling him which prophecy was starting. This time, there was no mention of any prophecy at all, making him feel like it was even more urgent than the other times he was called down.

Gregor thought about what could be happening that Nerissa did not even describe. He decided that most likely, it contained a prophecy of some sort, but because there was no mention of one, there was something dangerous that had nothing to do with Bartholemew of Sandwich at all!

He was not quite sure, but he decided that he would be going back to the Underland again. Gregor wondered what his mother would say about going back, shuddered, and then decided to firstly, go back home, and secondly, not tell his parents just yet about what he found. 

He started for his apartment, jogging the whole way. Sure, Gregor already was pretty decent at track, but a year in the Underland, where the smallest bit of difference in skill could get you killed, Gregor had unconsciously been getting more fit, although he felt like he should have realized that earlier, with all his training.

 In a couple of minutes, he was back at the apartment and was jogging up the stairs. Strangely, he started humming, a hobby that he was horrible at and never did, but nevertheless, he found himself humming whatever random tune that popped into his head as he went up the stairs. 

As he entered the apartment, he was quite a bit energetic, for reasons unknown, but he was really in a good mood. Gregor wondered if it was just because of the letter, or because of the fact that his mother was back in good health. Probably the second one, if he had to guess. As he walked through the doorway, he welcomed himself in, gave the puzzles book to Lizzie, and head over to his room to study. 

On the way, Grandma rolled over and gave him a big hug. She had started making some sense now, but the reason was still unclear.

The doctors had said that most likely, she would not make sense anymore during her heart troubles, but here she was, hugging her grand-kid just like any other grandparent. 

"Oh, how I have missed you, big boy! And you have grown so so so much since before!"

Gregor still wasn't sure what to respond to grandma, as he just turned 13, but he just embraced her again, maybe thinking that would be the best choice.

"Alright, I have to do some studying and some schoolwork now! I'll see you at dinner!" 

"Alright, goody boy! Remember that something that you don't do will chase you, so you better hurry up and do it!" 

Gregor was sure that was supposed to be encouraging, but felt a shiver double down on his spine, as he thought of the Underland, and the last time Grandmother had said anything like she did, when she was still back in her phase of thinking she was back on the Virginian family farm, it had ended up with Gregor going back to the Underland. 

It must be a coincidence, Gregor thought, as he turned away. He closed the door and actually started studying, clicking out of habit. 

What he saw using his clicking was overly perplexing. In the hallway, well, what would be a hallway, he saw his grandmother have a ghost of a creepy smile on her. He blinked, and clicked again. No, she wasn't smiling, her face was relaxing. Gregor stopped clicking and started by grabbing his notes out of his backpack. Gregor erased the image of Grandmother smiling devilishly and told himself it was just his rusty echolocation skills, after all, why would she be smirking like she just got in on an inside joke?

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