I think I'm getting a lot better at controlling the magic. It's really exciting, learning about how to do all sorts of stuff that regular humans can't do.
Colin and Susan have had much more extensive training at it than I have, so they're a bit better than I am, even though they're younger. But I've got a few things they don't have.
Mr. Linston informed us that some humans who don't have magic have other strange abilities unrelated to magic. Like, for example, telepathy, the ability to read other's minds and tell what they're thinking. Of course a strong sorcerer can imitate these with magic, but it takes more effort.
I'd already known about the future-seeing thing I get from my father. That's unrelated to magic. But it turns out that I get something pretty interesting from my mother as well, and that's telepathy.
I wonder if my brother has telepathy. The one that I don't know where he is, who's so much older than me. I keep his picture by my bed and look at it every night, but all I see is the same bald baby boy.
November 20th
It's been a pretty normal November so far. Nothing exciting happening. That's why I haven't written much lately. There isn't much to write about.
I've been learning lots of new things about magic.It's really great. But nothing spectacular. Kinda boring, actually.
Tomorrow we're going to a beach. It's really cool, because I've never been to a beach before. It's not in the human world, of course. There are too many people on those beaches. Our trip is so that we can learn, as well as have some fun.
It seems a little bit strange, going to a beach in the middle of November. But the area we're going to is pretty warm. We'll be able to swim and have fun and do all sorts of "beach things" as well as learn.
It sounds like fun. Really. But somehow I'm not too excited about it. I feel like I'm sort of waiting for something to happen, but I don't know what. Maybe nothing. Maybe I'm just bored.
November 21st
The trip to the beach was as unexciting as I thought it would be. We spent most of the time observing wildlife, collecting shells, that sort of stuff. Being by the ocean was fascinating, of course, but the water was way too cold to go swimming, so that took all the fun out of the ocean.
I think that the most important thing I've learned so far is this "focus" stuff. It's kinda hard to explain, but the main thing is that, even though magic flows in all of your body, most people find a place where they can control it best. For some, it's a body part, like the eyes or the hands. For others, it's something not quite so physical, such as the voice or a certain thought. Part of the key to getting really good at magic is to know what that focus is in yourself and others.
Mine, as I've learned so far, is centered in my throat. The magic is strongest when I speak or sing it. Now I've got to learn to use that magic.
Wouldn't you know it? Just when I am starting to make progress in our training, it turns out our tutor is leaving.
Poor sick-looking Mr. Linston has decided to retire early. He's only sixty something, at least so far as I can tell, and that's very early, but he is sick, and he does have family to take care of him. So he plans to go home and live with them and maybe write a book or something while he rests.
No word yet on when our new tutor will arive, and Mr. Linston is leaving tomorrow. We're going to have a little party with cupcakes and punch and stand around and say what a great tutor he was. Mr. Linston has already reccomended a bunch of teachers to George...friends of his who are tutors as well, and now it's just a matter of time.
Just when I was starting to make progress, too.
November 24th
Today was the little good-bye party for Mr. Linston. George is still going over who he wants to be our new tutor. He's usually very thorough about that. At least according to Colin.
It was a very little party. Just a few snacks and some juice. Cupcakes, cookies, that sorta stuff. Then we all said our good-byes and Mr. Linston left.
The rest of us were kinda bored so we spent the rest of the day riding again. It's almost too cold to go now, this will probably be the last time this year that we get to ride the horses around the grounds of the "estate". Too bad, because I really liked it and I haven't been able to do it much this year.
Finally got a letter from my Mom today. She said she wants me to come home for winter celebration. I'm glad. I didn't want to spend them here. Even though I'll only be home for two weeks, it's nice to get home again.
Yesterday our new tutor came. His name is Mr. Stevens. Seems to be a nice guy, but not too exciting. Definetly not as sickly-looking as Mr. Linston. A lot younger too. He's like, maybe, fourty years old. Hopefully he'll stick around for awhile.
Good thing about Mr. Linston and Mr. Stevens being friends is that then we don't have to take those long tests again. It's hard to believe I've only been at George's a month, and it's been such a short time since I've taken those tests, but still, I don't want to take them again. But Mr. Linston has told Mr. Stevens all about us and so therefore we don't have to worry about it.
Dissapointingly enough our first two days of learning we've stuck with the normal subjects, language, math, history and all that. I want to get on with magic. Hopefully we'll get started on that tomorrow. Hopefully.
Backto main page
Back to part four
On to part six
